Commonwealth Environmental Water Office

Water used to improve the health of our rivers, floodplains and wetlands is known as environmental water.

Managed environmental water is a practical rehabilitation measure in which governments work together to re-introduce some natural variability in river flows to reconnect Murray-Darling Basin rivers floodplains and wetlands for the benefit of the environment.

Environmental water is needed because the Basin’s river system is often placed under pressure because the natural movement, distribution, and quality of water is altered due to river regulation and infrastructure that was built to support burgeoning communities and agricultural production.

The Commonwealth Environmental Water Holder manages a large portfolio of environmental water – entitlements with annual allocations that are acquired through the Australian Government’s investment in water-saving infrastructure and strategic water purchasing throughout the irrigation districts of the Basin.

The Commonwealth Environmental Water Holder’s decisions about the best use of this water are guided by The Water Act 2007 and the Murray-Darling Basin Plan (specifically, the environmental watering plan and the Basin-wide environmental watering strategy).

Long Term Intervention Monitoring Project

The Pulse is an annual summary of scientific monitoring and evaluation activity. This work assesses the impacts of water for the environment. Specifically, what is working and what is not.

• Restoring Our Rivers: The Pulse 2015-16

 

Detailed long-term intervention monitoring project reports are available below:

• Junction of the Warrego and Darling rivers
• Gwydir river system
• Lower Lachlan river system
• Murrumbidgee river system
• Goulburn River
• Lower Murray River