Water management in the Murray–Darling Basin

The Murray–Darling Basin is the food bowl of Australia and home to many of Australia’s rivers, lakes and wetlands. Parts of the Murray–Darling Basin are prone to long periods of drought and there isn’t always enough water to go around. Water sustains the Basin’s agricultural industry, which contributes over $22 billion to the economy each year. But water isn’t just used by farmers. People everywhere need water for drinking, washing and many other things. Plants and animals in the Basin’s unique natural environments also rely on water to survive.

Making sure water remains safe and available to all those who need it involves many different tasks, including:

• calculating how much water is available for human consumption, the environment and industry
• monitoring and maintaining water quality to make sure water is safe for people, plants and animals
• delivering water to places it needs to go so that human, plant and animal needs are met
• developing, complying with and enforcing water trading rules
• making sure that environmental water needs are met
• planning so that water continues to be available in the future.

These aspects of water management are carried out by the Basin governments and Basin partners:

• Murray–Darling Basin Authority
• Australian Government Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water
• Commonwealth Environmental Water Office
• New South Wales Government
• Victorian Government
• Queensland Government
• South Australian Government
• Australian Capital Territory Government

Allocations, the Basin states and the MDBA

Water allocations are managed by state governments. The MDBA acts as an independent body to calculate how much water New South Wales, South Australia and Victoria are entitled to use from the River Murray system.

Learn more about allocations, the Basin states and the MDBA.

Or go directly to:

• A guide to how water allocations work in the Murray–Darling Basin
• A guide to water management in the Murray–Darling Basin
• How the MDBA works with the states to manage water
• How state water shares are calculated
• How water availability is calculated
• Water resource modelling
• Science and research
• Water critical for human needs

MDBA’s river operations

The MDBA is responsible for operating the River Murray system. This involves delivering water to entitlement holders along the river, as well as managing water resources in times of drought and floods.

Learn more about the MDBA’s river operations

Or go directly to:

• Who manages water
• Delivering water
• Water losses
• Return flows
• Water quality
• Constraints
• Managing drought
• Water demand shortfalls
• Recreation events

Infrastructure that the MDBA operates

As part of managing the River Murray system, the MDBA is responsible for directing operations and maintenance of the dams, weirs, locks and other structures that are needed to store and deliver water.

Learn more about the infrastructure in the River Murray system

Or go directly to:

• Dartmouth Dam
• Hume Dam
• Lake Victoria
• Lower Lakes barrages
• Weirs and locks
• Yarrawonga weir
• Menindee lakes
• About managing Menindee Lakes

Regular reports, Murray data and storages

Go directly to:

• Weekly reports
• River Murray data
• Flow advice
• Storage, flow and salinity reports
• Water in storages
• Basin in Brief
• Water quality alert map