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Endangered Murray Hardyhead fish live in only a handful of places in the world, including Lyrup Lagoon in South Australia’s Riverland.

Water savings from Lyrup farmers are being used to help bring local Murray Hardyhead back from the brink of extinction.

Surveys at Lyrup Lagoon in Oct 2019 showed Murray Hardyhead to be successfully breeding. Photo: CEWO

Murray Hardyhead. Photo: CEWO

A Little Bit of Water Makes a Big Difference

Murray Hardyheads can tolerate highly salty water and survive where their predators can’t — Lyrup Lagoon in South Australia is one such place. The Hardyhead’s eggs are not as tolerant and survive only in moderately salty water.

Pumping fresh water into the lagoon to lower salt levels in spring has been critical for Hardyhead eggs to have the best chance of survival. 

This is a great example of how water for the environment can support the survival of an endangered species.

Local Lyrup landholder John Minchella.

Where Did the Water Come From?

The River Murray is important to us all. Over the last century, the Murray’s flow has been changed to provide water for towns and irrigation. In this changed river, the plants and animals often need a little extra help to keep them healthy.

Governments have set aside water to provide this help. It can be released when and where native fish—like the Murray Hardyhead—need it, to help them survive, feed and breed.

Water set aside for the environment has been recovered from irrigators such as Lyrup grape grower (and Berri U16 footy coach) John Minchella.

John is one of many farmers involved in a government program to improve the efficiency of his irrigation setup.

Under the program, John converted overhead sprinklers to drip irrigation and upgraded to the latest technologies in automation and soil moisture monitoring. These improvements generated 58 megalitres of water savings.

The water saved was transferred to the Australian government and is now managed by the Commonwealth Environmental Water Holder as ‘water for the environment’.

(Left to Right) Stephanie Robinson (SA MDB NRM Board), Michelle Campbell (CEWO) and Kim Lohmann (Berri Barmera Landcare) at Lyrup Lagoon in South Australia. Photo: CEWO

Delivering Water for Local Benefits

With input from Lyrup locals—landholders, Traditional Owners, Men’s sheds and Local Government—Murray Hardyhead at Lyrup Lagoon were identified as a priority for water for the environment.

While the Commonwealth Environmental Water Holder provides the water, many hands are required to make sure the Murray Hardyhead get the water they need to maximise breeding success.

Project managers Nature Foundation SA have partnered with the Central Irrigation Trust to deliver water to the site. Berri Barmera Landcare monitor water and salt levels daily to ensure the conditions are right to support egg-laying, hatching and survival.

Fish experts, and staff from the South Australian Murray-Darling Basin Natural Resource Management Board provide specialist advice on the timing of delivery and volume of water.

It’s a great example of how local involvement is critical to being able to effectively manage and deliver water to help the environment.

For more Murray Hardyhead stories from other parts of the Murray-Darling Basin go to www.awe.gov.au/cewo