On this page: Connecting Catchments and Communities
Moira to Mildura - Constraints
Connecting Catchments and Communities - Constraints workshop Moira to Mildura was held in Euston on Tuesday 30th July 2019. This information session was attended by community and industry leaders, government and councils. It dived into the important issues of constraints, regional growth and water markets.
Experts, authorities and stakeholders presented information from a range of unique persectives highlighting operational and ecological management strategies, and the environmental, economic and social interconnectedness of our Basin regions.
Connecting Catchments and Communities
Connecting Catchments and Communities were a series of workshops run by the Murray Darling Association, aimed at enhancing water literacy and exchanging information between councils, communities and agencies across the Basin.
The events provide an opportunity for knowledge building and information exchange between responsible governments, autorities and stakeholders.
Guest presentations included:
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Leah Ross | Constraints Measures Program & SDL Adjustment Mechanism (Contractor) - Murray-Darling Basin Authority
Hilton Taylor | Assistant Secretary - Commonwealth Environmental Water Office
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Joseph Davis |Senior Director River Murray Operations - Murray-Darling Basin Authority
Challenges for meeting water demand in the River Murray System
Iain Ellis |Fisheries Manager, Murray-Darling Unit - Department of Primary Industries
Ian Davidson - Independent Wildlife Biologist
What's the problem with the Barmah Chaoke?
Paul Childs | Snr Environmental Water Management Officer (Murray Lower Darling) -NSW Dept of Planning, Industry and Environment
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Ross Skinner – Chief Executive Officer, Almond Board Australia
Regional growth and water markets
Lewis Campbell – Water Broker, Ruralco Water
Joe Banks | Sr Manager Retail Water Entitlements & Markets | Water Resource Strategy, Dept Environment, Land, Water and Planning
Water markets update - Victoria
Graeme White | Director Regional Water Regulation (West – Murray Darling), NSW Natural Resource Access Regulator
On the 22nd of February 2019, the MDA ran the very first ‘Connecting Catchments and Communities’ workshop, Menindee to The Mouth, in Renmark. This dynamic workshop was attended by around 50 communities leaders, and explored important issues around the role and management of both the Menindee Lakes, and the Coorong and Lower Lakes.
Experts and relevant authorities spoke to a really engaged crowd at the event, with discussions aimed at better understanding operational and ecological management strategies, and the interconnectedness of our Basin regions.
The four key discussions on the day centred covered the role and management of the Menindee Lakes (operational and ecological), the role and management of the barrages and Lower Lakes (operational and ecological), water extractions and allocation rules, and environmental watering priorities and Water Resource Plans.
Guest presentations included:
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Role and Management of Menindee Lakes
Operational and Ecological
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Role and Management of Menindee Lakes
Operational and Ecological
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Role and management of the barrages and Lower Lakes
Operational and Ecological
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Water extractions and allocation rules
"Why is their water allocation greater/smaller than ours?"
Towards consistency and equity across the States
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Water extractions and allocation rules
"Why is their water allocation greater/smaller than ours?"
Towards consistency and equity across the States
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Environmental watering priorities and Water Resource Plans
Adaptive capacity - responding to variation in climate and other conditions
Menindee to the Mouth - Lakes and Barrages
If you have any questions please do not hesitate to contact us at t.phillips@mda.asn.au or (03) 5480 3805.
“First off thank you so much for the forum in Renmark last Friday. It was great to hear the information presented by the speakers and I now have a greater understanding of many aspects of the water delivery/river system and its many roles,”
- Workshop Participant
“I learned so much out of today,”
- Workshop Participants and Presenters
“The presenters we heard from today give me a great deal of confidence that the people tasked with managing the Plan are genuinely dedicated professionals whose expertise and commitment is very clear,”
- Mayor of one traditionally fractious community.
“Great to see people so willing to listen and understand what’s happening across their border,” - Workshop Participants
“Thanks, and it was a very valuable forum from my perspective too. Great to talk to people who are looking to exchange information and work together. The introduction to the event on having an open, informed conversation in a respectful manner set the day up perfectly too!”
- Workshop Speaker
“Well done on the event. it was extremely well organised and managed, and I felt like people were really listening and wanted to understand.”
- Workshop Speaker
“I found it particularly useful to talk to some of the attendees from NSW and Victoria and hear issues directly from them. I'm aiming to keep the conversations happening and they have my contact details. This was a great opportunity to set the record straight on a number of myths - certainly having the MDBA, NSW, CEWO and SA there helped greatly with this. I have received feedback from a few attendees that really appreciated the willingness to have an open, honest and in depth conversation,”
- Workshop Speaker
The Murray Darling Association provides a monthly electronic newsletter to stakeholders which continues on from the Basin Bulletin - editions available for download in PDF below.
We look forward to hearing from you, and hope that the information contained in the newsletters assists you.
To share your feedback about any of the newsletters or if you have any questions, please contact your Region Chair or email t.phillips@mda.asn.au