Long term goals – Lachlan River

Every year, we focus on meeting specific environmental demands in the Lachlan River. These priorities align to our broader environmental objectives for the region.

Environmental objectives in the Lachlan River

Our longer-term goals in the Lachlan River focus on supporting plants, fish, birds, other wildlife, and water quality.

Plants

Improve the condition, growth and survival of plants. This includes plants both in and around waterways.

Waterbirds

Boost waterbird numbers and maintain their diversity. We will help natural breeding and protect habitats in certain floodplain areas. This will allow them to:

• find food
• breed
• find shelter.

Native fish

Increase the spread and number of native fish species and maintain species diversity. We aim to do this by supporting opportunities for them to:

• move
• disperse
• reproduce
• recruit.

Other vertebrates

Help other native water creatures to increase in number, including:

• rakali (native water rat)
• frogs
• turtles.

Invertebrates

Provide habitat to help invertebrates:

• survive
• diversify
• grow in numbers
• stay healthy.

Connectivity

Keep rivers connected by supporting both:

• Longitudinal connections - the constant flow of water along the length of the river.
• Lateral connections - the link between the river and nearby wetlands and floodplains.

We plan to do this by having more frequent flows.

We also aim to maintain lateral connections by increasing lowland floodplain flows to:

• wetlands
• floodplains
• creeks
• anabranches.

Processes, water quality and resilience

Support key ecosystem functions, including:

• plant growth and suitable levels of algae
• nutrient and carbon cycling
• movement of living things
• movement of organic material and nutrients downstream.
• healthy water quality and refuge habitat.

We will also provide drought refuge and keep native plants and animals healthy.

About environmental objectives

Environmental goals in the Lachlan River are based on:

• long-term environmental objectives in the Basin Plan
• the NSW Lachlan Long Term Water Plan
• site management plans
• local ecological knowledge.

Environmental goals can change each year based on factors like:

• availability of water
• catchment conditions
• feasibility of operations
• demand for water.

These goals aim to match the annual environmental water priorities published by NSW.

We will keep updating these goals as part of our commitment to adaptive management.