History of the Basin Plan

The Basin Plan went through several stages of drafting and community consultation, with the final draft of the plan released for public consultation August 2012.

The Murray-Darling Basin Authority was responsible for developing the plan to ensure the entire Murray-Darling river system is managed sustainably into the future, in accordance with the Water Act 2007.

Initially, the Basin Plan proposed that a long term annual average of 2750 gigalitres of water be returned for the health of the river.

South Australia’s position that the proposed 2750 gigalitres was not enough water to secure the long-term health of the river system and that at least an additional 450 gigalitres was needed, along with actions to address constraints on the delivery of water for the environment.

The Australian Government subsequently committed to:

• returning an additional 450 gigalitres of water to the River Murray, making a total 3200 gigalitres
• providing more funding for river communities and environmental works.

This commitment was further recognised in the final Basin Plan which was adopted on 22 November 2012.

Further information on the steps in the development of the Basin Plan are available from the Murray-Darling Basin Authority.

More information about South Australia's responses and reports on the development of the Basin Plan including reviews of the science is provided below.

Final Basin Plan - 3200 GL water recovery scenario

• South Australian Government response through the Murray-Darling Basin Ministerial Council
• Science analysis of the additional modelling
• Science Review of MDBA modelling of relaxing constraints
• Goyder Institute Synthesis Report

Draft Basin Plan - 2750 GL water recovery scenario

• SA Government response to the draft Murray-Darling Basin Plan (including Appendix 1)
• Appendix 2 - Detailed chapter comments on the draft Basin Plan legal instrument
• Appendix 3 - Our river, our future - SA community stories
• Executive summary
• Summary list of recommendations
• SA responds to revised Basin Plan
• Hydro-ecological analysis of the proposed plan
• Hydrological and ecological consequences of water recovery scenarios in the Lower Lakes
• Hydrodynamic modelling of the Coorong and Murray Mouth
• Goyder Institute expert panel review of the SA Government’s work

Guide to the proposed Basin Plan

• SA Government’s response to the guide: part 1
• Part 2 (attachment A)
• Guide to the proposed Basin Plan
• Synthesis report of the Goyder Institute’s science review
• Analysis of South Australia’s environmental water and water quality requirements and their delivery under the guide
• Socioeconomic implications of the guide – methods and results overview
• A compilation of reports informing a socioeconomic assessment of the guide
• Determining the environmental water requirements for the Coorong, Lower Lakes and Murray Mouth region
• Development of flow regimes to manage water quality in the Lower Lakes
• Specifying an environmental water requirement for the Coorong and Lakes Alexandrina and Albert - Summary of methods and findings to date
• Synthesis peer review
• Author’s response to the peer review
• Goyder Institute science review background paper