NSW restricts water use as Menindee Lakes storage hits five-year low

The New South Wales government has imposed temporary water restrictions on parts of the northern Murray-Darling basin after storage levels at Menindee Lakes dropped to their lowest point in five years. The action follows a decline in combined storage that fell below 480 gigalitres earlier this month. This marks the first time the system has reached this level since 2021.

Specifically, volumes in the upper Menindee Lakes have fallen under 250 gigalitres. That threshold activates state-mandated curbs on water access for some irrigators. The restrictions are designed to prioritize water for critical human needs and environmental health after 12 months of low rainfall in the catchment.

Experts warn that the current storage levels increase the likelihood of mass fish deaths during the coming summer. Professor Jamie Pittock of the Australian National University and the Wentworth Group of Concerned Scientists stated that officials predict fish kills will occur if flows into the Darling-Baaka River do not improve. "Government officials are predicting with a level of certainty that unless there's more water flowing into the Baaka-Darling River that there will be fish kills at Menindee this summer," Pittock said.

Menindee has experienced severe fish kills in 2018, 2019, and 2023, when millions of dead fish washed up along the river. Graeme McCrabb, a local resident who raised concerns during the 2018 and 2019 events, described the current situation as reaching "drought reserve volumes." He emphasized that water must now be conserved at all costs. McCrabb noted that recent rain in Queensland has produced small inflows across the border, offering some hope, though he cautioned that significantly more water is needed.

"If we don't get inflows, the risk [of fish kills] would be very high in January or February," McCrabb said. He added that a milder summer would lower the risk but expressed concern over the green algal appearance of the water. He called on state governments to stop irrigators from pumping out the first flush of water and for a major rainfall event to occur.

Following the 2023 state election, Premier Chris Minns and senior ministers visited Menindee and committed to investigating the fish kills. An expert panel established under the northern basin connectivity program recommended limiting upstream overextraction during dry periods to sustain flows in tributaries. The panel delivered its final report two years ago, but the state government has not yet implemented those recommendations. McCrabb expressed disappointment that agencies have made no policy changes to improve water quality outcomes since the previous disasters.

The NSW water minister, Rose Jackson, has been contacted for comment.