The Murrumbidgee Environmental Water Advisory Group met online on 19 June 2025. The meeting was chaired by Anna Wilson.
Water planning and delivery
Dam storage levels are improving slowly and at the time of the meeting, Blowering Dam was at 47.3% capacity and Burrinjuck Dam at 43.4%. However, collectively the dams are at the lowest they have been for several years due to ongoing hot and dry weather conditions.
The long-range weather forecast for the next 3 months shows that rainfall is likely to be above average for much of Australia, except in parts of the south-east and south-west.
Operationally, this has been a relatively calm period with significant project work supporting the Sustainable Diversion Limit Adjustment Mechanism program. The program is part of the Murray-Darling Basin Plan designed to use less water to achieve similar or improved environmental water outcomes for rivers, wetlands and wildlife.
Water for the environment has been flowing through Gayini into Tala Lake to sustain golden perch populations which spawned and recruited after the Murrumbidgee fish flow in October and November 2024. Water has also passed through Nap Nap to Waugorah Lagoon in Yanga National Park to maintain this location as a permanent fish refuge site.
First use of the cultural access licence
A highlight for this meeting was the first ever use of the cultural access licence in the Murrumbidgee Irrigation Areas wetlands. Cudgel Creek, McCaughey, Nericon and Fivebough wetlands (RAMSAR), and Tuckerbil Dam all benefited from cultural access licence water this year. This was a collaborative effort between Leeton and Griffith Local Aboriginal Land Councils, NSW Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water, Commonwealth Environmental Water Holder, and Murrumbidgee Irrigation. It is a great example of using environmental water partnering to get the best cultural and ecological outcomes.
Murrumbidgee fish monitoring 2024–2025
In March and April this year, Charles Sturt University and NSW Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water conducted fish surveys of the middle and lower Murrumbidgee River, the lower lakes (Tala and Yanga) and Yanco-Billabong Creek. The fish surveys are part of the Commonwealth’s Monitoring, Evaluation and Research Program (2024–2029). Findings/outcomes include the following:
- The rare and threatened olive perchlet was recorded in the upper Yanco Creek, which was the first record of olive perchlet in the Murrumbidgee in over 50 years.
- A genetic sample was taken from the olive perchlet to determine its relatedness to populations in the Lachlan and other catchments.
- Unfortunately, carp were widespread and abundant across all river sampling sites.
- Golden perch young-of-year recruits were sampled in Tala and Yanga lakes confirming successful spawning and recruitment since the addition of environmental water in late October and early November 2024.
- Golden perch young-of-year were also sampled in the Murrumbidgee River, confirming river spawning.
The golden perch young-of-year are being aged to determine their spawning date. However, based on their size it is very likely they spawned because of our environmental water delivery.
Annual water planning
The group heard that water managers are expecting a lower starting allocation than last year due to dry conditions reducing storage levels in the last quarter and lower carry-over volumes. However, with average rainfall forecast, the resource scenario is expected to be dry to moderate compared to moderate last year.
Upcoming water events
Several events are planned for 2025-26:
Fish flows
Building on the success of last year, the fish pulse in the Murrumbidgee River and Yanco-Billabong Creek will be repeated in October and November to promote spawning and recruitment of golden perch and Murray cod.
Floodplain watering
Environmental water will be provided to landholdings across the entire North Redbank system to increase the area watered in the previous year. Last year several landholders (particularly at the bottom of the system) requested a drying phase.
The northern floodway will be used in Gayini to provide water through to the lower floodplain. The southern floodway is being dried.
North Yanga is remaining dry to allow Sustainable Diversion Limit Adjustment Mechanism works to replace the 1AS and 1ES regulators.
Wetland pumping
Environmental water will be pumped into several wetlands in the Midbidgee, including Yarradda, Sunshower and Willbriggie.
Murrumbidgee and Coleambally irrigation areas
Murrumbidgee Irrigation will provide environmental water to Nericon, Campbell’s, McCaughey and Turkey Flat wetlands, Euwarderry Lagoon and Cudgel Creek.
Coleambally Irrigation will water wetlands, including the Wargam Lakes, for southern bell frogs.
Reconnecting River Country Program
The group was updated on the Reconnecting River Country Program. For further information and the latest updates on the program, visit the Reconnecting River Country Program website.
