Academic literature on the topic 'Streamflow South Australia Willunga Basin'

Abstract. The Hydrologic Reference Stations is a network of 467 high-quality streamflow gauging stations across Australia that is developed and maintained by the Bureau of Meteorology as part of an ongoing responsibility under the Water Act 2007. The main objectives of the service are to observe and detect climate-driven changes in observed streamflow and to provide a quality-controlled dataset for research. We investigate trends and step changes in streamflow across Australia in data from all 467 streamflow gauging stations. Data from 30 to 69 years in duration ending in February 2019 were examined. We analysed data in terms of water-year totals and for the four seasons. The commencement of the water year varies across the country – mainly from February–March in the south to September–October in the north. We summarized our findings for each of the 12 drainage divisions defined by Australian Hydrological Geospatial Fabric (Geofabric) and for continental Australia as a whole. We used statistical tests to detect and analyse linear and step changes in seasonal and annual streamflow. Monotonic trends were detected using modified Mann–Kendall (MK) tests, including a variance correction approach (MK3), a block bootstrap approach (MK3bs) and a long-term persistence approach (MK4). A nonparametric Pettitt test was used for step-change detection and identification. The regional significance of these changes at the drainage division scale was analysed and synthesized using a Walker test. The Murray–Darling Basin, home to Australia's largest river system, showed statistically significant decreasing trends for the region with respect to the annual total and all four seasons. Drainage divisions in New South Wales, Victoria and Tasmania showed significant annual and seasonal decreasing trends. Similar results were found in south-western Western Australia, South Australia and north-eastern Queensland. There was no significant spatial pattern observed in central nor mid-west Western Australia, with one possible explanation for this being the sparse density of streamflow stations and/or the length of the datasets available. Only the Tanami–Timor Sea Coast drainage division in northern Australia showed increasing trends and step changes in annual and seasonal streamflow that were regionally significant. Most of the step changes occurred during 1970–1999. In the south-eastern part of Australia, the majority of the step changes occurred in the 1990s, before the onset of the “Millennium Drought”. Long-term monotonic trends in observed streamflow and its regional significance are consistent with observed changes in climate experienced across Australia. The findings of this study will assist water managers with long-term infrastructure planning and management of water resources under climate variability and change across Australia.

Abstract. Streamflow variability and trends in Australia were investigated for 222 high-quality stream gauging stations having 30 years or more continuous unregulated streamflow records. Trend analysis identified seasonal, inter-annual and decadal variability, long-term monotonic trends and step changes in streamflow. Trends were determined for annual total flow, baseflow, seasonal flows, daily maximum flow and three quantiles of daily flow. A distinct pattern of spatial and temporal variation in streamflow was evident across different hydroclimatic regions in Australia. Most of the stations in southeastern Australia spread across New South Wales and Victoria showed a significant decreasing trend in annual streamflow, while increasing trends were retained within the northern part of the continent. No strong evidence of significant trend was observed for stations in the central region of Australia and northern Queensland. The findings from step change analysis demonstrated evidence of changes in hydrologic responses consistent with observed changes in climate over the past decades. For example, in the Murray–Darling Basin, 51 out of 75 stations were identified with step changes of significant reduction in annual streamflow during the middle to late 1990s, when relatively dry years were recorded across the area. Overall, the hydrologic reference stations (HRSs) serve as critically important gauges for streamflow monitoring and changes in long-term water availability inferred from observed datasets. A wealth of freely downloadable hydrologic data is provided at the HRS web portal including annual, seasonal, monthly and daily streamflow data, as well as trend analysis products and relevant site information.

Abstract. Streamflow dynamics for non-perennial networks remain poorly understood. The highly nonlinear unsaturated dynamics associated with the transitions between wetting and drying in non-perennial systems make modelling cumbersome. This has stifled previous modelling attempts and alludes to why there is still a knowledge gap. In this study, we first construct a conceptual model of the physical processes of streamflow generation in an intermittent river system in South Australia, based on the hypothesis that the vertical and longitudinal soil heterogeneity and topography in a basin control short term (fast flows), seasonal (slow flow), and a mixture of these two. We then construct and parameterise a fully integrated surface–subsurface hydrologic model to examine patterns and mechanisms of streamflow generation within the catchment. A set of scenarios are explored to understand the influences of topography and soil heterogeneity across the catchment. The results showed that distinct flow generation mechanisms develop in the three conceptualised areas with marked soil and topographic characteristics and suggested that capturing the order of magnitude for the average hydraulic conductivity of each soil type across the catchment was more important than pinpointing exact soil hydraulic properties. This study augments our understanding of catchment-scale streamflow generation processes, while also providing insight on the challenges of implementing physically based integrated surface–subsurface hydrological models in non-perennial stream catchments.

Addendum on back page. Includes bibliography. Groundwater levels within the Willunga Basin, South Australia, are declining due to excessive extraction of water for irrigation purposes. An alternative source of water is needed to supplement the declining levels to ensure the sustainability of the groundwater system. A model was developed to evaluate the potential for using aquifer storage and recovery in conjunction with the surface storage of streamflow as a possible alternative water source. The application of this model to the largest catchment in the Willinga basin shows that sufficient streamflow is available to reverse the current overexploitation of the groundwater system.

Thesis (B. Sc.(Hons.))--University of Adelaide, Dept. of Geology and Geophysics, 1994.
National grid reference : Barker Street 1 54-13 (1:250 000). Includes bibliographical references (leaves 24-27).

Bibliography: 80-82. Electronic publication; full text available in PDF format; abstract in HTML format. The process of calibrating a numerical model is examined in this thesis with an application to the flow of groundwater in the Willunga Basin in South Australia. The calibration process involves estimating unknown parameters of the numerical model so that the output obtained from the model is comparable with data that is observed in the field. Three methods for calibrating numerical models are discussed, these being the steepest descent method, the nonlinear least squares method, and a new method called the response function method. Electronic reproduction.[Australia] :Australian Digital Theses Program,2001.