Immediate and ongoing support is available to everyone in NSW to help them through difficult times. The NSW Government today announced a further $310 million in emergency drought relief in recognition of the on-going drought conditions in regional NSW and to uphold a commitment to helping farmers make it out of the worst drought in living memory. With a variable climate, drought has been a constant and inevitable feature of the NSW landscape.

We will use your rating to help improve the site. This is, in part, due to the different climate drivers from the Pacific, Indian, and Southern Oceans that can influence variations in rainfall (such as the El Niño-Southern Oscillation and Indian Ocean Dipole). Over time, NSW has moved away from treating droughts as natural disasters that require emergency responses. Each valley has different water storage and supply issues in the current drought. Grants and loans are available for farmers, landholders and agribusinesses. Receive NSW Government news, events, and public consultations in your inbox. We pay respect to the Traditional Custodians and First Peoples of NSW, and acknowledge their continued connection to their country and culture. Learn about how drought is categorised, which areas are affected and who it impacts. Find out about the support available for NSW communities affected by the bushfires. Find services and training to help you prepare for and manage the impact of drought. WaterNSW is responsible for dam operations, water security and managing water stored in all its 42 water storages. Support for bushfire affected communities, NSW Government to boost resilience in regional NSW amid COVID-19, RFS Commissioner Fitzsimmons to lead new Resilience NSW agency. The working group draws on a range of regional networks to: The working group meets every two months or as required, and comprises representatives from: The working group is chaired by the NSW Department of Primary Industries. Beekeeping Following the devastating impact of fires and drought, it is important that bee hives can recover and the welfare of our bees and beekeeping industry is supported. NSW Premier Gladys Berejiklian today announced the creation of a new NSW Government agency, Resilience NSW, which will drive world-leading disaster preparedness and recovery approach for the NSW community. Vital infrastructure projects will be fast-tracked in regional NSW to help local industries, councils and communities rebuild and recover from the impacts of drought, bushfire and COVID-19. Fishing closures, restrictions and permits, Volunteer non-commercial kangaroo shooting, Zoonoses - Animal diseases that can infect people, Wellbeing - supporting your mental health, Regional Assistance Advisory Committee (RAAC), The Farm Business Skills Professional Development Program, Rural Resilience Program and Rural Support Workers, Animal Welfare Assistance - Funding to provide, Information - Including practical advice on seasonal conditions, pest and weed management and livestock management made available through. Agriculturalists rate the impact on primary industries, hydrologists compare ground water levels, and sociologists define it by social expectations and perceptions. This data is one source of information that informs policy and Government responses to changing seasonal conditions, including drought. The NSW Drought Interagency Working Group ensures a whole-of-government approach is taken to drought policy and the implementation of the NSW Drought Strategy. Information on how drought is managed in New South Wales and what you can do to help preserve our most precious resource — water. Check drought maps, weather, water storage and learn about research into drought resilience. Recent rain in some parts of the state has helped and conditions are easing, but many areas have not reached the recovery stage yet.

Planning for dry conditions over the long-term is the most effective way to prepare for drought and other downturns. Research and Development - $2.5 million to work with the Bureau of Meteorology to explore an enhanced network of weather stations across NSW. NSW continues to struggle through one of the worst droughts on record. Used together, these indexes can indicate the five phases of drought: Non Drought, Recovering, Drought Affected, Drought, Intense Drought. NSW Government responses to drought complement Commonwealth assistance measures, and are aligned with the Intergovernmental Agreement on Drought Program Reform. As drought is an inevitable feature in our landscape, it is considered in the same light as other risks to farm businesses. NSW DPI presents the CDI drought indicator drought maps in conjunction with the Bureau of Meteorology, CSIRO Oceans and Atmosphere, Geoscience Australia, International Centre for Applied Climate Sciences, Australian Bureau of Agricultural and Resource Economics and Sciences (ABARES), NSW Local Land Service, NSW Rural Financial Counsellors and the NSW DPI Rural Resilience Network. Work with the Commonwealth Government and farming communities to develop a commercial multi-peril insurance product for the cropping sector. During the second half of the 19th century increased population and droughts led to increasing the intensity of farming and attempts to 'drought proof' agriculture through the expansion of irrigation. Without imminent inflows, the lack of water will continue to impact water quality and the riverine environment, while curtailing agricultural production. If you are a small business operating in regional NSW learn more about selling your products or services online through Buy Regional. While there are localised drought events in parts of the state or country, the most recent major drought events were: In addition to these multi-year droughts, there have been a number of short, intense droughts (e.g., 1914-1915, 1965-1967, 1982-1983). The map provides an initial indicator and is not used in determining eligibility for assistance measures offered by the NSW Government. Regional NSW Drought Report - June 2020 (PDF 574.8 KB), Receive the monthly drought reports in your inbox, Access additional drought resources for regional NSW, Find out more about visiting one of our dams and recreational sites across NSW, Greater Sydney's drinking water catchments, Lake Rowlands Dam to Carcoar Dam pipeline, Regional NSW Drought Report - May 2020 (PDF 514.5 KB), Regional NSW Drought Report - April 2020 (PDF 514.0 KB), Regional NSW Drought Report - March 2020 (PDF 658.1 KB). July 2019 Video. In NSW, drought occurs when any of these indices falls below 30%, when compared to historical records. It is generally difficult to compare one drought to another, since each drought differs in seasonality, location, size and duration. Farmers and landholders can get on-the-ground support and advice through Local Land Services. NSW continues to endure a record drought, with the effects being felt by farming businesses, communities, towns, cities, workers, families and businesses.

More than one third of New South Wales is officially no longer in drought after regular rain this year helped parts of the state's central west, south coast and Sydney basin to recover from one of the worst droughts on record. The Australian Government provides assistance to help farm families, farm businesses and rural communities to prepare for, manage through and recover fro​m drought. Critical valleys in drought & key issues River systems in a stage of drought and issues such as algal blooms and fish kills. Dry conditions should be considered in the same light as other business risks. The drought is a natural disaster – it has not been caused by extraction or irrigation. After prolonged periods of drought, crops and soils will have suffered and pests and disease pressures might increase. Monitor the drought situation in NSW and the climatic conditions that contribute to drought based on advice provided by the. We are working with local councils and community stakeholders to keep them informed and to seek feedback as we navigate ever-changing drought conditions. Find out what you can do to help. The NSW Drought Strategy encourages primary producers to plan ahead in normal conditions to prepare and build in flexibility to deal with adverse conditions.The NSW Government works with industry and stakeholders to enhance farmers' drought preparedness through a suite of assistance measures. Monitor and deliver the NSW Drought Strategy. Meteorologists monitor the extent and severity of drought in terms of rainfall deficiencies. The current drought began in NSW in mid - 2017 and it is equivalent to a major drought event on the long term historical record (100 years). A whole-of-government response to drought has been introduced to ensure coordination of service delivery to the broader rural community. The working group draws on a range of regional networks to: Monitor the drought situation in NSW and the climatic conditions that contribute to drought based on advice provided by the Regional Assistance Advisory Committee. Drought is a prolonged, abnormally dry period when the amount of available water is insufficient to meet normal use. Drought continues to impact many farmers, irrigators, and residents who are WaterNSW customers in Western NSW, Greater Sydney as well as the Hunter, Bega, and Iron Pot valleys in coastal NSW.