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Integrated water resources management in the Murray-Darling Basin: increasing demands on decreasing supplies

ALBERT VAN DIJK, GEOFF PODGER & MAC KIRBY

CSIRO Water for a Healthy Country / CSIRO Land and Water, PO Box 1666, Black Mountain, Canberra, Australia Central Territory, Australia

albert.vandijk@csiro.au

Abstract The Murray-Darling Basin contains Australia’s most important surface water resource. Ecological damage and threatened water security have led to a cap on further diversions, presently amounting to ~45% of the total water resource. An increase in environmental flows representing 2% of the total resource is now sought to restore river health. At the same time, there are threats which may reduce water resources by 10–20% in 2020, including climate trends, afforestation, bush fire vegetation recovery, induced losses to groundwater, and reduced irrigation return flows further downstream. We outline the relative magnitude and characteristics of each threat, and highlight the need for improved observation networks, system-wide water accounting, integrated modelling, and institutional capacity to support future water management.

Key words basin hydrology; environmental flows; integrated assessment; risk assessment; risks to water resources; system analysis; water resources; water security; water sharing