INDUSTRY NEWS
Evaluating the Basin Plan Evaluation
20
By Christine Freak, ABA Water Specialist
THE Murray-Darling Basin Plan Evaluation has just been released, providing what is said to be“ the most comprehensive assessment of Basin Plan implementation and outcomes to date”. So what does it say? In short – the Basin Plan has done entirely what it was designed to do – and has not done what it was never designed to do. Let’ s unpack that. The Basin Plan has resulted in over 2,100 GL of water being recovered, in order to reduce water use to Sustainable Diversion Limits( SDLs). These SDLs came into force in 2019, and recent reports from the Inspector General of Water Compliance show every water source in the Basin now complying with these limits. At its core, this was the entire point of the Plan. Beyond that, analysis from the National Irrigators’ Council shows a trend of‘ underusage’ against SDLs, with water use in the Basin now 12.95 % below the SDL. Even with water usage at the SDL, this would still ensure 72 % of Basin inflows are protected for the environment, well within global standards( NIC, 2025). However, built into the plan was an assumption that rebalancing water shares, or“ just adding water”, would be the antidote to a range of environmental challenges in the Basin. Water volumes were a proxy for environmental outcomes. It was pleasing to see, perhaps for the first time, this assumption properly acknowledged by authorities in the Evaluation:“ When the Basin Plan commenced it was assumed that water for the environment to key sites would be sufficient to maintain ecological health across the Basin. We have learnt it is more complex and challenging than this …“ Water for the environment is essential, but on its own is likely not sufficient. Factors such as water quality, riparian and floodplain management, pest control, instream habitat, river operations, constraints and works, and environmental water portfolio management are also crucial to achieve environmental outcomes.” This is backed up by the data in the Sustainable Rivers Audit( SRA), which found flow-based outcomes generally positive( e. g. longitudinal connectivity along rivers, and freshes and bankfull Continued next page
In A Nutshell- Spring 2025 Vol 26 Issue 3
Source
: Summary of the MDBA Sustainable Rivers Audit( P 11)
Source: National Irrigators’ Council, 2025( see website for full description and assumptions)