Environmental watering in the Macquarie catchment in 2022-23
These Commonwealth environmental watering actions follow from the Water Management Plan 2022-23, having regard to Basin annual environmental watering priorities and the Basin-wide environmental watering strategy. This page will be updated as decisions on water use in the Macquarie for 2022-23 are made by the Commonwealth Environmental Water Holder.
A summary of previous years of Commonwealth environmental water use in the Macquarie is available at history.
For further information about Commonwealth environmental watering in the Macquarie and the outcomes achieved, please refer to the Commonwealth environmental water Outcomes Reports and Annual Reports.
| Watering action | Status of Commonwealth action |
|---|---|
| Macquarie River and Marshes | Commenced |
| Macquarie catchment supplementary | Not commenced |
Environmental watering in the Macquarie River and Marshes
Status: Action commenced
About the watering
The purpose of the water use is to support further recovery of core wetland vegetation and native fish populations following prolonged and severe drought conditions, and to support waterbird breeding habitat.
Up to 70,000 ML of Commonwealth water for the environment has been approved for use in conjunction with NSW water in the Macquarie River Valley in 2022-23. If required, this water will provide benefits for native fish, wetland vegetation, waterbirds and frogs. The volume of water delivered will be managed adaptively as conditions change.
Specifically, Commonwealth water for the environment is expected to contribute to:
- Supporting further recovery of wetland vegetation, and build resilience in the Macquarie Marshes.
- Support the condition of waterbird colony sites to improve ‘event readiness’ for future colonial waterbird breeding.
- Support foraging grounds for waterbirds to increase survival and condition.
- Support the breeding and recruitment of Murray cod and, if possible, freshwater catfish.
- Increase connectivity and provide refuge and movement opportunities for native fish, including between the Macquarie and Barwon rivers.
- Supporting viable colonial waterbird breeding to completion, should an event be naturally triggered.
This watering action will be managed in collaboration with the NSW Department of Planning and Environment (DPE), the NSW Department of Primary Industries – Fisheries, and WaterNSW, with local community advice from the Macquarie Cudgegong Environmental Water Advisory Group.
Monitoring of the outcomes from this watering action is being undertaken by DPIE, including surveys of vegetation condition, inundation extent, waterbirds and frogs.
Updates on the watering action can be found at: 2022–23 Macquarie River Valley updates.
Supplementary Commonwealth environmental water use in the Macquarie catchment
Status: Action not commenced
About the watering
The Commonwealth currently holds 8,292 ML of supplementary entitlements in the Macquarie, which can be used to contribute to meeting environmental demands at target assets when supplementary access is announced.
The purpose of the water use is to maintain the ecological health and resilience of assets in the Macquarie River catchment.
Commonwealth supplementary environmental water may be used, along with NSW supplementary environmental water, to help protect a proportion of the natural flows in the mid-Macquarie River. This water may be delivered to the Macquarie Marshes, to support the recovery of wetland vegetation, and to provide habitat for waterbirds, native fish and frogs.