Analyze the Water Resource Management in Australia

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Environmental management and planning in Australia

4.1 Water resource management system

There are three tiers for water resource management which are federation, state and district. Focusing on states, combining with river basin and regional management, the social and folk organizations are encouraged to participate with the management affairs. Water Resource Management Commit, established in 1963, is the highest organization composed of ministers from federation, state and northern regions (Kingsford, 2000). Since the establishment, the committee is responsible for formulating national water resource evaluation plan, researching the major project planning, formulating water resource management approaches and agreements, drinking water standards, arranging and organizing kinds of meetings and academic researches about water etc. in addition, every state has right to control their water resource and has water act and committee or similar organization with common responsibilities. According to Act of Water, they are responsible for water evaluation, plan, distribution, supervision and exploitation, building programs, such as water supply, irrigation, dewatering, river improvement and the like (Hajkowicz., & Collins, 2007).

4.2 River basin management

River basin management is another specialty for Australian water management. The Murray Darling Basin is the largest in Australia and world. The basin management is a historical development which reflects the economic social development and water resource change for the requirement of basin management. The original basin management started in 1863 with not obvious water issues and the collaboration among states was not strong. In the late 19th century, the major inhibited areas experienced serious droughts and water usage conflicts (Habermehl, 2006). Then the severe water resource conflicts put the three states together and they reached an operational agreement on overall development and exploitation on basin and took control of the implementation of water distribution. Under the guide of Murray Darling Basin committee, the basin’s water resource can be better exploited and used. And the areas can be developed into the most advanced areas with 41% agricultural production value in Australia (Baker& Humpage, 1994). But in the 1960s, with the development of social economy and the extensive utilization of water resources, the problems of water pollution and land salinization and other environmental problems gradually are shown around. The basin committee revaluated the water source capacity and strengthened the responsibility of protection upon the river, and the collaboration among different parities and reached the agreement of basin control. In 1993, the government passed the bill of Murray Darling Basin. By promoting and unified plan and management, the bill aimed to reach the targets of equal, effective and sustainable usage of water, land and other resources in the basin. Organizations with three levels have been established which are the Murray Darling basin ministerial conference, basin committee and public consultation association. With clear division of labor, they can effectively manage the water resource by collaborating. The managerial functions in every state are taken by governmental institutions and finally linked with the irrigation association or water supply companies (Greenway, 2005). Every level of water service institutions will report the financial statement to the public, as well as the expected supply water price, advocate water knowledge and relevant information for the public to participate with the water management in reality.

4.3 Water Conservancy project

Strengthening the water conservancy project is the important guarantee for safe operation and effective benefits creation for water conservancy facilities. How to ensure the positive operation of facilities and solve the aging problem is critical for Australia, targeting on the two problems, Australia has made many exploitations to private and company the project operation management. The irrigation projects management has gradually shifted into private companies. Necessary measures are taken to confirm the smooth operation of projects. Before 2000, state government encouraged civil servants independent and establishes independent companies to run the water conservancy projects as enterprises (Smith,1998). Within 15 years, government will offer necessary support for those start-ups. By negotiating with project managers, continual financial allowance will be given for them to run, maintain, manage and environmentally protect according to the project’s benefits and condition. Independent accounting is made for every project while the water price of every project is controlled by government and negotiates with water users. The overall target of the policy is to ensure that every project can work independently within 15 years’ efforts (Power, S., Sadler, B., & Nicholls, N. 2005).

4.4 The administration on water right

The right to use water was gratuitous initially. Since 1980s, Australian government promoted water reform and the right of surface water becomes privatization. And now the right of water can be purchased and sold. The market transaction of water is approved by water right management institution. After paying relevant expenditure and the exchange of water rights, the institution can control the annual water transaction and publish the transaction amount of water in advance. In this way, people with exceed water can sell it to gain some financial benefits while people who are short of water can satisfy their demand by purchasing the water right. Both water users and water supply companies will consider the water price cost (Letcher., Croke, , & Jakeman, 2007). By adopting advanced technology and optimized management, water can be saved. The water exploitation and utilization can be controlled and the environment can be protected by the establishment of water act and regulated water transaction and other policies.

4.5 Water price policy

Since 1990, with the implementation of project management mechanism and water right management, Australia also changed the water price system. Australia asked the water supply companies to cover the actual cost of water. Recently, the water price increases by 10% annually. In 1997, Victoria State published new price standards which abolished the original water valuation method and shifted into the payment of water supply volume and discharge capacity (Humphries,et al 1999). From this aspect,