1.3: Collaborative water planning in northern Australia

Leader:

Poh-Ling Tan

Abstract

<p>This project aims to improve the certainty, legitimacy and efficiency of water planning processes across northern Australia. To do this, the team are developing a tool-kit of good practices to engage industry, Indigenous and rural communities in water planning. They are also working with water agencies to improve water planning approaches.</p>

Outcomes

The project will improve water planning effort at two levels:

Nationally by developing a tool-kit of good practices to engage industry, Indigenous and rural communities; by setting guidelines and benchmarks to monitor and evaluate collaboration in water planning; by establishing procedures that integrate Indigenous values into water planning.

Regionally by assisting water agencies to improve water planning approaches; by helping to minimise conflicts between parties; by providing models and case studies for good collaboration; by helping develop stronger long-term relationships between stakeholders.

Where is the research happening?

A retrospective analysis of water planning was done in Queensland gulf catchments and the Ord River in Western Australia. Collaborative planning tools will now be implemented and evaluated in two case study areas: the greater Darwin region and the Archer River catchment in Cape York, Queensland.

Who's involved

A small multi-disciplinary team is working on this project based at Griffith University and CSIRO. They have skills and experience in water law, native title, public participation, social surveys, ecological economics, natural resource management in northern Australia, and community education.

The team is working with local communities, industry groups, landholders, irrigators and government agencies in northern Australia.

For related work on water planning tools see www.waterplanning.org.au