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Using a three-infrastructures (grey, soft, and green) framework, we examined key risks to water availability and quality in the Murray-Darling Basin, Australia. These risks include increased irrigation efficiency, without a quantitative knowledge of the impact on water flow pathways, particularly return flows, growth in farm dams and floodplain harvesting, and unsustainable management of salinity. Critical to mitigating these risks are the metering, monitoring, and auditing of water flows, effective linkages between evidence and analysis, and accountability of decision-makers operating in the public interest. We contend that these approaches need to be supported by innovative risk assessments, which are fit-for-purpose under the MDB Plan, wherein the 'who, what, when and where' are assessed in relation to cumulative, systemic, and cascading risks from human actions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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Abstract: In this study, spatial analysis techniques were used to generate climatic zoning maps of the East Murrumbidgee Irrigation Area (MIA), Australia. Long term climate data were used to analyze and assess regional climatic variation by cluster analysis in a GIS environment. Based on thermal and moisture factors, four variables were chosen to develop climate zones. These variables include annual average rainfalls, annual average ETc, annual average Growing Day Degree (GDD) and daily average temperature generated from daily climate data of 36years (1971–2006) on 12 local weather stations as the fundamental elements of regional climate characteristics. GIS-based spatial analysis models are used to map climate sub-regions from sets of climatic parameters derived from regional climate data sources. Two climate zoning schemes are presented by integration of spatial interpolation, spatial cluster analysis and climate indices methods. One scheme comes with the two climate zones of the West and the East based on spatial cluster analysis according to selected climatic variables, and the other comes with the three comprehensive hydro-thermal zones and the six hydro-thermal balance zones. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Wetlands are among the most valuable ecosystems in the world and are crucial in supporting biodiversity. They also provide space for storing surface waters, where intense biological processing occurs that helps improve water quality. Human activities, particularly irrigated agriculture and urban developments instigating water diversions from rivers, have altered the hydrology of most wetlands. The Lower Murrumbidgee wetland, located in the Murrumbidgee River Catchment, is an example and is one of the significant wetlands across the Murray Darling Basin of Australia. Historic estimates show the volumes of water ranged from none in dry years to about 300 to 400 GL (1 GL = 109 L) in an average and wet year respectively. The flows reaching the Lower Murrumbidgee wetland have been drastically reduced by at least 60% because of the upstream diversions introduced during the last century. These reductions have adversely affected the health of natural vegetation and agricultural crops in the Lower Murrumbidgee floodplain. This article presents the results of the quantification of total water consumption of various land uses in the Lower Murrumbidgee flood plain using the remote sensing--based Surface Energy Balance Algorithm for Land (SEBAL) modeling approach The spatial analysis of actual evapotranspiration (ETa shows that ETa rates are the highest (13-26%) for the red gum (Eucalyptus camaldulensis) forests both in summer and winter days. However, in terms of total ETa volume lignum (Muehlenbeckia florulenta) constitutes the most significant part, which is around 14-30% of the total ETa volume for the area. Actual evapotranspiration from winter cereal cropping areas following the summer ponding is the third highest consumer of water after the river red gum and lignum. Actual evapotranspiration from the fallow land is also significant, representing 5-28% total ETa from the region. In view of the extent of the unaccounted flows in the overall water balance of the system, there is a need to upgrade measuring and reporting infrastructure by strengthening the institutional and management arrangements to better gauge the efficiency of environmental and consumptive water use. The state-of-the-art technology of remote sensing--based SEBAL modeling proved to have potential for measuring actual water use with reliable accuracy and can be used for assessing the environmental and productive use of water from wetlands in other regions of Australia. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Public–private partnerships have been implemented throughout the world since the 1970s with mixed results. This is mainly due to the lack of long run commitments from governments and other parties involved, lack of scientific understanding regarding clear short-term and long-term potential biophysical and socio-economic, policy and legal consequences, and lack of trust between the partners. We present a Regional Irrigation Business Partnership (RIBP) model, which is capable of efficiently utilising research output and government policies for sustainable public–private irrigation planning and investment. Unlike other public–private partnership models, the RIBP is based on robust assessment of biophysical, hydrologic, socio-economic, political and legal aspects of water management. The RIBP model provides a crucial link between research and infrastructure investments while minimising short-term and long-term risks. The business investment framework involves iterative feedback from research and policy for identifying markets, defining products and establishing a legislatively and institutionally acceptable route to market as part of the feasibility assessment process. The RIBP model is based on the principle that sharing risks, rewards, and responsibilities coupled with sufficient investment incentives will motivate actors in water management to invest in irrigation infrastructure that saves water and generates better outcomes for the environment. We describe application of the RIBP model in the Coleambally Irrigation Area in New South Wales, Australia. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: Agricultural water markets can facilitate adjustments to water scarcity and competition and enhance economic efficiency, but markets cannot automatically balance efficiency, equity and environmental sustainability goals. The consequences of water trading on soil salinity in irrigation areas are not yet fully understood, but recognized as an issue that needs to be analysed. This paper explores the nexus between water trading and groundwater-induced soil salinity in a selected irrigated area in the Murray-Darling Basin. Results show that minimum irrigation intensities must be met to flush salts out of the root zone especially in shallow water table/high salinity impact areas. Such minimum irrigation intensities are helpful but not necessarily in deep water table/low salinity impact areas. Should water markets lead to permanent water transfers out of mature irrigation areas, minimum irrigation intensity needs might not be met in high salinity impact areas, causing substantial negative impacts on resource quality and agricultural productivity. Water trading that adds to salinity cannot be economically viable in the long run. The tradeoffs between water trading and environmental and equity goals need to be determined. This work contributes to the wider debate on Australian water policy aimed at achieving water security through water trading in the Murray-Darling Basin. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Increasing salt concentration in tributaries from catchments and rising water tables are the prime contributor to environmental degradation of rivers, creeks, streams or other water bodies. This is especially true during periods of mid-and low stream flows in arid and semi-arid regions around the globe. Catchment scale studies suggest that management of stream salinity requires greater land use change than is economically viable. Therefore, rather than focusing on the opportunity cost of catchment scale interventions, exploring interventions that are potentially viable at farm scale could be an appropriate strategy for stream salinity management. This paper presents an analysis of alternative on-farm strategies, such as evaporation ponds and serial biological concentration of salts, aimed at developing an economically self-sustainable stream salinity management system for the Box Creek stormwater escape channel located in the Murray-Darling Basin (MDB), Australia. It is concluded that irrigation areas, with careful management of flows in tributary streams, may be able to play a role in safeguarding the Murray River against further salinisation from irrigation and dryland areas. The outcomes of this paper will be helpful, but not limited to, the MDB in addressing environmental, economic and social issues associated with management of salt concentration in tributaries. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Artificial recharge of aquifer storage can provide water during drought periods, reverse falling groundwater levels and reduce water losses associated with leakage and evaporation, as compared with surface water storage. We examine the technical and economic potential of artificial storage and recovery for drought mitigation in the Murrumbidgee Region of New South Wales, Australia. Potential locations for infiltration basins and injection/recovery wells are identified according to criteria such as water availability, aquifer suitability, recharge potential, and potential to provide a usable resource. The estimated annual artificial recharge potential is 180,000ML through a combination of injection wells and infiltration basins. The cost estimates for artificial recharge vary from AU$ 62ML−1 to AU$ 174ML−1 depending on the choice of recharge method. Underground storage capacity can be developed at less than half the cost of surface storage facilities without undesirable environmental consequences or evaporation losses. The estimated benefits of artificial storage and recovery through infiltration basins are three to seven times the costs, during low allocation years. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

An indicator defined as a function of the total water diversion through the Coleambally canal and the potential irrigation demand is selected to represent the sustainability of the irrigation water system in the Coleambally irrigation area, Australia. A simulation procedure using a system dynamics approach was developed to evaluate the indicator. The procedure includes water diversion assessment, potential crop water demand and total gross margin. Three cases of water supply options (surface water, ground water pumping and water trading), two cases of changes in the total agricultural area and three cropping pattern scenarios were simulated to better understand their impact on sustainability. The simulated results indicate that increasing the agricultural area reduces the sustainability of the irrigation system because the demand of water increased despite increase in the gross margin. The scenarios show that imposed water trading and ground water pumping would considerably increase the supply system having a positive impact on the sustainability. The paper concludes that a multi-objective sustainability indicator taking account of economic and environmental issues could be more useful. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Globally, about 10Mha of agricultural land is lost annually due to salinisation, of which about 1.5Mha is in irrigated areas. While some climate and management aspects are common to semi-arid regions, the detailed mechanisms and options to secure ecological sustainability and economic viability may vary considerably from case to case. This paper applies a whole of system-water balance to compare irrigation in three semi-arid regions suffering from similar sustainability issues: Rechna Doab (RD), Pakistan; the Liuyuankou irrigation system (LIS), China; and Murrumbidgee irrigation area (MIA), Australia. Soil salinity, lack of adequate water resources and groundwater management are major issues in these areas. The MIA and LIS irrigation systems also suffer from soil salinity and low water-use efficiency issues. These similarities occur in spite of very different climatic and underlying hydrogeological conditions. The key data used to compare these different regions are climate and soils, available water resources and their use, as well as components of the water balance. In addition, the history of water resource development in these areas is examined to understand how salinity problems emerge in semi-arid regions and the consequences for production. Based on the efficiency parameters and the definitions of sustainability, approaches are explored to solve common environmental problems while maintaining economic viability and environmental sustainability for irrigation systems. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

The multilevel stakeholder engagement in hydrological research and development of integrated catchment management tools and policies in the Murrumbidgee catchment in Australia helped it gain the status of reference catchment under the pilot phase (2001-02) of the Hydrology for Environment, Life and Policy (HELP) programme of United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO). The competing water uses and environmental and economic concerns in the Murrumbidgee are typical of other arid catchments in the world. Both completed and ongoing hydrological projects are available that can be used to illustrate how communities, researchers and regulation bodies are involved in catchment management by developing appropriate geographic information system, hydrological, hydrologic-economic and educational models. The approach has been very influential in bringing about change in land and water management and in informing and guiding regional policy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]