Wetlands hydro-climate tool

The wetlands hydro-climate information tool (hydro-climate tool) explains the representativeness of satellite imaged inundation used to develop the Wetland Mapping. The tool can interrogate and attribute the mean zonal rainfall, mean zonal runoff and stream flow conditions for each image date when data are available.

The information provided by this tool can be used to guide ecological assessments and aquatic connectivity studies, and to guide the selection of imagery, based on probabilities of exceedence with reference to already imaged inundation extents.

About the data and information

The wetlands hydro-climate tool provides users with regional indices of mean zonal rainfall and runoff, normalised gauged stream discharge and height and the probability for observation occurrence for specific dates and reference time scales. The wetland mapping may show the distribution of imaged inundation but it cannot identify the potential quantity of rainfall or stream flow (etc.) that caused the inundation or the representativeness of these observations (e.g. in terms of historical seasonal conditions or probability of occurrence). This hydro-climate tool enables the extraction of this information through the use of hydro-climate data series and reference systems.

This facility uses:

• SILO gridded mean zonal rainfall data from 1889 to 2006,
• AussieGRASS (LongPaddock) modelled mean zonal runoff data (as used for climate and rangeland production studies) from 1890 to 2006.
• State archived stream gauged (e.g. flow) data (variable records from 1900 to 2006).

This facility combines quality controlled data at four time scales over a yearly period: daily, weekly, 1 and 12 monthly within sub-regions.

Data (arithmetic averages) are stored at a daily scale and interpreted through non-parametric annualised reference series (also called mean zonal rainfall or flow duration or probability of exceedence curves) for each time scale. Exceedence curves are based on the driest 5%, wettest 95% and median (50%) conditions for each year. The median series include the 90% confidence intervals to depict its precision. The exceedence curves represent, as faithfully as the data will allow, different hydro-climate regimes, which can be used with linked reference data to derive indices and to identify transitions in conditions. The source data are zonal statistics obtained using complete annual records within 120 sub-bioregions (mean zonal rainfall and mean zonal runoff data) and up to 253 sub-basin drainage areas nested within sub-bioregions (stream yield and height).

Product support

Method

Users should read the method to understand the development of the data and its range of uses. Please accept the disclaimer before downloading the method.

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Frequently Asked Questions

Refer to the Frequently Asked Questions. For more information, put your request in an email.

User Guide

User guide to attribute and evaluate hydro-climatic conditions and variability using the WetlandInfo tools for hydrological characterisation for wetlands and wetland imagery.

Wetland Hydrological Characterisation information sheet

Wetland Hydrological Characterisation

Further information

UNESCO International Glossary of Hydrology

Water Monitoring Data Portal

Disclaimer

The climate and hydro-climate information provided here is provided to qualify potential surface water conditions. The effectiveness of the information depends upon previous seasonal conditions, within season and within zone variations, mean zonal rainfall intensity, temperatures, soil type and landscape condition and time of year.

WARNING: The information is limited to and extrapolated across the zonal extent of assessment. More-detailed information is required for assessments at a location or for a specific localised climatic or flood event. Extracted information should be treated as descriptive rather than predictive. Stream gauge data is distributed unevenly while mean zonal rainfall and mean zonal runoff are provided evenly across the state.

1. The source and derived data are fully copyright to the State of Queensland. Neither the Queensland Government nor the Department of Environment and Resource Management accepts liability for any decisions made or actions taken on the basis of this information. In particular, users are advised to refer to the current Acts and Regulations of the Queensland Parliament which the Agency administers and current Agency policies and practices.
2. This tool is not suitable for water resource planning and allocation.