BAMOS Vol 31 Special Issue October 2018 Bulletin Vol 31 Special Issue 01 2018 | Page 26

26
BAMOS
Special Issue
The state of water resources—today
and into next year
Robert Argent
Bureau of Meteorology
Water security is a key challenge in the future, particularly
with increasingly variable climate and growing demand from
our population for both water and the important services that
water provides to us and to the environment. Our water security
encompasses multiple time horizons, from years to decades
for some groundwater resources, months to years for dams
and lakes, and days to weeks for many riverine situations. The
Bureau of Meteorology is Australia’s national water information
agency, charged with gathering, holding, maintaining and
reporting on our water - past, present, and future. The Bureau’s
water assessment and accounting services tell the story of
our past water resources—how much we had, where it was
and how we used it. Dynamic services covering climate,
groundwater, river, landscape and water storage data and
information, allow customers to get a snapshot of today’s water
resources. Finally, our national flow forecasting services cover
future likely conditions from days out to three months, and
potentially beyond. Through a combination of these services we
are able to offer all Australians insight into our water resources
and ensure that we are better prepared for our future droughts
and flooding rains.
How we use hydroclimate information
to plan and manage Victoria’s water
resources
Grace Mitchell
Department of Environment, Land, Water and Planning
Victoria has a long history in investing
in climate science to provide insight
into how our variable and changing
climate impacts on our precious water
resources. This presentation illustrated
how ‘Water for Victoria’, the state’s strategic
water management plan, is used by the
Department of Environment, Land, Water
and Planning and urban and rural water
authorities in strategic decision making
across the state.