The Basin Plan is being implemented within an adaptive management framework in recognition of the uncertainty around the water requirements of all but a few key species. A key step in adaptive management is evaluation. After a pilot evaluation in 2017, the MDBA has undertaken an evaluation of the effectiveness of the Basin Plan since its implementation in 2012.
The Basin Plan seeks to achieve environmental, social, economic and first Nations cultural outcomes. This presentation presents an overview of the evaluation process and some of the key findings. The evaluation was comprised of 13 implementation and outcome themes whose findings were integrated to address seven high level questions about the impact of the Basin Plan and progress toward its objectives.
One of the major challenges facing both implementation of the Basin Plan and achievement of its objectives has been the extended period of drought, with only one wet year since implementation in 2016. In the northern Basin, governments have collaborated to adapt water management to ensure protection and delivery of environmental flows. While these flows have been beneficial, the evaluation has revealed further work will be required to both manage the risks around climate change and to improve condition monitoring across the Basin