Proposed Criteria for Assessing Water Resource Plans under the Murray-Darling Basin Plan

The Murray-Darling Basin Plan’s management arrangements will be implemented at a local scale through water resource plans prepared by the Basin states for accreditation by the Commonwealth Water Minister. The Wentworth Group has a strong interest in ensuring that all Water Resource Plans are consistent with the Basin Plan requirements and ultimately, Basin Plan objectives. To provide this assurance, we have identified nine criteria which we believe all Water Resource Plans and related planning instruments need to satisfy in order to achieve Basin Plan objectives and be consistent with Chapter 10 of the Basin Plan. We propose that draft Water Resource Plans should only be accredited under the Basin Plan once they satisfy these criteria.

Author

Wentworth Group of Concerned Scientists