Around 70 billion litres of environmental water will be delivered to the Yanga wetlands in New South Wales, Federal Minister for Water, Senator Penny Wong and NSW Minister for Climate Change and the Environment, Frank Sartor, announced today.

This is the biggest environmental flow to Yanga National Park since 2000, with the watering expected to benefit approximately 13,000 hectares of Red Gum floodplain and wetlands.

"These environmental flows include 40 billion litres of Commonwealth environmental water acquired through the Rudd Government’s long-term Water for the Future program," Senator Wong said.

Today’s announcement represents the single largest allocation of water to the environment from the Commonwealth environmental water holdings to date.

"This environmental watering confirms that the Rudd Government’s $3.1 billion water purchase program is restoring the Basin’s rivers and wetlands to health," Senator Wong said.

"It brings the total volume of water provided by the Rudd Government for environment sites across the Basin to more than 110 billion litres."

River Red Gum forests and wetland systems that support threatened species such as the southern bell frog, Australasian bittern and fishing bat are set to benefit from these flows.

The balance of the water is being provided through environmental water allocations held by NSW.

Mr Sartor said the current watering is vital for wetland areas in Yanga National Park which have suffered from lack of water for at least 10 years.

"Since October 2009, more than 80 billion litres had been allocated to the Lowbidgee floodplain through joint waterings by the Commonwealth and NSW governments," Mr Sartor said.

"This includes early autumn flows of 8 billion litres which drenched 3,000 hectares of the North Redbank wetland system.

"Already in the North Redbank wetland system, tadpoles from four different species of frog, native fish and waterbirds including black swans, grey teal, little pied cormorants, wood ducks and Australasian grebes have been sighted."

This decision to allocate Commonwealth environmental water was made by the Commonwealth Environmental Water Holder after receiving independent scientific advice.

The environmental flows will not affect water allocations for local irrigators or stock and domestic users.

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