Exploring the role and decision-making behaviour of irrigation water supply authorities in Australia

Water supply authorities (WSAs) can influence the behaviour of water users and are influential actors in water governance. Despite this, their decision-making processes and the details of their interactions with other water users are seldom explored empirically in water management research. We undertook an exploratory qualitative study using semi-structured interviews and purposive sampling with WSA officials across different institutions in south-eastern Australia. Thematic analysis revealed different water allocation decision-making phases and key factors influencing each phase. The findings highlight that the decisions made by WSAs are not only based on predefined rules, but are affected by many factors.