Environmental Decision-Making: Murray-Darling Basin Water Management

This report critically examines water management in the Murray-Darling Basin, focusing on the environmental decision-making process. It identifies key issues related to the Murray-Darling Basin Plan, such as its failure to meet objectives and improve environmental conditions, and the involvement of various stakeholders, including government agencies, local communities, and Aboriginal groups, and their conflicting interests. The report investigates the tactics used by stakeholders to influence decisions and the environmental decision-making tools employed, such as river water modeling and holistic methods. It also addresses environmental justice issues, specifically the incorporation of Aboriginal people in cultural site management. The report assesses the quality of the decision-making process from an environmental justice perspective and provides recommendations for improvements, based on the analysis of the plan's successes and failures.

Running head: WATER MANAGEMENT IN MURRAY- DARLING BASIN
Water Management in Murray- Darling Basin
Name of the student
Name of the University
Author note

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Introduction
Environmental Decision Making explores the various factors that helps in making the
decisions in relation to the environmental issues. The decisions are mainly made by the
government bodies that helps in examining the environmental decisions in range of the
contexts. The process of the environmental decision making faces challenges within the
diverse society as the government has to find a solution that can help in balancing concern of
the conflicting interests. In the democratic society, the participants within the public decision
making helps in analysing concerns of parties that can help in resolving the conflicts with the
help of process of the discussion. The decision is made by introspecting into the
environmental issues in an open and the fair manner. A decision-making can be said to
optimal that takes into view the demands of the various stakeholders and which is informed
by the science along with the technological developments. Murray-Darling Basin Authority
wants to manage the water resources of the basin in a sustainable manner that can help in
offering protection to the environment along with the communities (Mdba.gov.au 2019). The
government takes a collaborative approach that helps in managing the water within Murray-
darling system. This report discusses about the issues in relation to the water management
within Murray- Darling Basin. It talks about the stakeholders that are involved and the
interests of the stakeholders. The report talks about the tactics that have been used for
influencing the process of the decision-making. The report also throws light on the
environmental decision making tools that have been made use of for informing the decision.
The report also talks about quality of decision from that of environmental justice perspective
and the recommendations that can help in improving the plan.
Problem Frame

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There have been certain issues that have been identified in relation to the
Environmental Planning of Murray-Darling Basin. The Murray Darling Basin Plan has been
implemented however it has not been able to deliver the key objectives. Basic Plan is about
reduction of amount of the water which is extracted from streams, aquifers along with the
rivers. It comprises of environmental water strategy that can help in improving conditions of
wetlands along with rivers of basin. The problem in relation to the Environmental Planning of
that of Murray-Darling Basin arises on account of the fact that the plan has not been able to
improve the conditions of the basin. Environmental improvements have been brought about
at the specific sites however these have not been replicated across the basin. State of the
Environment Report that was presented by Federal Government in the year 2016 has
provided “poor” assessment in relation to the inland water flow within basin. Downward
trends has been noticed in the long run and there has been widespread loss in relation to the
ecosystem function. There are various evidences talks about the problem in relation to the
Environmental Plan of Water Management in Murray-Darling Basin (Envirojustice.org.au
2019). The infrastructure projects in relation to the water recovery have been able to benefit
the irrigators however there remains no scientific evidence that this plan has actually been
able to increase the net stream flow.
The flow in the mouth of the Murray River can be said to remain inadequate. The plan
has not been able to keep the mouth of the river open to that of the sea around 90 % of the
time. Diversion of the funds in relation to the environmental recovery into the irrigation
upgrade can be said to represent the poor public policy. The data of the federal government
has shown that purchasing the water from that of the willing sellers can prove to be 60 %
cheaper as compared to the building of questionable engineering work (Mdba.gov.au 2019).
Recently, Murray-Darling Basin Authority has recommended to that of the Parliament that
the buy-back in relation to the environmental flows should be reduced by that of 22 % by the

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end of the year 2019 (Aph.gov.au 2019). There are 36 water supply project that can help in
the delivery of the water recovery goal. There were around 25 that failed to satisfy the
condition of approval of the Basin Plan like the environmental risks.
Political Context
There are various stakeholders which are involved in relation to the Water
management in that of Murray-Darling Basin. The river system of the Basin is significant for
the people on account of various reasons. The people depend on that of the river system so
that the water can be delivered to the towns. There also exist many people who depend on the
good quality of the water that is available in rivers that includes recreational operators,
irrigators along with the boaters. The various kinds of stakeholders are the people who are
living within Basin and in that of broader Australian community. The other stakeholders
group are the local government along with the Aboriginal people who depend on the water
(Ienearth.org 2019). The Murray-Darling Basin Advisory Committee are the other
stakeholders who depend on the Water management Plan of that of Murray-Darling Basin.
The state government agencies along with the commonwealth government agencies are the
other stakeholders pertaining to the Water management in that of Murray-darling Basin.
The interests of the people in that of the water management plan lie on account of the
fact that it can help them in getting access to the drinking water. The poor quality of the water
can have an effect on the aspect of the recreational tourism along with the communities who
depend on that of the quality of the water. The local government would be benefitted with the
help of the Water Management in the basin as they would be able to deliver the aspect of the
sustainable management of the water for the communities, farmers along with the
environment (Theguardian.com 2019).

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There are various tactics that have been used by them for influencing the decision.
The decisions in relation to the strategy are taken by that of ministerial council that helps in
delegating power to the other bodies. The ministerial council is advised with the help of
Community Advisory Committee that helps in providing advice to Authority of MDBA. The
local along with the state government wanted the economic development of the place that
caused them to take recourse to the Water Management Plan in that of Murray Darling Basin.
It can help in navigating the important rivers and help in the aspect of the framing that can
help in the development of that of Murray-Darling Basin (Abel et al. 2016). The Authority of
Murray Darling Basin is working in a close manner with that of the Basin State government
that can help in ensuring that the water resource plans are able to meet requirements of that of
Basin Plan. It can help in addressing local requirements in relation to the water resource
management (Grafton, Horne and Wheeler 2016).
Environmental Decision Making tool in Murray Darling Basin
There are various kinds of Environmental Decision Making tools that have been used
for informing the decision in relation to the water management in Murray Darling Basin. The
climate risk is an important factor that has caused the authorities to take recourse to the
Environmental Plan. The water managers make use of that of river water modelling that can
help in understanding the effect of the alternative water diversion. The river modelling can
make use of computer-based programs that can help in tracking the water in the river. It can
help in making the inferences in relation to quantity of the water resource that is available
pertaining to the water catchments. This kind of environmental decision making tool helps
the river users that includes the irrigators along with that of the urban water authorities. There
are various kinds of ecosystem functions that should be protected that can help in the
determination of the water management plan in that of Murray Darling Basin. The multi-
disciplinary tools have been able to develop the tools that can help in optimising social along

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with the economic impacts of that of changing water regime (Swirepik et al. 2016). The
groundwater assessment is another important factor that can help in determining the plan. The
holistic methods can be used that can prove to be useful in the arena of the environmental
flow planning. This can help in recognizing significance in relation to the ecosystem
functions that can help in giving rise to the healthy rivers.
The holistic methods can help in drawing on the various elements of the ecology
along with the geomorphology that can help in making the crucial decisions in relation to the
environmental decision making (Marshall and Alexandra 2016). The holistic method of that
of hydrological alteration which is directed at that of regional scale application can act as an
important approach that can help in the area of the water management within that of Murray
Darling Basin. ELOHA framework can act as a crucial tool that can help in capturing the
existing ecological along with the hydrological information. It can be combined with that of
the hydrological modelling that can help in the developing of flow-alteration pertaining to the
ecological-response relationships (Doody et al. 2015). The relationships can be made use of
for determination of consequences in relation to the projects. The approach of the “umbrella
ecosystems” can also be made use of that can help in ascertaining the aspect of the
environmental planning. The information-rich-areas can be made use of for the developing of
the management intervention which is based on philosophy that need of assets can help in
reflection of needs of the broader set of the assets within the system. This kind of asset is
known as hydrological indicator site that can help in eliciting important information in
relation to that of the environmental planning (Koehn 2015).
Environmental justice issues in Water Management of Murray Darling Basin
The environmental justice issues were incorporated in the system of the water
management within the Murray Darling Basin. It has helped in development of cultural along

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with the economic relationship in between the Aboriginal people and that of the landscape of
Australia. Various kinds of mechanisms have been made available that can help in involving
the Aboriginal people in managing the protected areas. It has helped in developing the formal
co-management agreement in between the indigenous groups and that of the government
bodies (Abel et al. 2016). The environmental justice issue that has been meted out with the
help of the environmental plan is that it has helped the Aboriginal people in involving
themselves in the arena of cultural site management. They have the representation in the
advisory committees that have helped in the proper implementation of the element of the
water management (Hart 2016). They are given the responsibility for managing the cultural
centers that have helped in implementing the plan. The indigenous people have been provided
with the opportunity of involving themselves in that of environmental management that can
help in the development of the indigenous communities.
The Murray Darling Basin project helped in delivering right amount of the water for
the environment in right places and at the right time. It helped in the developing of the water-
control structure like the dams, pumps along with the regulators that helped in releasing the
water to that of the selected sites. The water flowing downstream helped in providing
additional benefits to that of the river system. It has helped in the area of the monitoring that
has greatly helped in benefitting the environment. The reviewing of the Basin Plan helps in
relieving the aspect of the environmental strain in the area around that of Murray Darling
basin (Ienearth.org 2019). It has helped in making partnerships with the industry bodies that
has been able to develop the plans of the water management in the area. The water is traded
that helps the water users in buying and selling the water in relation to the individual needs.
The element of the water trading has emerged to become important business tool pertaining
to the irrigators. The water markets can help in encouraging the efficient usage of the water
that can allow flexibility in relation to the process of the business decision-making.

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Quality of decision from the perspective of environmental justice
The social justice framework talks about the fact that the policies of the government
helps in resisting the unfairness along with the inequity in the society. It can help in
addressing the dynamics of the oppression along with the privilege that can help in
addressing the demands of the society. It can help in paying attention to the people along with
the policies that can help in liberating instead of oppressing. Social justice framework of that
of Anna Lukasiewicz has helped in the application of the social justice theories to that of the
water management decisions on the everyday basis (Lukasiewicz 2017). It can help in the
arena of sustainable development along with that of triple bottom line. It can help in ensuring
the fairness that can help in satisfying the understanding of the people in relation to the
democracy. It can help in giving the rights of the participation to the people that can help in
the proper exploitation of the natural resources. The decision-making regarding the natural
resources takes place in that of wider power context where one group has greater access to
the sources of the power along with the entitlements. The water quality in the Basin has
improved with the help of the better management techniques. It has helped in providing the
water to that of the wetlands that has greatly helped in relation to that of water management.
It has helped in the area of salinity that has helped in bringing about improvements in the
framing systems. It has helped in the operation of salt-interception schemes that has helped in
diverting tonnes of the salt away from the rivers.
Conclusion and Recommendations
Conclusion
Environmental Decision Making helps in exploration of factors which helps in
making of decisions pertaining to environmental issues. Decisions are carried out by
government bodies that aids in examination of environmental decisions. Infrastructure

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projects of water recovery have benefitted irrigators that has been successful in increasing net
stream flow. Holistic methods can come to be of great use in that of environmental flow
planning. This can recognize significance pertaining to ecosystem functions that can produce
the healthy rivers. Holistic methods can draw on important element of ecology that can make
crucial decisions pertaining to that of environmental decision-making.
Recommendations
 Increasing amount of pressure should be laid on the recalcitrant state government that
can help in the delivering of the plan of the water management
 Science should be utilised for that of decision making that can help in managing the
aspect of the declining availability of the water
 Department of Agriculture and Water Resources should address the socio-economic
impacts by the implementation of the program design
 Phase the element of the water recovery that can help in aligning the constraint
proposals for the easing of the constraints

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