The delivery of water for the environment has a vast range of benefits. The Lachlan River in the central west of New South Wales (NSW) shows this.
This area is jointly managed by the:
- Commonwealth Environmental Water Holder (CEWH)
- NSW Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water (DCCEEW)
Water deliveries during spring are important for native fish and riverbank plants.
In spring and summer the water in the river warms up. The female Murray cod lays her eggs on a submerged log or clay bank.
After the male fertilises the eggs, they guard them for 6 to 10 days until the eggs hatch.
Environmental flows are used to help hold river levels steady during this crucial time. The water protects nests from sudden drops. These can expose eggs or disturb the male cod guarding them.
Once hatched, baby Murray cod rely on currents to disperse. Environmental water managers send a small pulse of water down the Lachlan River to help transport the baby cod along the river.
Much of this environmental flow will eventually reach the end of the Lachlan River. Flowing into the magnificent Great Cumbung Swamp.
Here the water spreads into low-lying wetlands and vast floodplain. This allows food and nutrients to move through the area. These areas supports a rich web of life. Everything from frogs and turtles to rakali (water rats) and waterbirds benefit from the environmental flow. Importantly, water for the environment encourages plant growth that sustains these animals year-round.
The CEWH and partners work together in a broader effort to restore and protect the wetlands and floodplains of the lower Lachlan valley. This region plays a vital role in the health of the whole ecosystem in these parts of the Murray-Darling Basin.
