Surveys suggest that the Blue Mountains Water Skink (Eulamprus leuraensis) is restricted to an isolated and naturally fragmented habitat of sedge and shrub swamps in the mid and upper Blue Mountains west of Sydney, NSW. It is known from only 30 sites extending from Newnes Plateau in the northwest to just south of Hazelbrook in the southeast. Potential habitat exists to the south and northwest of known sites, however further survey work is required to verify whether the species utilises these additional areas. Swamps where the Blue Mountains Water Skink is known to occur have boggy soils and appear to be permanently wet.
A medium sized, semi aquatic lizard, the Blue Mountains Water Skink is dark brown to black with light (often vivid yellow) contrasting markings. Little is known about the population dynamics, home range, habitat requirements or response to disturbance of the species.
Possible threats include urban development (some locations are almost completely surrounded by houses and other locations have land zoned for further development adjacent to them), pollution and sedimentation (including stormwater run-off), alterations to hydrological regimes (through construction of roads, tracks, plantations and mining subsidence), weed invasion, visitor disturbance and predation by cats.
