Integrated Catchment Management
Basin Salinity Management Strategy
BSMS - operational protocols V2.0 Nov 2005

Basin Salinity Management Strategy(BSMS)

Protocols to Schedule C of the Murray-Darling Basin Agreement

The Basin Salinity Management Strategy Implementation Working Group (BSMS IWG) has developmented a set of Protocols to give effect to the revised Schedule C in the Murray-Darling Basin Agreement.

Background

The Basin Salinity Management Strategy 2001-2015 (BSMS) was officially released by Minister Truss, Chairman of the Murray-Darling Basin Ministerial Council on 17 September, as an appropriate measure under the Agreement to respond to the threats posed by salinity in the Murray-Darling Basin.

Ministerial Council at Meeting Number 25 adopted a revised Schedule C to the Agreement (which had dealt with the statutory requirements of the former Salinity and Drainage Strategy) to facilitate the operation of the Basin Salinity Management Strategy.

The Schedule calls for protocols [PDF 3.9Mb] to support the implementation of the strategy and to provide clarity to the detailed interpretation of Schedule C.

The Basin Salinity Management Strategy Implementation Working Group (BSMS IWG) (comprising nominated representatives of each of the Contracting Governments and the Community Advisory Committee) has given a high priority to the development of appropriate Protocols to give effect to the revised Schedule C, and to ensure the effective implementation of the BSMS.

Purpose

The primary audience is technical practitioners within each state who are involved in the development and implementation of salinity intervention works and measures within each State.

The Protocols give effect to Schedule C and support the nine key elements of the BSMS by providing a clear and unambiguous set of rules for dealing with matters specified in Schedule C, including (but not limited to):

• assessment of Proposals;
  
• estimating salinity impacts of Proposals and Accountable Actions;
  
• establishing a method to determine any salinity credits or salinity debits arising from a salinity impact;
• administration of Register A and Register B;
• monitoring of salinity impacts and progress under Schedule C;
• developing and assessing models and the use of these models;
• reporting and reviewing (programs and actions); and
• ensuring reporting under Schedule C is consistent with other national or regional NRM strategies relevant to the BSMS.

Content current as of : 30 Nov 2005

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