Social and Political Discourse Water Management Murray Darling System

Australian Capital Territory 28 GL (0.3%) Water Usage QLD, VIC, NSW, SA each have a vested interest in the water that flows along the Murray Darling System South Australia, New South Wales and Victoria all rely on water from the Murray-Darling Basin. Key rivers in the basin include the River Murray, Darling River, Goulburn River and Murrumbidgee River. Although the River Murray covers only a small part of the Murray-Darling Basin, this critical waterway supplies, on average, more than two thirds of the Basin’s water resources. The median annual diversion used by each state between 1997-2010 was: New South Wales 4,362 GL (51%) Victoria 2904 GL (34%) South Australia 603 GL (7%) Queensland 575 GL (7%) Australian Capital Territory 28 GL (0.3%)

Water Usage Think, Pair, Share: List the types of Primary Industries we can see along the Murray Darling River Basin?

Examples: Agriculture Forestry Fisheries Dairy Horticulture (herbs, flowers and ornamentals, stone fruits, berries, almonds and other nuts, grapes and vegetables) Grains and other crops Beef Forestry Fisheries

Impacts of water usage: Irrigation (3,780 GL is currently diverted from rivers under Murray Darling Basin Authority (MDBA) control to irrigate a total area of 470,000 ha). Development of irrigation areas is controlled by the individual States. Damming Pesticides Fertilisers Salinity

How do we see Conservation along the river?

Conservation i.e. Revegetation of riparian zones Fencing off cattle from the rivers Environmental Flows Water restrictions Paying for commercial and domestic water usage

The Murray Darling Basin Plan – YouTube link http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Wumfo3AJ57c

Impacts/Influences on CSR Analyse: How might the discourse of the Murray Darling Basin Plan influence contemporary societal relationships with outdoor environments? (The clear link here is to the CSR of Primary Industries and Conservation).