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.

A new 300 megalitre off-stream storage dam at Walcha will provide greater water security and reliability for residents and businesses and to help drought-proof the town’s water supply.

Work has begun on a new $5.1 million Wyangala Water Treatment Plant which will deliver up to 800,000 litres of clean drinking water every day to village residents and the popular holiday park.

The first of nine planned high-flow environmental water releases to the Snowy River will begin on Tuesday 31 May and will continue through until early December 2022.

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.