Responding to Extreme Drought in the Murray-Darling Basin, Australia

Abstract

Over the first decade of the twenty-first century, the Murray-Darling Basin experienced the most severe drought in recorded hydrologic history. Inflows into some rivers of the Murray-Darling Basin in 2006, particularly the Murray, whose waters are shared by three states, were at record low levels. Special water-sharing arrangements were developed for approval by first ministers of relevant governments. Inflows in 2007, 2008 and into 2009 required extensive adaptation of dry inflow contingency planning to ensure that critical human water needs could be met in successive years. This chapter reviews the lessons learned in implementing a comprehensive response to critical water shortage over 3 years of extreme drought.