Waterway Management

Murray Dairy Water Trading Tool Kit

Participating in the water market is now just part of doing business for most dairy farms in the Murray Dairy Region. Produced by Dairy Australia, government agencies and industry partners, the Water Trading Toolkit provides a detailed explanation of water systems, trading rules and water procurement options for irrigators.

Contents include:

• Water basics for the new irrigator
• Irrigation system overview
• Who owns what? Available water and seasonal allocations
• Securing access to water
• Water trading rules
• Understanding water prices
• Dealing with water brokers and trading paperwork

Supporting materials

Contents include:

• Entitlements and allocations
• Entitlement types
• Taking delivery of water

Contents include:

• Water overview – entitlements in the Murray Darling Basin
• Water sharing
• Entitlement types
• Yield verses reliability of entitlements

Contents include:

• How much and how often?
• Seasonal allocations
• Future inflow scenarios
• Risk management strategies

Water Toolkit Videos

The fundamentals of modern water management in the Murray region are covered in a series of videos produced as a joint initiative of Murray Dairy, Goulburn-Murray Water and the Department of Environment, Land, Water and Planning.

The videos include key terminology, the water environment, trading and carryover. Later videos in the series look at the bigger picture including trends in water trading, changing demand and risks.

1. Introduction

2. Allocation

3. Managing water

4. Trading 1

5. Trading 2

6. Carryover

7. The big picture – industry and climate trends

8. The big picture – changing demand, delivery constraints and risk

Waterway management provides productivity benefits on farm and social and environmental outcomes for the wider community.

Benefits include increased overall pasture and animal production, improved stock, corridors for native animals, habitat for native plants, birds and other wildlife, erosion control on waterways and slopes, salinity control and improved water quality.

Since 2001 there has been a 50% increase in the protection of waterways on Australian dairy farms. Over the last 10 years more than half of all dairy farms have implemented a revegetation program on farm.

Case studies below showcase how some dairy farmers are managing biodiversity and waterways to achieve better outcomes for their farm and community.