Fish Deaths in the Lower Darling
The Lower Darling was subject to tragic fish death events in December 2018 and January 2019. According to the Murray Darling Basin Authority, the large fish death events covered a 40 kilometre stretch of the Darling River, downstream of Menindee Lakes. The exact number of fish deaths is unknown. Estimates put the deaths from hundreds of thousands to at least three million. In considering this issue the independent panel, chaired by Professor Rob Vertessy, concluded that ‘over a million’ fish may have died in the series of fish death events.
According to a Guardian article, a scientific panel investigating the causes of three mass fish deaths at the Menindee lakes has pointed the finger squarely at those managing the Murray-Darling river system, saying the lack of flows was caused by a combination of drought and over-extraction, leading to the environmental disaster.
Most recently, two prominent New South Wales irrigators have been found guilty of illegally taking water for use on their farm near Brewarrina.
The NSW Land and Environment Court found that Peter and Jane Harris illegally extracted water for irrigation from the Barwon River during June 2016, contrary to a condition of their joint water use and supply approvals under the Water Management Act 2000.
In 2018, WaterNSW began legal proceedings against the pair for breaching a condition of their approvals associated with the water licence for Beemery Farm
Basin governments are working together to find solutions that could mitigate further fish death events across the Basin.
Basin Governments are considering:
the immediate risk of further fish kills and how we can mitigate that risk, including aeration and possible fish movement
if there is water that can be released to improve water quality
reviewing federal and state environmental watering priorities, to see if adaptation is needed
long-term strategies to mitigate fish death events of this extent.
