News
News
Plain English Guide to the Murray-Darling Basin Plan
The Murray–Darling Basin Authority will hold an additional stage of consultation on the Murray–Darling Basin Plan, before the release of the Proposed Basin Plan later this year. Given the importance of community feedback, the Chair of the Authority, Mike Taylor, said the Authority would publicly launch a comprehensive Guide to the Proposed Basin Plan.
New report details scale of intercepted water
The National Water Commission has released Australia's first ever nation-wide baseline assessment of water interception activities, calling for all Australian governments to take action on this critical issue. The Surface and/or groundwater interception activities: initial estimates report shows that the total volume of water unaccounted for as a result of land use activities outside our current water entitlement regimes and planning frameworks equates to almost one quarter of all the entitled water on issue in Australia.
Western Davenport Water Allocation Plan released
A Draft Water Allocation Plan for Western Davenport Water Control District in the Northern Territory has been released for public comment. The draft Plan will be on public exhibition for 28 days, during which time any comments or feedback is encouraged.
Water trading benefits farmers, communities and the environment
National Water Commissioner, Mr Laurie Arthur, last week released the Commission's report on the Impacts of water trading in the southern Murray-Darling Basin, saying that it demonstrates that water trading is providing significant economic, social and environmental benefits across the southern Basin.
Developing performance indicators for integrated water management
Bruce Hooper, from DHI Australia and working in conjunction with the US Army Corps of Engineers, developed a set of 115 indicators of best practice in integrated river basin management based on a combination of practical experience and applied research. These indicators relate to ten categories: coordinated decision-making, responsive decision-making, goals and goal shift, financial sustainability, organizational design, role of law, training and capacity building, information and research, accountability and monitoring, private and public sector roles.
Landscape liminology to assess environment flow
Scientists from Michigan State University have developed what they describe as a pioneering, comprehensive approach that makes conserving and managing freshwater lakes, streams and wetlands more integrated and effective. Known as "landscape limnology", the approach offers an alternative way to assess environmental water requirements based on the interaction of surface water with the terrestrial and human landscapes.
Murray-Darling irrigators reassured about water reductions
The Murray-Darling Basin Authority (MDBA) is reassuring irrigators about the likely size of the cuts to their entitlements when the new basin plan is revealed next month.
Tatiara Water Allocation Plan adopted in South Australia
The Water Allocation Plan for the Tatiara Prescribed Wells Area in South Australia was adopted by the Minister for Environment and Conservation on 7th June. The new plan includes policy for the volumetric conversion of existing area-based allocations and the recalculation, where eligible, of existing volumetric licences. In addition, it includes a method to reduce volumetric allocations where required, new and more flexible water trading rules, and policy to protect groundwater dependent ecosystems.
Queensland's Wenlock River declared as 'wild'
Queeensland's Natural Resources, Mines and Energy Minister Stephen Robertson has announced the declaration of the Wenlock River under the Bligh Government’s Wild Rivers program. This marks the 10th Wild River Declaration in Queensland, under what the government describes as a 'pragmatic approach' to the preservation of rivers with a high degree of intact pristine environmental values.
Water plan to save the Coorong and Lower Lakes
The South Australian Government has released a 20-year "road map" to help restore the health of the Coorong and Lower Lakes. The plan has received endorsement from the Federal Government, which has agreed to provide a $21 million kick-start towards four early works projects. The plan, which outlines some 25 separate programs, includes a combination of engineering and planning actions, but is still entirely dependent upon sufficient freshwater flows from the Murray reaching the Lower Lakes.
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