Forecasting Systems

We have an opportunity to vastly improve the way we manage threats to our water resources (including threats to the aquatic environment, water-dependent industries, associated infrastructure and public safety).

A forecasting system for WRON should include:

• Water resources planning models
• River operations models
• Flood prediction models
• High-performance computing

Water resource managers grapple with short, medium and long-term forecasts. WRON will help to:

• anticipate changes in water quality and availability, in response to climate change or variability, changing landuse or land management practices, and the behaviour of water users. (Long-term: Forecasts need to be issued years and even decades ahead).
• optimise the allocation of water to users and to the environment. (Medium-term: Forecasts need to be issued days or months ahead).
• control flooding, with decisions informed by simulations that follow the progression of floods generated in catchments and then conveyed downriver. (Short-term or ‘here and now’: Issued in real-time plus forecasts hours/days ahead).

These forecasts must be informed by all kinds of climate data (historical and real-time) combined with forecasts issued by the Bureau of Meteorology. The system will be based on the TIME/.Net modelling framework and Catchment Modelling Toolkit (supported by the eWater CRC and already adopted by several jurisdictions).

Naturally, WRON will tap into the Bureau’s resources and expertise.