By Fatma Younis
Water levels at the Menindee Lakes in western New South Wales have fallen to their lowest point in five years, prompting the state government to impose upstream water use restrictions as experts warn of potential mass fish deaths over the coming summer.
Storage Falls Below 480 Gigalitres
The combined volume at the Menindee Lakes dropped below 480 gigalitres earlier this month, the first time since 2021. In the upper lakes, volumes have fallen below 250 gigalitres, a threshold that triggers temporary water restrictions across parts of the northern Murray-Darling Basin.
Restrictions Aim to Protect Critical Needs
The restrictions limit access for some irrigators and are intended to preserve water for critical human needs and the environment. The move follows a year of low rainfall in the catchment, increasing the risk of fish kills unless flows down the Darling-Baaka River improve.
Experts Warn of Summer Fish Kills
Professor Jamie Pittock of the Australian National University and the Wentworth Group of Concerned Scientists said government officials are predicting with certainty that fish kills will occur at Menindee this summer unless more water flows into the Baaka-Darling River. He stressed the need for a major rainfall event and for state governments to prevent irrigators from pumping the first flush of water.
Residents Fear Repeat of Past Disasters
Graeme McCrabb, a Menindee resident who raised the alarm during the 2018-19 fish kills, said the lakes have reached “drought reserve volumes,” meaning water must be conserved at all costs. He noted recent rainfall in Queensland may bring some inflows, but more is needed to lower the high risk of fish kills in January or February.
Government Panel Recommendations Unimplemented
After the 2023 state election, Premier Chris Minns and senior ministers visited Menindee and committed to an investigation. An expert panel under the northern basin connectivity program recommended limiting upstream overextraction during dry periods to maintain flows to the lakes. The panel delivered its final report two years ago, but the state government has yet to implement it. McCrabb said no policy changes have been made to improve water quality outcomes since the fish kills.
