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Basin Plan

The Basin Plan was adopted in November 2012, after the Commonwealth reached an accord with each of the Murray-Darling Basin states: Queensland, New South Wales, Victoria, South Australia, and the Australian Capital Territory. The Basin Plan sets out how the water that flows down the nation's longest river system is managed to ensure its long-term health.

Put simply, the Basin Plan sets sustainable limits on the amount of water taken from the Basin each year, to leave enough for the continued longevity of the basin rivers, lakes and wetlands, and the plants and animals that live in them. It guides governments, regional authorities and communities to sustainably manage and use the water. It has a focus on ensuring enough water is provided to the environment.

Implementing the Basin Plan in full is very important to South Australia because we are at the end of the system. It is the only place where river sediments and nutrient build ups can be flushed out into the ocean (via the Murray Mouth).

Further changes to the Water Act 2007 and The Basin Plan 2012 were made in 2023 with significant reforms to provide more time, more options, more funding, and more accountability to deliver the Basin Plan and remaining water recovery targets in full. The Water Amendment (Restoring Our Rivers) Act 2023 commenced on the 7 December 2023.

What does the Basin Plan do?

The Basin Plan does not operate in isolation, but is part of a package of complementary reforms. These include Australian Government programs to recover water and deliver environmental and regional development projects.

The Basin Plan and related programs:

set adjustable sustainable diversion limits on surface and groundwater use. Read about South Australia's supply measure projects
enabled the equivalent of up to 3200 GL of water to be returned to the environment
provide environmental flows to precious MDB wetlands and floodplains
support water projects and easing of constraints to delivery of environmental flow
support water-efficient irrigation infrastructure. Read about South Australia's Restoring Our Rivers Framework
enable improved management of salinity and water quality
support the achievement of environmental objectives for the Coorong, Lower Lakes and Murray Mouth
establish new water trading rules
guide the water resource plans, a central component of the Basin Plan that define how water will be shared and managed within a specified area.

Implementing the Basin Plan

The South Australian Government is committed to implementing the Basin Plan in full so that its many benefits can be achieved. This includes delivering the final 450 gigalitres (GL) of water for the environment.

Read 450 Reasons Why the 450 GL is so important for South Australia
Advisory Statement: The Basin Plan’s final 450 GL – why recovering and delivering this water is important for all of us

South Australia’s first five–yearly evaluation of Basin Plan environmental outcomes demonstrates that the water recovered under the Basin Plan is working and we are seeing positive outcomes in areas where we have been able to deliver water for the environment.

Our implementation progress

Setting new sustainable diversion limits for surface water and groundwater, which came into effect from 1 July 2019
All three water resource plans submitted on time and accredited by the Commonwealth Minister
All sustainable diversion limit adjustment projects for which South Australia has lead responsibility are either complete or on schedule for completion by the December 2026 deadline
Efficiency measures projects that contribute towards completion of the recovery of the final 450 GL of water for the environment
Meeting our `bridging the gap’ water recovery target of 183.8 GL for the environment
Continuing to work with a range of partners and water holders to coordinate the effective delivery of water to our priority assets to achieve our short and long-term environmental outcomes in South Australia.

History of the Basin Plan

In the 2000s, the Basin Plan went through several stages of drafting and community consultation, with the final draft of the plan released for public consultation August 2012.

The Murray-Darling Basin Authority was responsible for developing the plan. Their goal was to ensure the entire Murray-Darling river system is managed sustainably as one system and in accordance with the Water Act 2007.

Initially, the Basin Plan proposed that a long-term annual average of 2750 gigalitres of water be returned from human extraction purposes to the River Murray.

South Australia’s position was that 2750 gigalitres was not enough to secure the long-term health of the river system. Our scientists determined that at least an additional 450 gigalitres was needed, along with actions to address constraints on the delivery of water for the environment.

The Australian Government subsequently committed to:

returning an additional 450 gigalitres of water to the River Murray, making a total 3200 gigalitres on average per year
providing more funding for river communities and environmental works.

This commitment was further recognised in the final Basin Plan which was adopted on 22 November 2012.

See the Murray-Darling Basin Authority's Basin Plan timeline and history.

Timeline of Basin Plan implementation

2023

The Water Amendment (Restoring Our Rivers) Act 2023 (Restoring Our Rivers Act) commenced in December 2023. The Act made changes to the Water Act 2007 (Cth) and Basin Plan 2012 to provide more options, more time, more funding and more accountability to deliver the Basin Plan in full.

The reforms provide more time to meet remaining water recovery targets:

extend Basin Plan timeframes by three and a half years (to December 2027), allowing more time to recover water for the environment
extend the deadline for completion of Sustainable Diversion Limit Adjustment Mechanism supply projects by two and half years (to 31 December 2026)
allow more time for new supply projects to be proposed (to June 2025)
give extra time for consultation, design, and construction of large-scale projects.

The Water Act, as amended, provides for the recovery of 450 GL of additional environmental water to achieve enhanced environmental outcomes. The Act provides that the Minister must take all reasonable steps to meet the 450 GL target by 31 December 2027.

On 22 August 2023 the Federal, New South Wales, South Australia, Queensland and the Australian Capital Territory governments came to an agreement to support amendments to the Water Act 2007 (Cth) and the Basin Plan 2012, to deliver the Basin Plan in full, including legislating for voluntary buybacks to deliver the 450 GL of water for the environment.

On 15 September 2023 the South Australian Government published its response to the Murray-Darling Basin Royal Commission Report.

2022

On 23 August 2022, Mr Richard Beasley SC commenced his role as Commissioner for the River Murray.

2019-2023

South Australia made significant progress towards full implementation of the Basin Plan.

2017

South Australia’s first 5–yearly evaluation of Basin Plan environmental outcomes demonstrated that the water recovered under the Basin Plan is working and we are seeing positive outcomes for areas where we have been able to deliver water for the environment.

2013-2019

The 2013-2019 South Australian Implementation Strategy guided the management of water under the Basin Plan in our state.

2012

The Murray-Darling Basin Authority estimated that the Basin-wide long-term average sustainable diversion limit for surface water is 10,873 gigalitres per year. This represents a reduction of 2750 gigalitres per year from the baseline diversion level in 2009.

The total consumptive use was above this level but water recovery for the environment is necessary to achieve the balance of environmental, social, and environmental outcomes.