Murray-Darling Basin – a Living Landscape

Murray-Darling Basin – A Living Landscape

Lawrie Kirk Manager Communication MDBC [email protected] 02 6279 0107 Presentation to Australian Geography Teachers’ Association Conference January 2006 Murray-Darling Basin

15% of Australia

Over 2 million people Murray-Darling Basin A Snapshot

› The Basin covers 1

million sq. km (equivalent Charleville War rego to the size of South Balonne QUEENSLAND Brisbane Africa) Border

Barwon › Major river system by Moree Bourke

SOUTH Darling Macquarie world standards AUSTRALIA

Me nin de La kes Dubb o » River Murray 2530 km MenindeeNEW SOUTH WALES

Fo rbe s Lake Lachlan » River Darling 2740 km Morgan Vi ctor ia Mildura Mu rray » Basin produces 40% of Adelaide Murr umbidgie Sydn ey Murray Bridge total gross value of Swan Hil l Canberra Albury Australia’s agricultural

production – including 70% VICTORIA of irrigation production Me lbo urne

200 km Average Annual Rainfall in Murray-Darling Basin Global water resources

Australia Africa

South America

Asia

Oceania

North-central America Europe FAO AquaStat Data Variable flows

900

800 Extreme floods

700

600

500 Rainfall (mm) 400 300

200 Extreme drought 100

0 1900 1910 1920 1930 1940 1950 1960 1970 1980 1990 2000

Calendar Year Ratio of maximum annual flow to minimum annual flow for selected rivers

COUNTRY RIVER RATIO BETWEEN THE MAXIMUM and the MINIMUM ANNUAL FLOWS

BRAZIL AMAZON 1.3

SWITZERLAND RHINE 1.9

CHINA YANGTZE 2.0

SUDAN WHITE NILE 2.4

USA POTOMAC 3.9

SOUTH AFRICA ORANGE 16.9

AUSTRALIA MURRAY 15.5

AUSTRALIA HUNTER 54.3

AUSTRALIA DARLING 4705.2 Murray-Darling Basin Ministerial Council

Charter

“to promote and coordinate effective planning and management for equitable, efficient and sustainable use of land, water and other environmental resources” SIX GOVERNMENTS C’wealth NSW Vic SA Qld ACT

MURRAY-DARLING BASIN MINISTERIAL COUNCIL Up to 3 Ministers from each Government representing land, water and environment

Community Advisory Committee 21 Regional & special interest representatives

MURRAY-DARLING BASIN COMMISSION 1 Independent President 2 Commissioners from each Government

Commission Office Technical and administrative secretariat

Interface with Snowy Mountains Scheme

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a 10 D 9 8 Menindee Lakes 7 River Murray System 6 Lake Victoria 5 Weirs/Locks 4 3 Barrages SA 2 1 DARTMOUTH DAM – On the Mitta Mitta PHOTO: Michael Bell LAKE HUME – Mitta Mitta Arm PHOTO: Michael Bell LAKE MULWALA – Yarrawonga Weir PHOTO: Michael Bell DARETON - Photo Credit: Michael DARETON – On the Murray Bell Photo: Michael Bell LOCK & WEIR NINE – Kulnine PHOTO: Michael Bell LAKE VICTORIA PHOTO: Michael Bell MURRAY MOUTH - Dredge PHOTO: Michael Bell MURRAY MOUTH PHOTO: Michael Bell Water trading

From this .... To this …. Turning water into wealth (by Commodity)

GrossGross value value of of irrigated irrigated agriculture agriculture $7.3 $7.3 billion billion per per annum annum 10000 9000 2000 8000 7000 6000 1500 5000 4000 1000 3000 2000 500

Water used (GL) Water used 1000 0 0 Gross Margin $ / ML s e Fruit Rice Sugar Cotton Pasture Grapes Vegetabl Source: ABS 2000 Murray Mouth Barrages MURRAY MOUTH – Goolwa Barrage PHOTO: Michael Bell The six ecological assets Murray Mouth, Coorong and Lower Lakes

Healthier lower lakes and Coorong estuarine environment › Open Murray mouth › More frequent estuarine fish spawning › Enhanced migratory wader bird habitat in the Lower Lakes River Murray Channel

• Increase the frequency of higher flows in spring that are ecologically significant • Overcome barriers to migration of native fish species between the sea and Hume Dam • Maintain current levels of channel stability Commissioner, Sir Ronald East The Challenges straddling the River Murray at Nyah, Water Flow Victoria during the drought of 1923

Murray mouth - Flowing

Murray mouth - Closed, April 1981

Photos: Courtesy SA Govt Our youth our future..