A new guide to the Environmental Watering Plan

A plain-language guide on water for the environment is now available for governments, communities and First Nations involved in its delivery. It is intended to deepen understanding of how water for the environment is used, the responsibilities of different governments and agencies, and the objectives sought for the environment with the water recovered under the Basin Plan.

‘Water for the environment’ describes water planned and managed to achieve specific environmental outcomes. It aims to provide the Basin’s plants and animals with the water they need, when they need it, in order to feed, grow, and reproduce.

Around 2,100 gigalitres of water is held for the environment under the Basin Plan. This has proved a game-changer for the health and resilience of rivers and wetlands, and the communities that rely on them.

A range of people are involved in planning and using water for the environment, and the guidance in the Basin Plan (Chapter 8) can be complex!

The plain-language guide was developed in response to a recommendation of the first review of the Environmental Watering Plan following consultation with stakeholders including Basin state governments, other Australian Government agencies such as the Commonwealth Environmental Water Office; state water planners, scientists, peak organisations and First Nations.

Read the Guide to the Environmental Watering Plan.