The Murray Darling Basin Authority, a new body charged with saving Australia's biggest river system from expiring, has its work cut out.

ECONOMIST: To turn a drought into wine

More than four-fifths of the river water taken from the Murray-Darling basin is used for agriculture.

ECONOMIST: Australia's water war

In 2007, however, the Howard government passed an act that allowed it to muscle in on water management in the Murray-Darling basin, constitutionally a state responsibility.

ECONOMIST: So long as it doesn��t cost too much

In an effort to tackle the drought which was parching the rivers and their adjacent wetlands, it took control of the basin's water from the states and gave it to the newly established Murray-Darling Basin Authority.

ECONOMIST: Australia's water war

Similar scenes at 28 meetings have fired up rural Australia since the water-use plan was unveiled in early October by the authority responsible for managing the basin formed by two of Australia's longest rivers, the Murray and the Darling.

ECONOMIST: Australia's water war

The volume of water flowing into the Murray and its main tributary, the Darling, between January and March was the lowest in 117 years.

ECONOMIST: To turn a drought into wine

Its colour comes not from pollution but from mud and sunlight as the Darling slowly wends its way between narrow, steep banks to meet the Murray River and then the ocean 2, 400km south.

ECONOMIST: A land of drought