Choosing boundaries for interventions: a study of environmental water management in the Murray-Darling Basin, Australia

This research examines the contemporary topic of the management of environmental water in the Murray-Darling Basin in Australia. Drawing upon case studies in the Lachlan and Loddon catchments, it is concluded that targets for environmental watering are based on narrow boundaries of river health, resulting in the exclusion of many interests and influences; and that uncertainties about the dynamics of river ecosystems are institutionally acknowledged yet ignored when it comes to setting targets. In addition to providing a critical review of current policy and practice, this study also advances methodology for conducting boundary critique in complex institutional settings.