NSW Limits Upstream Water Use as Menindee Lakes Reach Five-Year Low

The New South Wales government has imposed temporary water restrictions in parts of the northern Murray-Darling basin. These measures limit access for specific irrigators to preserve water for critical human use and environmental health. The action follows a sharp decline in storage levels at Menindee Lakes in western New South Wales.

Combined storage at the Menindee Lakes fell below 480 gigalitres earlier this month. This marks the first time the reservoirs have dropped to this level since 2021. In the upper section of the lakes, water volumes have fallen below 250 gigalitres. This threshold triggers the state's temporary restriction protocols.

Experts attribute the drop to low rainfall across the catchment over the past 12 months. They warn that mass fish deaths are likely this summer unless flows via the Darling-Baaka River improve. Menindee experienced catastrophic fish kills in 2018, 2019, and 2023, where millions of dead fish accumulated along the river stretches.

Prof. Jamie Pittock from the Australian National University and the Wentworth Group of Concerned Scientists stated that officials predict fish kills with high certainty if more water does not flow into the Baaka-Darling River. He called for a major rainfall event and for state governments to stop irrigators from pumping the initial flush of water.

Graeme McCrabb, a Menindee resident who raised the alarm during the 2018 and 2019 disasters, described the current levels as drought reserve volumes. He said this requires conserving water at all costs. McCrabb noted that small inflows from Queensland offer some hope for the summer, but more water is needed. He warned that without these inflows, the risk of fish kills would be very high in January or February.

Premier Chris Minns and senior ministers visited Menindee days after winning the 2023 state election. They committed to investigating the mass fish kills. An expert panel under the northern basin connectivity program recommended limiting upstream overextraction during dry periods to maintain flows. The panel delivered its final report two years ago, but the state government has not yet implemented the recommendations.

McCrabb expressed disappointment that government agencies have made no policy changes to improve water quality outcomes since the fish kills. The NSW water minister, Rose Jackson, has been sought for comment on the new restrictions.