The long term deterioration of the Murray–Darling Basin (MDB) ecology has led to the development and implementation of the Basin Plan, an adaptive framework developed under the Water Act 2007 and enforced by all relevant jurisdictions. To assist with Basin-wide planning of environmental water provisions, South Australia is required to develop Long Term-Watering plans (LTWPs). These LTWPs will identify priority environmental assets and associated ecological objectives and targets and environmental water requirements (EWRs). As described by the Basin Plan, the Basin States are required to evaluate and report on:
To assist the South Australian Government Department of Environment, Water and Natural Resources (DEWNR) in planning for evaluating and reporting on Matter 8, this project, funded via the Goyder Institute, develops an inventory of current monitoring and evaluation activities associated with the South Australian portion of the River Murray.
This project assisted with making decisions about priority monitoring and evaluation activities for Matter 8 by:
This project included the collation of monitoring information in relation to the Lower River Murray and Coorong, Lower Lakes and Murray Mouth area. This information will be further developed into an adaptive management tool that will assist with decision making around the delivery of environmental water and will assist South Australia in meeting its statutory obligations in relation to monitoring and evaluation under the Basin Plan.
