1. BASIN-PLAN-IN-CONFIDENCE
22/09/2010
Current Thinking
on draft Basin Plan
Place holder ahead of presentations.
4 October 2011

2. The Basin - A Long History
Murray Darling Basin Commission
1987
COAG
Agreement
2008
National Water Initiative and
The Living Murray First Step
2004
Constitution
1901
1990’s
Cap on Diversions and Water markets
2010
Guide to the proposed Basin Plan
2007 Commonwealth Water Act and
Murray-Darling Basin Authority
1914
River Murray Commission
1901
2010

3. What we heard
Reform is needed - manage the Basin as a whole, recognising uniqueness of regions
Better recognise the social, cultural & economic role of the Basin
Need to recognise past effort and understand the potential impacts of water reform
Many different views on how to achieve balance and the scale of change required
Concerns about practical use of environmental water and whether it can be physically delivered.
Concerns about effects of buy backs on communities

4. The Central Task

5. What has changed since the Guide?
Improved baseline
More robust modeling
7 year transition – progressive implementation
SDLs in 2019
2015 review point
Adaptive management
Localism – placing communities and local knowledge at the heart of the solutions

6. How much more environmental water?
Current thinking (baseline year 2009):
Basin wide
2,800 GL/y (long-term average)
However:
since 2009; 890 GL recovered (March 2011)
Therefore by 2019:
a little over 1,900 GL to be recovered in 2 phases
SDLs set at catchment scale
I would like to emphasise that these numbers represent our current thinking and knowledge, and we are currently undertaking further modelling and analysis to look at volumes both above and below 2,800 GL

7. Recovery of environmental water
FINAL SUSTAINABLE DIVERSION LIMITS
850 GL/Y RECOVERED (TLM)
890 GL/Y RECOVERED (buy-back)
POTENTIAL TO DECREASE SDL
CURRENT DIVERSIONS
POTENTIAL TO INCREASE SDL
Consumptive Water
1995
CAP beginning of sustainability
2004
National Water
Initiative commences
2009
2012
Basin Plan
adopted
2015
Basin Plan
checkpoint
2019
Basin Plan fully Enforced sustainable Diversion Limits(need to be met)

8. Commence review and amend SDL Review WQSMP, EWP, and impacts
An Adaptive Plan
1,900GL
995 GL
995 GL ± a ± b - c ± d
Water recovery
Water buyback irrigation efficiency
(a)
Works and measures qp
Commence review and amend SDL
Review WQSMP, EWP, and impacts
(b)
New information qp
New lines of evidence
(c)
Optimising river operations q
(d)
Monitoring and evaluation qp
2012
2015
2017
2019

9. State plans consistent with Basin Plan
Basin Plan Pathway
Take Stock
2012
2013
2014
2015
2016
2017
2018
2019
REVIEW SDLs in light of
(a) Infrastructure (b) Localism
(c) Windsor rules review
(d) New Knowledge
BASIN PLAN
BASIN PLAN COMMENCES
(a) Long term EWP (2012)
(b) Salinity targets (2012)
(c) Trading rules (2013/14)
(d) Monitoring & Evaluation (2012)
Amend Basin Plan if needed
SDL’s Commence
Interim or transitional State plans ...
State plans consistent with Basin Plan
STATE PLANS
... are revised and accredited in line with BP
2012
2013
2014
2015
2016
2017
2018
2019

10. What’s next for the proposed Basin Plan?
is subject to parliamentary scrutiny
Explanatory notes – a plain English summary of the proposed Basin Plan
A healthy
Working
Basin
Minimum 20 week
Public consultation
Murray-Darling
Basin
Ministerial Council
Commonwealth Water
Minister
Basin Plan
Becomes Law
Draft
Basin
Plan
Basin Plan
is continually refined and improved

11. Thank You