Groundwater is a vital source of water throughout Australia and the world. Similar to many other places, groundwater is the only reliable source of water for many rural and remote communities, mining operations and agricultural industries in many parts of the Murray-Darling Basin (MDB). Groundwater also supports the MDB environment with some ecosystems and species completely dependent on groundwater to meet their needs and others using groundwater to supplement surface water flows. River red gums, for example, are an iconic species with deep roots that access groundwater. Many such groundwater dependent ecosystems are significant cultural places for Aboriginal nations.
In the past, the complexity and importance of groundwater has not been well recognised and the connection between groundwater and surface water has not been well understood. This had, at times, led to inadequate management of this precious and finite resource, resulting in issues associated with access and water quality. In response to such concerns, State water management arrangements for groundwater made many interventions to address issues and in 2007 the Water Act (2007) was passed by the Australian Parliament. A requirement of the Water Act was that the Murray-Darling Basin Authority be set up and develop the Basin Plan with the aim to bring the Basin back to a healthier and sustainable level of water use, while continuing to support farming and other industries.
The Basin Plan sets the amount of groundwater that can be taken from the Basin’s groundwater resources each year and ensures groundwater is monitored and managed through local water plans and water resource plans (WRPS). WRPs outline the mechanisms for achieving community, environmental, economic and cultural outcomes in accordance with the Basin Plan requirements. The Authority is working with Basin state governments to ensure the management arrangements detailed in WRPs consider relevant risks to ensure sustainable management of groundwater resources across the Basin. This management regime ensures the risks to the Basin’s groundwater resources are effectively managed and adaptively reviewed over time.