Assessing the potential ecological outcomes of the proposed Murray Darling Basin Plan for key environments of the South Australian River Murray

Project Partners: CSIRO, Flinders University, The University of Adelaide, and SARDI

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Project Overview

The South Australian Government sought advice from the Goyder Institute for Water Research to review the assessment undertaken by the SA Government and to provide expert advice regarding the likely ecological consequences for South Australia of the proposed Basin Plan. To undertake this task, the Goyder Institute established an Expert Panel bringing together expertise across disciplines and Institute partners.

The Expert Panel was asked to:

  • Provide advice on the adequacy of the methods used by the South Australian Government to evaluate the performance of the proposed Basin Plan against EWRs;
  • Evaluate the likely ecological consequences of the modelled 2800 GL water recovery scenario relative to a “do nothing” (or baseline) scenario, including considerations of:
  • key indicator species and communities;
  • the Riverland and CLLMM Ramsar sites; and
  • biodiversity at non-Ramsar sites.
  • Provide advice on how ecological risks could be mitigated to enhance ecological outcomes from the proposed Basin Plan. 

Progress Update and Key Findings

While some environmental benefits would be achieved, the main conclusion was that the proposed Basin Plan was unlikely to maintain the ecological character of South Australian environmental assets as currently defined, especially for the Chowilla – Riverland and the Coorong, Lake Albert and Lake Alexandrina Ramsar sites.

The project identified many limitations in the assessment of the proposed Basin Plan, including a better definition of environmental water requirements for the Coorong (especially with respect to water levels) and the need to evaluate a greater range of possible flow regimes that may eventuate under the Basin Plan.

Project Impacts

The Expert Panel assessment was based on information provided in three interim SA Government technical reports and a workshop held with experts from the SA Government. The workshop was held on 10 February 2012 and a provisional final report was submitted to the South Australian Government on 30 March 2012.

The workshop and final project reports were provided under an extremely short deadline and were delivered in consultation with government representatives to ensure that the outcomes of the Expert Panel report were fully considered in the preparation of the SA Government submission on the proposed Basin Plan.

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