Enhancing river flows v. environmental engineering as contrasting approaches to wetland conservation in the Murray–Darling Basin, Australia

Peiqin Ziang; Matthew J. Colloff; Jamie Pittock

doi:10.1071/MF25013

RESEARCH ARTICLE (Open Access)

Previous Next Contents Vol 76(9)

Enhancing river flows v. environmental engineering as contrasting approaches to wetland conservation in the Murray–Darling Basin, Australia

Peiqin Ziang ^A , Matthew J. Colloff

^A ^* and Jamie Pittock

^A

+ Author Affiliations

- Author Affiliations

^A Fenner School of Environment and Society, Australian National University, Canberra, ACT 2601, Australia.

^* Correspondence to: matthew.colloff@anu.edu.au

Handling Editor: Deniz Özkundakci

Marine and Freshwater Research 76, MF25013 https://doi.org/10.1071/MF25013

Submitted: 16 January 2025 Accepted: 29 April 2025 Published: 5 June 2025

© 2025 The Author(s) (or their employer(s)). Published by CSIRO Publishing. This is an open access article distributed under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License (CC BY-NC-ND)

Abstract

Context

In regulated river basins, wetland conservation has focussed on managed environmental flows to achieve outcomes. Two approaches have emerged, one based on ecological principles, the other on environmental engineering.

Aims

To compare these approaches, as applied in the southern Murray–Darling Basin, namely, the Constraints Management Strategy (CMS), based on reducing constraints on within-channel flows to enable flooding of wetlands, and the Victorian Murray Floodplain Restoration Project (VMFRP), based on infrastructure to divert water onto floodplains.

Methods

We used data from official reports to derive flood frequency, duration and extent and compare economic costs and water use.

Key results

At five wetlands along the Murray River, CMS and VMFRP achieved similar flood frequency and duration. CMS achieved similar or greater flood extent except at two of five sites and required no clearance of floodplain trees. CMS was almost 10 times cheaper to implement and with lower water price per hectare.

Conclusions

There was no clear economic or environmental advantage to implementing VMFRPs, given that CMS will be implemented under water reforms in the Murray–Darling Basin Plan.

Implications

We consider there is a strong case for the Victorian government to reconsider the need to implement the VMFRPs.

Keywords: climate change, environmental flows, flow extent and duration, flow frequency, regulated rivers, river operations, water reform policy, wetland vegetation.

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