The three-infrastructures framework and water risks in the Murray-Darling Basin, Australia

Using a three-infrastructures (grey, soft, and green) framework, we examined key risks to water availability and quality in the Murray-Darling Basin, Australia. These risks include increased irrigation efficiency, without a quantitative knowledge of the impact on water flow pathways, particularly re...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Australian journal of water resources 2023-01, Vol.27 (1), p.47-67
Main Authors: Williams, John, Colloff, Matthew J., Grafton, R. Quentin, Khan, Shahbaz, Paydar, Zahra, Wyrwoll, Paul
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
climate change
green infrastructure
grey infrastructure
risk analysis
soft infrastructure
Water audits
water governance
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Summary:Using a three-infrastructures (grey, soft, and green) framework, we examined key risks to water availability and quality in the Murray-Darling Basin, Australia. These risks include increased irrigation efficiency, without a quantitative knowledge of the impact on water flow pathways, particularly return flows, growth in farm dams and floodplain harvesting, and unsustainable management of salinity. Critical to mitigating these risks are the metering, monitoring, and auditing of water flows, effective linkages between evidence and analysis, and accountability of decision-makers operating in the public interest. We contend that these approaches need to be supported by innovative risk assessments, which are fit-for-purpose under the MDB Plan, wherein the 'who, what, when and where' are assessed in relation to cumulative, systemic, and cascading risks from human actions.
ISSN:1324-1583
2204-227X
DOI:10.1080/13241583.2022.2151106