Research informing policy to adapt to climate change: a case study from the Murray-Darling Basin, Australia

Abstract

The Murray-Darling Basin in south-eastern Australia is one of the world’s largest rivers, draining an area of just over 1 million square kilometres. The basin drains about one-seventh of the Australian land mass and is the 16th longest river in the world. However, being located on the driest continent on Earth, its discharge is relatively small, averaging just 767 m3/s, far smaller than the discharge from any other similarly sized river worldwide. Despite the relative lack of water, the Murray-Darling Basin is one of the most significant agricultural areas in Australia. In 2008, the Murray-Darling Basin Authority was formed with a mandate to manage the basin in an integrated and sustainable manner. Water reform in the basin has been a world-first in terms of the scale of intervention, but it has led to numerous conflicts in terms of access to water. The ability to manage the basin adequately relies on appropriate research being carried out in order to determine how much water is currently available, where it is currently being used, and how water availability and use are likely to change into the future. Climate change projections for the Murray-Darling Basin indicate a future that is likely to be hotter, with more frequent and intense droughts, accompanied by a reduction in cool season rainfall, particularly in the south of the Basin. As this is where the majority of runoff is generated, this is likely to lead to reductions in water availability, with a median reduction of around 20%. The Murray-Darling Basin Plan was brought into force in 2012 and is due for review in 2026. CSIRO is carrying out hydroclimate research to assist policy makers to better understand the likely changes in water availability, and consequent adaptation options available to them. This presentation will summarise the likely climate change impacts on water availability and assess how best to deal with the uncertainties associated with these projections.