Annual environmental water priorities in the Barwon–Darling catchment 2024–25

Water that is allocated and managed specifically to improve the health of rivers, wetlands and floodplains is known as water for the environment.

Our environmental water management teams work with local communities, Aboriginal representatives, partner agencies, and other stakeholders to develop detailed annual plans for the use of water for the environment in each catchment, including how its use is prioritised.

Water for rivers and wetlands

The Barwon–Darling rivers rely on rainfall and inflows from tributaries to support river health. Many of the tributaries which flow into the system are regulated by dams, weirs and floodplain structures. This influences the ability of water managers to actively plan events to enhance river and wetland outcomes in this system.

Following significant rainfall between 2020 and 2022 flows rapidly receded in early 2023, with dry conditions until spring 2023. In late 2023 and early 2024, water managers protected water for the environment under New South Wales and Commonwealth licences.

Partnering with Aboriginal peoples

Water for Country is environmental water use planned by the Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water and Aboriginal people to achieve shared benefits for the environment and cultural places, values and/or interests.

In 2024–25, water managers will continue to work with Barkandji, Muruwari, Ngemba, Ngiyampaa, Euahlayi and Kamilaroi/Gomeroi Aboriginal people to identify possible co-cultural-environmental watering sites on the Baaka – Lower Darling River. This may include working with Aboriginal peoples to learn about the values of off-stream watering sites such as billabongs and wetlands.

Weather and water forecast

As of June 2024, the El Niño–Southern Oscillation outlook is neutral. That is, neither La Niña nor El Niño conditions are favoured as oceanic and atmospheric indicators have returned to neutral levels. International climate models suggest neutral El Niño–Southern Oscillation conditions will persist through the southern winter, but there are some signs that La Niña conditions could form later in the 2024–25 water year.

After experiencing wet conditions throughout 2021–22, rainfall began to subside in December 2022. Dry conditions continued until spring 2023. Despite sporadic rainfall events during spring and summer, 2 notable flow events occurred in the Barwon–Darling rivers in summer and autumn 2023–24, triggered mainly by flows from the Border, Moonie, Weir, and Culgoa rivers.

Natural inflows will likely decrease in the Barwon–Darling in early winter before the possibility of median rainfall. This presents opportunities for water managers to use held licenses to protect flows in the Barwon–Darling catchment.

Water managers have prepared annual watering plans that consider a range of weather and water availability scenarios. This is referred to as resource availability scenario planning.

Resource availability scenario

This table provides details about how we plan for different resource availability scenarios. Dry to moderate conditions are forecast for the Barwon–Darling catchment in 2024–25, which means water availability planning will follow the ‘dry’ and ‘moderate’ scenarios.

Key planned actions

Native fish

As fish populations are still recovering from significant fish kills in the northern Basin and at Menindee in early 2023, a key priority is to support remaining stocks of native fish and provide opportunities for them to breed and disperse along the system. The goal is to maintain flows and support small fresh events to help supply food to native fish and other aquatic wildlife, including frogs.

Connectivity

Cease to flow conditions may return in 2024–25. A key priority will be maintaining low or base flows and providing small freshes. Under more moderate rainfall conditions and small freshes, consistent base flows are more likely.

Another priority is maintenance of connecting flows between the Barwon–Darling rivers and the Baaka – Lower Darling, to support the recovery of native fish populations. However, river connectivity is impeded by lack of fish passage downstream of Menindee main weir. Maintaining connection along the length of the river will require wet or moderate conditions across the northern Basin, which may become more likely should La Niña conditions develop.

Map of proposed annual priority targets in the water resource plan area 2024–25