Ten complementary measures to assist with environmental watering programs in the Murray–Darling river system, Australia

Baumgartner, Lee J.; Gell, Peter; Thiem, Jason D.; Finlayson, C. Max; Ning, Nathan

doi:10.1002/rra.3438

Cited by 24 publications

(22 citation statements)

References 65 publications

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“…Recovering water may provide good outcomes but as a sole intervention, it is not enough to deliver the desired environmental benefits of the Murray Darling Basin Plan given the significantly altered state of the basin. In their manuscript, Baumgartner, Gell, Thiem, Finlayson, and Ning (2020) provide 10 measures to complement environmental watering program actions. These “complementary measures” integrate recovery actions, which when strategically combined with water delivery would significantly enhance water reform efforts to generate environmental outcomes in a highly modified system.…”

Section: Examples Of Riverine Landscapes Water Resource Developmentmentioning

confidence: 99%

Riverine landscapes, water resource development and management: A view from downunder

Thoms

Rose²,

Dyer

2020

River Research & Apps

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A perfect storm refers to an event in which a rare combination of circumstances significantly exacerbates the event. River science faces a potential perfect storm through the emergence of several factors. First, pronounced and persistent human modifications to catchments and rivers have resulted in regime shifts-a state change of riverine landscapes. Anthropocene Rivers have different ecosystem structures and functions and cannot return to their "natural state." This new regime challenges accepted river science paradigms, especially those focused on traditional models of stressor-response. Second, river science is rapidly transitioning from a multidisciplinary activity focused on biophysical structures and functions, to rivers as social-ecological systems. The rise of interdisciplinary research not only recognizes the high degree of coupling between natural and human components, but also the generation of river knowledge that is more socially accountable. Third, the application of scientific knowledge to solve "wicked" river problems continues. However, increasingly river managers are faced with decisions in an environment of high uncertainty about what they are managing, and the potential impacts of their actions. The manuscripts in this Special Issue highlight a potential perfect storm facing Australian riverine landscapes. The issue is dedicated to Professor Wayne Erskine; an intellectual leader of Australian river science for over 20 years. Focussed on the science and management of Australian Rivers, the 14 manuscripts broadly cover the areas in which Wayne made his greatest contributions: river processes and management. Each has a strong foundation in theory and has application in helping to solve some of the complex problems faced by Australia's river managers across a range of spatial and temporal scales.

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Section: Examples Of Riverine Landscapes Water Resource Developmentmentioning

confidence: 99%

Riverine landscapes, water resource development and management: A view from downunder

Thoms

Rose²,

Dyer

2020

River Research & Apps

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“…This approach would phase in water recovery and direct these resources to sites identified as in critical need. It would redirect a proportion of that investment in water recovery towards measures that improve biodiversity outcomes (e.g., Baumgartner et al, ) but that minimize economic hardship on communities. It would invest in means of removing water from once intermittent, permanent wetlands and reinstate wetting and drying cycles to reset their ecological state.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Social, economic, and political pressures are likely to continue to increase, under a drying climate, if the focus on ecological restoration continues to be on water volume recovery. Hence, a concerted search for supplementary measures to mitigate the impacts of long‐term degradation and arrest biodiversity decline (e.g., Baumgartner, Gell, Thiem, Finlayson, & Ning, ) could ease, at least in the short term, the social cost of the MDB Plan. Furthermore, this could avoid levelling most cost on the present generation while buying time to implement an MDB Plan with a mix of measures that is more equitable.…”

Section: A Plan To Rehabilitate the Wetlands Of The Mdbmentioning

confidence: 99%

Management pathways for the floodplain wetlands of the southern Murray–Darling Basin: Lessons from history

Gell

Reid

Wilby

2019

River Research & Apps

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The condition of floodplain wetlands of the Murray–Darling Basin (MDB) reflects the combined effects of climate variability, river regulation, vegetation clearance, and the impacts of human settlement and industry. Today, these systems are degraded, in large part due to changes in the hydroecology of waterways arising from water diversion and abstraction to sustain irrigated agriculture. The MDB Plan directs substantial investment towards the restoration of ecosystems largely via the buy‐back of water allocations, under a cap‐and‐trade system, for use as environmental flows. This region is projected to receive less winter rainfall and run‐off, which could exacerbate the impact of water diversions. Long‐term climate records suggest a higher level of resilience to drying than may be inferred from modern studies. Further, palaeoecological records of change reveal that many wetlands that are perennial today were once naturally seasonal or intermittent, and that much wetland degradation predates regulation and can be attributed to declines in water quality, rather than quantity. A mix of approaches to rehabilitate this long‐degraded system, planned and implemented over an extended period, may meet the demands of the Water Act of 2007, but also support the regional economy. An adaptive management approach offers a framework within which to map system vulnerabilities, characterize climate pressures, identify adaptation options, and monitor outcomes along a pathway to a sustainable future. Early lessons show the extent to which such a deliberative framework can assist water reform under changing socio‐economic priorities and external hydroclimatic pressures.

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“…Only in its early stages, the Basin Plan has already proven to be highly controversial, generating immense political and public debate as it aims to reduce the consumptive use of water and provide additional water for environmental benefits, such as fish (Murray-Darling Basin Authority 2011). But, it is now accepted that the provision of water alone is not the only mechanism by which to achieve benefits (Baumgartner et al 2019b) and that water managers should extend thinking further than just fish.…”

Section: Murray-darling Basinmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Much more will need to be spent on complementary measures that address the effects of river infrastructure and habitat degradation (e.g. Table 1; Finlayson et al 2017;Baumgartner et al 2019b). Yet, what is certain is that the reforms are courageous and ambitious.…”

Section: Murray-darling Basinmentioning

confidence: 99%

Speaking the same language: can the sustainable development goals translate the needs of inland fisheries into irrigation decisions?

Lynch¹,

Baumgartner²,

Boys³

et al. 2019

Mar. Freshwater Res.

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Irrigated agriculture and inland fisheries both make important contributions to food security, nutrition, livelihoods and wellbeing. Typically, in modern irrigation systems, these components operate independently. Some practices, commonly associated with water use and intensification of crop production can be in direct conflict with and have adverse effects on fisheries. Food security objectives may be compromised if fish are not considered in the design phases of irrigation systems. The 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development provides a framework that can serve as a backdrop to help integrate both sectors in policy discussions and optimise their contributions to achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Inland fisheries systems do play an important role in supporting many SDG objectives, but these contributions can sometimes be at odds with irrigated agriculture. Using case studies of two globally important river catchments, namely the Lower Mekong and Murray–Darling basins, we highlight the conflicts and opportunities for improved outcomes between irrigated agriculture and inland fisheries. We explore SDG 2 (Zero Hunger) as a path to advance our irrigation systems as a means to benefit both agriculture and inland fisheries, preserving biodiversity and enhancing the economic, environmental and social benefits they both provide to people.2

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Ten complementary measures to assist with environmental watering programs in the Murray–Darling river system, Australia

Cited by 24 publications

References 65 publications

Riverine landscapes, water resource development and management: A view from downunder

Riverine landscapes, water resource development and management: A view from downunder

Management pathways for the floodplain wetlands of the southern Murray–Darling Basin: Lessons from history

Speaking the same language: can the sustainable development goals translate the needs of inland fisheries into irrigation decisions?

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