Caring for our Country

What is NRM?

South Australian Murray-Darling Basin - Natural Resource Management region

Regional summary

Map of the region

The South Australian Murray-Darling Basin region covers an area of 70,000 square kilometres and supports a population of 81,000 people (around 5 percent of the state's population) across 15 local government areas. The landscape varies from the low-lying coastal plains of the Coorong to the flat expanse of the Mallee to the steeper slopes of the Eastern Mount Lofty Ranges.

Water use and quality are dominant issues in this region, reflecting the importance of the Murray River to the state for its water supply. A feature of the region is the extent and significance of irrigated agriculture, with natural resource management (NRM) priorities reflecting improved NRM and environmental objectives.

Priority issues

Key natural resource management issues in the region include:

Regional plan

The South Australian Murray-Darling Basin Integrated NRM Group was responsible for developing the South Australian Murray-Darling Basin regional plan, in consultation with the local community. This plan was based on a 'whole of region' approach and addresses significant NRM issues incorporating social, environmental and economic aspects.

Once the regional plan was accredited, the South Australian Murray-Darling Basin Integrated NRM Group was responsible for developing the regional investment strategy. This is essentially the business plan that attracts investment from the Australian and State Governments and details the specific actions, costs and timeframes required to implement the regional plan.

Current activities

NRM priority Activities addressing the priority
Salinity
  • salt interception schemes have been constructed at Woolpunda and Waikerie and schemes are being constructed at Bookpurnong and Loxton
  • these works to tackle salinity levels are complemented other activities such as broadscale revegetation by groups and individuals to tackle salinity at its source. As well, policy and planning 'tools' are being developed and implemented to improve land use practices and their impact on salinity levels (e.g. water use efficiency measures)
  • a strategy to offset the salinity impact of irrigation on the River Murray has reduced salinity in the River Murray at Morgan by 60 Electrical Conductivity (EC) units, with an additional 28 EC unit reduction arising from improvements in river operations. Basin and State salinity strategies are now aiming to maintain salinity at Morgan below 800 EC 95 percent of the time.
Water quality issues other than salinity
  • activities to prevent nutrient and pesticide runoff and sediments into surface waters - these include riparian revegetation and improved land management practices
Water use efficiency
  • activities in irrigation districts that assist farmers to monitor water use and to implement improved irrigation practices
Biodiversity conservation
  • plans developed and works implemented to protect and re-establish habitat and to combat incursions of pest plants and animals. (i.e. revegetation and wetland rehabilitation projects)
General NRM improvement
  • various groups and organisations have been established to develop and implement plans for local investment in natural resource management in dryland, riverine and urban areas
Coastal and marine
  • plans have been developed and works implemented to protect the ecological health of the Coorong Lakes and Murray Mouth
Capacity building
  • a range of initiatives to address different aspects of community capacity building (including Indigenous engagement) is currently being developed and implemented

Contacts

Further information can be obtained by contacting the Regional Facilitators for South Australia.

Region summaries

You can also use your town name to find your NRM Region.

Key

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