Environmental water management
Gunbower Creek, Victoria
Photo John Baker
The National Water Initiative recognises the integrated management of environmental water as a key area of importance. The National Water Initiative requires effective and efficient management and institutional arrangements to be in place to ensure the achievement of environmental outcomes. This includes:
- the establishment of accountable and well resourced environmental water managers who have the ability to participate in water markets
- the trading of water and utilisation of market based mechanisms for the recovery of water for environmental outcomes
- an agreement to give statutory recognition to, and at least the same level of security as other water access entitlements, to environmental water
While the current arrangements under the National Water Initiative have made substantial contributions to water management, current progress suggests that the objectives of the National Water Initiative are unlikely to be met without a significant intervention.
If over-allocation and over-use in the Murray-Darling Basin are not addressed now river health, the environment and other public amenity values will be severely impacted.
Water for the Future
Until now the states and territories have been responsible for the management and delivery of environmental water, with the Australian Government playing a collaborative role in the Murray-Darling Basin. A $12.9 billion national water plan, Water for the Future, will accelerate the implementation of the National Water Initiative. Water that accrues to the Australian Government through the Water for the Future plan will be managed to achieve environmental outcomes, such as restoring the health of rivers and wetlands in the Murray-Darling Basin and elsewhere across the nation where the Australian Government holds environmental water entitlements.
The Water Act 2007 establishes a Commonwealth Environmental Water Holder to hold and actively manage the portfolio of Australian Government entitlements acquired through the National Plan, Water for the Future, and other government initiatives. The Commonwealth Environmental Water Holder will make Australian Government water available for priorities in the Murray-Darling Basin Environmental Watering Plan, and other appropriate plans outside the Basin.
The Murray-Darling Basin Authority will coordinate the development of the basin-wide environmental watering plan in consultation with all jurisdictions. Existing state environmental water entitlements will be safeguarded and held separately to the Australian Government water entitlements.
Environmental water allocations within the Murray-Darling Basin will be properly accounted for in the same manner as consumptive entitlements, consistent with the National Water Initiative. Use of environmental water will be publicly reported.
More information
See also
- Australian Water Resources 2005
- Coasts and oceans
- Lake Eyre Basin Agreement
- Living Murray Initiative
- Meteorological information for primary industry and natural resources management
- National Centre for Tropical Wetland Research
- National Framework for Improved Groundwater Management in Australia
- National Principles for the Provision of Water for Ecosystems
- Water for a Healthy Country Flagship
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