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. This presentation presents some observations on the challenges of adaptive management in the MDB derived from engaging with managers as part of the MDB EWKR project and implementation of the Commonwealth Environmental Waterholder’s Long-Term Intervention Monitoring (LTIM).
A survey of environmental water managers revealed they each have their own knowledge seeking methods and preferences, however, the most common strategy was to have conversations with a small number of trusted experts. This approach is effective because it enables water managers to quickly access information and apply it to their situation. The approach is most effective when management objectives are consistent through time and can be managed at a single scale.
In contrast, implementation of the Basin Plan seeks to achieve a diverse portfolio of environmental objectives with the priority assets and outcomes varying through time in response to water availability, the condition of the system and constraints. In addition, the Basin Plan seeks to achieve outcomes at a variety of scales ranging from individual wetlands, through river valleys to the Basin as a whole. This complexity increases the risk that the information available from a small number of experts will not represent the best information available in terms of either achieving the relevant objective or contributing to the achievement of large scale objectives. Achieving effective adaptive management both across scales and to variable objectives will require refinement of the relationships between decision makers and knowledge custodians which will represent both a challenge and an opportunity for freshwater scientists.