Murray Darling Basin Research Paper
the murrray darling basin the murrray darling basin
What is the Murray- Darling Basin?
The Murray Darling Basin is a large, dry inland draining, salty basin. The basin extends over the four states: New South Wales, Queensland, Victoria and South Australia. The average annual rainfall in the basin is 480mm, a wide variety of grasses, trees and shrubs can be found in the basin.
Where is it located?
The basin is located in south-east of Australia and covers an area of 1.05 million square kilometres or 14% of Australia.
.
What are its significant natural features?
The basin is home to many species, animals and plants. A large amount of species can be found living in the river basin, including Emus, Koala bears, western grey …show more content…
kangaroos, Bearded Dragon Lizards, red-rumped parrots, black swans and pelicans. Also an abundant number of fish can be found in the river basin, such as the Murray cod and bream. The wetlands in the basin provide breeding habitats for many species of waterbirds, fish, invertebrates and plants. A part from its significant features the basin also has artefacts and paintings of aboriginal culture which can be found in caves. The basin could be used as it is an important place of recreation due to its size and environment; it includes a range of diverse landscapes and complex ecosystems, including over 77,000km of rivers and more than 25,000 wetlands. These landscapes are home to at least 35 endangered species of birds, 16 endangered species of mammals and 46 known species of native fish. Its wetlands are extensive and perform essential hydrological, biological and chemical functions, which support and maintain the productivity and health of the river systems. A number of the Basin wetlands are recognized under the Convention on Wetlands of International Importance (or known as the ‘Ramsar Convention’).
What makes it effective as an agricultural hub?
The basin provides a number of natural resources and contributes to Australians farms and economy. The basin also is a major area of Australia’s food supply. For example, rice farming occurs in small areas of the Murray and Murrumbidgee irrigation regions. Also beef cattle and sheep farming occurs heavily throughout the basin; dairy cattle farming is concentrated around the Murray River. Brodacre crop farming is distributed along the Great Dividing Range and the Murray River. The land in the basin is mainly used for pastures [43%], cereals and rice [20%] and cotton [15%]. The Basin’s major food crops are cereals – barley, oats, cereal rye, buckwheat, triticale, and wheat. Cereals cover 7.8 million hectares or 8.5 percent of the Basin’s agricultural land. 47 per cent of Australian cereal farms are within the Basin. The basin also contains about 2,000 farming enterprises that grow rice.
What needs does it serve for Australia and its society?
The Murray can be used in so many different ways which has had benefit for Australia and its society. The Murray includes some of the country’s best grazing and cropping land and is home to over 1.8 million people as well as many unique native pants and animals.
The Murray contributes to the needs of Australians and helps growth employment and business. Most of the MDB population lived in New South Wales (39%) and Victoria (29%).
Agriculture is a significant employer in the MDB. In 2006, 10% of all people employed in the MDB worked in Agriculture, compared to 3% Australia-wide.
The other common industries of employment in the MDB were Retail (14% of all people employed), Health and community services (11%), Government administration and defence (10%), and Manufacturing (9%).
The mean equalised household income of people in the MDB in 2006 was $675 per week compared to $732 per week for Australia as a whole.
Almost two-fifths (38%) of Australia's farmers stayed in the MDB.
Nearly two-fifths (39%) of people employed and aged 65 years or over in the MDB were farmers.
Much of Australia's population relies on the natural resources, as it is one of the most important regions. Annual economic output from the Basin is around AUD$23 billion (USD$16.79 billion) 3.2 million Australians rely on the Murray Darling for their everyday drinking water.
The Basin's natural environment plays a vital role in contributing to local production and the national economy. The Basin attracts a number of domestic and international tourists. the Murrays natural environments national parks and heritage sites are some of the attractions which can be found in the Murray. Its waterways are favourable to a wide range of activities which include camping, fishing, and boating and water sports
What does it produce?
The Murray produces a variety of fruits and it contributes to the health and wellbeing of Australia’s society. The Basin’s major food crops are cereals – barley, oats, cereal rye, buckwheat, triticale, and wheat. Cereals cover 7.8 million hectares or 8.5 percent of the Basin’s agricultural land. 47 per cent of Australian cereal farms are within the Basin. The Basin is also a major producer of a large number of horticultural crops such a citrus, stone fruits, pome fruits, grapes and vegetables.
Avocadoes are being increasingly grown across the Murray–Darling Basin. Avocado production can be challenging as they typically need regular, plentiful supplies of water to flourish.
Over half of Australian grown apples are produced in the Basin, including this Granny Smith variety. Batlow, in south-east NSW is the most well-known apple-producing region in the Basin. Nectarines and other stone fruit crops cover a very small proportion of agricultural land in the Basin, with most being grown in irrigated areas.
The largest individual crop is potatoes, however many other vegetables such as eggplants are grown in the Basin.
Many tree nuts, including pistachio nuts, are produced in the Murray–Darling Basin. Other tree nuts produced include almonds, chestnuts and pecans. The majority of Australia's pistachio nuts are grown in the northern River Murray area. Plums and other stone fruit are grown in the Riverina and southern regions of the Murray–Darling Basin.
What states and authorities responsible for the protection and administration of the region?
In order to preserve a healthy and strong river system we must have governments and authorities dedicated to doing this, this will be very beneficial for the many Australians who use the river system and also to the many plants and animals who use it as shelter and habitats, without the river system many needs would not be fulfilled and personal benefits would not occur. Below are some examples of these authorities and governments that preserve, protect and are responsible for the administration of the Murray…
Though the use of the Basin's resources has brought huge benefit to Australia, this has had some harmful ecological, cultural, social and economic consequences.
The Murray-Darling Basin Ministerial Council, the decision-making forum;
The Murray-Darling Basin Commission, the executive and advisory arm of the Council;
The Community Advisory Committee, which provides the Council with advice and provides a two-way communication channel between the Council and the community; and
The Murray-Darling Basin Act 1993, which was ratified by the five Basin governments through identical legislation enacted by each Parliament.
The Murray–Darling Basin Authority (MDBA) is part of the Sustainability, Environment, Water, Population and Communities portfolio, the authority reports to its minister, the Hon Mark Butler MP (the Commonwealth Minister for Water).
Water act
What they do
The Water Act requires the MDBA to undertake a number of functions: * Construct and operate River Murray assets such as dams and weirs. * Advise the Commonwealth Minister for Water on the accreditation of state water resource plans. * Develop a water rights information service to facilitate water trading across the Basin. * Manage water sharing between the states. * Manage all aspects of Basin water resources, including water, organisms and other components and ecosystems that contribute to the physical state and environmental value of the Basin's water …show more content…
resources. * Measure and monitor water resources in the Basin. * Gather information and undertake research. * Engage and educate the community in the management of the Basin's resources.
What are some of the environmental problems created by modern societal use?
Even though the Murray has had significant contributes to Australia and its society, environmental issues are still occurring and if solutions cannot be introduced or implemented the health of the Murray will worsen and this will impact Australia very badly.
The problems facing the river system will directly affect hundreds of cities and towns, not to mention countless species of fauna and flora. Many plant and animal species rely on the Murray-Darling Basin for survival. These include the River Red gum forests and about half of Australia’s native fish species. Native vegetation is currently being threatened by rising salinity (salt) levels; human-made changes to flooding and drying areas; and careless campers and boaters. The over-allocation of water entitlements in many areas of the Murray Darling Basin (MDB), has meant water resources have not been able to meet the water needed for environmental flows and human
requirements.
High salinity can: * reduce crop yields * affect native fish and vegetation * damage infrastructure * reduce the lifespan of industrial equipment and home appliances
Damage roads (causing surface cracking and potholes
What are some of the current initiatives taking place to remedy these problems?
The federal government has committed $3.1billion to purchasing – or buying back-water entitlements in an effort to increase environmental flows considered necessary for the river systems health. Another $5.8 billion is being spent improving water efficiency, productivity and infrastructure, enabling farmers and irrigators to adapt to a future with less water. Murray Darling Basin Authority (MDBA) has released the Guide to the Proposed Basin Plan (The Guide), on October 8th 2011, which is to deal with the problems of the Murray Darling Basin and its rivers. The Living Murray Initiative was developed to respond to the declining health of the River Murray and Murray-Darling Basin, the initiative aims to "create a healthy working river that assures us of continued prosperity, clean water and a flourishing environment".
Murray-Darling governments have stressed the importance of having sound knowledge systems, effective community engagement, and appropriate governing structures that are as essential to the consideration of equitable access, arrangements and the allocation of environmental flows. Murray-Darling governments also agreed to the development of water recovery mechanisms and the provision of environmental flows to the system in order to improve the health of the river.
Special Forever
The Special Forever project is an environmental communication undertaken and managed by the Primary English Teachers Association (PETA), the project teaches primary school children about the Murray and the serious problems facing it. The project aims to teach children the ability to effectively and creatively communicate these issues to the wider community, which is a vital part of the project. The individual participation by the Special Forever program has recorded enormous success in literacy levels and community involvement by making ‘environmental education locally relevant and [able] to incorporate local knowledge.
Heartlands
The Heartlands consortium aims to improve land use in the Murray-Darling Basin thereby preserving land and water resources and sustaining commodity production.
Heartlands combines research programs directly with the implementation of on-ground works such as: * tree planting * protection of remnant vegetation * establishment of perennial pastures * Erosion protection measures.
What other solutions could be implemented?
Urban improvements- water can be recovered from urban and rural areas ultimately reducing the amount of water being, withdrawn from rivers, leaving more water in the river system.
Market based measures [buy-backs]- water can be brought from willing sellers , these type of schemes can be implemented quickly.
Infrastructure improvements- water can be recovered by replacing broken and leaking pipes, lining irrigation canals and channels with plastic to reduce seepage and modernising water distribution infrastructure [eg. replacing Dethridge wheels with automated plume gates] for example, the Northern Victoria Irrigation Renewal Project [NVIRP]
On-farm initiatives- money can be offered to improve water efficiency on farms.
The age says
‘Frist, the guide sets out minimal conditions for restoring the environmental health of the river system. And second, if a sustainable system cannot be restored, the consequences will ultimately be as dire for the rural communities that derive their livelihoods from the basin’s rivers as for the river themselves. The notion that there can be a tradeoff between environmental and economic considerations- a notion implicit in the growing clamour from irrigators since the release if the guide- ignores the fact that insofar as there can be such a tradeoff, it has already been made’.
1. Keep the Murray mouth open. 2. Protect and restore the Basin’s key environmental assets and functions. 3. Halt the decline of waterbirds, fish, red gums and other flora and fauna. 4. Prepare the environment so it copes much better during drought. 5. Flush out the salt in the Murray River so the water is usable. 6. What people say?
“The fact that taking MORE of this water is unjust considering how much we use already. As for the effects of taking water out of a region, well, you know the rest”.
“The Murray darling basin should be left alone, as it is, and leave the farmers alone who so vitally depend on their main source of water. For all these jobs to be cut, all these families who will hit hardest is a terrible thing to know”.
The problem with the farmers on the Murray River, use too much water from the river, they use more than they need to. When you use too much water that cases salinity which dries up the ground and nothing grows properly so it’s most likely the farmers fault. They could probably set up a few full pumps at the Darling River to pump water through the river to make it gradually be able to fill itself. And make everything easier for the farmers. And they could give the farmers some lessons about water saving techniques.
1. Increase export earnings 2. Support local farming jobs 3. Increase agricultural output 4. Effective and efficient irrigation systems 5. Cut out ground water use and increased areas of plantation forests[which use large amounts of water] 6. Grazing and crop management 7. Conservation farming [minimal tillage cropping, precision farming 8. Use of deep rooted plants[Lucerne, saltbush, farm forestry] to minimise the rise of water tables to unacceptable levels 9. Revegetation management [fencing off areas for protection]
In irrigation
1. Storage of surface run-off dams
2. Reusing drainage waters for irrigation
3. Improved irrigation efficiency and better delivery systems, such as drip irrigation
4. Zoning to direct new irrigation to areas of low salinity and low impacts.
5. Salt interception
What is the Murray- Darling Basin?
The Murray Darling Basin is a large, dry inland draining, salty basin. The basin extends over the four states: New South Wales, Queensland, Victoria and South Australia. The average annual rainfall in the basin is 480mm, a wide variety of grasses, trees and shrubs can be found in the basin.
Where is it located?
The basin is located in south-east of Australia and covers an area of 1.05 million square kilometres or 14% of Australia.
.
What are its significant natural features?
The basin is home to many species, animals and plants. A large amount of species can be found living in the river basin, including Emus, Koala bears, western grey …show more content…
kangaroos, Bearded Dragon Lizards, red-rumped parrots, black swans and pelicans. Also an abundant number of fish can be found in the river basin, such as the Murray cod and bream. The wetlands in the basin provide breeding habitats for many species of waterbirds, fish, invertebrates and plants. A part from its significant features the basin also has artefacts and paintings of aboriginal culture which can be found in caves. The basin could be used as it is an important place of recreation due to its size and environment; it includes a range of diverse landscapes and complex ecosystems, including over 77,000km of rivers and more than 25,000 wetlands. These landscapes are home to at least 35 endangered species of birds, 16 endangered species of mammals and 46 known species of native fish. Its wetlands are extensive and perform essential hydrological, biological and chemical functions, which support and maintain the productivity and health of the river systems. A number of the Basin wetlands are recognized under the Convention on Wetlands of International Importance (or known as the ‘Ramsar Convention’).
What makes it effective as an agricultural hub?
The basin provides a number of natural resources and contributes to Australians farms and economy. The basin also is a major area of Australia’s food supply. For example, rice farming occurs in small areas of the Murray and Murrumbidgee irrigation regions. Also beef cattle and sheep farming occurs heavily throughout the basin; dairy cattle farming is concentrated around the Murray River. Brodacre crop farming is distributed along the Great Dividing Range and the Murray River. The land in the basin is mainly used for pastures [43%], cereals and rice [20%] and cotton [15%]. The Basin’s major food crops are cereals – barley, oats, cereal rye, buckwheat, triticale, and wheat. Cereals cover 7.8 million hectares or 8.5 percent of the Basin’s agricultural land. 47 per cent of Australian cereal farms are within the Basin. The basin also contains about 2,000 farming enterprises that grow rice.
What needs does it serve for Australia and its society?
The Murray can be used in so many different ways which has had benefit for Australia and its society. The Murray includes some of the country’s best grazing and cropping land and is home to over 1.8 million people as well as many unique native pants and animals.
The Murray contributes to the needs of Australians and helps growth employment and business. Most of the MDB population lived in New South Wales (39%) and Victoria (29%).
Agriculture is a significant employer in the MDB. In 2006, 10% of all people employed in the MDB worked in Agriculture, compared to 3% Australia-wide.
The other common industries of employment in the MDB were Retail (14% of all people employed), Health and community services (11%), Government administration and defence (10%), and Manufacturing (9%).
The mean equalised household income of people in the MDB in 2006 was $675 per week compared to $732 per week for Australia as a whole.
Almost two-fifths (38%) of Australia's farmers stayed in the MDB.
Nearly two-fifths (39%) of people employed and aged 65 years or over in the MDB were farmers.
Much of Australia's population relies on the natural resources, as it is one of the most important regions. Annual economic output from the Basin is around AUD$23 billion (USD$16.79 billion) 3.2 million Australians rely on the Murray Darling for their everyday drinking water.
The Basin's natural environment plays a vital role in contributing to local production and the national economy. The Basin attracts a number of domestic and international tourists. the Murrays natural environments national parks and heritage sites are some of the attractions which can be found in the Murray. Its waterways are favourable to a wide range of activities which include camping, fishing, and boating and water sports
What does it produce?
The Murray produces a variety of fruits and it contributes to the health and wellbeing of Australia’s society. The Basin’s major food crops are cereals – barley, oats, cereal rye, buckwheat, triticale, and wheat. Cereals cover 7.8 million hectares or 8.5 percent of the Basin’s agricultural land. 47 per cent of Australian cereal farms are within the Basin. The Basin is also a major producer of a large number of horticultural crops such a citrus, stone fruits, pome fruits, grapes and vegetables.
Avocadoes are being increasingly grown across the Murray–Darling Basin. Avocado production can be challenging as they typically need regular, plentiful supplies of water to flourish.
Over half of Australian grown apples are produced in the Basin, including this Granny Smith variety. Batlow, in south-east NSW is the most well-known apple-producing region in the Basin. Nectarines and other stone fruit crops cover a very small proportion of agricultural land in the Basin, with most being grown in irrigated areas.
The largest individual crop is potatoes, however many other vegetables such as eggplants are grown in the Basin.
Many tree nuts, including pistachio nuts, are produced in the Murray–Darling Basin. Other tree nuts produced include almonds, chestnuts and pecans. The majority of Australia's pistachio nuts are grown in the northern River Murray area. Plums and other stone fruit are grown in the Riverina and southern regions of the Murray–Darling Basin.
What states and authorities responsible for the protection and administration of the region?
In order to preserve a healthy and strong river system we must have governments and authorities dedicated to doing this, this will be very beneficial for the many Australians who use the river system and also to the many plants and animals who use it as shelter and habitats, without the river system many needs would not be fulfilled and personal benefits would not occur. Below are some examples of these authorities and governments that preserve, protect and are responsible for the administration of the Murray…
Though the use of the Basin's resources has brought huge benefit to Australia, this has had some harmful ecological, cultural, social and economic consequences.
The Murray-Darling Basin Ministerial Council, the decision-making forum;
The Murray-Darling Basin Commission, the executive and advisory arm of the Council;
The Community Advisory Committee, which provides the Council with advice and provides a two-way communication channel between the Council and the community; and
The Murray-Darling Basin Act 1993, which was ratified by the five Basin governments through identical legislation enacted by each Parliament.
The Murray–Darling Basin Authority (MDBA) is part of the Sustainability, Environment, Water, Population and Communities portfolio, the authority reports to its minister, the Hon Mark Butler MP (the Commonwealth Minister for Water).
Water act
What they do
The Water Act requires the MDBA to undertake a number of functions: * Construct and operate River Murray assets such as dams and weirs. * Advise the Commonwealth Minister for Water on the accreditation of state water resource plans. * Develop a water rights information service to facilitate water trading across the Basin. * Manage water sharing between the states. * Manage all aspects of Basin water resources, including water, organisms and other components and ecosystems that contribute to the physical state and environmental value of the Basin's water …show more content…
resources. * Measure and monitor water resources in the Basin. * Gather information and undertake research. * Engage and educate the community in the management of the Basin's resources.
What are some of the environmental problems created by modern societal use?
Even though the Murray has had significant contributes to Australia and its society, environmental issues are still occurring and if solutions cannot be introduced or implemented the health of the Murray will worsen and this will impact Australia very badly.
The problems facing the river system will directly affect hundreds of cities and towns, not to mention countless species of fauna and flora. Many plant and animal species rely on the Murray-Darling Basin for survival. These include the River Red gum forests and about half of Australia’s native fish species. Native vegetation is currently being threatened by rising salinity (salt) levels; human-made changes to flooding and drying areas; and careless campers and boaters. The over-allocation of water entitlements in many areas of the Murray Darling Basin (MDB), has meant water resources have not been able to meet the water needed for environmental flows and human
requirements.
High salinity can: * reduce crop yields * affect native fish and vegetation * damage infrastructure * reduce the lifespan of industrial equipment and home appliances
Damage roads (causing surface cracking and potholes
What are some of the current initiatives taking place to remedy these problems?
The federal government has committed $3.1billion to purchasing – or buying back-water entitlements in an effort to increase environmental flows considered necessary for the river systems health. Another $5.8 billion is being spent improving water efficiency, productivity and infrastructure, enabling farmers and irrigators to adapt to a future with less water. Murray Darling Basin Authority (MDBA) has released the Guide to the Proposed Basin Plan (The Guide), on October 8th 2011, which is to deal with the problems of the Murray Darling Basin and its rivers. The Living Murray Initiative was developed to respond to the declining health of the River Murray and Murray-Darling Basin, the initiative aims to "create a healthy working river that assures us of continued prosperity, clean water and a flourishing environment".
Murray-Darling governments have stressed the importance of having sound knowledge systems, effective community engagement, and appropriate governing structures that are as essential to the consideration of equitable access, arrangements and the allocation of environmental flows. Murray-Darling governments also agreed to the development of water recovery mechanisms and the provision of environmental flows to the system in order to improve the health of the river.
Special Forever
The Special Forever project is an environmental communication undertaken and managed by the Primary English Teachers Association (PETA), the project teaches primary school children about the Murray and the serious problems facing it. The project aims to teach children the ability to effectively and creatively communicate these issues to the wider community, which is a vital part of the project. The individual participation by the Special Forever program has recorded enormous success in literacy levels and community involvement by making ‘environmental education locally relevant and [able] to incorporate local knowledge.
Heartlands
The Heartlands consortium aims to improve land use in the Murray-Darling Basin thereby preserving land and water resources and sustaining commodity production.
Heartlands combines research programs directly with the implementation of on-ground works such as: * tree planting * protection of remnant vegetation * establishment of perennial pastures * Erosion protection measures.
What other solutions could be implemented?
Urban improvements- water can be recovered from urban and rural areas ultimately reducing the amount of water being, withdrawn from rivers, leaving more water in the river system.
Market based measures [buy-backs]- water can be brought from willing sellers , these type of schemes can be implemented quickly.
Infrastructure improvements- water can be recovered by replacing broken and leaking pipes, lining irrigation canals and channels with plastic to reduce seepage and modernising water distribution infrastructure [eg. replacing Dethridge wheels with automated plume gates] for example, the Northern Victoria Irrigation Renewal Project [NVIRP]
On-farm initiatives- money can be offered to improve water efficiency on farms.
The age says
‘Frist, the guide sets out minimal conditions for restoring the environmental health of the river system. And second, if a sustainable system cannot be restored, the consequences will ultimately be as dire for the rural communities that derive their livelihoods from the basin’s rivers as for the river themselves. The notion that there can be a tradeoff between environmental and economic considerations- a notion implicit in the growing clamour from irrigators since the release if the guide- ignores the fact that insofar as there can be such a tradeoff, it has already been made’.
1. Keep the Murray mouth open. 2. Protect and restore the Basin’s key environmental assets and functions. 3. Halt the decline of waterbirds, fish, red gums and other flora and fauna. 4. Prepare the environment so it copes much better during drought. 5. Flush out the salt in the Murray River so the water is usable. 6. What people say?
“The fact that taking MORE of this water is unjust considering how much we use already. As for the effects of taking water out of a region, well, you know the rest”.
“The Murray darling basin should be left alone, as it is, and leave the farmers alone who so vitally depend on their main source of water. For all these jobs to be cut, all these families who will hit hardest is a terrible thing to know”.
The problem with the farmers on the Murray River, use too much water from the river, they use more than they need to. When you use too much water that cases salinity which dries up the ground and nothing grows properly so it’s most likely the farmers fault. They could probably set up a few full pumps at the Darling River to pump water through the river to make it gradually be able to fill itself. And make everything easier for the farmers. And they could give the farmers some lessons about water saving techniques.
1. Increase export earnings 2. Support local farming jobs 3. Increase agricultural output 4. Effective and efficient irrigation systems 5. Cut out ground water use and increased areas of plantation forests[which use large amounts of water] 6. Grazing and crop management 7. Conservation farming [minimal tillage cropping, precision farming 8. Use of deep rooted plants[Lucerne, saltbush, farm forestry] to minimise the rise of water tables to unacceptable levels 9. Revegetation management [fencing off areas for protection]
In irrigation
1. Storage of surface run-off dams
2. Reusing drainage waters for irrigation
3. Improved irrigation efficiency and better delivery systems, such as drip irrigation
4. Zoning to direct new irrigation to areas of low salinity and low impacts.
5. Salt interception