Menindee fish kill may have been partly caused by release of ‘black’ and clean water by authorities, researchers claim

Millions of dead fish were found in the Darling-Baaka River which researchers claim may have been partly sparked by a release of toxic water. Photograph: Otis Filley/The Guardian

The worst mass fish kill in living memory, which saw millions of animals floating dead on the Darling-Baaka river near Menindee, may have been contributed to by an alleged failed strategy to release a combination of “blackwater” and clean water by authorities, researchers have claimed.

The researchers, who host a water program on Broken Hill’s local community radio, also allege that a smaller fish kill in the same river in February was the result of a similar water release strategy by WaterNSW and should have set alarm bells ringing.