Upper Murrumbidgee
Upper Murrumbidgee
The Upper Murrumbidgee and SWIOID review
Image 1. Map of the Upper Murrumbidgee and its interaction with the Snowy Scheme and downstream dams. Note: Tantangara Dam is the unlabelled storage at the headwaters of Upper Murrumbidgee.
Improving the Health of the Upper Murrumbidgee Program
In late-2023, the Australian Government earmarked $55.6 million for the program “Improving the Health of the Upper Murrumbidgee” as part of the Restoring our Rivers Act negotiations. Among other things, this program is seeking to release more water from Tantangara Dam down the Upper Murrumbidgee (past Cooma and through the ACT).
SWIOID review
As part of this program, governments will re-open the 2002 SWIOID, a tri-government agreement between NSW, Victoria, Snowy Hydro and the Commonwealth. The SWIOID was an enabling agreement between governments for implementation of the Snowy Water Inquiry outcomes. It sets environmental flow targets for montane rivers like the Snowy River and Upper Murrumbidgee, which have been included in the current Snowy Water Licence. The SWIOID review will examine arrangements for current montane releases and additional environmental water to rivers impacted by the Snowy Scheme, and includes consideration of the ACT’s future water security.
NSWIC engagement
NSWIC has been actively engaged in the Upper Murrumbidgee program since it was announced in mid-2024. We have made submissions to the Draft Strategy and the Drought Operating Framework and are a member of the Stakeholder Advisory Group that is providing advice to government, as part of the SWIOID review.
