CURRENT RESEARCH PROGRAMS
Program 3: Sustainable Water Allocation
Program Leader: Dr John Tisdell, Griffith
University.
 Program
Projects
 Click
here for the current list of Projects for this Program
(2003-2006)
Click
here for completed Projects and their outcomes for this
Program (1999-2002)
Program
Overview
Detailed Information about current projects in
this program is available here
In many areas, the economic, practical, and environmentally
sustainable extent of water harvesting has now been
reached. In the Murray–Darling, for instance, a
‘cap’ on further water diversions has been
imposed. Under COAG policy [Sect. 2.5], further economic
development (while protecting environmental values)
will require that better use be made of water already
being harvested. This entails a basin-wide view for
hydrologic assessment, consideration of supply uncertainty,
a redefinition of water entitlements (allowing for transfers
through trading), and an allocation for environmental
flows. Many hydrologic issues need to be resolved before
managers can be confident that the current allocation/trading
system is sustainable.
Goal
- Principles, guidelines, and practical tools for
managing water allocation and use in a sustainable
and efficient manner.
Activities
- Identifying and characterising the key factors that
lead to uncertainty in water availability (e.g. farm
dams, land use management, forest plantations, climate
variability)
- Studies to evaluate the sensitivity of supply system
performance to modelling assumptions, and to external
factors that affect the available water resource
- Identifying management opportunities for improved
operational efficiency
- Assessing the potential for improvements in system
efficiency by using climate forecasts to predict water
availability and demand
- Developing a better hydrologic definition of water
rights (using improved estimates of uncertainty),
and appropriate ‘exchange rates’ for water
trades
- Developing best practice to identify and reduce
system losses via channel seepage and evaporation.
Outcomes
- A sound hydrologic foundation for a sustainable
property rights/water trading framework
- Increased efficiency of operation using meteorological
and hydrologic forecasts
- Increased efficiency of water delivery
- On adoption, more profitable irrigated agriculture,
more certain environmental allocations.
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