River Murray Act 2003

The following objectives will apply in connection with the operation of this Act:

the river health objectives; and

the environmental flow objectives; and

the water quality objectives; and

the human dimension objectives.

The river health objectives are as follows:

the key habitat features in the River Murray system are to be maintained, protected and restored in order to enhance ecological processes;

the environments constituted by the River Murray system, with particular reference to high-value floodplains and wetlands of national and international importance, are to be protected and restored;

the extinction of native species of animal and vegetation associated with the River Murray system is to be prevented;

barriers to the migration of native species of animal within the

River Murray system are to be avoided or overcome.

The environmental flow objectives are as follows:

ecologically significant elements of the natural flow regime of the

River Murray system are to be reinstated and maintained;

the Murray mouth should be kept open in order to maintain navigation and the passage of fish in the area, and to enhance the health of the River Murray system and estuarine conditions in the Coorong;

significant improvements are to be made in the connectivity between and within the environments constituted by the River Murray system.

The water quality objectives are as follows:

water quality within the River Murray system should be improved to a level that sustains the ecological processes, environmental values and productive capacity of the system;

the impact of salinity on the ecological processes and productive capacity of the River Murray system is to be minimised;

nutrient levels within the River Murray system are to be managed so as to prevent or reduce the occurrence of algal blooms, and to minimise other impacts from nutrients on the ecological processes, environmental values and productive capacity of the system;

the impact of potential pollutants, such as sediment and pesticides, on the environments constituted by the River Murray system is to be minimised.

The human dimension objectives are as follows:

a responsive and adaptable approach to the management of the River

Murray system is to be implemented taking into account ecological outcomes, community interests and new information that may become available from time to time;

the community's knowledge and understanding of the River Murray system is to be gathered, considered and disseminated in order to promote the health and proper management of the system;

the interests of the community are to be taken into account by recognising indigenous and other cultural, and historical, relationships with the River Murray and its surrounding areas, and by ensuring appropriate participation in processes associated with the management of the River Murray system;

the importance of a healthy river to the economic, social and cultural prosperity of communities along the length of the river, and the community more generally, is to be recognised.

The objectives will be collectively known as the

Objectives for a Healthy River Murray (or

ORMs).