Barwon-Darling and Far Western
Water Quality and River Flow Objectives

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This section gives the Water Quality Objectives (WQOs) and the River Flow Objectives (RFOs) for the Barwon-Darling and Far Western catchments, which should be used to develop plans and actions affecting water quality and river health. Only the priority RFOs are listed in this section, but the remaining objectives still need to be considered when developing flow management plans or dealing with particular local river conditions.

Town water supply subcatchments

The streams in town water supply subcatchments typically feed into a town's water supply storage.

Map: This category applies to streams running through areas coloured light blue on the map.

Top of PageWater Quality Objectives

Protection of:

Aquatic ecosystems
Visual amenity
Drinking water-Clarification and disinfection
Drinking water-Groundwater

Top of PageRiver Flow Objectives

All eleven inland RFOs apply, but no new priority action is required to meet these objectives.

Supporting information

Mainly forested areas

The community values streams in national parks and state forests for conservation or recreation. This may apply to other areas of high conservation value if any are defined locally.

Map: Applies to streams running through areas coloured green on the map. Also applies to other forested areas, if any are defined locally.

Top of PageWater Quality Objectives

Protection of:

Aquatic ecosystems
Visual amenity
Secondary contact recreation
Primary contact recreation
Drinking water at point of supply-Groundwater
Aquatic foods (cooked)

Top of PageRiver Flow Objectives

All eleven inland RFOs apply, but no new priority action is required to meet these objectives.

Top of PageSupporting information

Waterways affected by urban development

Waterways within urban areas are often substantially modified and generally carry poor-quality stormwater. Local communities are often keen to see these waterways returned to more natural conditions.

Map: These areas are shown in orange or as orange dots on the map.

Top of PageWater Quality Objectives

Protection of:

Aquatic ecosystems
Visual amenity
Secondary contact recreation, as a short-term objective, within 5 years
Primary contact recreation: assess opportunities to achieve as a longer term objective, 10 years or more

Top of PageRiver Flow Objectives

Protect pools in dry times
Protect natural low flows
Maintain natural rates of change in water levels
Minimise effects of weirs and other structures

Top of PageSupporting information

Uncontrolled streams

These are all streams and waters that are not in the other categories.

Map: Uncontrolled streams are shown as blue lines on the map.

Top of PageWater Quality Objectives

Protection of:

Aquatic ecosystems
Visual amenity
Secondary contact recreation
Primary contact recreation
Livestock water supply
Irrigation water supply (in Moonie and Warrego rivers)
Homestead water supply
Drinking water at point of supply-Disinfection only
Drinking water at point of supply-Clarification and disinfection
Drinking water at point of supply-Groundwater
Aquatic foods (cooked)

Top of PageRiver Flow Objectives

In the Warrego and Moonie rivers, which have a few active water diversion licences, all eleven RFOs apply. Some priority action may be warranted to achieve the following objectives:

Protect pools in dry times
Protect natural low flows
Protect important rises in water levels
Maintain wetland and floodplain inundation
Maintain natural flow variability
Maintain natural rates of change in water levels
Minimise effects of weirs and other structures

In other streams, all eleven RFOs apply, but most are currently being met. Maintenance of the relatively natural flow regimes in these streams is important.

Supporting information

Controlled rivers with reduced flow

These extend from Mungindi to the top of Lake Wetherell and include anabranches and wetland systems on the floodplain. Almost all flows are from tributaries in other regions of NSW or Queensland. Dams and diversions in those regions reduce inflows to the Barwon-Darling. Flow patterns are also affected by pumping, weirs and natural processes along the Barwon-Darling.

Map: Controlled rivers are marked on the map in red lines; the floodplain is coloured brown on the map.

Top of PageWater Quality Objectives

Protection of:

Aquatic ecosystems
Visual amenity
Secondary contact recreation
Primary contact recreation
Livestock water supply
Irrigation water supply
Homestead water supply
Drinking water at point of supply-Clarification and disinfection
Drinking water at point of supply-Groundwater
Aquatic foods (cooked)

Top of PageRiver Flow Objectives

No interim RFOs were recommended for the Barwon-Darling in 1999. Environmental flow rules recommended by the Barwon-Darling River Management Committee were adopted. These rules were implemented by the then DLWC in late 2000, following the construction of 5 new flow gauging stations at strategic locations along the river. The RMC was discontinued in 2003, following submission of its final advice to the Minister for Natural Resources on a Cap Management Strategy. During 2006/2007 the Department of Natural Resources (DNR) will be developing a Water Sharing Plan (WSP). Community engagement in the preparation of the WSP will be facilitated by the Western Catchment Management Authority (CMA).

Top of PageSupporting information

Controlled rivers with reduced flow (Culgoa, Birrie, Bokhara and Narran rivers)

Most flow comes from the Condamine-Balonne River. In most seasons, flow is reduced by upstream diversions for irrigation in Queensland. Low flows are controlled by releases from Jack Taylor Weir in Queensland.

Map: These rivers are shown as red lines within a pink area on the map.

Top of PageWater Quality Objectives

Protection of:

Aquatic ecosystems
Visual amenity
Secondary contact recreation
Primary contact recreation
Livestock water supply
Homestead water supply
Drinking water at point of supply-Disinfection only
Drinking water at point of supply-Clarification and disinfection
Drinking water at point of supply-Groundwater
Aquatic foods (cooked)

Top of PageRiver Flow Objectives

Queensland has established Water Resource Plans for the Condamine, Balonne, Culgoa and Narran rivers. The NSW Government has not recommended RFOs or priorities for action for these rivers, but development of Water Sharing Plans for the NSW portion of these rivers should consider all inland River Flow Objectives to the maximum extent possible.

Top of PageSupporting information

Regulated rivers (lower Darling, Great Anabranch and lakes, and lower Murray river system)

These are regulated streams supplied with water from the Menindee Lakes System or Lake Hume. The management of Menindee Lakes, regulation of flows, and management of extraction and water quality are affected by agreements to meet water needs in South Australia as well as local needs.

Map: These rivers are shown as yellow lines within a pink area on the map.

Top of PageWater Quality and River Flow Objectives

A separate interstate process, chaired by the Murray-Darling Basin Commission and involving the NSW, Victorian and South Australian Governments, is being used to set objectives for both water quality and flow in the Murray and the lower Darling river systems. The MDBMC has approved provisional Water Quality Objectives for the Darling River between Menindee and Wentworth - download the Draft Provisional Water Quality Objectives - DraftMDBMCWQOs.pdf (pdf 63kb)

This page was published 1 May 2006