(Barka) River. In January 2019, ABC News wrote the Chairperson of the Menindee Barkandji Elders Group, Patricia Doyle, called for better water management in the area. "The government needs to adopt a whole-system approach to water management in the Darling River," she said. Fish deaths There have been periods of mass fish deaths in the Lakes. Fish kill data from the NSW Fisheries Department shows the size of the sudden deaths, after 1960 to be much greater. Between December 2018 and January 2019 there were 3 mass fish deaths reported along a 40-km stretch of the Darling River, downstream of the Menindee Lakes. These are often described as the "Menindee Lakes fish kill" It is estimated at least a million fish died, most affected were bony herring, Murray cod, silver perch and golden perch. The Australian government report on the deaths determined three main causes: inadequate water flow in the Darling River, poor water quality and a sudden change in temperature. Another report, commissioned by the government opposition leader Mr Bill Shorten MP, concluded the deaths were the result of low water flows and hot temperatures causing blue-green algal blooms. The algae depleted oxygen in the river, depriving the fish of necessary oxygen to live. The report also stated, "The conditions leading to this event are an interaction between a severe (but not unprecedented) drought and, more significantly, excess upstream diversion of water for irrigation. Prior releases of water from Menindee Lakes contributed to lack of local reserves." Location and features The lakes are located approximately south-east of Broken Hill in the semi-arid zone on grey clay and duplex soils, and siliceous and calcareous sands of the far west region. The lakes range in size from . The largest are Lakes Menindee, Wetherell, Pamamaroo and Cawndilla. These four, with Tandure, Bijijie and Balaka, are part of the Menindee Lakes Water Storage Scheme, with Cawndilla and Menindee also within the Kinchega National Park. Lakes Nettlegoe, Kangaroo, Stir Tank, New and Malta are unregulated. Lake Tandou is managed as irrigated cropland and is no longer subject to flooding. The shallow margins of the overflow lakes are studded with dead black box trees while the shores are dominated by bluerod and sandhill canegrass. Menindee Lakes Storages The Menindee Lakes Storages is a major gated dam, including multiple weir and lake impoundments and a concrete spillway, with six vertical lift gates, across the seven