Snapshot: Basin communities and industries
Over three million people depend on the water resources of the Murray–Darling Basin. As well as supporting people, the Basin is home to a wide range of industries but particularly agriculture. The gross value of agricultural production in Basin in 2014–15 was $20.6 billion and 46% of Australia’s irrigated agricultural production came from the Basin.
Understanding how elements of the Basin Plan, including water recovery, investment in water infrastructure and the operation of water markets, affect people and industries is essential in having an adaptive and sustainable Basin Plan.
Snapshot:
- Modernising irrigation infrastructure continued to provide benefits to the irrigation sector and remains the preferred way to recover water for the environment.
- In 2015–16, $263 million was spent on modernising irrigation infrastructure, with more money committed for future projects.
- Some Basin communities continued to experience significant adverse economic effects from past water purchases.
- While water prices have risen with the implementation of the Basin Plan, seasonal conditions appear to be the most significant driver of water prices. For example, in 2015–16 temporary water prices increased between 71–94% from the previous year, primarily driven by dry conditions.
- More than 90 small and large businesses, local governments and other organisations received over $65 million in funding through the Murray–Darling Basin Economic Diversification Programme.