19th December 2024
The Nature Conservation Council of New South Wales (NCC), the state's leading environmental advocacy organisation, is calling on the NSW Government to urgently implement reforms that would return critical water flows to the ailing Darling/Baaka River.
Indications are that the community could be in for another summer of mass fish kills in the Lower Darling/Baaka River. Oxygen levels in the water of parts of the Menindee Lakes system are nearing critically low, and in a few weeks water that is infected with blue-green algae will be arriving.
Thanks to some heavy rain events in the north several weeks ago there are some fresh flows heading to the Darling/Baaka River, how much water gets through without being pumped remains to be seen.
In July, the Independent Connectivity Expert Panel handed down its final report which recommended changes to water rules to restore connectivity and ecosystem health. The NSW Government is due to respond in 2025.
Quotes attributable to Nature Conservation Council NSW Water Campaigner, Mel Gray:
"The evidence is clear: reduced river connectivity is contributing to fish kills and having severe impacts on ecosystem health and downstream communities.
"Unless we make changes, we will continue to witness these tragic fish kills along the river.
"The Minns Government has the expert blueprint for reform on their desks. In 2025 Premier Minns and Minister Jackson must implement the Connectivity Panel's recommendations in full.
"The Darling/Bakka River gets over 95% of its water from the tributary rivers to its north - the Border Rivers, Gwydir, Namoi and Macquarie/Wambuul. Unless the rules in these catchments are overhauled in 2025, we'll keep seeing fish kills."
Statement ends
