General News
6 April, 2026
Dubbo-Nyngan pipeline project shelved
A controversial NSW government plan to replace the Albert Priest Channel and Nyngan weir pools with a pipeline to conserve water has been shelved - to the relief of the Nyngan community and surrounding landholders.
The Dubbo to Nyngan pipeline was one of four options considered in the $9.3 million Macquarie Wambuul Water Security Project which is looking for ways to conserve water for Nyngan, Cobar, Warren and Dubbo.
Around 50 concerned community members attended an information session at the Nyngan RSL Club on Thursday, March 26, facilitated by the NSW Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water.
Most were concerned about the pipeline option, which risked turning Nyngan into a “dry town”, if the Albert Priest Channel was replaced with a closed pipe, and the weir pools taken out of the system.
There was a collective sigh of relief when the meeting was told this option was now “off the table” having been found to be too expensive, with little water saving benefit.
A NSW government spokesperson said investigations showed the pipeline would cost around $800 million but would have delivered limited water savings compared with other options.
Local farmer and Bogan shire councillor Richard Bootle was one to voice his relief the pipeline had been shelved.
“I imagine most of the people were here this morning to make it clear that what we didn't want is to have our weir pools dried out,” he said.
“There's been no modern piping infrastructure that allows water to be piped to save evaporation, to then spill out into a weir pool for environmental benefits so what could have happened is the weir pool would have been disconnected from Nyngan and Cobar pumping infrastructure and effectively Nyngan would be a dry town.”
“All the things which currently make Nyngan the coolest town in the west – the swimming, water-skiing, rowing and fishing would all disappear.”
The NSW government has also shelved other options including using some of Burrendong Dam’s flood mitigation zone to increase water storage; and replacing the Gin Gin Weir between Warren and Narromine.
The spokesperson said the option to increase the amount of water in Burrendong Dam could have a potentially damaging, irreversible impact on the Macquarie Marshes. It also showed uncertain benefit for water security.
The option to replace the Gin Gin Weir primarily addressed asset renewal and operational efficiency, not town water security. It was excluded due to estimated costs of over $100 million for taxpayers and minimal benefit to drought resilience.
After a detailed assessment, the only shortlisted option that will be carried forward for more investigation will be one to Dubbo’s groundwater supply so Dubbo Regional Council can draw more groundwater when Burrendong Dam drops to critically low levels.
This would improve water reliability for Dubbo and reduce reliance on Burrendong Dam and free up surface water for nearby communities such as Nyngan and Cobar.
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