Murray-Darling Basin Authority:
Introduction
During the 1980s issues of environmental health, sustainability, water availability and water
quality emerged as significant issues in Australia. Symptoms of resource degradation such as
declining water quality, increasing salinity, toxic algal blooms and loss of biodiversity became
more evident.
The MDBA
The Murray-Darling Basin Authority is the principal government agency in charge of managing the
Murray-Darling Basin in an integrated and sustainable manner. The Authority (MDBA; also previously
known as the Murray Darling Basin Commission) is the statutory agency that manages, in conjunction
with the Basin states, the Murray–Darling Basin’s water resources in the national interest. The
Authority reports to the Australian Government Minister for Sustainability, Environment, Water,
Population and Communities.
With the creation of the Authority in 2008, for the first time, a single inter-governmental body
assumed responsibility for planning the integrated management of water resources of the Murray-Darling
Basin. In addition to the Commission’s former functions, the Authority’s role includes:
- Preparing the Basin Plan, for adoption by the Minister for Sustainability,
Environment, Water, Population and Communities, including setting sustainable
limits on water that can be taken from surface and groundwater systems across the basin;
- Implementing and enforcing the basin plan;
- Advising the minister on the accreditation of state water resource plans;
- Developing a water rights information service which facilitates water trading across the
Murray-Darling basin;
- Measuring and monitoring water resources in the basin;
- Gathering information and undertaking research; and
- Educating and engaging the community in the management of the basin’s resources
