THE MURRAY DARLING BASIN PART 3 - WATER PLANNING FOR THE PRESENT AND THE FUTURE

This final unit on the Murray-Darling Basin deals with the issue of water allocations throughout the Basin. The role of the Murray Darling Basin Authority is to produce ,among other areas of focus, a plan for the distribution of water across the large Basin and across 4 states and the Australian Capital Territory. You will encounter controversies and differing levels of acceptance to issues of water sharing and the provision of environmental flows. This unit will support studies on inland water systems and basins; river studies; agricultural studies of irrigation/ crop raising/salinity issues; environmental studies; and locational studies dealing with Australia. This unit indicates the cross-state issues of top-end users and lower-end users of water, The 4 scenarios are included to show why there are differing viewpoints on levels of water extraction and environmental needs. Take your students into the Basin. Wade in the wetlands with Wade. Recognise why people along the Balonne River in Queensland are not happy about water quotas. Take the first boat cruise through the Goolwa barrage after the low water levels of the Murray River in 2008 and understand why fresh water flows are significant needs for the mouth of the river and the Coorong. Sympathise with the orange grower of Loxton as he cuts down perfectly good orange trees on part of his orchard area. There are several useful attachments in colour and black and white to assist and a summary test sheet. To cover all the issues you will need several lessons. This is a sizable and important area of Australia. It can link with earlier units on River studies and the series on the Coorong. Screen the pages for class discussion. Distribute the attachment pages for individual in class or homework use. Use the last page test to check the effectiveness of learning.