Water NSW Criticized Over Mass Turtle Deaths

Water New South Wales has come under sharp criticism for a decision that left hundreds of turtles to die in drying wetlands, with conservation groups and scientists describing the outcome as preventable and ecologically damaging.

The incident occurred in the Macquarie Marshes, one of Australia’s most significant inland wetland systems, where Water NSW, the state agency responsible for managing water resources, reportedly reduced or ceased environmental water flows despite known risks to wildlife during a dry period.

According to reports from The Guardian and confirmed by ecological monitoring groups, hundreds of freshwater turtles—primarily the eastern long-necked turtle and Murray River turtle—were found stranded or deceased as shallow pools evaporated, leaving them without access to water or food.

Conservationists said the turtles became trapped in isolated puddles that quickly dried under prolonged heat and low inflow, with no intervention from water managers to maintain minimal habitat connectivity or rescue at-risk populations.

Dr. Ricky Spencer, a wildlife ecologist at Western Sydney University who has studied turtle populations in the Murray-Darling Basin for over two decades, told The Guardian that the scale of mortality observed was “appalling” and avoidable if environmental water allocations had been prioritised.

“We’re not talking about a few individuals,” Dr. Spencer said. “We’re seeing hundreds of turtles perishing in areas that should have been refuges. When you know a drought is coming and you have the ability to deliver even small amounts of water to critical habitats, choosing not to act is a failure of duty.”

Water NSW defended its actions, stating that water allocations are governed by strict legal frameworks under the Water Management Act 2000 and that environmental water must be balanced against allocations for irrigation, urban supply, and other licensed users.

A spokesperson said the agency followed its approved water sharing plans and that decisions were made based on real-time monitoring, storage levels, and inflow forecasts. They added that environmental water had been delivered to other parts of the Macquarie Marshes earlier in the year.

However, critics argue that the plans lack sufficient flexibility to respond to emerging ecological crises and that the agency prioritised procedural compliance over environmental outcomes. The NSW Nature Conservation Council said the incident revealed a systemic failure to protect biodiversity during droughts.

Jackie Wilson, a campaigner with the council, stated that “having a water plan on paper means nothing if it doesn’t prevent mass wildlife deaths when we know they’re coming. This wasn’t an unforeseeable accident—it was a predicted outcome of current management settings.”

The Macquarie Marshes, covering over 200,000 hectares, are listed under the Ramsar Convention as a wetland of international importance and support breeding colonies of waterbirds, native fish, and reptile species. Ecologists warn that repeated drying events threaten long-term ecosystem resilience.

As of mid-April 2026, Water NSW said it was reviewing its environmental water delivery protocols in response to the incident, though no commitments to change allocation practices have been made. The NSW Environment Protection Authority confirmed We see monitoring the situation but has not launched a formal investigation.