Cudgegong River water users urged to support water release for native fish

Landholders along the Cudgegong River could breach NSW water laws if they don’t order water before they pump during a planned environmental flow event this summer.

The flows are designed to prime the river for the native fish breeding season, and to keep water levels steady until February to boost breeding success for species like the endangered eel-tailed catfish.

The Natural Resources Access Regulator (NRAR) is urging water users along the river from Windamere Dam near Mudgee to Burrendong Dam to support the environmental project by staying within the rules during the release period.

NRAR Director of Education and Engagement Keeley Reynolds said water licence holders needed to remember to order water first, confirm, then pump.

"Water licence holders along the river are not allowed to extract water unless they have ordered it first from WaterNSW and have confirmation that this water has been released for them," Ms Reynolds said.

"Basic landholder rights are not affected, but water users need to make sure they know what those rights are and comply with them."

Ms Reynolds said NRAR Outreach staff would visit up to 80 properties in the region next week to make sure water licence holders understood their rights and obligations during the release period.

"We generally find people want to do the right thing, they just need to know what that looks like," she said.

Ms Reynolds said this is the first time NRAR’s Outreach staff have worked directly to support an important environmental campaign that is expected to deliver benefits for many kinds of native fish and other river animals like yabbies, mussels, native water rats and platypus.

Environmental Water managers from the NSW Department of Planning and Environment are managing the flow which saw the Cudgegong River water level rise by up to 60cm above the normal base flow for 21 days during October and early November. This was to get the waterway ready for breeding season.

During December, January and February, normal river flow levels at the Rocky Waterhole stream gauge will be kept slightly higher, by up to 5cm.  This will mimic river conditions that are best for successful fish breeding.

There are 152 water licences held in the targeted section of river, most of which are for small water entitlements.  A further 20 licences are for 100 to 1000ML, and just seven licences are for water amounts exceeding 1000ML.