![Page 1: River basin management pathways to water security](https://reader034.vdocument.in/reader034/viewer/2022052703/568c2c3c1a28abd8328cd7f1/html5/thumbnails/1.jpg)
Don Blackmore Chairman – Water for a Healthy Country;
Chairman- eWater CRC
Former CEO Murray Darling Basin Commission
The Australian Water Story River Basin Management pathways to
water security
18 April 2012
![Page 2: River basin management pathways to water security](https://reader034.vdocument.in/reader034/viewer/2022052703/568c2c3c1a28abd8328cd7f1/html5/thumbnails/2.jpg)
Evolution of Water Management
• Pioneering and Discovery Phase
1880 – 1920
• Delivery Phase 1920 – 1985
• Management Phase 1985- Present
![Page 3: River basin management pathways to water security](https://reader034.vdocument.in/reader034/viewer/2022052703/568c2c3c1a28abd8328cd7f1/html5/thumbnails/3.jpg)
The reform agenda Policy | Institutional | Instruments | Tools
![Page 4: River basin management pathways to water security](https://reader034.vdocument.in/reader034/viewer/2022052703/568c2c3c1a28abd8328cd7f1/html5/thumbnails/4.jpg)
Ratio of maximum annual flow to
minimum annual flow for selected rivers
15.5MURRAYAUSTRALIA
4705.2DARLINGAUSTRALIA
54.3HUNTERAUSTRALIA
16.9ORANGESOUTH AFRICA
3.9POTOMACUSA
2.4WHITE NILESUDAN
2.0YANGTZECHINA
1.9RHINESWITZERLAND
1.3AMAZONBRAZIL
RATIO BETWEEN
THE MAXIMUM and
the MINIMUM
ANNUAL FLOWS
RIVERCOUNTRY
![Page 5: River basin management pathways to water security](https://reader034.vdocument.in/reader034/viewer/2022052703/568c2c3c1a28abd8328cd7f1/html5/thumbnails/5.jpg)
![Page 6: River basin management pathways to water security](https://reader034.vdocument.in/reader034/viewer/2022052703/568c2c3c1a28abd8328cd7f1/html5/thumbnails/6.jpg)
Commissioner, Sir Ronald East
straddling the River Murray at Nyah,
Victoria during the drought of 1923
![Page 7: River basin management pathways to water security](https://reader034.vdocument.in/reader034/viewer/2022052703/568c2c3c1a28abd8328cd7f1/html5/thumbnails/7.jpg)
![Page 8: River basin management pathways to water security](https://reader034.vdocument.in/reader034/viewer/2022052703/568c2c3c1a28abd8328cd7f1/html5/thumbnails/8.jpg)
![Page 9: River basin management pathways to water security](https://reader034.vdocument.in/reader034/viewer/2022052703/568c2c3c1a28abd8328cd7f1/html5/thumbnails/9.jpg)
0
200
400
600
800
1000
(L)
Daily water consumption percapita (including irrigation)
Australia
Africa
Europe
Asia North
America
South America
0
4000
8000
12000
16000
(ML)
Annual streamflowper km2
Australia – the driest inhabited continent – with the highest per capita water use
![Page 10: River basin management pathways to water security](https://reader034.vdocument.in/reader034/viewer/2022052703/568c2c3c1a28abd8328cd7f1/html5/thumbnails/10.jpg)
Evolution of Water Management
• Pioneering and Discovery Phase 1880 – 1920
• Delivery Phase 1920 – 1985
• Management Phase 1985-
Present
![Page 11: River basin management pathways to water security](https://reader034.vdocument.in/reader034/viewer/2022052703/568c2c3c1a28abd8328cd7f1/html5/thumbnails/11.jpg)
The reform agenda The Major reforms; •Manage water on a catchment basis (MDBC , SCA etc) •COAG agrees water reform agenda 1994 (similar to electricity and transport in National Competition Policy) •State benefit from increased revenue generated by the reform •National Water Commission and MDBC institute audit roles
![Page 12: River basin management pathways to water security](https://reader034.vdocument.in/reader034/viewer/2022052703/568c2c3c1a28abd8328cd7f1/html5/thumbnails/12.jpg)
1. Diminishing water security
Climate change and drought
Urban population growth
2. Over-allocation of resources
Rapid and poorly managed expansion of irrigation
(1960s-1980s)
Uncontrolled groundwater use
Drier climate since 1950s
3. Environmental degradation
Salinity
Toxic algal blooms
Decline in native fish, birds and floodplain vegetation
Australia’s top 3 water issues
![Page 13: River basin management pathways to water security](https://reader034.vdocument.in/reader034/viewer/2022052703/568c2c3c1a28abd8328cd7f1/html5/thumbnails/13.jpg)
National water policy reform (1994-2004)
1994 COAG water reforms
Institutional reform (rural and urban)
Property rights and water markets/trading
Environmental flow provisions
Groundwater management
Water included in National Competition Policy
2004 National Water Initiative
Review and update of 1994 reforms
New powers and role for Commonwealth (Federal)
Government
New Commonwealth Water Act (2007)
Water for the Future fund ($12.9 billion)
Murray-Darling Basin Plan
![Page 14: River basin management pathways to water security](https://reader034.vdocument.in/reader034/viewer/2022052703/568c2c3c1a28abd8328cd7f1/html5/thumbnails/14.jpg)
The Murray Darling Basin Story
![Page 15: River basin management pathways to water security](https://reader034.vdocument.in/reader034/viewer/2022052703/568c2c3c1a28abd8328cd7f1/html5/thumbnails/15.jpg)
Driving Philosophy: You can’t manage what you can’t describe and measure
The Murray-Darling Basin
Must move from perceptions to fact
“Sufficient certainty” enables the hard questions and tradeoffs to be tackled
![Page 16: River basin management pathways to water security](https://reader034.vdocument.in/reader034/viewer/2022052703/568c2c3c1a28abd8328cd7f1/html5/thumbnails/16.jpg)
management
Conventional River Basin Knowledge Knowledge
Policy Process
Implementation Personality
On Ground Action
![Page 17: River basin management pathways to water security](https://reader034.vdocument.in/reader034/viewer/2022052703/568c2c3c1a28abd8328cd7f1/html5/thumbnails/17.jpg)
The reform agenda Policy | Institutional | Instruments | Tools
![Page 18: River basin management pathways to water security](https://reader034.vdocument.in/reader034/viewer/2022052703/568c2c3c1a28abd8328cd7f1/html5/thumbnails/18.jpg)
Instrument— water scarcity
The Cap
![Page 19: River basin management pathways to water security](https://reader034.vdocument.in/reader034/viewer/2022052703/568c2c3c1a28abd8328cd7f1/html5/thumbnails/19.jpg)
The Murray-Darling Basin
70% of Australia’s irrigated agriculture
However...
Serious over-allocation of water between 1960s-1980s
10500 The Cap
0
8000
16000
24000
32000
'20s '30s '40s '50s '60s '70s '80s '90s
(GL)
QLD VIC NSW
MDBC TOTAL
![Page 20: River basin management pathways to water security](https://reader034.vdocument.in/reader034/viewer/2022052703/568c2c3c1a28abd8328cd7f1/html5/thumbnails/20.jpg)
Instrument—increased economic output
Water Trading
![Page 21: River basin management pathways to water security](https://reader034.vdocument.in/reader034/viewer/2022052703/568c2c3c1a28abd8328cd7f1/html5/thumbnails/21.jpg)
Water trading
From this .... To this ….
![Page 22: River basin management pathways to water security](https://reader034.vdocument.in/reader034/viewer/2022052703/568c2c3c1a28abd8328cd7f1/html5/thumbnails/22.jpg)
Employment Figures Resulting
From Irrigation Investment
High-value horticulture
![Page 23: River basin management pathways to water security](https://reader034.vdocument.in/reader034/viewer/2022052703/568c2c3c1a28abd8328cd7f1/html5/thumbnails/23.jpg)
Requirements for Water Markets
Clear specification of entitlements Comprehensive registration systems
linked to water accounts Mechanisms to transfer between
different entitlements Trading rules
![Page 24: River basin management pathways to water security](https://reader034.vdocument.in/reader034/viewer/2022052703/568c2c3c1a28abd8328cd7f1/html5/thumbnails/24.jpg)
Instrument—managing salt pollution
Salinity and Drainage Strategy
![Page 25: River basin management pathways to water security](https://reader034.vdocument.in/reader034/viewer/2022052703/568c2c3c1a28abd8328cd7f1/html5/thumbnails/25.jpg)
![Page 26: River basin management pathways to water security](https://reader034.vdocument.in/reader034/viewer/2022052703/568c2c3c1a28abd8328cd7f1/html5/thumbnails/26.jpg)
Victoria - Shallow Water Tables 1996
River
Murray
Melbourne
Loddon
Avoca
Campaspe Goulburn
Broken
Ovens
Kiewa
Victoria – Shallow Water Tables 1996
![Page 27: River basin management pathways to water security](https://reader034.vdocument.in/reader034/viewer/2022052703/568c2c3c1a28abd8328cd7f1/html5/thumbnails/27.jpg)
Victoria - Salinity Hazard at 2100
River
Murray
Victoria – Salinity Hazard at 2100
![Page 28: River basin management pathways to water security](https://reader034.vdocument.in/reader034/viewer/2022052703/568c2c3c1a28abd8328cd7f1/html5/thumbnails/28.jpg)
Salinity Strategy in Summary
Farming
systems
development
Forestry for
environmental
services
Joint works to
protect shared
rivers
State salinity
Strategies
Catchment
Management
Strategy
Irrigation and land
and water
management plan
Morgan salinity
target <800EC
95% of time
End of valley
target site Farming Systems Development Forestry for Environmental Services Joint works to protect shared rivers
![Page 29: River basin management pathways to water security](https://reader034.vdocument.in/reader034/viewer/2022052703/568c2c3c1a28abd8328cd7f1/html5/thumbnails/29.jpg)
Instrument—restoring river health
Environmental Flows-The Living
Murray “A healthy working river”
![Page 30: River basin management pathways to water security](https://reader034.vdocument.in/reader034/viewer/2022052703/568c2c3c1a28abd8328cd7f1/html5/thumbnails/30.jpg)
The Murray-Darling Basin Plan (2010-11)
Defines ‘Sustainable Diversion Limits’
For 20 River Valleys in MDB (in different States)
Covers surface- and ground-waters
Will consider climate change risks
Protect environmental ‘assets’
Floodplain forests and wetlands
Environmental flows
Water quality and salinity
Political and social implications
State ‘Water Sharing Plans’ must be accredited
Social impacts must be considered
Based on ‘best-available’ science
(evidence-based policy)
![Page 31: River basin management pathways to water security](https://reader034.vdocument.in/reader034/viewer/2022052703/568c2c3c1a28abd8328cd7f1/html5/thumbnails/31.jpg)
Better environmental outcomes
![Page 32: River basin management pathways to water security](https://reader034.vdocument.in/reader034/viewer/2022052703/568c2c3c1a28abd8328cd7f1/html5/thumbnails/32.jpg)
Tools—fundamental for effective River planning and management
River Models-”a computer
simulation that enables reliable
and repeatable testing of the
system”
![Page 33: River basin management pathways to water security](https://reader034.vdocument.in/reader034/viewer/2022052703/568c2c3c1a28abd8328cd7f1/html5/thumbnails/33.jpg)
CLIMATE
LAND USE
ECOLOGICAL ASSETS
DAMS & WEIRS
IRRIGATION CITIES
For rural and urban water management
![Page 34: River basin management pathways to water security](https://reader034.vdocument.in/reader034/viewer/2022052703/568c2c3c1a28abd8328cd7f1/html5/thumbnails/34.jpg)
Pro
ject
web
site
![Page 35: River basin management pathways to water security](https://reader034.vdocument.in/reader034/viewer/2022052703/568c2c3c1a28abd8328cd7f1/html5/thumbnails/35.jpg)
The reform agenda Policy | Institutional | Instruments | Tools
![Page 36: River basin management pathways to water security](https://reader034.vdocument.in/reader034/viewer/2022052703/568c2c3c1a28abd8328cd7f1/html5/thumbnails/36.jpg)