Murray-Darling Basin Authority

The MDBA was established under the federal Water Act 2007 as an independent, expertise-based statutory agency; our role includes advising a six-member Authority, of which our Chief Executive is a member, about Basin-wide strategy, policy and planning.

The MDBA undertakes activities that support the sustainable and integrated management of the water resources of the Murray–Darling Basin in a way that best meets the social, economic and environmental needs of the Basin and its communities.

We lead the planning and management of Basin water resources, and coordinate and maintain collaborative long-term strategic relationships with other Australian Government, Basin state government and local agencies; industry groups; scientists and research organisations.

The Water Act requires the MDBA to undertake a number of functions:

construct and operate River Murray assets such as dams and weirs develop the proposed Basin Plan advise the Commonwealth Minister for Water on the accreditation of state water resource plans develop a water rights information service that facilitates water trading across the Basin manage water sharing between the states manage all aspects of Basin water resources, including water, organisms and other components and ecosystems that contribute to the physical state and environmental value of the Basin's water resources measure and monitor water resources in the Basin gather information and undertake research engage and educate the community in the management of the Basin's resources. We carry out these functions directly and through Basin state government agencies in partnership with the Australian Government.