slow violence is experienced not only through the damage of the rivers, but through the damage of communities as well
Rob Nixon, Slow Violence and the Environmentalism of the Poor (Cambridge, MA: Harvard University Press, 2011); Nick Estes, Our History Is the Future (London: Verso, 2019).
unequal treatment of communities
Rob Nixon, Slow Violence and the Environmentalism of the Poor (Cambridge, MA: Harvard University Press, 2011).
groups compete for access to a limited resource
Daniel Connell and R. Quentin Grafton, “Water Reform in the Murray–Darling Basin,” Water Resources Research 47, no. 12 (2011): W00G03, https://doi.org/10.1029/2010WR009820 .
physical deprivation, but also of dispossession
Nick Estes, Our History Is the Future (London: Verso, 2019).
Indigenous communities are marginalized within water governance systems
Murray–Darling Basin Authority, “First Nations Cultural Flows,” Murray–Darling Basin Authority (accessed May 8, 2026).
the struggle over water is a double-edged sword
Nick Estes, Our History Is the Future (London: Verso, 2019).
water is deeply connected to land and the sovereignty of said land
Nick Estes, Our History Is the Future (London: Verso, 2019).
limited access for specific populations
Australian National University Institute for Climate, Energy & Disaster Solutions, “$13 Billion, 30-Year Flop: Landmark Study Reveals Stark Failure to Halt Murray–Darling Basin Decline,” Australian National University (accessed May 8, 2026).
water insecurity can result in unsafe drinking water
Australian National University Institute for Climate, Energy & Disaster Solutions, “$13 Billion, 30-Year Flop: Landmark Study Reveals Stark Failure to Halt Murray–Darling Basin Decline,” Australian National University (accessed May 8, 2026).
policy implementation and uneven enforcement
Daniel Connell and R. Quentin Grafton, “Water Reform in the Murray–Darling Basin,” Water Resources Research 47, no. 12 (2011): W00G03, https://doi.org/10.1029/2010WR009820 .
manage ecological harm bureaucratically
Rob Nixon, Slow Violence and the Environmentalism of the Poor (Cambridge, MA: Harvard University Press, 2011).
ordinary systems of governance and regulation
Rob Nixon, Slow Violence and the Environmentalism of the Poor (Cambridge, MA: Harvard University Press, 2011).
systems that continue to permit ongoing damage
Daniel Connell and R. Quentin Grafton, “Water Reform in the Murray–Darling Basin,” Water Resources Research 47, no. 12 (2011): W00G03, https://doi.org/10.1029/2010WR009820 .
extraction levels have a direct effect on ecological outcomes
Murray–Darling Basin Authority, “Water Quality Threats,” Murray–Darling Basin Authority (accessed May 8, 2026).
water management systems play a role in the deterioration of river health
Murray–Darling Basin Authority, “Water Quality Threats,” Murray–Darling Basin Authority (accessed May 8, 2026).
communities suffer slowly and are destabilized over time
Rob Nixon, Slow Violence and the Environmentalism of the Poor (Cambridge, MA: Harvard University Press, 2011).
hardships are accumulated over time
Rob Nixon, Slow Violence and the Environmentalism of the Poor (Cambridge, MA: Harvard University Press, 2011).
uneven distribution of water scarcity
Rob Nixon, Slow Violence and the Environmentalism of the Poor (Cambridge, MA: Harvard University Press, 2011).
reduction of agricultural productivity
Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation, “Murray–Darling Basin Sustainable Yields Project,” CSIRO (accessed May 8, 2026).
declining river conditions
Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation, “Murray–Darling Basin Sustainable Yields Project,” CSIRO (accessed May 8, 2026).
gradual erosion of livelihoods and social stability
Rob Nixon, Slow Violence and the Environmentalism of the Poor (Cambridge, MA: Harvard University Press, 2011).
slow violence
Rob Nixon, Slow Violence and the Environmentalism of the Poor (Cambridge, MA: Harvard University Press, 2011).
water extraction in the Murray-Darling Basin
Daniel Connell and R. Quentin Grafton, “Water Reform in the Murray–Darling Basin,” Water Resources Research 47, no. 12 (2011): W00G03, https://doi.org/10.1029/2010WR009820 .
large-scale extraction persists
L. Holland et al., “Threats to Food Production and Water Quality in the Murray–Darling Basin,” Ecosystem Services 12 (2015), https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ecoser.2015.02.008 .
continued over-extraction due to weak enforcement
UNSW Newsroom, “Excessive Water Extraction—Not Climate Change—Most to Blame for Decline of Darling River Flows,” October 26, 2022, UNSW Newsroom .
Allocation systems are intended to promote efficiency and sustainability
Daniel Connell and R. Quentin Grafton, “Water Reform in the Murray–Darling Basin,” Water Resources Research 47, no. 12 (2011): W00G03, https://doi.org/10.1029/2010WR009820 .
government policies that determine under what conditions extraction is permitted
Daniel Connell and R. Quentin Grafton, “Water Reform in the Murray–Darling Basin,” Water Resources Research 47, no. 12 (2011): W00G03, https://doi.org/10.1029/2010WR009820 .
long-term intensive water use
L. Holland et al., “Threats to Food Production and Water Quality in the Murray–Darling Basin,” Ecosystem Services 12 (2015), https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ecoser.2015.02.008 .
highly organized system
Daniel Connell and R. Quentin Grafton, “Water Reform in the Murray–Darling Basin,” Water Resources Research 47, no. 12 (2011): W00G03, https://doi.org/10.1029/2010WR009820 .
transport and control large volumes of water
Mike Bowers, “Water Pumps to a Cotton Farm in the Murray-Darling Basin,” photograph, in Anne Davies, “Barwon-Darling River Ecosystem on Path to Collapse, Review Warns,” The Guardian, July 23, 2019, The Guardian .
industrial capacity for water extraction
Mike Bowers, “Water Pumps to a Cotton Farm in the Murray-Darling Basin,” photograph, in Anne Davies, “Barwon-Darling River Ecosystem on Path to Collapse, Review Warns,” The Guardian, July 23, 2019, The Guardian .
practical outcomes showed to be uneven
Daniel Connell and R. Quentin Grafton, “Water Reform in the Murray–Darling Basin,” Water Resources Research 47, no. 12 (2011): W00G03, https://doi.org/10.1029/2010WR009820 .
sustainable water diversion limits
Murray–Darling Basin Authority, “Water Act,” Murray–Darling Basin Authority (accessed May 8, 2026).
system-wide framework for coordinating water management
Murray–Darling Basin Authority, “Water Act,” Murray–Darling Basin Authority (accessed May 8, 2026).
established the Murray-Darling Basin Authority
Murray–Darling Basin Authority, “Water Act,” Murray–Darling Basin Authority (accessed May 8, 2026).
Water Act of 2007
Murray–Darling Basin Authority, “Water Act,” Murray–Darling Basin Authority (accessed May 8, 2026).
limit the effectiveness of policies
Daniel Connell and R. Quentin Grafton, “Water Reform in the Murray–Darling Basin,” Water Resources Research 47, no. 12 (2011): W00G03, https://doi.org/10.1029/2010WR009820 .
water governance in the Murray-Darling Basin is hindered by competing interests
Daniel Connell and R. Quentin Grafton, “Water Reform in the Murray–Darling Basin,” Water Resources Research 47, no. 12 (2011): W00G03, https://doi.org/10.1029/2010WR009820 .
coordination between a multitude of regulatory systems
Daniel Connell and R. Quentin Grafton, “Water Reform in the Murray–Darling Basin,” Water Resources Research 47, no. 12 (2011): W00G03, https://doi.org/10.1029/2010WR009820 .
New South Wales, Victoria, Queensland, and South Australia
Murray–Darling Basin Authority, “River Murray Operations,” Murray–Darling Basin Authority (accessed May 8, 2026).
operate across state lines
Murray–Darling Basin Authority, “River Murray Operations,” Murray–Darling Basin Authority (accessed May 8, 2026).
coordinate policies despite having different priorities and conditions
Daniel Connell and R. Quentin Grafton, “Water Reform in the Murray–Darling Basin,” Water Resources Research 47, no. 12 (2011): W00G03, https://doi.org/10.1029/2010WR009820 .
vast geographic extent across southeastern Australia
Murray–Darling Basin Authority, “River Murray Operations,” Murray–Darling Basin Authority (accessed May 8, 2026).
how water is accessed and distributed
Daniel Connell and R. Quentin Grafton, “Water Reform in the Murray–Darling Basin,” Water Resources Research 47, no. 12 (2011): W00G03, https://doi.org/10.1029/2010WR009820 .
environmental degradation in the Murray-Darling Basin
Daniel Connell and R. Quentin Grafton, “Water Reform in the Murray–Darling Basin,” Water Resources Research 47, no. 12 (2011): W00G03, https://doi.org/10.1029/2010WR009820 .
reduction of river flows and the stress of ecosystems
L. Holland et al., “Threats to Food Production and Water Quality in the Murray–Darling Basin,” Ecosystem Services 12 (2015), https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ecoser.2015.02.008 .
high levels of extraction
UNSW Newsroom, “Excessive Water Extraction—Not Climate Change—Most to Blame for Decline of Darling River Flows,” October 26, 2022, UNSW Newsroom.
sustained use of water resources
“Big Irrigators Take 86% of Water from Barwon-Darling, Report Finds,” The Guardian, August 21, 2019, The Guardian .
rainfall records demonstrate the variability is a consistent feature of the region’s climate
Bureau of Meteorology, “Australian Climate Variability & Change: Time Series Graphs—Rainfall Trends in the Murray–Darling Basin,” graph, Bureau of Meteorology (accessed May 8, 2026).
water extraction exceeds sustainable limits
L. Holland et al., “Threats to Food Production and Water Quality in the Murray–Darling Basin,” Ecosystem Services 12 (2015), https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ecoser.2015.02.008 .
extraction practices are a central driver
L. Holland et al., “Threats to Food Production and Water Quality in the Murray–Darling Basin,” Ecosystem Services 12 (2015), https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ecoser.2015.02.008 .
long-term decline
UNSW Newsroom, “Excessive Water Extraction—Not Climate Change—Most to Blame for Decline of Darling River Flows,” October 26, 2022, UNSW Newsroom .
ongoing ecological consequences including increased vulnerability of river systems during drought conditions
UNSW Newsroom, “Excessive Water Extraction—Not Climate Change—Most to Blame for Decline of Darling River Flows,” October 26, 2022, UNSW Newsroom .
reduces the resilience of river systems
L. Holland et al., “Threats to Food Production and Water Quality in the Murray–Darling Basin,” Ecosystem Services 12 (2015), https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ecoser.2015.02.008 .
unsustainable water use
L. Holland et al., “Threats to Food Production and Water Quality in the Murray–Darling Basin,” Ecosystem Services 12 (2015), https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ecoser.2015.02.008 .
central driver of environmental degradation in the basin
L. Holland et al., “Threats to Food Production and Water Quality in the Murray–Darling Basin,” Ecosystem Services 12 (2015), https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ecoser.2015.02.008 .
intensity of irrigation practices
Daniel Connell and R. Quentin Grafton, “Water Reform in the Murray–Darling Basin,” Water Resources Research 47, no. 12 (2011): W00G03, https://doi.org/10.1029/2010WR009820 .
major irrigators as a substantial majority
“Big Irrigators Take 86% of Water from Barwon-Darling, Report Finds,” The Guardian, August 21, 2019, The Guardian .
Large-scale agricultural operations dominate water consumption
“Big Irrigators Take 86% of Water from Barwon-Darling, Report Finds,” The Guardian, August 21, 2019, The Guardian .
declining river flows and scarcity of water
Daniel Connell and R. Quentin Grafton, “Water Reform in the Murray–Darling Basin,” Water Resources Research 47, no. 12 (2011): W00G03, https://doi.org/10.1029/2010WR009820 .
the 2018 and 2019 years
Bureau of Meteorology, “Australian Climate Variability & Change: Time Series Graphs—Rainfall Trends in the Murray–Darling Basin,” graph, Bureau of Meteorology (accessed May 8, 2026).
continuous variability
Bureau of Meteorology, “Australian Climate Variability & Change: Time Series Graphs—Rainfall Trends in the Murray–Darling Basin,” graph, Bureau of Meteorology (accessed May 8, 2026).
Long-term climate data
Bureau of Meteorology, “Australian Climate Variability & Change: Time Series Graphs—Rainfall Trends in the Murray–Darling Basin,” graph, Bureau of Meteorology (accessed May 8, 2026).
climate variability and intensive water extraction
Daniel Connell and R. Quentin Grafton, “Water Reform in the Murray–Darling Basin,” Water Resources Research 47, no. 12 (2011): W00G03, https://doi.org/10.1029/2010WR009820 .
scientific and ecological research demonstrates that they are not capable of fully accounting for the severity
L. Holland et al., “Threats to Food Production and Water Quality in the Murray–Darling Basin,” Ecosystem Services 12 (2015), https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ecoser.2015.02.008 .
long-term fluctuations in rainfall conditions
Bureau of Meteorology, “Australian Climate Variability & Change: Time Series Graphs—Rainfall Trends in the Murray–Darling Basin,” graph, Bureau of Meteorology (accessed May 8, 2026).
natural variability in climate
Bureau of Meteorology, “Australian Climate Variability & Change: Time Series Graphs—Rainfall Trends in the Murray–Darling Basin,” graph, Bureau of Meteorology (accessed May 8, 2026).
government systems play in shaping the utilization of water in this region
Daniel Connell and R. Quentin Grafton, “Water Reform in the Murray–Darling Basin,” Water Resources Research 47, no. 12 (2011): W00G03, https://doi.org/10.1029/2010WR009820 .
climate variability
Bureau of Meteorology, “Rainfall Trends in the Murray–Darling Basin.”
by water scarcity and environmental decline
Daniel Connell and R. Quentin Grafton, “Water Reform in the Murray–Darling Basin,” Water Resources Research 47, no. 12 (2011): W00G03, https://doi.org/10.1029/2010WR009820 .
unevenly distributed across populations
Nick Estes, Our History Is the Future (London: Verso, 2019).
settler colonialism and the dispossession of Indigenous communities
Nick Estes, Our History Is the Future (London: Verso, 2019).
slow violence
Rob Nixon, Slow Violence and the Environmentalism of the Poor (Cambridge, MA: Harvard University Press, 2011).
identifying it to be low levels of oxygen in the water, these being beyond the ability to support respiration of the fish
Australian Academy of Science, Investigation of the Causes of Mass Fish Kills in the Menindee Region NSW over the Summer of 2018–2019 (Canberra: Australian Academy of Science, 2019).
hundreds of thousands of additional fish turned up dead by early January, and just weeks later, millions
Australian Academy of Science, Investigation of the Causes of Mass Fish Kills in the Menindee Region NSW over the Summer of 2018–2019 (Canberra: Australian Academy of Science, 2019).
period of intense drought, when rainfall and reduced flow throughout the river system left sections of these rivers stagnant or moving noticeably less than usual
Bureau of Meteorology, “Australian Climate Variability & Change: Time Series Graphs,” accessed April 14, 2026, https://www.bom.gov.au/cgi-bin/climate/change/timeseries.cgi.
influenced by patterns of water extraction and basin management
Daniel Connell and R. Quentin Grafton, “Water Reform in the Murray–Darling Basin,” Water Resources Research 47, no. 12 (2011): W00G03, https://doi.org/10.1029/2010WR009820.
On December 15th, 2018, tens of thousands of fish were found dead along a 30 kilometer stretch of the river near Menindee, New South Wales
Australian Academy of Science, Investigation of the Causes of Mass Fish Kills in the Menindee Region NSW over the Summer of 2018–2019 (Canberra: Australian Academy of Science, 2019).