The NSW Minister for Water, Rose Jackson, MLC, has gazetted the Water Management (General) Regulation Landholder Negotiation Scheme Order (No. 1) 2025 under Sch 9, s 3 of the Water Management (General) Regulation 2025. This begins Phase 1 flow corridor negotiations for the Reconnecting River Country Program’s Murrumbidgee Project.
Phase 1 negotiations will commence between Darlington Point and Balranald. This area contains the most affected properties, representing more than 50% of the inundation area for the Murrumbidgee Project. These properties will be prioritised for flow corridor negotiations by December 2026.
The Declaration Order details:
- the flow rates, frequency, timing and duration of the proposed environmental water release
- an area of land where negotiations will take place (this allows for a phased rollout of the program through amendments to the declaration order to encompass additional areas of land).
The Declaration Order is available on the NSW Government Gazette website. Find out more about the Declaration Order and what it means for affected landholders.
Flow corridor negotiations commence
The program will commence contact with affected landholders in the Murrumbidgee Project’s Phase 1 area, from Darlington Point to Balranald, to begin voluntary negotiations under the LNS. Due to the scale of the project, affected landholders in this area will be contacted in a staged approach.
Find out if you are affected by the Declaration Order, about the negotiation process and the assistance and support available to landholders by visiting Murrumbidgee Project page.
Final Business Case summary for the Murrumbidgee Project released
The Water Group submitted the Final Business Case for the Reconnecting River Country Program Murrumbidgee Project to the Australian Government in February 2025. The Final Business Case recommended an upper flow limit option and outlined the investment needed to deliver the project.
- A Final Business Case summary for the Murrumbidgee project PDF, 3006.43 KB is now available.
The summary outlines the recommended upper environmental flow limit of 40,000ML/day at Wagga Wagga, the key considerations of the business case and a phased delivery approach to maximise progress within the current Basin Plan timeframe.
The Australian Government supports the project’s delivery to December 2026, following its consideration of the Final Business Case and the recommended upper flow limit of 40,000 ML/day. The Water Group is currently working with the Australian Government to finalise an agreement and confirm delivery milestones for the Murrumbidgee project through to December 2026.
The program is preparing to commence project delivery later in 2025. The release of a Declaration Order, under the Landholder Negotiation Scheme, will mark the commencement of negotiations.
Find out more about the Murrumbidgee Project
About the Reconnecting River Country Program
The Reconnecting River Country Program is a key Murray-Darling Basin Plan initiative. In 2024, the Australian Government committed $274 million to fund the program until December 2026. The program is essential to creating healthier functioning river systems in the Murray and Murrumbidgee valleys.
Currently, rivers connect to wetlands and floodplains less often than is needed to maintain healthy ecosystems, due to river regulation and extraction. Water for the environment aims to restore the balance, however constraints restrict the effective use of this water contributing to the continual decline of the health of Country, including the species depending on these environments to survive.
A constraint is any physical, policy or operational barrier limiting the flow of water in river systems. There are a range of flow constraints in the Basin, some examples include:
- physical restrictions such as low-lying watercourse crossings, weirs and levees
- operational restrictions such as river operation rules and practices
- policy barriers such as existing legislation.
The program aims to remove constraints to enable the flexible use of water for the environment to increase the frequency and extent rivers connect to their wetlands and floodplains. Removing constraints is critical to achieving the Murray-Darling Basin Plan’s improved environmental outcomes and making best use of existing water recovered from communities.
The program is currently preparing to deliver the Murrumbidgee Project, and is actively working with Basin states and the Australian Government on next steps for a project in the Murray.
Location
The program area occurs within the Murray and Murrumbidgee valleys, along the following river systems:
- Murrumbidgee River, including Yanco-Billabong creek system
- Murray River - Hume Dam to Wakool Junction.
View a map of the program area.
Program benefits
The program offers greater flexibility to manage water for the environment and would create healthier river systems providing a range of benefits for native vegetation, native fish, waterbirds, turtles, frogs and other wildlife.
Healthier river systems would provide generational benefits for local communities and the broader Basin community.
The progam is also working with First Nations people to ensure outcomes such as healthier Country and improved access to land and water, contribute to the health, wellbeing and culture of First Nations communities.
Landholders, land managers and communities may also benefit through investment in infrastructure, the potential for improved agricultural productivity for graziers, as well as benefits to recreational fishing and tourism.
Program status
Find all the latest information about the Reconnecting River Country Program Murrumbidgee Project.
Find all the latest information about the Reconnecting River Country Program Murray Project.
Stakeholder consultation
The department’s Water Group and partner agencies are committed to building and maintaining respectful, trusted and collaborative relationships with our communities and stakeholders to ensure programs achieve the best possible outcomes.
Feedback plays a vital role in the development of the program. We take the views of landholders and stakeholders seriously and encourage feedback as part of the program’s engagement activities.
Our past and current engagement with stakeholders ensures issues are identified and informs development of a suite of program measures to mitigate any potential effects before making changes to existing rules, policies or infrastructure.
We are continuing to engage with landholders, First Nations communities, and the wider community across the program area to inform program development.
Find out more about the program by subscribing for updates or registering to be involved in the program on this page.
Information session presentation
Thank you to everyone who attended the recent information sessions, held in Balranald, Hay, Darlington Point, Wagga Wagga and Gundagai, concerning the Reconnecting River Country Program and Landholder Negotiation Scheme.
During the sessions, the Water Group provided an update on the status of the Reconnecting River Country Murrumbidgee Project and the recently released Final Business Case summary (PDF, 3006.43 KB).
The sessions also provided important information on the Landholder Negotiation Scheme, the process for making a Declaration Order and how this represents the start of negotiations.
Find out more by viewing the information session presentation (PDF, 4292.8 KB) or by viewing a recording of the recent Landholder Negotiation Scheme webinars.
More information
Program partners
The program is funded by the Australian Government and is part of the NSW Government’s commitment to the Murray-Darling Basin Plan.
It is being led by the department's Water Group in partnership with the department’s Environment and Heritage division and the Department of Regional NSW’s Local Land Services, who will work with landholders and communities across the southern basin to implement the program.
In developing the program, we are also working with:
- WaterNSW
- NSW National Parks and Wildlife Service
- NSW Department of Primary Industries–Fisheries
- Murray–Darling Basin Authority
- Victorian Government.
Registration forms
Apply to participate in the Reconnecting River Country Program during the next phase of landholder engagement.
Ask a question about the Reconnecting River Country Program
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Contact us
For more information call us on 1300 081 047 or email us at: water.enquiries@dpie.nsw.gov.au
We acknowledge the Traditional Custodians of the land and we show our respect for Elders past, present and emerging through thoughtful and collaborative approaches to our work, seeking to demonstrate our ongoing commitment to providing places in which Aboriginal people are included socially, culturally and economically.