Flood recovery program for water quality monitoring: Darling Baaka

A comprehensive program supporting long-term recovery from the 2023 floods and subsequent fish kill in 2023 by monitoring the health of the Darling Baaka from Wilcannia to Wentworth.

The program was delivered through 2 key projects:

• Ngarratja Warrkina (All Working Together) Project - Delivered by Barkandji Native Title Prescribed Body Corporate
• Darling Baaka River Health Project - Delivered by NSW Department of Climate Change, Energy, Environment and Water.

The program was funded by the joint Australian and NSW Government’s Disaster Recovery Funding Arrangements. 

Ngarratja Warrkina (All Working Together) Project

A comprehensive Aboriginal Knowledge project designed and delivered by Barkandji Native Title Prescribed Body Corporate and the Barkandji River Rangers.

The project was delivered between December 2023 and June 2025 through the development of a Cultural monitoring framework and on Country work by the Rangers.

Project results are protected through Indigenous Cultural Intellectual Property, however you can find out more by contacting the Barkandji Native Title Prescribed Body Corporate.

Darling Baaka River Health Project

The Darling Baaka River Health Project, delivered by the NSW Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water (DCCEEW), delivered a comprehensive assessment of river health using the River Condition Index (RCI) framework between August 2023 and March 2025.

The project worked across 41 sampling sites between Wilcannia and Wentworth, analysing more than 2,000 samples collected during 37 sampling trips and providing real time water quality data through the deployment of 6 smart buoys.

The project provides the most detailed RCI assessment of the Darling Baaka to date, presented in a River Health Report Card and Technical Reports across each of the six River Condition Indices. 

The Technical Report and River Health Report Card will be available soon on the SEED Natural Hazards Science Hub.

DCCEEW are extending real time monitoring of the lower Darling Baaka for the remainder of 2025. Real time water quality information from the 6 smart buoys can be viewed on the Darling Baaka smart buoy dashboard below.  

Launch the dashboard