In the Warrego and Barwon–Darling Valleys, our approach to managing water for the environment is slightly different.
We don’t always deliver water for the environment from storage, like a dam. Instead, our water licences are 'turned on' after rainfall when water levels in the river rise. We keep our water in the river which helps to:
- protect natural river flows
- provide drought refuge and habitat
- support native fish populations and vegetation
- build ecosystem resilience.
We've been using water like this in the region since 2010.
The latest achievements are below. To learn more about past water delivery, visit Past water use.
Water quality and connection
In 2022 and early 2023, the rivers of the northern Murray–Darling Basin experienced very wet conditions. High flows helped the system to begin to recover from several years of drought. Flows provided opportunities for native fish to move and breed, as well as connecting streams and rivers to the Barwon–Darling.
However, conditions began to dry out at the end of summer 2022–23. This increased the risk of low-oxygen water impacting native fish.
We delivered water for the environment across northern Basin rivers to help:
- improve water quality
- keep streams and rivers connected
- support native fish to move along waterways.
This water built on river flows from rainfall, and the activation of Commonwealth flow licences in the Barwon–Darling. These kept rivers flowing into the cooler months when there is less risk of low-oxygen water.