Australian hydrological modelling initiative - Catchment Water Yield Estimation Tool (CWYET)
Project details
| Objective: |
To develop a common framework for estimating catchment water yield and daily runoff characteristics, and the impacts of various drivers such as climate change, afforestation/land use change and farm dams, on catchment water yield. |
| Funding: |
A total of $1.63 million plus applicable GST. An initial $980 000 plus applicable GST was committed from the Raising National Water Standards program for the eWater Cooperative Research Centre (CRC) to develop a catchment water yield estimation tool that can be applied across Australia. The Commission committed a further $650 000 to the project in January 2011. |
| Jurisdiction: |
National |
| Commenced: |
June 2008 |
| Completion: | April 2012 |
Progress
About the project
The project will develop a common framework for estimating catchment water yield and daily runoff characteristics, and the impacts of various drivers such as climate change, afforestation/land use change and farm dams, on catchment water yield.
Building on existing knowledge and modelling capabilities, the project will be developed so that new scientific knowledge, modelling methods and data types can be easily incorporated.
The project will be developed in collaboration with water management agencies and result in a common, robust and defensible tool for evaluating existing water resources and estimating the impacts of various drivers on water users throughout river basins.
Project Benefits
The project will:
- develop a common software framework for estimating catchment water yield and daily runoff characteristics that can be applied across Australia
- develop tools that will improve prediction of various drivers (e.g. climate change) on water resources and allocation and improve run-off forecasting
- be consistent with a suite of new models (groundwater and river hydrology) developed for Australian conditions by the eWater CRC.
The project will advance the National Water Initiative objectives by achieving more effective planning and management of consumptive use, environmentally sustainable extractions, and ecosystem requirements. Development of a common software framework for estimating catchment water yield and daily runoff characteristics that can be applied across Australia.