Latest news with #MurrayDarlingBasinAuthority
Yahoo
24-07-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
The Murray–Darling Basin Plan Evaluation is out. The next step is to fix the land, not just the flows
A report card into the A$13 billion Murray–Darling Basin Plan has found much work is needed to ensure the ecology of Australia's largest river system is properly restored. The assessment, by the Murray–Darling Basin Authority, is the most comprehensive to date. The authority says the river system is doing better now than it would have without the plan, which aims to ensure sustainable water use for the environment, communities and industries. But it found there is more to be done. We are water, economics and environmental researchers with many years of experience working in the Murray-Darling Basin. We agree more work is needed, but with a more local focus, to restore the basin to health. This requires more than just more water for the environment. Coordinated local efforts to restore rivers and the surrounding land are desperately needed. There's so much more to the river system than just the water it contains. What's the plan? The Murray-Darling Basin is Australia's food bowl. But for too long, the health of environment was in decline – rivers were sick and wildlife was suffering. The river stopped flowing naturally to the sea because too much water was being taken from it. Poor land management has also degraded the river system over time. Floodplain vegetation has been damaged, the river channel has been re-engineered, and pest plants and animals have been introduced. The Murray-Darling Basin Plan was established in 2012. It aimed to recover water for the environment and safeguard the long-term health of the river system, while continuing to support productive agriculture and communities. It demanded more water for the environment and then described how this water would be delivered, in the form of targeted 'environmental flows'. Since 2012, the allocation of water to various uses has gradually changed. So far, 2,069 billion litres (gigalitres) of surface water has been recovered for the environment. Combined with other earlier water recovery, a total of about 28% of water previously diverted for agriculture, towns and industry is now being used by the environment instead. A mixed report card The evaluation released today is the first step towards a complete review of the plan next year. The 2026 review will make recommendations to Environment and Water Minister Murray Watt. It will then be up to him to decide whether any changes are needed. It is a mixed report card. Ecological decline has been successfully halted at many sites. But sustained restoration of ecosystems across the basin is yet to be achieved, and native fish populations are in poor condition across 19 of the basin's 23 catchments. Climate change is putting increasing pressure on water resources. More intense and frequent extreme climate events and an average 20–30% less streamflow (up to 50% in some rivers) are expected by mid-century. The evaluation also called for better policy and program design. Specifically, flexible programs have proven more effective than prescriptive, highly regulated programs. Finally, the report also highlights that the cost of water reform is increasing. Direct buybacks of water licences, mostly from irrigators, account for around two-thirds of the water recovered for the environment under the basin plan. Buybacks are the simplest and most cost-effective way to recover water but are controversial because of concerns about social and economic impacts. Much of the remaining water has been recovered through investment in more efficient water supply infrastructure, with water savings reserved for environmental use. The authority suggests different approaches will be needed for additional water recovery. Healthy rivers need more than water For the past two decades, measures to restore the Murray-Darling Basin have focused largely on water recovery. But research suggests attention now needs to be paid to other, more local actions. In March, one author of this article – Samantha Capon – identified nine priority actions to restore Australia's inland river and groundwater ecosystems at local levels. They included: revegetating land alongside waterways retiring some farmland modifying barriers to fish movements installing modern fish screens on irrigation pumps. The study estimated such actions would cost around A$2.9 billion a year, if completed over the next 30 years. Works to restore vegetation or other environmental conditions at these critical habitats will only occur with landholders, as well as Traditional Owners. That's because most of the basin's wetlands and floodplain areas are on private property, including in irrigation districts. Irrigator involvement is needed to place fish screens on private irrigation pumps or retire farmland. There is a growing interest and some early experience in using private irrigation channels to deliver environmental water. This also requires local partnerships. The basin plan should include targets for environmental outcomes, not just water recovery. This will allow the benefits from local restoration measures and environmental flows to be included when tracking the plan. Such ecosystem accounting tools already exist. Research is urgently needed to make these tools both locally relevant and suitable for the basin plan. Time for a local approach To date, water for the environment under the basin plan has been recovered largely through centralised government-led programs. Decisions around the delivery of environmental flows are also largely in the hands of government agencies. But other local restoration actions are also needed. A business-as-usual approach would leave responsible agencies struggling to complete these vital local measures with limited funding, resources and accountability. This article is republished from The Conversation. It was written by: Michael Stewardson, The University of Melbourne; Neville Crossman, Flinders University; Samantha Capon, Griffith University, and Seth Westra, University of Adelaide Read more: Historic ruling finds climate change 'imperils all forms of life' and puts laggard nations on notice World's highest court issues groundbreaking ruling for climate action. Here's what it means for Australia Politics with Michelle Grattan: Chris Bowen on why it's 'a little frustrating' bidding for COP 31 Michael Stewardson is a member of the Advisory Committee on Social, Economic and Environmental Science, which advises the Murray Darling Basin Authority,, although he is not representing the views of this committee in this article. The committee is established under Section 203 of the Water Act 2007. Michael Stewardson is the CEO of the One Basin CRC, which is jointly funded under the commonwealth Cooperative Research Centre Program and by its partners listed here: These partners include: state and federal government agencies including the Murray Darling Basin Authority; irrigation infrastructure operators (government owned and non-government), natural resource management agencies (government and non-government); agriculture businesses, industry organisation and R&D organisations; local government organisations; consulting companies in the water sector; technology companies; education and training organisations; and research organisation. Partners contribute to the One Basin CRC in the form of in-kind and cash contributions. The One Basin CRC is also funded by the Commonwealth Environmental Water Office under its FlowMER program. The views in this article do not necessarily represent the views of these partner and funding organisations. Michael Stewardson has previously received research funding from the Australian Research Council and both state and federal government agencies. Neville Crossman is a Program Leader for Adaptation and Innovation in the One Basin CRC. He is a past employee of the Murray-Darling Basin Authority (2018-2024). He has worked closely with a range of State and federal government agencies and many researchers, industry and community members in the Murray-Darling Basin throughout his career. Samantha Capon receives funding from the federal Department of Climate Change, Energy Efficiency, the Environment and Water (DCCEEW), NSW DCCEEW, the Cotton Research and Development Corporation. She is a member of the Murray-Darling Basin Authority's Advisory Committee for Social, Economic and Environmental Science (ACSEES), but is not representing the view of this committee in this article. Samantha has worked closely with NRM agencies, a range of State and federal government agencies and many researchers, industry and community members in the Murray-Darling Basin throughout her career. Seth Westra is the Research Director for the One Basin CRC. He receives funding from the federal Department of Climate Change, Energy Efficiency, the Environment and Water (DCCEEW), NSW DCCEEW and the South Australian Department for Environment and Water (DEW). Seth is Research Director of the One Basin Cooperative Research Centre, Director of the Systems Cooperative, and has worked closely with NRM agencies, a range of State and federal government agencies and many researchers, industry and community members in the Murray-Darling Basin throughout his career.
The Advertiser
24-07-2025
- General
- The Advertiser
Water quality continues to plague largest river system
Ecosystems along Australia's biggest waterway continue to struggle despite a plan to return water to the environment showing positive signs. Murray Darling Basin Authority reports on river health have found declining native fish populations, ongoing water-quality issues and insufficient flood-plain watering despite the recovery of 2135 gigalitres of annual water entitlements to the system over 13 years. Balancing the needs of basin's environment with its 2.4 million residents, more than 50 Indigenous nations and the communities, farms and businesses that depended on it was no easy task, authority chief executive Andrew McConville said. "It's clear from the results that the Basin Plan is working, but there is more to be done," he said. "What we do next will determine the long-term health of the basin." Full implementation of the plan and its ultimate goal of returning 3200 gigalitres to the environment was a long and costly way off, with the most cost-effective approaches to water efficiency already exhausted, the report found. Hydrology reports found the basin had become hotter and drier in recent years, as increased rainfall and climate variability had produced years with strong floods or droughts but little in between. While government schemes and water management strategies had helped reduce salinity, water quality issues such as blue green algae, black water, and hypoxic water events were on the rise, in many cases leading to mass fish deaths. Native fish populations were under continued pressure, even in areas where environmental water had been returned, according to Matthew Coleman, the authority general manager who led the evaluation. "There's a lot of other drivers of native fish health," Mr Coleman told AAP. "So, barriers that don't allow fish to move up and down the river, water quality events and importantly, invasive species like carp - all of these effects are driving native fish health to be poor." Waterbird populations had improved, but were still recovering from the long-term decline recorded before the Basin Plan was adopted. As for communities along the river system, the audit found the Basin's economy and its agricultural turnover rose from $35 billion to $54 billion since 2022, but some smaller, less economically diverse towns had faced shrinking populations as their water access dried up. The evaluation report conceded more must to be done to include Traditional Owners in water management and decision-making, and noted only up to 0.2 per cent of total water allocation by volume was held by First Nations interests. The authority will hold its annual River Reflections conference in Murray Bridge, South Australia, on July 29 and 30. Ecosystems along Australia's biggest waterway continue to struggle despite a plan to return water to the environment showing positive signs. Murray Darling Basin Authority reports on river health have found declining native fish populations, ongoing water-quality issues and insufficient flood-plain watering despite the recovery of 2135 gigalitres of annual water entitlements to the system over 13 years. Balancing the needs of basin's environment with its 2.4 million residents, more than 50 Indigenous nations and the communities, farms and businesses that depended on it was no easy task, authority chief executive Andrew McConville said. "It's clear from the results that the Basin Plan is working, but there is more to be done," he said. "What we do next will determine the long-term health of the basin." Full implementation of the plan and its ultimate goal of returning 3200 gigalitres to the environment was a long and costly way off, with the most cost-effective approaches to water efficiency already exhausted, the report found. Hydrology reports found the basin had become hotter and drier in recent years, as increased rainfall and climate variability had produced years with strong floods or droughts but little in between. While government schemes and water management strategies had helped reduce salinity, water quality issues such as blue green algae, black water, and hypoxic water events were on the rise, in many cases leading to mass fish deaths. Native fish populations were under continued pressure, even in areas where environmental water had been returned, according to Matthew Coleman, the authority general manager who led the evaluation. "There's a lot of other drivers of native fish health," Mr Coleman told AAP. "So, barriers that don't allow fish to move up and down the river, water quality events and importantly, invasive species like carp - all of these effects are driving native fish health to be poor." Waterbird populations had improved, but were still recovering from the long-term decline recorded before the Basin Plan was adopted. As for communities along the river system, the audit found the Basin's economy and its agricultural turnover rose from $35 billion to $54 billion since 2022, but some smaller, less economically diverse towns had faced shrinking populations as their water access dried up. The evaluation report conceded more must to be done to include Traditional Owners in water management and decision-making, and noted only up to 0.2 per cent of total water allocation by volume was held by First Nations interests. The authority will hold its annual River Reflections conference in Murray Bridge, South Australia, on July 29 and 30. Ecosystems along Australia's biggest waterway continue to struggle despite a plan to return water to the environment showing positive signs. Murray Darling Basin Authority reports on river health have found declining native fish populations, ongoing water-quality issues and insufficient flood-plain watering despite the recovery of 2135 gigalitres of annual water entitlements to the system over 13 years. Balancing the needs of basin's environment with its 2.4 million residents, more than 50 Indigenous nations and the communities, farms and businesses that depended on it was no easy task, authority chief executive Andrew McConville said. "It's clear from the results that the Basin Plan is working, but there is more to be done," he said. "What we do next will determine the long-term health of the basin." Full implementation of the plan and its ultimate goal of returning 3200 gigalitres to the environment was a long and costly way off, with the most cost-effective approaches to water efficiency already exhausted, the report found. Hydrology reports found the basin had become hotter and drier in recent years, as increased rainfall and climate variability had produced years with strong floods or droughts but little in between. While government schemes and water management strategies had helped reduce salinity, water quality issues such as blue green algae, black water, and hypoxic water events were on the rise, in many cases leading to mass fish deaths. Native fish populations were under continued pressure, even in areas where environmental water had been returned, according to Matthew Coleman, the authority general manager who led the evaluation. "There's a lot of other drivers of native fish health," Mr Coleman told AAP. "So, barriers that don't allow fish to move up and down the river, water quality events and importantly, invasive species like carp - all of these effects are driving native fish health to be poor." Waterbird populations had improved, but were still recovering from the long-term decline recorded before the Basin Plan was adopted. As for communities along the river system, the audit found the Basin's economy and its agricultural turnover rose from $35 billion to $54 billion since 2022, but some smaller, less economically diverse towns had faced shrinking populations as their water access dried up. The evaluation report conceded more must to be done to include Traditional Owners in water management and decision-making, and noted only up to 0.2 per cent of total water allocation by volume was held by First Nations interests. The authority will hold its annual River Reflections conference in Murray Bridge, South Australia, on July 29 and 30. Ecosystems along Australia's biggest waterway continue to struggle despite a plan to return water to the environment showing positive signs. Murray Darling Basin Authority reports on river health have found declining native fish populations, ongoing water-quality issues and insufficient flood-plain watering despite the recovery of 2135 gigalitres of annual water entitlements to the system over 13 years. Balancing the needs of basin's environment with its 2.4 million residents, more than 50 Indigenous nations and the communities, farms and businesses that depended on it was no easy task, authority chief executive Andrew McConville said. "It's clear from the results that the Basin Plan is working, but there is more to be done," he said. "What we do next will determine the long-term health of the basin." Full implementation of the plan and its ultimate goal of returning 3200 gigalitres to the environment was a long and costly way off, with the most cost-effective approaches to water efficiency already exhausted, the report found. Hydrology reports found the basin had become hotter and drier in recent years, as increased rainfall and climate variability had produced years with strong floods or droughts but little in between. While government schemes and water management strategies had helped reduce salinity, water quality issues such as blue green algae, black water, and hypoxic water events were on the rise, in many cases leading to mass fish deaths. Native fish populations were under continued pressure, even in areas where environmental water had been returned, according to Matthew Coleman, the authority general manager who led the evaluation. "There's a lot of other drivers of native fish health," Mr Coleman told AAP. "So, barriers that don't allow fish to move up and down the river, water quality events and importantly, invasive species like carp - all of these effects are driving native fish health to be poor." Waterbird populations had improved, but were still recovering from the long-term decline recorded before the Basin Plan was adopted. As for communities along the river system, the audit found the Basin's economy and its agricultural turnover rose from $35 billion to $54 billion since 2022, but some smaller, less economically diverse towns had faced shrinking populations as their water access dried up. The evaluation report conceded more must to be done to include Traditional Owners in water management and decision-making, and noted only up to 0.2 per cent of total water allocation by volume was held by First Nations interests. The authority will hold its annual River Reflections conference in Murray Bridge, South Australia, on July 29 and 30.
