Winter environmental watering is underway in the Lower Lachlan River near Hillston, New South Wales. Watering will help improve the health of floodplains during winter and spring 2026.
Healthy floodplains mean more feeding grounds for waterbirds, and habitat for many frogs, turtles and other plants and animals across large areas.
The Commonwealth Environmental Water Holder (CEWH) and the New South Wales Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water (NSW DCCEEW) will deliver the flow jointly. They will deliver up to 55,000 ML of Commonwealth environmental water and up to 25,000 ML of NSW environmental water.
The water for the environment started flowing from Wyangala Dam in mid-June. The flow has started to fill some upstream wetlands and is expected to fill the Lachlan Swamp wetland system and the Greater Cumbung region between August and September. The floodplain should hold water until autumn 2027.
This environmental flow will:
- provide food for a wide variety of waterbirds
- increase opportunities for waterbirds to breed
- increase the health of river and floodplain vegetation
- maintain the condition of river red gums
- support the health of the Great Cumbung Swamp so that rakali (water rats), snakes, turtles, bats and frogs thrive.
The flow will be delivered in winter to early spring to match natural migration and breeding seasons. This helps keep ecosystems healthy and reduces water loss from evaporation.
The CEWH and NSW DCCEEW work closely with local landholders and key stakeholders to ensure they know the timing and reason for flows.
