presentation to geography teachers association of victoria december conference
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Murray-Darling Basin – A Living Landscape Lawrie Kirk Manager Communication MDBC [email protected] 02 6279 0107. Presentation to Geography Teachers Association of Victoria December Conference. 15% of Australia. Over 2 million people. Murray-Darling Basin. - PowerPoint PPT PresentationTRANSCRIPT
Murray-Darling Basin – A Living Landscape
Lawrie Kirk Manager Communication
MDBC [email protected]
02 6279 0107
Presentation to
Geography Teachers Association of Victoria December Conference
Murray-Darling Basin
15% of Australia15% of Australia
Over 2 million peopleOver 2 million people
Murray-Darling Basin
A Snapshot› The Basin covers 1
million sq. km (equivalent to the size of South Africa)
› Major river system by world standards
» River Murray 2530 km
» River Darling 2740 km
» Basin produces 40% of total gross value of Australia’s agricultural production – including 70% of irrigation production
Canberra
Sydney
Brisbane
NEW SOUTH WALES
QUEENSLAND
VICTORIA
SOUTHAUSTRALIA
Melbourne
Swan Hill
MilduraMorgan
Menindee
MenindeLakes
LakeVi ctoria
Albury
Forbes
Dubbo
Moree
Charleville
Bourke
MurrayMurrumbidgie
Lachlan
Darling Macquarie
Border
Balonne
Barwon
Warrego
Adelaide
200 km
Murray Bridge
Average Annual Rainfall inMurray-Darling Basin
Global water resources
AustraliaAfrica
Asia
EuropeNorth-central America
Oceania
South America
FAO AquaStat Data
Flow Variability
River Murray Inflows (Gigalitres/year)
0
2000
4000
6000
8000
10000
12000
1890 1900 1910 1920 1930 1940 1950 1960 1970 1980 1990 2000
Nat
ura
l In
flo
ws
to H
um
e D
am (
GL
/Yea
r)
Historical Inflows
Mean Inflows
Ratio of maximum annual flow to minimum annual flow for selected rivers
COUNTRY RIVER RATIO BETWEEN THE MAXIMUM and the MINIMUM ANNUAL
FLOWS
BRAZIL AMAZON 1.3
SWITZERLAND RHINE 1.9
CHINA YANGTZE 2.0
SUDAN WHITE NILE 2.4
USA POTOMAC 3.9
SOUTH AFRICA ORANGE 16.9
AUSTRALIA MURRAY 15.5
AUSTRALIA HUNTER 54.3
AUSTRALIA DARLING 4705.2
“to promote and coordinate effective planning and management for
equitable, efficient and sustainable use of land, water and other environmental
resources”
Murray-Darling Basin Ministerial Council
Charter
SIX GOVERNMENTSAust. Govt NSW Vic SA Qld ACT
MURRAY-DARLING BASINMINISTERIAL COUNCIL
Up to 3 Ministers from each Governmentrepresenting land, water and environment
Community Advisory Committee21 expertise based
representatives
Commission OfficeTechnical and administrative secretariat
MURRAY-DARLING BASINCOMMISSION
1 Independent President2 Commissioners from each Government
26
2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11
1
Barrages
Weirs/Locks
Lake Victoria
Menindee Lakes
15
Euston Weir
Torrumbarry Weir
Yar
raw
onga
Wei
r
Hume Reservoir
Dartmouth R
eservoir
SASA
NSWNSW
VicVicRiver M
urray
Murrumbidgee River
Edward Wakool System
Lachlan River
Redbank Weir Maude Weir
Interface with Snowy Mountains Scheme
Gou
lbur
n R
iver
Dar
ling
Riv
er
Barmah-MillewaForest
River Murray System
DARTMOUTH DAM – On the Mitta Mitta PHOTO: Michael Bell
LAKE HUME – Mitta Mitta Arm PHOTO: Michael Bell
LAKE MULWALA – Yarrawonga Weir PHOTO: Michael Bell
DARETON - Photo Credit: Michael BellDARETON – On the Murray Photo: Michael Bell
LOCK & WEIR NINE – Kulnine PHOTO: Michael Bell
LAKE VICTORIA PHOTO: Michael Bell
MURRAY MOUTH - Dredge PHOTO: Michael Bell
MURRAY MOUTH PHOTO: Michael Bell
Water trading
From this .... From this .... To this ….To this ….
Turning water into wealth(by Commodity)
Source: ABS 2000
0100020003000400050006000700080009000
10000
Wat
er u
sed
(G
L)
Pas
ture
Veget
able
s
SugarFru
it
Grapes
Cotton
Rice
Source: ABS 2000
0
500
1000
1500
2000
Gro
ss M
arg
in $
/ M
L
Gross value of irrigated agriculture $7.3 billion per annumGross value of irrigated agriculture $7.3 billion per annumGross value of irrigated agriculture $7.3 billion per annumGross value of irrigated agriculture $7.3 billion per annum
Murray Mouth Barrages
MURRAY MOUTH – Goolwa Barrage PHOTO: Michael Bell
The six ecological assets
Murray Mouth, Coorong and Lower Lakes
› Open Murray mouth › More frequent estuarine fish spawning › Enhanced migratory wader bird habitat in
the Lower Lakes
Healthier lower lakes and Coorong estuarine environment
River Murray Channel
• Increase the frequency of higher flows in spring that are ecologically significant
• Overcome barriers to migration of native fish species between the sea and Hume Dam
• Maintain current levels of channel stability
Commissioner, Sir Ronald East straddling the River Murray at Nyah,
Victoria during the drought of 1923The Challenges
Water FlowMurray mouth - Flowing
Murray mouth - Closed, April 1981
Photos: Courtesy SA Govt
Our youth our future..