Murray-Darling Basin Plan

The Murray–Darling Basin is the largest and most complex river system in Australia.

Covering more than 70 percent of the NSW land mass, the Murray–Darling Basin is vital to the NSW economy and to the wellbeing of the communities and the 70 councils that fall within its footprint. 

In 2012, it was agreed across governments that a plan was needed to better manage and protect the Basin for future generations. Local Government NSW represented the interests of member councils during the development of the Murray-Darling Water Resource Management Plan (“the basin plan”).

The key aim of the plan is to reduce the amount of surface water and groundwater that can be sustainably diverted from the basin's catchments for consumptive use (i.e. for irrigation and other agriculture, industry and human consumption, including town water supplies), to allow for greater return of water to the environment.

LGNSW continues to monitor implementation of the plan, focusing primarily on its impacts on town water supplies.

Submissions

LGSA, Submission to the Murray-Darling Basin Authority’s Draft Basin Plan, (2012) (PDF, 111KB)
LGSA, Submission on MDBA Issues Paper on Sustainable Diversion Limits, (2009) (PDF, 103KB)
LGSA, Submission to MDBA's Guide to the Proposed Basin Plan, (2010) (PDF, 123KB)
LGSA, Submission to Parliamentary Inquiry into the Impact of the MDB Plan in Regional Australia, (2010) (PDF, 125KB)

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