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Department of Agriculture

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  1. Home
  2. Water
  3. Water policy and resources
  4. Murray–Darling Basin
  5. Water programs

Sidebar first - Water

  • Murray–Darling Basin
    • Basin Plan
      • Basin Plan commitments package
        • Strengthening compliance and protecting environmental flows
        • Improving water access for Indigenous people in the Murray–Darling Basin
        • Supporting implementation of the Sustainable Diversion Limit Adjustment Mechanism
        • Addressing socio-economic impacts of the Murray–Darling Basin Plan
      • Economic effects of the Commonwealth water recovery programs in the Murrumbidgee Irrigation Area
      • Making the Basin Plan
      • Need water reform
      • Socio-economic effects of Commonwealth water recovery in the Murray–Darling Basin
      • Commonwealth water reform investments in the Murray–Darling Basin
    • Water recovery in the Murray-Darling Basin
      • How we recover water
        • Efficiency measures
        • Northern Basin toolkit
        • Sustainable Diversion Limit (SDL) adjustment mechanism and its implementation
        • Water purchasing
          • Groundwater purchasing
          • Surface water purchasing - limited tender
          • Surface water purchasing - open tender
      • Progress on water recovery
        • Water recovery accounting
    • Murray–Darling Basin policy
      • Independent assessment of the social and economic conditions in the Basin
      • Review of the Water for the Environment Special Account
    • Murray–Darling Communities Investment Package
    • Water programs
      • Australian Capital Territory
      • Basin-wide programs
        • Off-farm Efficiency Program
        • Water for Fodder
          • Agreement with South Australia
          • Compliance
          • Review
          • Round 1
        • Environmental Works and Measures Feasibility Program
        • Irrigation Hotspots Assessment Program
        • Irrigation Modernisation Planning Assistance
          • Sample irrigation modernisation plan
        • Murray–Darling Healthy Rivers Program
          • Community consultation
          • Large grants
          • Small grants round 1
          • Small grants round 2
        • Water Efficiency Program
          • Approved projects under the Water Efficiency Program
          • Case studies
          • Webinars
        • On-Farm Irrigation Efficiency Program
          • Pilot projects
        • Sustainable Rural Water Use and Infrastructure Program
          • SRWUIP Map
        • Strengthening Basin Communities Program
          • Round 1 planning projects
            • Liverpool Plains project
          • Round 2 planning projects
          • Round 1 Water saving initiatives
          • Round 2 Water Saving Initiatives—Strengthening Basin Communities
        • Economic Development Program
      • South Australia
        • Commonwealth On-Farm Further Irrigation Efficiency Program
        • Private Irrigation Infrastructure Program for South Australia
      • Victoria
        • Goulburn-Murray Water Connections Project Stage 2 mid-term review final report
      • Queensland
        • Queensland healthy headwater
      • Infrastructure benefits
      • New South Wales
        • NSW Basin Pipe project
        • NSW Irrigated Farm Modernisation project
        • Menindee Lakes project
        • Private Irrigation Infrastructure Operators Program in NSW
    • National Partnership Agreement on Implementing Water Reform in the Murray–Darling Basin: milestone assessment reports

Water programs in the Murray-Darling Basin

​Water Efficiency Program

The Water Efficiency Program funds urban, industrial, off-farm, on-farm and metering infrastructure projects across the Murray-Darling Basin.  Water savings from these projects will contribute to ‘bridge the gap’ to the sustainable diversion limits and the 450 GL of efficiency measures required under the Basin Plan with neutral or positive social and economic impacts. See Water Efficiency Program for details.​

Sustainable Rural Water Use and Infrastructure Program

The Sustainable Rural Water Use and Infrastructure Program (SRWUIP) is a national program investing in rural water use, management and efficiency, including improved water knowledge and market reform, and water purchase for the environment. SRWUIP is the key mechanism to ‘bridge the gap’ to the sustainable diversion limits under the Murray Darling Basin Plan. See Sustainable Rural Water Use and Infrastructure Program for details.

South Australian River Murray Sustainability Program

The Australian Government has committed funding of up to $265 million, under two National Partnership Agreements, to the South Australian Government to undertake delivery of the program. Copies of the National Partnership Agreements are located via: Standing Council on Federal Financial Relations.

The South Australian River Murray Sustainability Program is administered by the South Australian Department of Primary Industries and Regions. The program aims to increase the efficiency and productivity of South Australian businesses, and secure and return 36 GL of long-term annual average yield ‘gap bridging’ water to the Commonwealth for environmental water use.

The program provides:

  • $80 million for irrigation efficiency improvements
  • $40 million for a South Australian water purchase program
  • $120 million for irrigation industry assistance
  • $25 million for regional economic development.

All enquiries about the program should be directed to the South Australian Department of Primary Industries and Regions. See South Australian River Murray Sustainability Irrigation Industry Improvement Program for details.

Regional water programs

  • Basin-wide programs
  • Australian Capital Territory programs
  • New South Wales programs
  • Queensland programs
  • South Australian programs
  • Victorian programs
​
 
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Last updated: 09 August 2021

© Department of Agriculture, Water and the Environment

We acknowledge the Traditional Owners of country throughout Australia and recognise their continuing connection to land, waters and culture. We pay our respects to their Elders past, present and emerging.