non-fictionThis paper describes the water audit which has been carried out in the Murray-Darling Basin. It highlights that diversions have increased significantly since 1988 and will continue to increase unless water management arrangements are amended. This increase in diversion will have an adverse impact on river health. It concludes that the most urgent priority is to define the appropriate balance between water for consumptive uses (i.e. irrigation, domestic and industrial) and that required to be left in rivers (environmental flows) to ensure that the consumptive uses are sustainable and that the rivers remain in a healthy state. This water audit does not attempt to strike the balance between consumptive and instream water use. Rather it provides a sound body of knowledge on which to base the necessary community discussions which will lead to decisions about an appropriate balance between consumptive and instream uses.murray-darling basin, water management, water audit murray-darling

non-fictionPeter Crabb has carried out a wide range of research related to water resource management in Australia. This report is the result of research completed for the Murray-Darling Commission. The annotated statistics it provides are the first attempt to provide a comprehensive audit of the natural, economic and human resources of the region. It also makes extensive use of photographs and other illustrations. It is a major contribution to the cause of achieving sustainable resource use in the Murray-Darling Basin.murray-darling basin, water management, natural resources