The NSW Government has received valuable community feedback on a landmark proposal to improve access to water by landholders for bushfire preparedness and firefighting needs.

Today’s mostly full opening water allocations reflect the state’s continued good water availability following consecutive wet years. This is good news for licenced water users, who will see most entitlements nearing maximum allowable levels.

Landholders and Aboriginal communities along the Murrumbidgee River are being encouraged to reach out to the NSW Government’s Reconnecting River Country program and provide feedback to improve the way water for the environment is delivered.

The NSW Department of Planning and Environment today extended the temporary restriction on interstate water trades into the NSW Murray, Lower Darling and Murrumbidgee regulated river water sources to 30 September 2023, unless repealed earlier.

The NSW Government has reaffirmed its opposition to non-strategic water buybacks being used to meet water recovery targets as part of the Murray Darling Basin Plan.

The opening water allocations for NSW licenced water users reflect the significant turnaround from drought conditions to an abundance of water across the state.

The first of nine planned high-flow environmental water releases to the Snowy River will begin on Tuesday 31 May 2022.

The Reconnecting River Country Program can now reach more stakeholders than ever before thanks to the launch of its first virtual consultation space.

High floodwaters that are low in dissolved oxygen levels are continuing to move downstream from the Barwon-Darling River to the Menindee Lakes increasing the risk of fish deaths.

An independent review of the MDBA modelling of constraints has commenced following the appointment of an expert panel based on terms of reference by the Victorian and NSW water ministers.

Given the drought is intensifying across the state, the NSW Government continues to implement drought management measures in consultation with communities.

The Water Regulator is continuing to shepherd environmental water flows released from the northern Murray-Darling Basin.