Merrowie Creek is an effluent stream of the Lachlan River in south-west New South Wales. The creek contains extensive and diverse wetland environs including areas of river red gum near its off take with the Lachlan River and around Lake Tarwong along its lower reaches, black box eucalypt forests in the upper and lower reaches of the creek, and large expanses of lignum including the area bound by Cuba Dam and Lake Tarwong.

The system contains suitable habitat to support a diverse range of water and other fauna including a selection of endangered and internationally important birds, and birds in such numbers to be of potential national significance.

The Lachlan Regional Office of the New South Wales Department of Water Resources (DWR) in consultation with landholders, Government Agencies and Researchers has developed a Management Plan for the Wetlands of Merrowie Creek.

The Plan outlines a number of primary issues and actions for management given: i) water management for wetlands and agriculture, ii) responsibilities of the Department of Water Resources, and iii) the scope of this work.

The objective of the Plan is : "To maintain, enhance, preserve ad/or restore to the greatest limits possible the natural extent productivity and diversity of wetland habitat of Merrowie Creek focusing in particular on that area between Cuba Dam and Lake Tarwong through appropriate river regulation and licensing of associated works".