The National Water Commission’s CEO James Cameron, (no, not THAT James Cameron), has called for the improvement and systematic monitoring of water plans to ensure that methods used are effective in meeting their environmental objectives.

 

Releasing two key reports identifying priorities and resources for improving environmental water performance, Mr Cameron said there is room for significant improvement of water management.

 

“Getting the appropriate monitoring arrangements in place, focussing on clearly articulated planned ecosystem outcomes, is critical to determining the extent to which water plans are delivering real benefits to the environment and to build community confidence in how well we are using our environmental water,” Mr Cameron said.

 

“The improved knowledge and lessons learned as a consequence of monitoring are also fundamental to the effective review of plans and consequent adaptive management.”

 

Mr Cameron called for a broader, national perspective in considering how to best manage water resources, saying more must be done in identifying a broader natural resource management policy framework.

 

This will ensure that our management of environmental water fully integrates environmental objectives with social, economic and Indigenous water objectives.

 

‘The Commission hopes that this report on the progress of Australia’s states and territories in managing their environmental water will encourage a national discussion amongst our jurisdictions and promote better practice’, he said.

 

The Australian environmental water management report 2012 can be found here