# **9. Performance Assessment**

A number of serious issues within the Murray-Darling River Basin have been identified, including water allocation (consumptive and environmental flows), water quality degradation (salinity and nutrients), and ecosystem health. These have been commonly recognized as interdependent, so a number of key programs have been adopted in interrelated fashion to address specific and general water resource problems.

- The Natural Resources Management Strategy (NRMS) was developed as an umbrella strategy to address many complex natural resource degradation issues on an integrated catchment management basis.  The NRMS focuses upon investigation and education to strengthen the knowledge and skill base.  The Integrated Catchment Management Policy Statement is a commitment by the community and governments of the MDB to do all that needs to be done to manage and use the resources of the Basin in a way that is ecologically sustainable.  It includes all resources, land, water, and riverine environment.

- The Living Murray initiative discussed earlier involves a vision of a “...healthy River Murray system, sustaining communities and preserving unique values.” (MDMBC 2002, p.5) This seven-year program features principles of adaptive management based around annual and detailed reviews of river health.  The Sustainable Rivers Audit will serve as a regular assessment of river health and ecological condition. This audit also includes performance indicators for macroinvertebrates, fishes, water quality, hydrology, and physical habitat.

- Steadily increasing diversions from the rivers of the Basin, raised concerns that basin water resources were allocated andthat current levels of water use were unsustainable.  The MDB Ministerial Council commissioned an audit of water use, which provided the first comprehensive assessment of basin-wide water use on a consistent basis.  This revealed that median flow to the sea had been reduced 79 percent from natural conditions by the high levels of diversions and that rates of growth in water diversions increased since 1988. The Independent Audit Groups’s 2000-01 review of cap implementation (MDMBC 2002) indicates that transparency in reporting concerning cap compliance is resulting in pressure upon communities that are not in compliance, as well as their governments.<sup>9</sup> The “Review of the Operation of the Cap” in 2002 concluded that the Cap is an essential first step in achieving a sustainable Basin ecosystem and that it has significantly reduced risk of environmental degradation.

- MDBC Salinity and Drainage Strategy arose from concerns about salinity and waterlogging problems along the Murray River with studies showing that the irrigation areas affected by high water tables could increase from 559,000 hectares in 1985 to 869,000 hectares in 2015 (MDBMC, 1987).  Under the 15year strategy, States agreed to be responsible for actions taken after 1 January 1988 significantly affecting river salinity.  A market in salt credits was set up, a salinity audit was carried out and a model of salt loads and concentrations was

> 9 A region and its government are considered to be in breach of addressing water use overallocattion or to not have commitment to cap compliance when breaching the cap several years running.

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