scholarly journals Establishing Environmental Water Requirements for the Murray–Darling Basin, Australia's Largest Developed River System

2015 ◽  
Vol 32 (6) ◽  
pp. 1153-1165 ◽  
Author(s):  
J. L. Swirepik ◽  
I. C. Burns ◽  
F. J. Dyer ◽  
I. A. Neave ◽  
M. G. O'Brien ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
River System ◽  
Environmental Water ◽  
Water Requirements ◽  
Murray Darling Basin

An Impossible Prescription: Why Science Cannot Determine Environmental Water Requirements for a Healthy Murray-Darling Basin

2017 ◽  
Vol 03 (03) ◽  
pp. 1650037 ◽  
Author(s):  
Samantha J. Capon ◽  
Timothy R. Capon
Keyword(s):  
Decision Making ◽  
Water Policy ◽  
Environmental Water ◽  
Management Scenarios ◽  
Water Requirements ◽  
Political Dimension ◽  
Murray Darling Basin ◽  
Alternative Water ◽  
Ecological Objectives ◽  
Ecological Science

The concept of environmental water requirements (EWRs) is central to Australia’s present approach to water reform. Current decision-making regarding environmental water relies strongly on the notion that EWRs necessary to meet targets associated with ecological objectives for asset sites can be scientifically defined, thus enabling the ecological outcomes of alternative water management scenarios to be evaluated in a relatively straightforward fashion in relation to these flow thresholds or targets. We argue, however, that the ecological objectives and targets currently underpinning the development of EWRs in the Murray-Darling Basin are insufficient to permit the identification of exact water requirements or flow thresholds. Because of the dynamic and heterogeneous nature of the Murray-Darling Basin and the myriad ways in which it is valued by people, we also assert that it is unlikely that adequate ecological objectives and targets from which to determine EWRs could ever be formulated. We suggest that the current emphasis on the concept of EWRs in environmental water planning conflates science and values, perpetuating a “how much is enough?” myth whereby the significance of the social, cultural and political dimension in environmental decision-making is diminished. We support an alternative paradigm in which the contribution of ecological science to water policy and management decisions focuses on understanding ecological responses of water-dependent ecosystems and their biota to alternative management scenarios and linking these responses to the ecosystem services and human values which they support.

scholarly journals Shifting Goalposts: Setting Restoration Targets for Waterbirds in the Murray-Darling Basin Under Climate Change

2021 ◽  
Vol 9 ◽  
Author(s):  
Gilad Bino ◽  
Kate Brandis ◽  
Richard T. Kingsford ◽  
John Porter
Keyword(s):  
Climate Change ◽  
Environmental Sustainability ◽  
Life Histories ◽  
River System ◽  
Biodiversity Loss ◽  
Environmental Water ◽  
Freshwater Ecosystems ◽  
Future Climate Change ◽  
Restoration Targets ◽  
Murray Darling Basin

The Murray-Darling Basin (the Basin) is the largest river system in Australia, supplying about 40% of the country’s irrigated agricultural output. Associated water resource development has come with a heavy price for the Basin’s freshwater ecosystems degrading them over decades. Australian governments are attempting to achieve environmental sustainability by returning water to the environment through buy-back of irrigation licences and improved water efficiencies. To determine effectiveness, basin-wide management objectives were established for key indicators, including waterbird populations and life histories which can effectively indicate ecosystem function and condition, driven by flow and flooding regimes. Ongoing monitoring of waterbird numbers indicates continued declines. We evaluated the feasibility of meeting established waterbird objectives under existing and predicted climates. We modelled long-term waterbird numbers using one of the world’s largest ongoing waterbird surveys (1983–2020), covering about 13.5% of the area of the entire Basin. Our findings suggest that under near future climate change projections, waterbird numbers will likely continue to decline, and remain below restoration targets set for the Basin. We discuss the current policy settings for using environmental water to support waterbird populations, recommending adjustments to restore the Basin’s waterbird populations and their wetlands in order to meet Australia’s conservation targets in relation to the ongoing global crisis of biodiversity loss.

Short-term effects of a prolonged blackwater event on aquatic fauna in the Murray River, Australia: considerations for future events

2012 ◽  
Vol 63 (7) ◽  
pp. 576 ◽  
Author(s):  
A. J. King ◽  
Z. Tonkin ◽  
J. Lieshcke
Keyword(s):  
River System ◽  
Environmental Water ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Short Term ◽  
Aquatic Life ◽  
Large Numbers ◽  
Murray Darling Basin ◽  
Murray River ◽  
Future Events ◽  
Short Term Effects

Blackwater contains high levels of dissolved organic carbon that can be rapidly consumed by microbes, sometimes leading to extremely low levels of dissolved oxygen (hypoxia) and drastic consequences for aquatic life, including fish kills. Drought-breaking rains in late 2010 inundated large areas of the Barmah–Millewa Forest, southern Murray–Darling Basin, Australia, and resulted in a prolonged hypoxic blackwater event within the forest and the Murray River downstream. This study investigated the short-term effects of the blackwater event on fish and crayfish. Compared with non-affected sites, blackwater affected sites had: significantly higher abundances of emerged Murray crayfish (Euastacus armatus) that were vulnerable to desiccation, predation and exploitation; large numbers of dead or dying shrimp and yabbies; significantly reduced abundances of native fish; but contained similar abundances of alien fish species (particularly common carp, Cyprinus carpio). The nature of the mechanisms that caused these changes and the longer term significance of the event on the river system remains an important area for future research. We also propose a range of management considerations for reducing the blackwater impacts, such as the timing of environmental water delivery after prolonged drought and the importance of maintaining river–floodplain connectivity during flood periods.

scholarly journals Justice, science, or collaboration: divergent perspectives on Indigenous cultural water in Australia's Murray–Darling Basin

Water Policy ◽  
2018 ◽  
Vol 20 (2) ◽  
pp. 235-251 ◽  
Author(s):  
Zachary Bischoff-Mattson ◽  
Amanda H. Lynch ◽  
Lee Joachim
Keyword(s):  
Water Management ◽  
Distributive Justice ◽  
Q Methodology ◽  
River System ◽  
Environmental Water ◽  
Collaborative Management ◽  
Ecosystem Conservation ◽  
Murray Darling Basin

Abstract The concept of ‘Indigenous cultural water’ has emerged in Australia's Murray–Darling Basin in the context of sweeping reforms to provide environmental water allocations for ecosystem conservation. We discuss the concept of cultural water, its origins, and its function as a means of representing and advancing Indigenous interests in a fully allocated and heavily developed river system. Cultural water remains a contested and ambiguous frame for policy, providing ample scope for conflict over appropriate goals, standards, and efficacy. We used Q methodology to elucidate the structure and content of perspectives on Indigenous cultural water as a prospective frame for policy. Our results illustrate distinct views on cultural water relative to distributive justice and restitution, the role of science and technical experts, and prospects for collaborative management. They also illustrate nuanced perspectives on the relation between cultural and environmental water management. Clarifying goals and reconciling divergent expectations around cultural water is likely to be an ongoing challenge. We note that uncertainty surrounding the concept may ultimately function to open discursive spaces to alternative perspectives and innovations, and this would be supported by contextual approaches, grounded in place-based prototyping.

Temporal variation of larval fish assemblages of the Murray Mouth in prolonged drought conditions

2013 ◽  
Vol 64 (10) ◽  
pp. 932 ◽  
Author(s):  
L. B. Bucater ◽  
J. P. Livore ◽  
C. J. Noell ◽  
Q. Ye
Keyword(s):  
Fish Assemblages ◽  
Larval Fish ◽  
River System ◽  
Sampling Period ◽  
Marine Species ◽  
Flow Regulation ◽  
Nursery Areas ◽  
Transition Zones ◽  
Murray Darling Basin ◽  
Drought Conditions

Estuaries are transition zones that link freshwater and marine ecosystems and are often used as nursery areas by fish. The Murray–Darling Basin, which is heavily affected by flow regulation and water extraction, is the largest river system in Australia and terminates at the Murray Mouth estuary. Protracted drought conditions resulted in extremely low flows to the Murray Mouth that affected water condition, fish abundance, community structure and fish use of the estuary (e.g. nursery areas). The aims of the present study were to examine temporal changes in larval fish assemblages in this estuary. The assemblages were dominated by two gobiid species, Arenigobius bifrenatus and Tasmanogobius lasti. There was a noticeable absence or low abundance of freshwater, diadramous and large-bodied marine species that use this estuary for reproductive functions. Monthly differences in larval fish assemblages, between August–September and October–November, were attributed to increases in the abundances of A. bifrenatus in October and November and oscillation in T. lasti during the entire sampling period. The outcomes of the present study suggested that larval fish assemblages in drought conditions are limited to small-bodied species tolerant of high salinities and that freshwater flows are needed for the estuary to function as a nursery for other species.

scholarly journals A river system modelling platform for Murray-Darling Basin, Australia

2012 ◽  
Vol 15 (4) ◽  
pp. 1109-1120 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ang Yang ◽  
Geoff Podger ◽  
Shane Seaton ◽  
Robert Power
Keyword(s):  
Time Series Data ◽  
Local Development ◽  
Global Climate ◽  
Sustainable Use ◽  
River System ◽  
Series Data ◽  
System Modelling ◽  
Hydrological Simulation ◽  
Modelling Framework ◽  
Murray Darling Basin

Global climate change and local development make water supply one of the most vulnerable sectors in Australia. The Australian government has therefore commissioned a series of projects to evaluate water availability and the sustainable use of water resources in Australia. This paper discusses a river system modelling platform that has been used in some of these nationally significant projects. The platform consists of three components: provenance, modelling engine and reporting database. The core component is the modelling engine, an agent-based hydrological simulation system called the Integrated River System Modelling Framework (IRSMF). All configuration information and inputs to IRSMF are recorded in the provenance component so that modelling processes can be reproduced and results audited. The reporting database is used to store key statistics and raw output time series data for selected key parameters. This river system modelling platform has for the first time modelled a river system at the basin level in Australia. It provides practitioners with a unique understanding of the characteristics and emergent behaviours of river systems at the basin level. Although the platform is purpose-built for the Murray-Darling Basin, it would be easy to apply it to other basins by using different river models to model agent behaviours.

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