Current ProjectsStatutory and policy development projects ( SPD)The following Statutory and Policy Development projects are currently being undertaken by the Office of the Murray-Darling Basin Commission under the direction of high-level Project Boards or other high level committees.
The Strategic Investigation & Education (SI&E) ProgramThe following provides a summary of the Strategic Investigations and Education Program (SI&E) undertaken from 1995 – 2005. Projects were done on behalf of the MDBC by government and private agencies with appropriate expertise, under the guidance of various Committees, which included various government and community representatives. The program was used to generate and share the knowledge needed to support policies and on-ground actions. Research informed decision making and priority setting processes and has since provided the fundamental information towards our emerging strategies and programs. The following reports are available: SI&E Program - Irrigated Regions Sub-program This program was part of the MDBC Basin Sustainability Program which provided a framework for coordination of planing, monitoring, evaluation and reporting of natural resource management in the Murray-Darling Basin. The SI&E Program consisted of four main areas: RiverineThis program aimed to support the ecologically-sustainable management of the riverine environment and initiate the generation of knowledge to slow, halt or reverse degradation in the full range of river, stream and floodplain wetland environments. This program provided information to our current Sustainable Rivers Audit, the Native Fish Strategy, the Water Quality Monitoring program and the Living Murray Initiative. Rivers Program - National River Contaminants ProgramThe National River Contaminants Program is a significant research and development program jointly funded by Land and Water Australia and the Murray-Darling Basin Commission.It expands and builds on the highly successful National Eutrophication Management Program, which concluded in 2000. There are currently ten research projects funded under the Program, adopting a whole of ecosystem approach focusing on the combined impacts of major riverine contaminants - nutrients, sediments and salts and their role in ecosystem processes. More information about the National River Contaminants Program Dryland Regions ProgramThis program aimed to achieve a combination of competitive and ecologically sustainable rural industries and healthy communities. This program contributed significantly many MDBC programs including the Basin Salinity Management Strategy and the Risks to Shared Water Resources Program. IrrigationThe irrigation program aimed to facilitate increased adoption of improved natural resource management practices among irrigators in the Basin. Research areas included delivering reliable irrigation data and information, improving irrigation water use, encouraging sustainable irrigation practices and demonstrating environmental stewardship. The program managed a suite of projects that contributed to policy directions for current MDBC programs, such as the Water Quality Strategy, The Living Murray Initiative. and the Basin Salinity Management Strategy. Human Dimension/ Basin CommunitiesThis program was established to increase awareness, share knowledge and assist in people sharing knowledge, skills and attitudes with Basin communities. It aimed to
Projects contributed to many MDBC programs including the Living Murray Initiative and general MDBC Communications, from which the Special Forever and the Regional Youth Conferences continue.
These projects are developed by Issues Working Groups (see Project Boards and Committees) and each project is usually overseen by a Steering Committee including government and community representatives. Further information can be obtained from | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
PROJECTS