Algal Management Strategy

The massive blooms of blue-green algae that appeared along the Darling River in the summer of 1991-92, together with outbreaks at other locations, had a dramatic impact on water management in the Murray-Darling Basin.

At a Basin-wide level, and after much investigation (MDBC 1993a and 1993b), the issues were addressed by The Algal Management Strategy for the Murray-Darling Basin (MDBMC 1994). The goal of the Strategy is to:

reduce the frequency and intensity of algal blooms and other water quality problems associated with nutrient pollution in the Murray-Darling Basin through a framework of coordinated planning and management actions (MDBMC 1994, 3).

To meet this goal, the Algal Management Strategy has four key objectives:

reduce nutrient concentrations in the streams and storages in the Basin;
improve stream-flow regimes and flow management;
increase the community's awareness of the blue-green algal problem; and
obtain better information and scientific knowledge of blue-green algae (MDBMC 1994, 7).

A key factor is the adoption of a flow management policy to reduce the potential for low flows to combine with the other factors that contribute to algal blooms.

A number of other Ministerial Council and Commission programs have been critical to the success of the Algal Management Strategy, in particular The Cap, the Environmental Flows Decision Support Program, and the Native Fish Strategy 2003-2013. Also important is the National Eutrophication Management Program, which is jointly funded by the MDBC and the Land and Water Resources Research and Development Corporation. Established in 1995, its aim is:

to undertake research and communications activities necessary to reduce the frequency and intensity of harmful or undesirable algal blooms in Australian fresh and estuarine waters (NEMP 1996).

The Algal Management Strategy is currently under review, particularly to assess its effectiveness and the extent to which its objectives have been achieved.

References

MDBC (1993a): Algal Management Strategy: technical advisory group report. Murray-Darling Basin Commission, Canberra.

MDBC (1993b): Algal Management Strategy: background papers. Murray-Darling Basin Commission, Canberra.

MDBMC (1994): The Algal Management Strategy for the Murray-Darling Basin: a component of the natural resources management strategy. Murray-Darling Basin Ministerial Council, Canberra.

NEMP (1996): National Eutrophication Management Program: 1995-2000 Program Plan. Land and Water Resources Research and Development Corporation, Canberra.

Last updated on: 24/ 6/ 2004