A progress report from the Northern Basin first flush review has been released today, covering how the implementation of recommendations is proceeding.
The progress report is the result of an independent panel reviewing the Northern Basin flush that took place last year, after the introduction of water restrictions to ensure the flows continued.
The assessment was commissioned after water restrictions were imposed on water take from rivers and floodplains to manage flows across the Northern NSW Murray-Darling Basin, following sudden and significant rainfall across NSW and Queensland in early 2020.
The Department of Planning, Industry and Environment's Director Water Planning Implementation, Allan Raine explained that the review would improve connectivity in low and no-flow times as well as improving the response to future first flush events.
"The NSW government sought to protect the first flows down our northern basin tributaries and the Barwon-Darling using temporary water restrictions," he explained.
"The resultant flows restored town water supplies, provided much-needed stock and domestic water to those who live along the river and provided up to 18 months of supply in Menindee Lakes ... The independent panel, with community input, made a range of important recommendations that we must act on."
Original article written by Cai Holroyd can be found at The Area News
