The Western Regional Water Strategy is delivering progress towards improving water security outcomes across the western part of NSW. Published in December 2022, the strategy identifies 46 initiatives to address immediate priorities for communities, industry, Aboriginal people and the environment. To date, 30% of initiatives have been completed, 41% are underway, and 22% have transitioned into ongoing government functions. These initiatives are helping to address key knowledge gaps, guide investment, and strengthen water planning and outcomes for key water resources in the area.
The strategy formed a critical part of the evidence base to develop the Restoring the Darling-Baaka River program in response to the Office of Chief Scientist and Engineer independent review into the 2023 fish deaths in the Darling–Baaka River at Menindee.
The NSW Government full response includes 26 actions to address the recommendations of the Office of the Chief Scientist and Engineer. The NSW Government has committed to reporting on progress every six months throughout the four-year program. At August 2025, 14 of these actions were completed.
The program is delivering significant outcomes for the Barwon-Darling and beyond including:
- Over 7,500 fish used our new temporary fishway at Lake Wetherell during its first 2.5 months of operation to find new homes, more food, and spawn and recruit, with the vast majority being native species dominated by bony herring.
- Using better data from enhanced monitoring and modelling to strategically release water to avoid conditions that lead to fish deaths on at least 9 occasions over the last 18 months.
- Better preparedness to develop and deliver a Menindee-specific Mass Fish Death Event Emergency Management Framework including coordination and engagement of 18 agencies.
- A Menindee weir pool scientific study to inform the development of integrated models to support coordinated land and water management strategies.
- Maintaining and operating dissolved oxygen buoys and data loggers to provide continuous data collection enabling real-time, informed decision-making. The data will be available on WaterInsights and support timely responses to water quality issues and help reduce the risk of future mass fish death events.