Water futures

Water futures aims to bring together community, industry and researchers to support action on water security and adaptation in four sites across the Murray–Darling Basin.

Water futures aims to support ‘bottom up’ adaptation initiatives designed in local communities, by local communities. The unique aspect of this project is that those involved decide together on the problem to be solved and work together to find the solution. The scope is purposefully broad to ensure that community needs are front and center. This project will contribute to local knowledge to adapt to the changing conditions and needs for communities within the Murray–Darling Basin.

About this project

This project brings together community, industry and researchers to identify the enabling factors that support community action on water security and adaption through co-design, piloting, documenting and evaluating interventions in four sites on the Murray–Darling Basin. Prospective study sites will be shortlisted through co-design with project partners but at minimum will include a site in each state jurisdiction across the basin. Once a shortlist has been developed, the project will commence with community visits to consult – formally and informally – as broadly as possible. Local government and regional NGOs will be key consultation partners in the discovery stage.

Building on existing relationships and knowledge, the action research methodology ensures new learning will be immediately available to communities to refine and improve initiatives continuously over the project life. Anticipated impact includes building adaption knowledge and capacity through local action in communities in ways that can be adopted and implemented by local people immediately as well as over time.

Action research involves a number of cycles, broadly including: discovery, establishment, development phase; action phase; and reflection phase. Co-design informs the establishment and development phase to tailor activities to the local context. A co-design approach will also be used in the identification of localised evaluation and monitoring measures as well as the translation and dissemination of lessons.

Outcomes

This project will develop:

• Detailed case studies documenting planning and action in four communities across the basin (linked to research hubs) focused on water futures.
• Four local initiatives on the ground in communities will provide practical demonstrations of how to support changes in water use and planning which engage a diversity of local community members and stakeholders. Each of these initiatives will co-design short and longer term outcome measures.
• Skill and capacity building amongst local community groups and organisations with regard to local water management, use and planning, community decision-making and partnerships and socially inclusive governance regarding water futures.
• Collaborative networks established or strengthened between local government, MDBA, industry, farming, First Nations and other key stakeholders at a local and Basin level
• Practical demonstration of local social processes and infrastructure in action which can be adapted to other sites
• Detailed practical knowledge base developed and available for effective support of local social infrastructure for water futures.