Of all the continents, Australia has the least water, with an annual average rainfall of 467mm, of which only 12 per cent collects in waterways. Overall, our rainfall and stream flows are the most variable in the world. Despite these limitations, the development of water resources in regional Australia has made a significant contribution to national wealth, underpinning the development of the agriculture, mining and tourism sectors. Its role in providing strong communication links within the irrigation industry contributes to the sharing of knowledge, expertise and support for this essential work. Income from irrigated production is particularly important in many of Australia s regional economies.
Irrigation is also locally important in Western Australia and Tasmania.
In all these regions there is considerable scope for improving industry profitability and sustainability through improvements in irrigation technology and the efficiency of water distribution systems. You cannot help but notice that water is becoming a hot political issue in Australia. Nowhere is this more the case than in the Murray-Darling basin where the issues regarding water management are well known. It is stating the obvious to say that the political issues surrounding the management of a river system which involves the interests of four states and a territory are labyrinthine to say the least. It is important to understand the role of the State and Commonwealth Governments in natural resource management and water management in particular.