Australian Water Information Dictionary

Acronyms

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Australian Capital Territory

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annual exceedance probability

The probability that a given rainfall total accumulated over a given duration will be exceeded in any one year.

Australian Height Datum

The datum that sets mean sea level as zero elevation. Mean sea level was determined from observations recorded by 30 tide gauges around the coast of the Australian continent for the period 1966 – 68. See Geoscience Australia for further information.

Australian Hydrological Geospatial Fabric (Geofabric)

Source: Geofabric Product Guide V2.0

Related: Geofabric

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Australian Integrated Forecast System

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Adopted Middle Thread Distance

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Australian National Committee on Large Dams

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Australian National University

Related: ANUDEM

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Australia New Zealand Land Information Council

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average recurrence interval

The average or expected value of the periods between exceedances of a given rainfall total accumulated over a given duration. It is implicit in this definition that the periods between exceedances are generally random.

Australian rainfall and runoff

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Australian Soil Resource Information System

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Auditing and Assurance Standards Board

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Australian Water Resources Assessment

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A part of the AWRA Modelling System developed by CSIRO under the WIRADA alliance with the Bureau of Meteorology that represents landscape water balance.

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Australian Water Resources Council

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Australian Water Resources Information System

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Bayesian joint probability

A modelling system that uses statistical methods to produce predictions of seasonal streamflows. BJP was developed by the Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation (CSIRO). See the Seasonal Streamflow Forecast Research papers section for more information.

Alt text

computerised design IFD rainfall system

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continuous ranked probability score

A skill score calculated in the original measurement space. Both the forecast and the observation are converted to cumulative density functions. In the case of the observation, this is a step function. The area between the two functions is the single CRPS value, which is averaged across all forecasts. Alt text

Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation

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GEODATA 9 Second Flow Direction Grid derived from DEM-9S. A grid describing the principal directions of surface drainage across the whole of Australia.

Source: Geoscience Australia

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Digital Elevation Model

Related: Geofabric

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GEODATA 9 Second Digital Elevation Model. A grid of ground level elevation points covering the whole of Australia with a grid spacing of 9 seconds in longitude and latitude (approximately 250 metres) in the GDA94 coordinate system.

Related:

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Data Product Specification based on ISO 19139

Related: ISO

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electrical conductivity

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Exposure Draft of Australian Water Accounting Standard 1

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eco-hydrogeological zone

Related: eco-hydrogeological zone

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El Niño Southern Oscillation

The oscillation between the El Niño climate phase and the La Niña climate phase, or opposite phase, usually over several years. See the Weather and Climate page on ENSO for more information.

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evapotranspiration

The sum of evaporation and plant transpiration from the earth’s land surface to the atmosphere.

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Environmental Water Provisions

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ecological water requirement

Related: ecological water requirement

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Full Supply Level

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Geoscience Australia

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Great Artesian Basin

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groundwater dependent ecosystem

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groundwater flow system

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Geographic Information System

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gigalitre

1,000 megalitres, which also is 1,000,000,000 litres.

Related: gigalitre (GL)

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groundwater management unit

An area delineated for the management of groundwater based on similar resource characteristics (for example rock type and water table depth) and management rules that may be applied.

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General Purpose Water Accounting Report

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generalised southeast Australia method

Appropriate for estimating probable maximum precipitation in regions of Australia where tropical storms are not the source of the greatest rainfall depths and where topographic influences vary markedly.

generalised short-duration method

Appropriate for estimating probable maximum precipitation for durations up to six hours and for an area of less than 1000 square kilometres.

groundwater treatment plant

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revised generalised tropical storm method

Appropriate for estimating probable maximum precipitation in regions of Australia affected by tropical storms.

Interim Aquifer Framework

Source: Geofabric Product Guide V2.0

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International Accounting Standards Board

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inflow dependence

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Inflow Dependent Ecosystem

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intensity-frequency-duration

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Interim Groundwater Data.

Source: Geofabric Product Guide V2.0

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Indian Ocean Dipole

A major contributor to rainfall variability over Australia. When the dipole is in a positive phase, the sea-surface temperature (SST) around Indonesia is cooler than average while those in the western Indian Ocean are warmer than average. The positive phase increases easterly winds across the Indian Ocean, while convection in areas near Australia reduces. This results in suppressed rainfall over the Australian region. During a negative phase, warmer than average SST near Indonesia and cooler than average SST in the western Indian Ocean, result in more westerly winds across the Indian Ocean, greater convection near Australia and enhanced rainfall in the Australian region. See the Weather and Climate page on Indian Ocean for more information.

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International Recommendations for Water Statistics

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International Organization for Standardization

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The abbreviation for metre(s).

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The abbreviation for elevation in metres with respect to the Australian Height Datum.

Related: Australian height datum (AHD)

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Murray–Darling Basin

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The abbreviation for megalitre. One megalitre is equal to one million litres.

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Minimum Supply Level

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mean seasonal storage range

Related: mean seasonal storage range

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National Catchment Boundaries

Source: Geofabric Product Guide V2.0

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National Hydrography Dataset Plus. A geospatial hydrological system implemented in the United States.

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natural resource management

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New South Wales

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National Water Commission

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National Water Initiative

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probable maximum flood

Related: probable maximum precipitation (PMP)

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probable maximum precipitation

The greatest depth of precipitation for a given duration meteorologically possible for a given size storm area at a particular location at a particular time of the year, with no allowance made for long-term climatic trends.

Related: PMF

Queensland Water Commission

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root mean squared error

The square error (SE) is the difference between the observed value and median of the forecast. The RMSE score is the square root of the average SE for a set of forecasts.

root mean squared error in probability

The square error in probability (SEP) is the difference between the historical probabilities of the observed value and median of the forecast. The RMSEP score is the square root of the average SEP for a set of forecasts.

South East / southeast

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system of integrated environmental-economic accounting

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system of environmental-economic accounting for water

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Southern Oscillation Index

An index calculated from the monthly or seasonal fluctuations in the air pressure difference between Tahiti and Darwin. See the Climate page on SOI for more information.

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sea surface temperature

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Statement of Water Accounting Concepts

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total dissolved solids

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Unified Modelling Language

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Water Data Transfer Format

WDTF is an XML data transfer format designed to support the water industry to share and deliver water data to the Bureau of Meteorology as required under the Water Regulations 2008.

Water Information Research and Development Alliance

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water resource plan area

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water treatment plant

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wastewater treatment plant

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