Progress on Murray-Darling Basin water recovery

Significant progress has been made towards the Murray–Darling Basin Plan water recovery targets.

Progress towards the ‘Bridging the Gap’ target

The original ‘Bridging the Gap’ water recovery target for surface water was 2,750 GL/y. Following two amendments to the Basin Plan in 2018 this target was changed to 2,075 GL/y subject to the implementation of a range of measures to achieve the environmental outcomes with less water.

Breaking down the target

To achieve the ‘Bridging the Gap’ target it is broken down into a number of smaller targets for different local areas. For example, the Lower Darling area has different targets to the Victorian Murray or the South Australian Murray areas. These different areas are called Sustainable Diversion Limit (SDL) resource units and there are 29 for surface water and 80 for groundwater across the Murray–Darling Basin.

Each SDL resource unit has both a local target and a shared target.

• Local targets are for water recovered in the specific SDL resource units.
• Shared targets are for water recovered to be contributed towards a shared target within a zone. For example, the Southern Basin NSW Zone consists of the Lower Darling, Murrumbidgee and NSW Murray resource units. It has a shared target of 458 GL/y.

All local and shared targets in the different units and zones contribute towards the overall ‘Bridging the Gap’ target of 2,075 GL/y.

'Bridging the Gap' surface water recovery

This table shows a summary of the surface water recovered towards the ‘Bridging the Gap’ target in the Murray–Darling Basin as at 30 June 2026.

Allow for minor differences due to rounding. These are indicative figures based on current calculation methods – see Water recovery accounting for details.

Remaining recovery and excess recovery

There remains a need to recover 8.6 GL/y. Previously reported numbers had indicated that while some SDL resource units had recovered water above their targets, other units were yet to achieve their target in full.

All units and zones need to achieve their targets in full to complete the overall ‘Bridging the Gap’ target.

Over-recoveries are water entitlements recovered that exceed the bridging the gap water recovery target for individual Murray–Darling Basin catchments.

These occur when the final water recovery investment provides an entitlement volume that exceeds the catchment target. Investment can be through a program or purchase.

Final volumes will not be known until all Water Resource plans are accredited and relevant water models have been verified.

Over-recoveries are managed by the Commonwealth Environmental Water Holder (CEWH) and state environmental water holders. They are contributing to Basin Plan environmental outcomes.

The Restoring Our Rivers: Framework for delivering 450 GL of additional environmental water sets out that over-recoveries will be counted towards the 450 GL/y target. This will reduce the volume of water recovery required to the 450 GL/y by other means.

Read more about over-recoveries.

'Bridging the Gap' groundwater recovery

Under ‘Bridging the Gap’ there is also a target for groundwater recovery in two SDL resource units. The following table shows progress towards this target as at 30 June 2026.

Allow for minor differences due to rounding. These are indicative figures based on current calculation methods – see Water recovery accounting for details.

Progress towards the 450 GL/y for enhanced environmental outcomes

Under the Water Amendment (Restoring Our Rivers) Act 2023 the Australian Government released the Restoring Our Rivers: Framework for delivering 450 GL of additional environmental water which outlines 3 new programs to achieve the 450 GL/y.

The following table shows progress towards this target as at 30 June 2026.

Allow for minor differences due to rounding. These are indicative figures based on current calculation methods – see Water recovery accounting for details.

For details on the Resilient Rivers Water Infrastructure Program and the currently approved projects from the former Off-farm Efficiency Program, see Resilient Rivers Water Infrastructure Program or Off-farm Efficiency Program.

Publications

We publish quarterly updates to provide details on water recovery progress in each SDL resource unit.

Current recovery as at 30 June 2026

Surface water recovery including the Sustainable Diversion Limit Adjustment Mechanism

The following publications provide details on the progress of water recovery in relation to ‘Bridging the Gap’, including the Sustainable Diversion Limits Adjustment Mechanism (SDLAM).

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Progress of water recovery towards Groundwater SDLs

The following publications provide details on the progress of water recovery in relation to Groundwater Sustainable Diversion Limits (SDLs).

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Registered surface water recovery under the Basin Plan

The following publications are provided to show the water recovery registered to the Commonwealth Environmental Water Holder.

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Read more

For further information on water recovery:

• Water recovery in the Murray–Darling Basin
• How we recover water in the Murray–Darling Basin
• Water recovery accounting