Water Balance Dynamic Simulation Model-WBDSim for Water Policy options Analysis

Water is a key resource to sustain human life. Therefore, sustaining growth in the human population requires even more water to be available. Water sharing management is the major problem for water resources and irrigation management decision makers. The water Act 2007-Australia requires the newly formed Murray Darling Basin (MDB) Authority to develop an integrated plan which specifies amongst other things, long term sustainable diversion limits, water quality objectives, provision for critical human needs and environmental watering plans for all of the Basin’s rivers. A major challenge is to anticipate future water demands and supplies in a drying climate to accommodate the needs of Australia’s most rapidly growing area. The MDB system is very complex and interconnected, posing significant difficulties in managing irrigation economically and environmentally. In formulating the new basin plan the Murray Darling Basin Authority (MDBA) is required to ultilise the best available scientific and socio-economic knowledge. Given the relatively short time frames for plan development, there is therefore a requirement for rapid integration and synthesis of much of what is known about the basin, its environment, industries and communities. Therefore, it is imperative that innovative modelling approaches are employed to assist in better decision making by modelling the feedback loops inherent in the system and to analyse the impact of alternative lan