Extra water sparks questions

With so many nearing capacity levels, overflows have prompted regulators to conduct controlled releases across the state. 

As fresh flows course down a multitude of Murray Darling Basin rivers, farmers are asking if this multitude of riches can be put toward new water delivery requirements in the Basin Plan.

Environmental flows were written into the Plan to boost water delivery across catchment areas and improve a swag of environmental outcomes.

When asked if any release from storages would contribute to environmental water requirements listed in the MDBA agreement, a spokesman would not specify if flood level flows counted to environmental flows.

Occasional high river levels were an important part of a naturally functioning river, with unregulated flows contributing to that, he said.

A spokesperson from the Murray Darling Basin Authority (MDBA) said they have been managing inflows to maximise the volume of water available to each state in accordance with the Authority’s agreement and seeking to provide flood mitigation where possible.

“These were considered in the Basin Plan,” the spokseman said.

Water NSW said it was a rare event for all of NSW’s dams to reach capacity at once.

In preparation for upcoming rain events, likely to occur in the coming weeks, the bulk water regulator initiated some controlled pre-releases.

WaterNSW’s spokesperson said there had been pre-releases from Burrinjuck Dam on the Murrumbidgee River, Burrendong Dam on the Macquarie River and Wyangala Dam on the Lachlan River. 

Flood releases have also been made from Wyangala Dam. With more rain on the way, WaterNSW said it had been working to minimise flood impacts.