Riverina community meetings to focus on river systems and water release changes

Riverina residents are invited to attend upcoming meetings on the Landholder Negotiation Scheme and the regional river program.

Residents can attend face-to-face meetings in Wagga Wagga and Darlington Point at the end of October to learn about the draft Landholder Negotiation Scheme Regulation (LNS) and receive the latest updates on the Reconnecting River Country Program.

For the first time in NSW, the LNS is set to provide a clearer, more consistent, and transparent approach to negotiating agreements for those affected by proposed changes to future environmental water release arrangements.

Director of the Reconnecting River Country Program Michelle Cavallaro said program representatives were eager to meet with the Murrumbidgee community.

“We are looking forward to meeting with the Murrumbidgee community in Wagga Wagga and Darlington Point to discuss the draft Landholder Negotiation Scheme Regulation and clarify the scope of the Reconnecting River Country Program,” Ms Cavallaro said.

“Having a consistent and fair process, with a step-by-step guide on how the NSW Government will conduct negotiations with landholders, is a win for everyone.

“We recognise the Murrumbidgee community’s interest in updates on the Reconnecting River Country Program, which is why we’ve dedicated a morning session to this program. It will be a great opportunity to come along and learn more about both projects.”

The draft LNS will initially be used for environmental water initiatives under the Murray-Darling Basin Plan, including the Gwydir Reconnecting Watercourse Country Program and the Reconnecting River Country Program in the Murrumbidgee.

It will establish a negotiation framework that can be applied to future programs across the state that propose making lasting changes to environmental flows, aimed at improving the health of wetlands and floodplains.

The meeting will focus on the next stages of the Reconnecting River Country Program in the morning, followed by updates on the draft LNS in the afternoon.

The NSW Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water said the NSW Government had listened carefully to the Murrumbidgee community and acknowledged concerns about the consultation timeframe and the need for in-person engagement.

“This is why we have extended the public feedback period by three weeks, until midnight on 24 November 2024, to give more people a chance to have their say, while also providing opportunities to meet the project team in person and ask questions,” said a spokesperson for the department.

“After the public exhibition closes, we will carefully consider all feedback before making any decisions about the next steps for the LNS. A ‘What We Heard’ report will also be published, summarising submissions and outlining how feedback was considered.”

The Reconnecting River Country Program, a key initiative under the Murray-Darling Basin Plan, aims to create healthier, functioning river systems in the Murray and Murrumbidgee valleys. The Federal Government is set to fund more than $274 million for the program until December 2026.

Due to river regulation and water extraction, rivers now connect to wetlands and floodplains less frequently than needed to maintain healthy ecosystems.

While water for the environment aims to restore this balance, constraints restrict the effective use of this water, contributing to the continued decline of Country’s health, including the species that depend on these environments for survival.

A constraint is any physical, policy, or operational barrier limiting the flow of water in river systems.

There are various flow constraints in the basin, including physical restrictions such as low-lying watercourse crossings, weirs, and levees; operational restrictions such as river operation rules and practices; or policy barriers such as existing legislation.

The Reconnecting River Country Program aims to remove these constraints, enabling the flexible use of water for the environment to increase the frequency and extent of river connections to wetlands and floodplains.

The meetings will be held at:

• Wagga Wagga, on Wednesday 30 October, from 11 am – 1 pm and 1:45 – 3:45 pm at Wagga Wagga RSL.
• Darlington Point, on Thursday 31 October, between 9:30 and 11:30 am and 12:15 and 2:15 pm at Darlington Point Sports Club.

To attend, you must register via the Landholder Negotiation Scheme Regulation on the NSW Government Water website.