Water Science and Policy Center
Seminar Presentation
Dr. Jeff Connor
- Time: July 30, 2009, 12:30-2:00
- Location: Room 301, Science Laboratories I
- Campus Map (SCLAB)
"Ecological implications of alternative water management in the drought-stricken Murray-Darling River Basin, Australia."
Abstract:
The Murray-Darling River Basin is subject to periods of protracted drought with two decade long droughts in last century. Since 2001 it has been experiencing the worst drought in recorded history. System inflows in the three years ending October 2008 were almost half the previous three year minimum and less than a quarter of the long term average, this appears to be consistent with an advance of climate warming at a faster rate than initially anticipated. Extended periods of very low water allocations are now resulting in significant pressure to re-structure and downsize irrigation, make additional investments urban water supply infrastructure that is independent of river flows (e.g. desalinization).
Additionally there is the vexed problem of how protect at least some environmental assets with very little water and a highly stressed eco-system. Even prior to this water resources in the basin were very highly allocated median annual flow to the sea in 2002 was only 27% of the pre-development flow. Adverse impacts include algal blooms, salinity damage to irrigated crops and infrastructure and threats to the health of ecologically significant river redgum and blackbox floodplain forests and estuaries at the mouth of River Murray.
To address these pressing water planning issues the 2008 Murray Darling Basin agreement fundamentally re-invented the process of water allocation and planning in Australia’s largest Basin and has created a new management authority (the Murray Darling Basin Authority) with broader federal powers than the previous basin authority had. The MDBA is required to develop a plan by 2011 and State agencies by 2014. Under the Water Act, the Murray Darling Basin Authority and States are required to set Sustainable diversion limits and consider the impacts of such limits on health of basin ecological assets, and socio-economic impacts on consumptive uses including critical human needs and irrigation. The act requires that the decisions to set sustainable diversion limits and other water sharing plans details be underpinned by an evidence based analysis of trade-offs involved.
The presentation will provide an overview of a suite of research projects being undertaken by the presenter’s research group to inform Murray water plan development. A suite of integrated systems models will be explained that characterizes biophysical, economic and social values and trade-offs for major water sectors for alternative water management options under varying and uncertain water supplies. Emphasis of the presentation will be on: (a) adaptation and economic implications for water availability and management scenarios for water dependent sectors (irrigation, M&I, recreational amenity); and (b) integrate modeling to represent ecological implications of alternative water management options and water availability scenarios.
About the Presenter:
Dr. Jeffery Connor - Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organization - Economics
An Environmental Economist, Jeff is a scientist with CSIRO Sustainable Ecosystems and research group leader for the Water for a Healthy Country, Water Policy Options Assessment (WPOA) Project. Jeff's main research interests are in the areas of: Integrated biophysical - economics modeling for basin and catchment scale water policy analysis; assessing potential for and design of market-based policy for natural resource management; the economics of water allocation, water quality, and salinity in the Murray Darling Basin, and elsewhere. Jeff has extensive experience advising Commonwealth, State and local water management agencies on water resource policy and economics.