Water quality targets review

Every 5 years, the Murray–Darling Basin Authority is required to review the effectiveness of the water quality targets in contributing to the achievement of the Basin Plan’s water quality objectives. This is the first review of its kind since the Basin Plan came into effect in 2012.

The review is based on extensive consultation with the Water Quality Taskforce, established by the Murray–Darling Basin Authority specifically for this purpose and comprising representatives from:

• Murray–Darling Basin Authority
• Basin states
• Commonwealth Environmental Water Holder
• Department of Agriculture, Water and the Environment.

The review report has been prepared by an independent consultant on behalf of the Murray–Darling Basin Authority. The report captures technical input from a series of online workshops with the Water Quality Taskforce held between May and August 2020 and draws on new water quality information that has become available since the Basin Plan came into effect in 2012. The findings and recommendations are derived from the identification and exploration of key issues raised during the consultation process.

Overall, most of the Basin Plan’s water quality targets were found to be effective, supported by the jurisdictions and instrumental in driving change in key management areas across the Basin.

The review makes 3 recommendations to address gaps in the way future water quality targets are refined and implemented and identifies opportunities for improving a small number of existing water quality targets and objectives that were found to be ineffective.

Implementation of the findings and recommendations of this review will be a matter for Basin Governments and the Authority to consider in line with, or as part of, the other findings and recommendations arising from the 2020 Basin Plan Evaluation and other Basin Plan Reviews.

Downloads

Review of water quality targets in the Basin Plan

review-of-water-quality-targets-in-the-Basin Plan.pdf