Program status
The NSW Government worked with communities to investigate opportunities to deliver improved environmental, cultural and broader community outcomes under the Better Bidgee program.
The package of initiatives included in the program require funding to progress.
While we are not currently proceeding with all elements of the Better Bidgee program at this time, we are committed to investigating future funding opportunities to deliver elements of the program supported by the community.
Proposed initiatives
Under the Better Bidgee program, a range of new and existing measures were investigated to deliver outcomes supported by communities. This included infrastructure improvements and operating rules to make the management of the Murrumbidgee River system more flexible, so the ecological function of its rivers and floodplains could be maintained and improved, and sustainable local communities, agriculture and industries supported.
The program also proposed initiatives to improve native fish access to more than 1,000 km of the Murrumbidgee system by installing fishways at key blockages, addressing cold water pollution discharges from large dams, and installing screens on pumps and diversions to save tens of millions of fish annually.
The proposed components/projects investigated included:
- Constructing fish passage infrastructure at the 5 main weirs in the Murrumbidgee system, including:
- Berembed Weir
- Gogeldrie Weir
- Hay Weir
- Maude Weir
- Redbank Weir.
- Installing infrastructure, which could include compressors, pipelines and diffusers, to reduce cold water pollution for more than 510 km downstream of Burrinjuck and Blowering dams to help the recovery of native fish populations and improve water quality.
- Installing fish screens at irrigation offtakes and pumps along the Murrumbidgee River, to reduce fish losses and reduce cleaning costs to farmers while increasing on-farm efficiency.
- Potentially purchasing 1,200 hectares of land, including the Mantangary Lagoon, to improve native fish passage, secure vital refuge and breeding habitat for native animals and enable First Nations communities to manage land and water.
- Modifying the existing Balranald Weir to facilitate targeted filling of Yanga Lake and refurbishing, upgrading or decommissioning structures within Yanga National Park to direct water to Yanga Lake.
Information sessions
The Water Group hosted a series of webinars in November 2021 to introduce the Better Bidgee program to stakeholders.
Questions and answers
Answers to the questions asked by stakeholders during the Better Bidgee program webinar series in December 2021.
Contact us
For more information call us on 1300 081 047 or email us at water.enquiries@dcceew.nsw.gov.au