Water for the Environment
Environmental flows to restore river health are being implemented in river systems right across Australia.
Environmental flows are provided both by deliberately releasing water from dams and by rules which limit the volume and timing of river extractions by water users. In both cases, the objective is to mimic the natural flows in those rivers or streams and to help ensure the long term health of the rivers.
As part of the 2004 Metropolitan Water Plan, and in light of independent recommendations given to the Government, new environmental flows for dams and major weirs in the Hawkesbury-Nepean catchment were announced.
Under the 2006 Metropolitan Water Plan, Avon Dam is the Government’s first priority for new environment flow releases. Works have been commissioned to enable the new flow regimes to be commenced when appropriate.
Following extensive community consultation in 2006, new environmental flow rules have been prepared for Tallowa Dam on the lower Shoalhaven River. The new rules will ensure that more water is reserved for river health and flows in the lower Shoalhaven will better mimic the natural river flows.
To support the new rules, new infrastructure will be built at Tallowa Dam to allow native fish passage and improve the quality of water releases downstream for the environment.
Once the dam modifications are complete and the new environmental flow rules have been implemented, Tallowa Dam will be the first dam in NSW to have a fish passage and variable environmental flow rule.
To find out more visit the Department of Water and Energy and the Sydney Catchment Authority websites or view Chapter 8 of the Plan.