Water Management
Great Darling Anabranch pipeline scheme
The Great Darling Anabranch (the Anabranch) is the ancestral path of the Darling River extending 460km from its junction with the Darling River (south of the Menindee Lakes) to the Murray River. In its natural state, it is an ephemeral stream. However, water has been supplied to the Anabranch since 1960's when the Menindee Lakes scheme was developed. Historically, almost every year a nominal volume of water (up to 50,000ML) was released down the Anabranch from Lake Cawndilla. This release was ponded in 17 weir pools where approximately 3,000ML/annum was extracted by the 41 landholders adjacent to the Anabranch and used for stock and non-potable domestic supply. The remainder was accounted for by wildlife use, evaporation, uptake by riparian vegetation and seepage.
The Darling Anabranch Pipeline and Environmental flow project is a major NSW initiative to return some 460km of degraded water course to a more natural ephemeral system. This has been achieved through the construction of a stock and domestic water supply pipeline to supply landholder needs, the removal of in-stream structures from within the anabranch and the management of flows from Lake Cawndilla to mimic a more natural flow regime.
The project has a total budget of approximately $54 million and is listed on the Eligible Measures Register as part of NSW Package B under the Living Murray. All partner governments have expressed an interest in investing in the proposal.
The pipeline phase of the work cost approximately $28 million and will save approximately 47GLs of water. (1 GL = 1000 ML = approximate volume of 1000 Olympic swimming pools).
It is the first major infrastructure project in the Murray–Darling Basin to provide significant water savings, improved water supply to landholders and enhanced environmental outcomes.
Landholders are currently in drought declaration and are eagerly awaiting the pipeline construction. The benefits to landholders include a more secure and efficient Stock and Domestic water supply. There will also be improved water quality and farm viability.
Environmental benefits include encouraging breeding opportunities for native fish and yabbies, improved water quality for the environment and reduced frequency of blue-green algal blooms. The growth of a variety of native aquatic plants will be encouraged.
Implementation of an Indigenous Employment Strategy has provided employment opportunities for indigenous people from the Dareton–Wentworth and Menindee areas.
For more information on the Darling Anabranch pipeline contact the Water Recovery officer at the Department of Environment and Climate Change.