Integrating water management with other activities to achieve environmental restoration

The 2020 Basin Plan Evaluation has found sustainable water management needs dedicated water for the environment as achieved through the Basin Plan, to work alongside natural resource management.

Increased targeted investment and support for actions that complement water management including catchment soils and vegetation health and control of pests and weeds.

These activities do not replace the need for environmental flows, but support and complement outcomes, including improved resilience and adaptation to climate change.

Water for the environment – improving the health of the Basin

The Basin Plan is having a significant and positive impact on the environment. This has been crucial for sustaining water-dependent ecosystems during the recent drought. It will be increasingly important in our future climate, which is expected to be hotter and experience more frequent droughts.

Click on the image below to learn more about the contribution of water for the environment on the health of the Basin.

Recommendations and commitments for the future

Evaluating the Basin Plan is an opportunity for Basin governments to reflect on the past 8 years.

The Evaluation considers the changing landscape across the Basin, the effectiveness of the Basin Plan and whether outcomes are being achieved. It’s also an opportunity to determine how we continue to improve the health of the Basin for everyone.

The MDBA has made several recommendations and commitments to improve the management of water resources. The MDBA has made the following recommendations to integrate water management with other activities:

• Recommendation 10 – Basin governments need to work with communities to develop clear priorities and a framework for broader natural resource measures. Increased investment and support for additional measures can be driven by governments, industries and communities, and it is important that increased effort is targeted and integrated with environmental watering.

The MDBA has also made a commitment to improve natural resource management in the Basin.