Australian Water Information Dictionary
Alphabetical list of items
A B C D E F G H I K L M N O P Q R S T U V W Y Z other
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- % full
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There are multiple contexts for this item
Context 1
The volume of water in storage as a percentage of the accessible storage capacity. Note that the percentage full may exceed 100% due to floods for example.
Related: accessible storage capacity
Synonym: percentage full
This definition applies to:
Context 2
The total volume of water in storage as a percentage of the total storage capacity. Note that the percentage full may exceed 100% due to floods for example.
This definition applies to:
- 25% quartile
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The 25% quartile of a set of numbers is the value in which 25% of the numbers are below it and 75% of the numbers are above it when the numbers are arranged in ascending (increasing) order.
Synonym: first quartile
This definition applies to:
- 75% quartile
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The 75% quartile of a set of numbers is the value in which 75% of the numbers are below it and 25% of the numbers are above it when the numbers are arranged in ascending (increasing) order.
Synonym: third quartile
This definition applies to:
- Aboriginal water
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Water resources of an area that are recognised or used by aboriginal peoples for their social, spiritual and cultural values.
Source: Modified from National Water Accounts, viewed 25 July 2015.
Related: cultural basic right
This definition applies to:
- abstraction
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The removal of water from a water store.
This definition applies to:
- accessible storage capacity
-
There are multiple contexts for this item
Context 1
The volume of water that a water storage can hold between the minimum supply level and full supply level; equal to the total storage capacity excluding the dead storage capacity. It is the sum of this capacity that is reported for a collection of water storages. See the water storage diagram for more information.
Related:
Synonym: capacity
This definition applies to:
- Glossary for Water status: Water Storage
- Glossary for Water status: Australian Water Resources Assessment
- Glossary for Water status: Water in Australia
Context 2
The volume of water that a water storage can hold between the minimum supply level and full supply level; equal to the total storage capacity excluding the dead storage capacity.
In the Bureau water storage application, it is the sum of this capacity that is reported for a collection of water storages. See the water storage diagram for more information.
This definition applies to:
- accessible storage volume
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The volume of water stored at a particular time and date. It excludes the dead storage volume and hence is the volume of water that can be accessed under normal circumstances without the installation of additional infrastructure. See the water storage diagram for more information.
Synonym: volume
This definition applies to:
- account 2011line item 1.1 - storage
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Water in artificial or natural water storages connected to rivers, for which primary purpose is medium to long term water storage to service surface water access rights. These storages can be managed by an organisation to provide water to a rural or urban water system. Weirs that are used primarily to redirect flows are excluded. The volumetric capacity reported includes dead storage capacity.
This definition applies to:
- account 2011line item 1.10 - other surface water assets
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Physical and non-physical surface water assets other than those defined elsewhere.
This definition applies to:
- account 2011line item 1.2 - unregulated river
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A river where there is no entitlement system at all or where there is an entitlement system which does not allow orders to be placed for upstream release of a licensed allocation. It includes locks and weirs used primarily to redirect flows that are located on unregulated stretches of river.
This definition applies to:
- account 2011line item 1.3 - regulated river
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A river on which a licensed entitlement regime exists with centralised allocation, and from which orders may be placed for upstream release of a licensed allocation. A necessary, but not sufficient condition for a river to be regulated is that it is located downstream of a surface water storage. Includes locks and weirs used primarily to redirect flows that are located on regulated stretches of river.
This definition applies to:
- account 2011line item 1.4 - lakes and wetlands
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Other water bodies, of natural origin, for which the primary purpose is not abstractive or consumptive use. They may include water in natural lakes, ponds, lagoons, wetlands, billabongs and groundwater-fed water bodies that are not classified as storages based on their primary purpose.
This definition applies to:
- account 2011line item 1.5 - inter-region claim on water
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A claim to water outside the region held on behalf of the surface water. It includes claims resulting from:
• an announced allocation held on a water resource located outside the region
• inter-government agreements at allocation (retail) level
It excludes claims resulting from:
• inter-government agreements to share water before it is allocated
• water traded into the region
• contract to deliver desalinated sea water.
This definition applies to:
- account 2011line item 1.6 - claim on water traded into the region
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A claim to water resulting from water traded into the region held on behalf of the surface water.
This definition applies to:
- account 2011line item 1.7 - claim on desalinated water
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A claim to desalinated sea water held on behalf of the surface water. It excludes claims on behalf of the urban water system, which are reported in line item 3.6 Urban claim on desalinated water.
This definition applies to:
- account 2011line item 1.8 - other claims on water
-
A claim to water held on behalf of the surface water other than those defined elsewhere.
This definition applies to:
- account 2011line item 1.9 - overdraft of surface water allocation
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A claim to water held on behalf of the surface water, following an overdraft of surface water allocation by an allocation holder that is not part of the water accounting region. This can be thought of as an 'advance draw'. It includes overdraft by private allocation holders.
It only includes overdraft by urban water system and irrigation schemes when those are not part of the water accounting region.
This definition applies to:
- account 2011line item 10.1 - groundwater inflow from outside region
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Lateral flow of groundwater into the region's groundwater from inland groundwater aquifers that extend outside the region. It excludes lateral flow of groundwater from coastal aquifers.
This definition applies to:
- account 2011line item 10.10 - urban water discharge to groundwater
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Discharge from the urban water system either directly or indirectly to the region's groundwater. It includes recycled water discharge to infiltration basins for the purpose of recharging groundwater and wastewater discharge to groundwater via infiltration.
This definition applies to:
- account 2011line item 10.11 - delivery of claimed water
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Delivery of water to the region's groundwater to service a prior claim recognised on behalf of the groundwater.
This definition applies to:
- account 2011line item 10.12 - increase of groundwater claims on water
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Increase of claim held on behalf of the region's groundwater. It includes claims resulting from:
• an announced allocation held on a water resource located outside the region
• inter-government agreements at allocation (retail) level
• water traded into the region.
It excludes claims resulting from inter-government agreements to share water before it is allocated.
This definition applies to:
- account 2011line item 10.13 - other groundwater increases
-
Increases of physical and non-physical groundwater assets other than those defined elsewhere.
This definition applies to:
- account 2011line item 10.2 - groundwater inflow from outside region at coast
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Lateral flow of groundwater into the region from groundwater aquifers that extend outside the region at the coast.
This definition applies to:
- account 2011line item 10.3 - recharge from landscape
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Diffuse recharge from landscape to the region's groundwater due to both natural and artificial processes. It includes irrigation induced recharge. It excludes urban infiltration basin recharge or managed aquifer recharge.
This definition applies to:
- account 2011line item 10.4 - recharge from surface water
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Recharge from surface water to the region's groundwater. It includes the deliberate recharge of groundwater from surface water storages and rivers.
This definition applies to:
- account 2011line item 10.5 - leakage from off-channel water storage
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Leakage from off-channel water storages to the region's groundwater.
This definition applies to:
- account 2011line item 10.6 - leakage from urban water system
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Leakage from urban water systems to the region's groundwater. It includes exfiltration from wastewater collection systems. It includes leakage from non-potable, potable and recycled water supply systems. It excludes pipe bursts, overflows or spills.
This definition applies to:
- account 2011line item 10.7 - leakage from irrigation scheme
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Leakage from an irrigation scheme to the region's groundwater. It includes leakage from irrigation channels, tanks and storages that form part of the irrigation scheme.
This definition applies to:
- account 2011line item 10.8 - managed aquifer recharge - private user
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Managed aquifer recharge other than from the urban water system to the region's groundwater. It includes stormwater and industrial wastewater used for managed aquifer recharge and for a managed aquifer recharge scheme.
This definition applies to:
- account 2011line item 10.9 - managed aquifer recharge - urban water system
-
Managed aquifer recharge from the urban water system to the region's groundwater. It includes non-potable and recycled water used in a managed aquifer recharge scheme.
This definition applies to:
- account 2011line item 11.1 - precipitation on urban water system
-
All forms in which water falls on the region's urban water system as rain, sleet, snow, hail, or drizzle. It includes precipitation on wastewater treatment lagoons or ponds, recycled water storages and off-channel water storages that are part of the urban water system. It excludes precipitation on surface water storages.
This definition applies to:
- account 2011line item 11.10 - delivery of traded water to urban water system
-
Delivery of water into the region's urban water system to service a prior claim resulting from water traded into the region (see line item 11.16 Increase of urban claim on traded water).
This definition applies to:
- account 2011line item 11.11 - delivery of claimed desalinated water to urban water system
-
Delivery of desalinated sea water to the region's urban water system to service a prior claim recognised on behalf of the urban water system. It excludes delivery of desalinated sea water where no prior claim has been recognised (see line item 11.6 Delivery of desalinated water to urban water system). It excludes water delivered to an urban water system from the region's surface water that was originally desalinated water.
This definition applies to:
- account 2011line item 11.12 - allocation diversion of surface water to urban water system
-
Diversion of surface water to the region's urban water system to service a prior allocation announced on behalf of the urban water system. It includes diversions under 32.3 Surface water access entitlement for allocation diversion.
This definition applies to:
- account 2011line item 11.13 - allocation extraction of groundwater to urban water system
-
Diversion of groundwater to the region's urban water system to service a prior allocation announced on behalf of the urban water system. It includes diversions under 33.3 Groundwater access entitlement for allocation diversion.
This definition applies to:
- account 2011line item 11.14 - other delivery of water to urban water system
-
Delivery of physical water to the region's urban water system other than those defined elsewhere.
This definition applies to:
- account 2011line item 11.15 - increase of inter-region claim on water by urban water system
-
Increase of claims to water outside the region on behalf of the urban water system. It includes claims resulting from:
• an announced allocation held on a water resource located outside the region
• agreements at allocation (retail) level.
It excludes claims resulting from:
• water traded into the region
• contract to deliver desalinated sea water.
This definition applies to:
- account 2011line item 11.16 - increase of urban claim on traded water
-
Increase of claim held on behalf of the urban water system resulting from water traded into the region.
This definition applies to:
- account 2011line item 11.17 - increase of urban claim on desalinated water
-
Increase of claim to desalinated sea water held on behalf of the urban water system. It excludes an increase of claim held on behalf of the surface water (see line item 9.17 Increase of claim on desalinated water).
This definition applies to:
- account 2011line item 11.18 - increase of urban claim on surface water
-
Increase of claim on the region's surface water held on behalf of the urban water system. It includes allocations announced or otherwise recognised during the reporting period on the region's surface water for the urban water system.
This definition applies to:
- account 2011line item 11.19 - increase of urban claim on groundwater
-
Increase of claim on the region's groundwater held on behalf of the urban water system. It includes allocations announced or otherwise recognised during the reporting period on the region's groundwater for the urban water system.
This definition applies to:
- account 2011line item 11.2 - non-allocated diversion of surface water
-
Diversion from the region's surface water into the urban water system where no prior claim has been recognised on behalf of the urban water system. It includes diversions under 32.2 surface water access entitlement for direct diversion and the 32.1 Other statutory surface water rights.
This definition applies to:
- account 2011line item 11.20 - increase of other urban claims on water
-
Increase of claim held on behalf of the region's urban water system other than those defined elsewhere.
This definition applies to:
- account 2011line item 11.21 - other urban water increases
-
Increases of physical and non-physical urban water system assets other than those defined elsewhere.
This definition applies to:
- account 2011line item 11.3 - non-allocated extraction of groundwater
-
Extraction from the region's groundwater into the urban water system where no prior claim has been recognised on behalf of the urban water system. It includes extractions under 33.2 Groundwater access entitlement for direct extraction and 33.1 Other statutory groundwater rights.
This definition applies to:
- account 2011line item 11.4 - wastewater collected
-
Discharge of wastewater into the region's wastewater collection system. It includes discharge of wastewater by users into wastewater collection systems. It excludes wastewater collected by urban utilities outside the region and then transferred into the region.
This definition applies to:
- account 2011line item 11.5 - delivery of water from outside region to urban water system
-
Delivery of imported water to the region's urban water system where no prior claim has been recognised on behalf of the urban water system. It includes non-potable, potable, wastewater and recycled water transferred into the region by urban water utilities servicing an area that extends outside the region.
This definition applies to:
- account 2011line item 11.6 - delivery of desalinated water to urban water system
-
Delivery of desalinated sea water to the region's urban water system where no prior claim has been recognised on behalf of the urban water system.
This definition applies to:
- account 2011line item 11.7 - stormwater ingress
-
Ingress of stormwater into the region's wastewater collection system.
This definition applies to:
- account 2011line item 11.8 - infiltration from groundwater
-
Infiltration of groundwater into the region's wastewater collection system.
This definition applies to:
- account 2011line item 11.9 - delivery of water to urban water system under inter-region agreement
-
Delivery of imported water to the region's urban water system to service a prior claim recognised on behalf of the urban water system. The prior claim may be an announced allocation held on a water resource located outside the region or another agreement at allocation (retail level), but excludes water trade and contracts for the delivery of desalinated sea water.
This definition applies to:
- account 2011line item 12.1 - precipitation on irrigation scheme
-
All forms in which water falls on the region's irrigation scheme as rain, sleet, snow, hail, or drizzle. F873It includes precipitation on irrigation supply and collection channels, and irrigation scheme storages.
This definition applies to:
- account 2011line item 12.10 - allocation extraction of groundwater to irrigation scheme
-
Diversion of groundwater to the region's irrigation scheme to service a prior allocation announced on behalf of the irrigation scheme. It includes diversions under 33.3 Groundwater access entitlement for allocation diversion.
This definition applies to:
- account 2011line item 12.11 - other delivery of water to irrigation scheme
-
Delivery of physical water to the region's irrigation scheme other than those defined elsewhere.
This definition applies to:
- account 2011line item 12.12 - increase of irrigation scheme inter-region claim on water
-
Increase of claims to water outside the region on behalf of the irrigation scheme. It includes claims resulting from:
• an announced allocation held on a water resource located outside the region
• agreements at allocation (retail) level.
It excludes claims resulting from:
• water traded into the region
• contract to deliver desalinated sea water.
This definition applies to:
- account 2011line item 12.13 - increase of irrigation scheme claim on traded water
-
Increase of claim held on behalf of the irrigation scheme resulting from water traded into the region.
This definition applies to:
- account 2011line item 12.14 - increase of irrigation scheme claim on desalinated water
-
Increase of claim to desalinated sea water held on behalf of the irrigation scheme. It excludes an increase of claim held on behalf of the surface water (see line item 9.17 Increase of claim on desalinated water).
This definition applies to:
- account 2011line item 12.15 - increase of irrigation scheme claim on surface water
-
Increase of claim on the region's surface water held on behalf of the irrigation scheme. It includes allocations announced or otherwise recognised during the reporting period on the region's surface water for the irrigation scheme.
This definition applies to:
- account 2011line item 12.16 - increase of irrigation scheme claim on groundwater
-
Increase of claim on the region's groundwater held on behalf of the irrigation scheme. It includes allocations announced or otherwise recognised during the reporting period on the region's groundwater for the irrigation scheme.
This definition applies to:
- account 2011line item 12.17 - increase of other irrigation scheme claims on water
-
Increase of claim held on behalf of the region's irrigation scheme other than those defined elsewhere.
This definition applies to:
- account 2011line item 12.18 - other irrigation water increases
-
Increases of physical and non-physical irrigation scheme assets other than those defined elsewhere.
This definition applies to:
- account 2011line item 12.2 - non-allocated diversion of surface water
-
Diversion from the region's surface water into the irrigation scheme where no prior claim has been recognised on behalf of the irrigation scheme. It includes diversions under 32.2 Surface water access entitlement for direct diversion and 32.1 Other statutory surface water rights.
This definition applies to:
- account 2011line item 12.3 - non-allocated extraction of groundwater
-
Extraction from the region's groundwater into the irrigation scheme where no prior claim has been recognised on behalf of the irrigation scheme. It includes extractions under 33.2 Groundwater access entitlement for direct extraction and 33.1 Other statutory groundwater rights.
This definition applies to:
- account 2011line item 12.4 - urban water discharge to irrigation scheme
-
Delivery of water from the region's urban water system to the irrigation scheme where no prior claim has been recognised on behalf of the irrigation scheme. It includes recycled water.
This definition applies to:
- account 2011line item 12.5 - delivery of water from outside region to irrigation scheme
-
Delivery of imported water to the region's irrigation scheme where no prior claim has been recognised on behalf of the irrigation scheme. It includes water transferred into the region by irrigation entities servicing an area that extends outside the region.
This definition applies to:
- account 2011line item 12.6 - delivery of water to irrigation scheme under inter-region agreement
-
Delivery of imported water to the region's irrigation scheme to service a prior claim recognised on behalf of the irrigation scheme. The prior claim may be an announced allocation held on a water resource located outside the region or another agreement at allocation (retail level), but excludes water trade and contracts for the delivery of desalinated sea water.
This definition applies to:
- account 2011line item 12.7 - delivery of traded water to irrigation scheme
-
Delivery of water into the region's irrigation scheme to service a prior claim resulting from water traded into the region (see line item 12.13 Increase of irrigation scheme claim on traded water).
This definition applies to:
- account 2011line item 12.8 - delivery of claimed desalinated water to irrigation scheme
-
Delivery of desalinated sea water to the region's irrigation scheme to service a prior claim recognised on behalf of the irrigation scheme. It excludes delivery of desalinated sea water where no prior claim has been recognised.
This definition applies to:
- account 2011line item 12.9 - allocation diversion of surface water to irrigation scheme
-
Diversion of surface water to the region's irrigation scheme to service a prior allocation announced on behalf of the irrigation scheme. It includes diversions under 32.3 Surface water access entitlement for allocation diversion.
This definition applies to:
- account 2011line item 13.1 - adjustment and forfeiture of surface water allocation
-
Adjustment and forfeiture of allocation on the surface water held on behalf of users other than the urban water system. It includes adjustment and forfeiture of allocation for:
• private users and irrigation schemes where those are not identified as a water asset of the water accounting region
• allocation holders located outside the region's boundary.
It excludes adjustment and forfeiture of allocation for:
• irrigation schemes where those are identified as a water asset of the water accounting region (reported in line item 13.3 Adjustment and forfeiture of surface water allocation - irrigation scheme).
This definition applies to:
- account 2011line item 13.2 - adjustment and forfeiture of surface water allocation - urban water system
-
Adjustment and forfeiture of allocation on the surface water held on behalf the urban water system. It includes adjustment and forfeiture of allocation for:
• allocation holders located outside the region's boundary.
This definition applies to:
- account 2011line item 13.3 - adjustment and forfeiture of surface water allocation - irrigation scheme
-
Adjustment and forfeiture of allocation on the surface water held on behalf of irrigation schemes where those are identified as water asset of the water accounting region. It excludes adjustment and forfeiture of allocation for:
• irrigation scheme considered as users not part of the water assets of the water accounting region (reported in line item 13.1 Adjustment and forfeiture of surface water allocation).
This definition applies to:
- account 2011line item 13.4 - adjustment and forfeiture of inter-region commitment on surface water
-
Adjustment and forfeiture of inter-region commitment on surface water (see line item 5.4 Inter-region commitment on surface water) approved during the reporting period (or remaining from the previous reporting period) that has not been serviced at the end of the reporting period.
This definition applies to:
- account 2011line item 13.5 - adjustment and forfeiture of traded surface water commitment
-
Adjustment and forfeiture of commitment resulting from trade of surface water out of the region (see line item 5.5 Commitment on water traded out of the region) approved during the reporting period (or remaining from the previous reporting period) that has not been serviced at the end of the reporting period.
This definition applies to:
- account 2011line item 13.6 - other surface water liability decreases
-
Decreases of surface water liabilities other than those defined elsewhere.
This definition applies to:
- account 2011line item 14.1 - adjustment and forfeiture of groundwater allocation
-
Adjustment and forfeiture of allocation on the groundwater held on behalf of users other than the urban water system. It includes adjustment and forfeiture of allocation for:
• private users and irrigation schemes where those are not identified as a water asset of the water accounting region
• allocation holders located outside the region's boundary.
It excludes adjustment and forfeiture of allocation for:
• irrigation schemes where those are identified as a water asset of the water accounting region (reported in line item 14.3 Adjustment and forfeiture of groundwater allocation - irrigation scheme).
This definition applies to:
- account 2011line item 14.2 - adjustment and forfeiture of groundwater allocation - urban water system
-
Adjustment and forfeiture of allocation on the groundwater held on behalf the urban water system. It includes adjustment and forfeiture of allocation for:
• allocation holders located outside the region's boundary.
This definition applies to:
- account 2011line item 14.3 - adjustment and forfeiture of groundwater allocation - irrigation scheme
-
Adjustment and forfeiture of allocation on the groundwater held on behalf of irrigation schemes where those are identified as a water asset of the water accounting region.
It excludes adjustment and forfeiture of allocation for:
• irrigation scheme where those are considered as users not part of the water assets of the water accounting region (reported in line item 14.1 Adjustment and forfeiture of groundwater allocation).
This definition applies to:
- account 2011line item 14.4 - adjustment and forfeiture of inter-region commitment on groundwater
-
Adjustment and forfeiture of inter-region commitment on groundwater (see line item 6.4 Inter-region commitment on groundwater) approved during the reporting period (or remaining from the previous reporting period) that has not been serviced at the end of the reporting period.
This definition applies to:
- account 2011line item 14.5 - adjustment and forfeiture of traded groundwater commitment
-
Adjustment and forfeiture of commitment resulting from trade of groundwater out of the region (see line item 6.5 Commitment on traded out groundwater) approved during the reporting period (or remaining from the previous reporting period) that has not been serviced at the end of the reporting period.
This definition applies to:
- account 2011line item 14.6 - other groundwater liability decreases
-
Decreases of groundwater liabilities other than those defined elsewhere.
This definition applies to:
- account 2011line item 15.1 - adjustment and forfeiture of urban water system commitment to deliver water
-
Adjustment and forfeiture of commitment made during the reporting period (or remaining from the previous reporting period) to deliver water from the region's urban water system to users within or out of the region or to other urban water systems out of the region. It excludes adjustment and forfeiture of commitment to deliver water to surface water, groundwater and the irrigation scheme where those are part of the water accounting region.
This definition applies to:
- account 2011line item 15.2 - other urban water system liability decreases
-
Decreases of urban water system liabilities other than those defined elsewhere. It includes adjustment and forfeiture of commitment to deliver water to surface water, groundwater and the irrigation scheme where those are part of the water accounting region.
This definition applies to:
- account 2011line item 16.1 - adjustment and forfeiture of irrigation scheme commitment to deliver water
-
Adjustment and forfeiture of commitment made during the reporting period (or remaining from the previous reporting period) to deliver water from the region's irrigation scheme to users within or out of the region or to other irrigation schemes out of the region. It excludes adjustment and forfeiture of commitment to deliver water to surface water, groundwater and the urban water system where those are part of the water accounting region.
This definition applies to:
- account 2011line item 16.2 - other irrigation scheme liability decreases
-
Decreases of irrigation scheme liabilities other than those defined elsewhere. It includes adjustment and forfeiture of commitment to deliver water to surface water, groundwater and the F910urban water system where those are part of the water accounting region.
This definition applies to:
- account 2011line item 17.1 - evaporation from surface water
-
Movement of water from the region's surface water to the atmosphere (water vapour).
This definition applies to:
- account 2011line item 17.10 - river and floodplain leakage, evaporation and errors
-
All uncalculated flows and changes in storage and errors made on calculated terms related to the surface water. The main uncalculated ouflows may include: runoff water evaporated or leaked from the floodplain and not reaching the rivers, overbank flood water, leakage to groundwater and evaporation from rivers.
This definition applies to:
- account 2011line item 17.11 - surface water allocation diversion
-
Surface water diverted to users other than the urban water system, under water access entitlements for which an allocation has been recognised (see line item 32.3 Surface water access entitlement for allocation diversion). It includes allocated diversions for:
• private users and irrigation schemes where those are not identified as a water asset of the water accounting region
• allocation holders located outside the region's boundary.
It excludes allocated diversions for:
• irrigation schemes where those are identified as a water asset of the water accounting region (reported in line item 17.13 Surface water allocation diversion - irrigation scheme).
This definition applies to:
- account 2011line item 17.12 - surface water allocation diversion - urban water system
-
Surface water diverted to urban water system, under water access entitlements for which an allocation has been recognised (see line item 32.3 Surface water access entitlement for allocation diversion). It includes allocated diversions for:
• allocation holders located outside the region's boundary.
This definition applies to:
- account 2011line item 17.13 - surface water allocation diversion - irrigation scheme
-
Surface water diverted to irrigation schemes under water access entitlements for which an allocation has been recognised (see line item 32.3 Surface water access entitlement for allocation diversion). It includes allocated diversions for:
• irrigation schemes where those are identified as water asset of the water accounting region
It excludes allocated diversions for:
• irrigation scheme where those are considered as users not part of the water assets of the water accounting region (reported in line item 17.11 Surface water allocation diversion).
This definition applies to:
- account 2011line item 17.14 - surface water transfer under inter-region commitment
-
Surface water transferred out of the region under a recognised inter-region commitment to deliver surface water (see line item 5.4 Inter-region commitment on surface water).
This definition applies to:
- account 2011line item 17.15 - surface water transfer under trade commitment
-
Surface water transferred out of the region under a recognised commitment to deliver surface water traded to another region (see line item 5.5 Commitment on water traded out of the region).
This definition applies to:
- account 2011line item 17.16 - other delivery of allocated surface water
-
Surface water diverted under a recognised commitment to deliver surface water other than those defined elsewhere.
This definition applies to:
- account 2011line item 17.17 - decrease of inter-region claim on water
-
Decrease of claim to water outside the region held on behalf of the surface water. It includes adjustment and forfeiture of claims resulting from:
• an announced allocation held on a water resource located outside the region
• inter-government agreements at allocation (retail) level.
It excludes adjustment and forfeiture of claims resulting from:
• inter-government agreements to share water before it is allocated
• water traded into the region
• contracts to deliver desalinated sea water.
This definition applies to:
- account 2011line item 17.18 - decrease of claim on traded water
-
Decrease of claim to water resulting from water traded into the region held on behalf of the surface water.
This definition applies to:
- account 2011line item 17.19 - decrease of claim on desalinated water
-
Decrease of claim to desalinated sea water held on behalf of the surface water. It excludes claims on behalf of the urban water system, which are reported in line item 19.16 Decrease of urban claim on desalinated water.
This definition applies to:
- account 2011line item 17.2 - river outlow from the region
-
River outflow from the region to either a downstream region or the sea.
This definition applies to:
- account 2011line item 17.20 - decrease of other claims on water
-
Decrease of claims to water held on behalf of the surface water other than those defined elsewhere.
This definition applies to:
- account 2011line item 17.21 - other surface water decreases
-
Decreases of physical and non-physical surface water assets other than those defined elsewhere.
This definition applies to:
- account 2011line item 17.3 - leakage to groundwater
-
Leakage from either the surface water, urban system or irrigation scheme to the region's groundwater. It excludes pipe bursts, overflows or spills, which are classified as leakage to landscape.
This definition applies to:
- account 2011line item 17.4 - leakage to landscape
-
Leakage from either the surface water, urban water system or irrigation scheme to the unsaturated zone of the soil profile and which does not infiltrate to groundwater as recharge.
This definition applies to:
- account 2011line item 17.5 - overbank flood spilling
-
Overflow from the surface water to the landscape. It includes flood waters that have overflowed the river channel top of bank and spilled to the flood plains. It excludes flood waters to seasonally connected wetlands and other surface water bodies.
This definition applies to:
- account 2011line item 17.6 - diversions - other statutory rights
-
Surface water diverted under statutory rights other than entitlements (see line item 32.1 Other statutory surface water rights).
This definition applies to:
- account 2011line item 17.7 - non-allocated diversions to users
-
Surface water diverted to users other than the urban water system, under water access entitlements for which no allocation has been recognised (see line item 32.2 Surface water access entitlement for direct diversion). It includes non-allocated diversions for:
• private users and irrigation schemes where those are not identified as a water asset of the water accounting region
• allocation holders located outside the region's boundary.
It excludes non-allocated diversions for:
• irrigation schemes where those are identified as a water asset of the water accounting region (reported in line item 17.9 Non-allocated diversions - irrigation scheme).
This definition applies to:
- account 2011line item 17.8 - non-allocated diversions - urban water system
-
Surface water diverted to an urban water system, under water access entitlements for which no allocation has been recognised (see line item 32.2 Surface water access entitlement for direct diversion). It includes non-allocated diversions for:
• allocation holders located outside the region's boundary.
This definition applies to:
- account 2011line item 17.9 - non-allocated diversions - irrigation scheme
-
Surface water diverted to irrigation schemes under water access entitlements for which no allocation has been recognised (see line item 32.2 Surface water access entitlement for direct diversion). It includes non-allocated diversions for:
• irrigation schemes where those are identified as a water asset of the water accounting region.
It excludes non-allocated diversions for:
• irrigation scheme where those are considered as users not part of the water assets of the water accounting region (reported in line item 17.7 Non-allocated diversions to users).
This definition applies to:
- account 2011line item 18.1 - groundwater outflow to outside region
-
Lateral flow of groundwater out of the region's groundwater to inland groundwater aquifers that extend outside the region. It excludes lateral flow of groundwater to coastal aquifers.
This definition applies to:
- account 2011line item 18.10 - non-allocated extractions - irrigation scheme
-
Groundwater extracted to irrigation schemes under water access entitlements for which no allocation has been recognised (see line item 33.2 Groundwater access entitlement for direct extraction). It includes non-allocated extractions for:
• irrigation schemes where those are identified as water asset of the water accounting region
It excludes non-allocated extractions for:
• irrigation scheme where those are considered as users not part of the water assets of the water accounting region (reported in line item 18.8 Non-allocated extractions to users).
This definition applies to:
- account 2011line item 18.11 - groundwater allocation extraction
-
Groundwater extracted to users other than the urban water system, under water access entitlements for which an allocation has been recognised (see line item 33.3 Groundwater access entitlement for allocation extraction). It includes allocated extractions for:
• private users and irrigation schemes where those are not identified as a water asset of the water accounting region
• allocation holders located outside the region's boundary.
It excludes allocated extractions for:
• irrigation schemes where those are identified as a water asset of the water accounting region (reported in line item 18.13 Groundwater allocation diversion - irrigation scheme).
This definition applies to:
- account 2011line item 18.12 - groundwater allocation diversion - urban water system
-
Groundwater extracted to urban water system, under water access entitlements for which an allocation has been recognised (see line item 33.3 Groundwater access entitlement for allocation extraction). It includes allocated extractions for:
• allocation holders located outside the region's boundary.
This definition applies to:
- account 2011line item 18.13 - groundwater allocation diversion - irrigation scheme
-
Groundwater extracted to irrigation schemes under water access entitlements for which an allocation has been recognised (see line item 33.3 Groundwater access entitlement for allocation extraction). It includes allocated extractions for:
• irrigation schemes where those are identified as a water asset of the water accounting region.
It excludes allocated extractions for:
• irrigation scheme where those are considered as users not part of the water assets of the water accounting region (reported in line item 18.11 Groundwater allocation extraction).
This definition applies to:
- account 2011line item 18.14 - groundwater transfer under inter-region commitment
-
Groundwater transferred out of the region under a recognised inter-region commitment to deliver groundwater (see line item 6.4 Inter-region commitment on groundwater).
This definition applies to:
- account 2011line item 18.15 - groundwater transfer under trade commitment
-
Groundwater transferred out of the region under a recognised commitment to deliver groundwater traded to another region (see line item 6.5 Commitment on traded out groundwater).
This definition applies to:
- account 2011line item 18.16 - other delivery of allocated groundwater
-
Groundwater diverted under a recognised commitment to deliver groundwater other than those defined elsewhere.
This definition applies to:
- account 2011line item 18.17 - decrease of claims on groundwater
-
Decrease of claim to water outside the region held on behalf of the groundwater. It includes adjustment and forfeiture of claims resulting from:
• an announced allocation held on a water resource located outside the region
• inter-government agreements at allocation (retail) level
• water traded into the region
• contract to deliver desalinated sea water.
It excludes adjustment and forfeiture of claims resulting from:
• inter-government agreements to share water before it is allocated.
This definition applies to:
- account 2011line item 18.18 - other groundwater decreases
-
Decreases of physical and non-physical groundwater assets other than those defined elsewhere.
This definition applies to:
- account 2011line item 18.2 - groundwater outflow to outside region at coast
-
Lateral flow of groundwater out of the region to groundwater aquifers that extend outside the region at the coast.
This definition applies to:
- account 2011line item 18.3 - discharge to landscape
-
Discharge from the groundwater to the landscape, including soil, unconnected lakes and wetlands. It includes capillary rise and evaporation from the water table aquifer.
This definition applies to:
- account 2011line item 18.4 - discharge to surface water
-
Flow of groundwater from the saturated zone to streams, water storages, farm dams and natural surface water features. This is a form of groundwater-surface water interaction.
This definition applies to:
- account 2011line item 18.5 - discharge to off-channel water storage
-
Discharge from groundwater to the region's off-channel water storages such as farm dams.
This definition applies to:
- account 2011line item 18.6 - infiltration to urban water system
-
Infiltration of groundwater into the region's wastewater collection system.
This definition applies to:
- account 2011line item 18.7 - extraction - other statutory rights
-
Groundwater extracted under statutory rights other than entitlements (see line item 33.1 Other statutory groundwater rights).
This definition applies to:
- account 2011line item 18.8 - non-allocated extractions to users
-
Groundwater extracted to users other than the urban water system, under water access entitlements for which no allocation has been recognised (see line item 33.2 groundwater access entitlement for direct extraction). It includes non-allocated extractions for:
• private users and irrigation schemes where those are not identified as a water asset of the water accounting region
• allocation holders located outside the region's boundary.
It excludes non-allocated extractions for:
• irrigation schemes where those are identified as a water asset of the water accounting region (reported in line item 18.10 Non-allocated extractions - irrigation scheme).
This definition applies to:
- account 2011line item 18.9 - non-allocated extractions - urban water system
-
Groundwater extracted to urban water system, under water access entitlements for which no allocation has been recognised (see line item 33.2 Groundwater access entitlement for direct extraction). It includes non-allocated extractions for:
• allocation holders located outside the region's boundary.
This definition applies to:
- account 2011line item 19.1 - evaporation from urban water
-
Movement of water from the region's urban water system to the atmosphere (water vapour).
This definition applies to:
- account 2011line item 19.10 - urban water discharge to groundwater
-
Water from the urban water system discharged either directly or indirectly to the groundwater. It includes recycled water discharged to infiltration basins for the purpose of recharging groundwater and wastewater discharged to groundwater via infiltration.
This definition applies to:
- account 2011line item 19.11 - transfer of water outside of region
-
Water transferred out of the region from the urban water system without prior commitment to deliver water having being recognised. It includes export of non-potable, potable, wastewater and recycled water from the region due to the region's urban utilities servicing an area that extends outside the region.
This definition applies to:
- account 2011line item 19.12 - delivery of committed urban water
-
Water transferred out of the region or delivered to urban water users from the urban water system under a recognised commitment, including result of a water trade, to deliver water. It excludes commitments in favour of the surface water, groundwater and irrigation scheme where those have been identified as water assets of the region.
This definition applies to:
- account 2011line item 19.13 - delivery of other committed urban water
-
Water delivered from the urban water system under a recognised commitment other than those defined elsewhere.
This definition applies to:
- account 2011line item 19.14 - decrease of urban inter-region claim on water
-
Decrease of claim to water outside the region on behalf of the urban water system. It includes adjustment and forfeiture of claim resulting from:
• allocations announced under entitlements to access a water resource located outside the region
• other agreements at allocation (retail) level.
It excludes claims resulting from:
• water traded into the region.
This definition applies to:
- account 2011line item 19.15 - decrease of urban claim on traded water
-
Decrease of claim to water resulting from water traded into the region on behalf of the urban water system.
This definition applies to:
- account 2011line item 19.16 - decrease of urban claim on desalinated water
-
Decrease of claim to desalinated sea water on behalf of the urban water system. It excludes claims on behalf of the surface water, which are reported in line item 17.19 Decrease of claim on desalinated water.
This definition applies to:
- account 2011line item 19.17 - decrease of urban claim on surface water
-
Decrease of claims on the region's surface water held on behalf of the urban water system. It includes adjustment and forfeiture of surface water allocation announced or otherwise recognised during the reporting period (or remaining from the previous reporting period) for the urban water system.
This definition applies to:
- account 2011line item 19.18 - decrease of urban claim on groundwater
-
Decrease of claims on the region's groundwater held on behalf of the urban water system. It includes adjustment and forfeiture of groundwater allocation announced or otherwise recognised during the reporting period (or remaining from the previous reporting period) for the urban water system.
This definition applies to:
- account 2011line item 19.19 - decrease of other urban claims on water
-
Decrease of claims to water held on behalf of the urban water system other than those defined elsewhere.
This definition applies to:
- account 2011line item 19.2 - leakage to landscape
-
Leakage from the urban water system to the landscape. It includes non-potable, potable and recycled water supply system pipe bursts and wastewater collection system overflows. It excludes background leakage, which is included in line item 19.3 Leakage to groundwater.
This definition applies to:
- account 2011line item 19.20 - other urban water decreases
-
Decreases of physical and non-physical urban water system assets other than those defined elsewhere.
This definition applies to:
- account 2011line item 19.3 - leakage to groundwater
-
Leakage from either the surface water, urban system or irrigation scheme to the region's groundwater. It excludes pipe bursts, overflows or spills, which are classified as leakage to landscape.
This definition applies to:
- account 2011line item 19.4 - delivery to urban water system users
-
Delivery of water from the region's urban water system to urban users. It includes non-potable, potable and recycled water supplied from the region's urban water system for residential, commercial, industrial, municipal and individual irrigation use. It excludes delivery of water to the region's irrigation schemes where those are part of the water accounting region.
This definition applies to:
- account 2011line item 19.5 - urban water discharge to surface water
-
Discharge from the urban water system to the region's surface water. It includes:
• non-potable, potable, treated wastewater and recycled water discharge to surface water
• pump back or transfer back of water to surface water for the purpose of storage. It includes releases to meet environmental requirements
• pump back or transfer of water to off-channel water storages that are part of the urban water supply system.
This definition applies to:
- account 2011line item 19.6 - urban water discharge to irrigation scheme
-
Delivery of water from the urban water system to the region's irrigation scheme without prior commitment to deliver water having been recognised.
This definition applies to:
- account 2011line item 19.7 - wastewater discharge outside of region
-
Discharge of treated wastewater out of the region. This definition includes discharge to sea and to other regions.
This definition applies to:
- account 2011line item 19.8 - other wastewater discharge
-
Discharge of treated wastewater other than that defined elsewhere.
This definition applies to:
- account 2011line item 19.9 - managed aquifer recharge
-
The volume of water intentionally transferred to ground water assets (e.g. via injection wells) from other water assets: either surface water, urban water system or irrigation scheme.
This definition applies to:
- account 2011line item 2.1 - water table aquifer
-
Portion of the groundwater that is contained in an aquifer that is not overlain by a confining bed and whose upper surface is a water table free to fluctuate in equilibrium with atmospheric pressure. It includes all types of unconfined aquifers, including fractured rock and sedimentary.
This definition applies to:
- account 2011line item 2.2 - underlying aquifers
-
Portion of the groundwater that is contained in an aquifer overlain by a confining bed. A confining bed acts as a barrier to water flow. Pressure in an underlying aquifer is typically greater than atmospheric pressure. It includes all types of confined aquifers, including fractured rock and sedimentary.
This definition applies to:
- account 2011line item 2.3 - groundwater claims on water
-
Claims to water outside the region held on behalf of the groundwater. It includes claims resulting from:
• allocations announced under entitlements to access a water resource located outside the region
• inter-government agreements at allocation (retail) level.
It excludes claims resulting from:
• inter-government agreements to share water before it is allocated
• water traded into the region.
This definition applies to:
- account 2011line item 2.4 - overdraft of groundwater allocation
-
Claim to water held on behalf of the groundwater, following an overdraft of groundwater allocation by an allocation holder that is not part of the water accounting region. This can be thought of as an advance draw.
It includes overdraft by private allocation holders.
It only includes overdraft by urban water system and irrigation schemes when those are not part of the water accounting region.
This definition applies to:
- account 2011line item 2.5 - other groundwater assets
-
Physical and non-physical groundwater assets other than those defined elsewhere.
This definition applies to:
- account 2011line item 20.1 - evaporation from irrigation scheme
-
Movement of water from the region's irrigation scheme to the atmosphere (water vapour).
This definition applies to:
- account 2011line item 20.10 - decrease of irrigation scheme claim on traded water
-
Decrease of claim to water resulting from water traded into the region on behalf of the irrigation scheme.
This definition applies to:
- account 2011line item 20.11 - decrease of irrigation scheme claim on desalinated water
-
Decrease of claim to desalinated sea water on behalf of the irrigation scheme. It excludes claims on behalf of the surface water, which are reported in line item 17.19 Decrease of claim on desalinated water.
This definition applies to:
- account 2011line item 20.12 - decrease of irrigation scheme claim on surface water
-
Decrease of claims on the region's surface water held on behalf of the irrigation scheme. It includes adjustment and forfeiture of surface water allocation announced or otherwise recognised during the reporting period (or remaining from the previous reporting period) for the irrigation scheme.
This definition applies to:
- account 2011line item 20.13 - decrease of irrigation scheme claim on groundwater
-
Decrease of claims on the region's groundwater held on behalf of the irrigation scheme. It includes adjustment and forfeiture of groundwater allocation announced or otherwise recognised during the reporting period (or remaining from the previous reporting period) for the irrigation scheme.
This definition applies to:
- account 2011line item 20.14 - decrease of other irrigation scheme claims on water
-
Decrease of claims to water held on behalf of the irrigation scheme other than those defined elsewhere.
This definition applies to:
- account 2011line item 20.15 - other irrigation scheme decreases
-
Decreases of physical and non-physical irrigation scheme water assets other than those defined elsewhere.
This definition applies to:
- account 2011line item 20.2 - leakage to landscape
-
Leakage from the irrigation scheme to the landscape. It includes leakage from irrigation scheme pipes and channel bursts and overflows. It excludes background leakage, which is included in line item 20.3 Leakage to groundwater.
This definition applies to:
- account 2011line item 20.3 - leakage to groundwater
-
Leakage from either the surface water, urban system or irrigation scheme to the region's groundwater. It excludes pipe bursts, overflows or spills, which are classified as leakage to landscape.
This definition applies to:
- account 2011line item 20.4 - delivery to irrigation scheme users
-
Delivery of water from the region's irrigation scheme to users. It excludes delivery of water to the region's urban water system where it is part of the water accounting region.
This definition applies to:
- account 2011line item 20.5 - return of water to surface water
-
Discharge from the irrigation scheme to the region's surface water. It includes point return from irrigation scheme (see [line item 9.5 Point return from irrigation scheme1203).
This definition applies to:
- account 2011line item 20.7 - delivery of committed irrigation scheme water
-
Water transferred out of the region or delivered to users from the irrigation scheme under a recognised commitment, including result of water trade, to deliver water. It excludes commitments in favour of the surface water, groundwater and urban water system where those have been identified as water assets of the region.
This definition applies to:
- account 2011line item 20.8 - delivery of other committed irrigation scheme water
-
Water delivered from the irrgigation scheme under a recognised commitment other than those defined elsewhere.
This definition applies to:
- account 2011line item 20.9 - decrease of irrigation scheme inter-region claim on water
-
Decrease of claim to water outside the region on behalf of the irrigation scheme. It includes adjustment and forfeiture of claim resulting from:
• allocations announced under entitlements to access a water resource located outside the region
• other agreements at allocation (retail) level.
It excludes claims resulting from:
• water traded into the region.
This definition applies to:
- account 2011line item 21.1 - surface water allocation announcements
-
Surface water allocation announcement on behalf of users other than the urban water system. It includes allocation announcements for:
• private users and irrigation schemes where those are not identified as a water asset of the water accounting region
• allocation holders located outside the region's boundary.
It excludes allocation announcements for:
• irrigation schemes where those are identified as a water asset of the water accounting region (reported in line item 21.3 Surface water allocation announcements - irrigation scheme).
This definition applies to:
- account 2011line item 21.2 - surface water allocation announcements - urban system
-
Surface water allocation announcement on behalf the urban water system. It includes allocation announcements for:
• allocation holders located outside the region's boundary.
This definition applies to:
- account 2011line item 21.3 - surface water allocation announcements - irrigation scheme
-
Surface water allocation announcement on behalf of irrigation schemes where those are identified as a water asset of the water accounting region. It excludes allocation announcements for:
• irrigation scheme where those are considered as users not part of the water assets of the water accounting region (reported in line item 21.1 Surface water allocation announcements).
This definition applies to:
- account 2011line item 21.4 - increase of inter-region commitment on surface water
-
Increase of commitment on the region's surface water to deliver water outside the region. It includes increase of commitments resulting from:
• inter-government agreements at allocation (retail) level.
It excludes increase of commitments resulting from:
• inter-government agreements to share water before it is allocated
• water traded out of the region
• water allocated in the region that is subsequently transferred out of the region (reported in line items 21.1- surface water allocation announcements, 21.21364 or 21.31365.)
This definition applies to:
- account 2011line item 21.5 - increase of commitment on traded out surface water
-
Increase of commitment on the region's surface water to deliver water to another region as a result of trade between both regions.
This definition applies to:
- account 2011line item 21.6 - other surface water liability increases
-
Increase of surface water liability other than those defined elsewhere.
This definition applies to:
- account 2011line item 22.1 - groundwater allocation announcements
-
Groundwater allocation announcement on behalf of users other than the urban water system. It includes allocation announcements for:
• private users and irrigation schemes where those are not identified as a water asset of the water accounting region
• allocation holders located outside the region's boundary.
It excludes allocation announcements for:
• irrigation schemes where those are identified as a water asset of the water accounting region (reported in line item 22.3 Groundwater allocation announcements - irrigation scheme).
This definition applies to:
- account 2011line item 22.2
-
Groundwater allocation announcement on behalf the urban water system. It includes allocation announcements for:
• allocation holders located outside the region's boundary.
This definition applies to:
- account 2011line item 22.3 - groundwater allocation announcements - irrigation scheme
-
Groundwater allocation announcement on behalf of irrigation schemes where those are identified as a water asset of the water accounting region.
It excludes allocation announcements for:
• irrigation scheme where those are considered as users not part of the water assets of the water accounting region (reported in line item 22.1 Groundwater allocation announcements).
This definition applies to:
- account 2011line item 22.4 - increase of inter-region commitment on groundwater
-
Increase of commitment on the region's groundwater to deliver water outside the region. It includes increase of commitments resulting from:
• inter-government agreements at allocation (retail) level
It excludes increase of commitments resulting from:
• inter-government agreements to share water before it is allocated
• water traded out of the region
• water allocated in the region that is subsequently transferred out of the region (reported in line items 22.1 - groundwater allocation announcements, 22.2 - groundwater allocation announcements - urban system or 22.3 - groundwater allocation announcements - irrigation scheme).
This definition applies to:
- account 2011line item 22.5 - increase of commitment on traded out groundwater
-
Increase of commitment on the region's groundwater to deliver water to another region as a result of trade between both regions.
This definition applies to:
- account 2011line item 22.6 - other groundwater liability increases
-
Increase of groundwater liability other than those defined elsewhere.
This definition applies to:
- account 2011line item 23.1 - urban commitment to deliver water
-
Increase of commitment, including result of water trade, on the region's urban water system to deliver water to urban water users or to other urban water systems outside the region. It excludes increase of commitments in favour of the surface water, groundwater and irrigation scheme where those have been identified as water assets of the region.
This definition applies to:
- account 2011line item 23.2 - other urban system liability increases
-
Urban water system liability increases other than those defined elsewhere.
This definition applies to:
- account 2011line item 24.1 - irrigation scheme commitment to deliver water
-
Increase of commitment, including result of water trade, on the region's irrigation scheme to deliver water to users or to other irrigation schemes outside the region. It excludes commitments in favour of the surface water, groundwater and urban water system where those have been identified as water assets of the region.
This definition applies to:
- account 2011line item 24.2 - other irrigation scheme liability increases
-
Irrigation scheme liability increases other than those defined elsewhere.
This definition applies to:
- account 2011line item 25.1 - unaccounted-for difference
-
The volume necessary to reconcile the opening water storage and closing water storage with the total water inflows and total water outflows reported in the water accounting statements. This definition recognises that in the 2011 Account, there is no uncertainty attached to the values of the line items associated with water liabilities (commitments on water) and non-physical water assets (claims to water).
This definition applies to:
- account 2011line item 26.1 - soil moisture
-
Water in the unsaturated zone of the soil profile.
This definition applies to:
- account 2011line item 26.2 - flood waters out of channel
-
Water from flood events stored on flood plains.
This definition applies to:
- account 2011line item 26.3 - lakes and wetlands
-
Other water bodies, of natural origin, for which the primary purpose is not abstractive or consumptive use. It may include water in natural lakes, ponds, lagoons, wetlands, billabongs and groundwater-fed water bodies that are not classified as storages based on their primary purpose.
This definition applies to:
- account 2011line item 27.1 - off-channel water storages
-
Water in constructed storages not connected, either seasonally or perennially, to rivers. Storages are filled predominantly by harvesting local catchment runoff. Other water sources include abstractions from surface water and groundwater. It includes off-channel farm dams and industrial, commercial and mining water storages. It excludes:
• on-channel farm dams, industrial, commercial and mining water storages
• off-channel storages operated to supply urban water systems (included in line item 3.1 Urban water supply system).
This definition applies to:
- account 2011line item 27.2 - rainwater tanks
-
Water stored in on-site infrastructure primarily designed to collect rainfall.
This definition applies to:
- account 2011line item 27.3 - other off-channel storages
-
Water stored in off-channel water other than those defined elsewhere.
This definition applies to:
- account 2011line item 28.1 - precipitation on landscape
-
All forms in which water falls on the region's landscape as rain, sleet, snow, hail, or drizzle. It excludes water that falls on the region's surface water, urban water system and irrigation scheme.
This definition applies to:
- account 2011line item 29.1 - evaporation from landscape
-
Movement of water from the region's landscape water to the atmosphere (water vapour). It excludes evaporation from the region's surface water, groundwater, urban water system and irrigation scheme.
This definition applies to:
- account 2011line item 29.2 - runoff harvesting
-
Runoff water harvested into off-channel water storages.
This definition applies to:
- account 2011line item 29.3 - other landscape decreases
-
Decreases in landscape water other than those defined elsewhere.
This definition applies to:
- account 2011line item 3.1 - urban water supply system
-
Water in the urban potable and non-potable water supply system, including pipes and tanks and off-stream ponds, which regulate water flow for operational purpose and not medium to long term water storage. It includes water in off-channel water storages that has already been abstracted by the region's urban water utilities, including dead storage capacity. It excludes recycled water.
This definition applies to:
- account 2011line item 3.10 - other urban water assets
-
Physical and non-physical urban water system assets other than those defined elsewhere.
This definition applies to:
- account 2011line item 3.2 - wastewater collection system
-
Water in the urban wastewater collection system, including wastewater lagoons and ponds, pipes, tanks, pits, sumps and storages.
This definition applies to:
- account 2011line item 3.3 - recycled water supply system
-
Treated effluent water from wastewater treatment plants or sewer mining operations fit for recycled use and contained in the recycled water supply, including pipes, tanks and storages.
This definition applies to:
- account 2011line item 3.4 - urban inter-region claim on water
-
Claims to water outside the region on behalf of the urban water system. It includes claims resulting from:
• allocations announced under entitlements to access a water resource located outside the region
• other agreements at allocation (retail) level.
It excludes claims resulting from:
• water traded into the region.
This definition applies to:
- account 2011line item 3.5 - urban claim on traded water
-
Claim to water resulting from water traded into the region on behalf of the urban water system.
This definition applies to:
- account 2011line item 3.6 - urban claim on desalinated water
-
Claim to desalinated sea water on behalf of the urban water system. It excludes claims on behalf of the surface water, which are reported in line item 1.7 Claim on desalinated water.
This definition applies to:
- account 2011line item 3.7 - urban claim on surface water
-
Claim to surface water within the region on behalf of the urban water system. It includes volume of surface water allocation remaining held by the region's urban utilities.
This definition applies to:
- account 2011line item 3.8 - urban claim on groundwater
-
Claim to groundwater within the region on behalf of the urban water system. It includes volume of groundwater allocation remaining held by the region's urban utilities.
This definition applies to:
- account 2011line item 3.9 - other urban claims on water
-
Claims to water on behalf of the urban water system other than those included elsewhere.
This definition applies to:
- account 2011line item 30.1 - precipitation on off-channel water store
-
All forms in which water falls on the region's off-channel water store as rain, sleet, snow, hail, or drizzle. It includes precipitation on off-channel water storages and collected into rainwater tanks. It excludes precipitation on the region's landscape, surface water, urban water system and irrigation scheme.
This definition applies to:
- account 2011line item 30.2 - groundwater discharge into off-channel water store
-
Discharge of water from the region's groundwater into off-channel water storages.
This definition applies to:
- account 2011line item 30.3 - runoff harvesting into off-channel water store
-
Runoff water harvested into off-channel water storages.
This definition applies to:
- account 2011line item 30.4 - surface water diversion into off-channel water store
-
Surface water diverted into off-channel water storages under water access entitlements or other statutory water rights. This definition includes surface water allocations diverted into farm dams for the purpose of storage.
This definition applies to:
- account 2011line item 30.5 - groundwater extraction into off-channel water store
-
Groundwater diverted into off-channel water storages under water access entitlements or other statutory water rights. This definition includes surface water allocations diverted into farm dams for the purpose of storage.
This definition applies to:
- account 2011line item 30.6 - other off-channel water increases
-
Increases in off-channel water other than those defined elsewhere.
This definition applies to:
- account 2011line item 31.1 - evaporation from off-channel water storages
-
Movement of water from the region's off-channel water store to the atmosphere (water vapour). It excludes evaporation from the region's landscape water, surface water, groundwater, urban water system and irrigation scheme.
This definition applies to:
- account 2011line item 31.2 - leakages from off-channel water storages
-
Leakage from off-channel water storages into the region's groundwater.
This definition applies to:
- account 2011line item 31.3 - water use
-
Abstraction of water from the off-channel water store for use.
This definition applies to:
- account 2011line item 31.4 - other off-channel water decreases
-
Decreases in off-channel water other than those defined elsewhere.
This definition applies to:
- account 2011line item 32.1 - other statutory surface water rights
-
Water rights granted by a jurisdiction on the surface water resource, external to an entitlement system. These rights may be granted under a State Water Act or a water plan. They include land owner basic rights, riparian rights and non-entitled water rights for stock and domestic and mining purposes. In the National Water Account, no commitment to deliver water (water liability) is recognised for these water rights.
This definition applies to:
- account 2011line item 32.2 - surface water access entitlement for direct diversion
-
Water access entitlements on issue granted on the surface water resource, for which no allocation (water liability) has been recognised. They include unregulated entitlement on issue in unregulated systems and in regulated systems. Unregulated flows accessed outside the normal allocation process in regulated systems are referred to as supplementary water in New South Wales.
This definition applies to:
- account 2011line item 32.3 - surface water access entitlement for allocation diversion
-
Water access entitlements on issue granted on the surface water resource, for which an allocation (water liability) has been recognised. They include regulated entitlement.
This definition applies to:
- account 2011line item 32.4 - other surface water rights
-
Surface water rights other than those defined elsewhere.
This definition applies to:
- account 2011line item 33.1 - other statutory groundwater rights
-
Water rights granted by a jurisdiction on the groundwater resource, external to an entitlement system. These rights may be granted under a State Water Act or a water plan. They include land owner basic rights and non-entitled water rights for stock and domestic and mining purposes. In the National Water Account, no commitment to deliver water (water liability) is recognised for these water rights.
This definition applies to:
- account 2011line item 33.2 - groundwater access entitlement for direct extraction
-
Water access entitlements on issue granted on the groundwater resource for which no allocation (water liability) has been recognised.
This definition applies to:
- account 2011line item 33.3 - groundwater access entitlement for allocation extraction
-
Water access entitlements on issue granted on the groundwater resource, for which an allocation (water liability) has been recognised. They include regulated entitlement. They include entitlements for which the entitled volume has been recognised as a water liability, although there was no formal allocation announcement.
This definition applies to:
- account 2011line item 33.4 - other groundwater rights
-
Groundwater rights other than those defined elsewhere.
This definition applies to:
- account 2011line item 34.1 - combined surface water and groundwater rights
-
Water access entitlements on issue that grant access to either surface water or groundwater.
This definition applies to:
- account 2011line item 35.1 - trade of surface water entitlement within region
-
Approved transaction to transfer perpetually a surface water access entitlement between legal entities located within the region's boundary, with or without change in location of the abstraction point.
This definition applies to:
- account 2011line item 35.2 - trade of surface water entitlement into region
-
Approved transaction to transfer perpetually a surface water access entitlement from a legal entity located outside the region's boundary to a legal entity located within the region's geographic boundary, with or without change in location of the abstraction point.
This definition applies to:
- account 2011line item 35.3 - trade of surface water entitlement out of region
-
Approved transaction to transfer perpetually a surface water access entitlement from a legal entity located within the region's boundary to a legal entity located outside the region's geographic boundary, with or without change in location of the abstraction point.
This definition applies to:
- account 2011line item 36.1 - lease of surface water entitlement within region
-
Approved transaction to transfer for a specified term a surface water access entitlement between legal entities located within the region's boundary, with or without change in location of the abstraction point.
This definition applies to:
- account 2011line item 36.2 - lease of surface water entitlement into region
-
Approved transaction to transfer for a specified term a surface water access entitlement from a legal entity located outside the region's boundary to a legal entity located within the region's boundary, with or without change in location of the abstraction point.
This definition applies to:
- account 2011line item 36.3 - lease of surface water entitlement out of region
-
Approved transaction to transfer for a specified term a surface water access entitlement from a legal entity located within the region's boundary to a legal entity located outside the region's boundary, with or without change in location of the abstraction point.
This definition applies to:
- account 2011line item 37.1 - surface water allocation trade within region
-
Transfer of surface water allocation between legal entities located within the region's boundary, with or without change in location of the abstraction point.
This definition applies to:
- account 2011line item 37.2 - surface water allocation trade into region
-
Transfer of surface water allocation from a legal entity located outside the region's boundary to a legal entity located within the region's boundary, with or without change in location of the abstraction point.
This definition applies to:
- account 2011line item 37.3 - surface water allocation trade out of region
-
Transfer of surface water allocation from a legal entity located within the region's boundary to a legal entity located outside the region's boundary, with or without change in location of the abstraction point.
This definition applies to:
- account 2011line item 38.1 - trade of groundwater entitlement within region
-
Approved transaction to transfer perpetually a groundwater access entitlement between legal entities located within the region's boundary, with or without a change in location of the abstraction point.
This definition applies to:
- account 2011line item 38.2 - trade of groundwater entitlement into region
-
Approved transaction to transfer perpetually a groundwater access entitlement from a legal entity located outside the region's boundary to a legal entity located within the region's boundary, with or without a change in location of the abstraction point.
This definition applies to:
- account 2011line item 38.3 - trade of groundwater entitlement out of region
-
Approved transaction to transfer perpetually a groundwater access entitlement from a legal entity located within the region's boundary to a legal entity located outside the region's boundary, with or without a change in location of the abstraction point.
This definition applies to:
- account 2011line item 39.1 - lease of groundwater entitlement within region
-
Approved transaction to transfer for a specified term a groundwater access entitlement between legal entities located within the region's boundary, with or without change in location of the abstraction point.
This definition applies to:
- account 2011line item 39.2 - lease of groundwater entitlement into region
-
Approved transaction to transfer for a specified term a groundwater access entitlement from a legal entity located outside the region's boundary to a legal entity located within the region's boundary, with or without change in location of the abstraction
This definition applies to:
- account 2011line item 39.3 - lease of groundwater entitlement out of region
-
Approved transaction to transfer for a specified term a groundwater access entitlement from a legal entity located within the region's boundary to a legal entity located outside the region's boundary, with or without change in location of the abstraction
This definition applies to:
- account 2011line item 4.1 - irrigation water supply system
-
Water in the irrigation water supply and collection system, including pipes, artificial channels and tanks. It includes water in off-channel water storages that has already been abstracted by the region's irrigation scheme, including dead storage capacity. It excludes water in private channels and storages, already abstracted from the scheme by individual irrigators.
This definition applies to:
- account 2011line item 4.2 - irrigation scheme inter-region claim on water
-
Claims to water outside the region on behalf of the irrigation scheme. It includes claims resulting from:
• allocations announced under entitlements to access a water resource located outside the region
• other agreements at allocation (retail) level.
It excludes claims resulting from:
• water traded into the region.
This definition applies to:
- account 2011line item 4.3 - irrigation scheme claim on traded water
-
Claim to water resulting from water traded into the region on behalf of the irrigation scheme.
This definition applies to:
- account 2011line item 4.4 - irrigation scheme claim on desalinated water
-
Claim to desalinated sea water on behalf of the irrigation scheme. It excludes claims on behalf of the surface water, which are reported in line item 1.7 Claim on desalinated water.
This definition applies to:
- account 2011line item 4.5 - irrigation scheme claim on surface water
-
Claim to surface water within the region on behalf of the irrigation scheme. It includes volume of surface water allocation remaining held by the region's irrigation entities.
This definition applies to:
- account 2011line item 4.6 - irrigation scheme claim on groundwater
-
Claim to groundwater within the region on behalf of the irrigation scheme. It includes volume of groundwater allocation remaining held by the region's irrigation entities.
This definition applies to:
- account 2011line item 4.7 - other irrigation scheme claims on water
-
Claims to water on behalf of the irrigation scheme other than those included elsewhere.
This definition applies to:
- account 2011line item 4.8 - other irrigation scheme water assets
-
Physical and non-physical irrigation scheme water assets other than those defined elsewhere.
This definition applies to:
- account 2011line item 40.1 - groundwater allocation trade within region
-
Transfer of groundwater allocation between legal entities located within the region's boundary, with or without change in location of the abstraction point.
This definition applies to:
- account 2011line item 40.2 - groundwater allocation trade into region
-
Transfer of groundwater allocation from a legal entity located outside the region's boundary to a legal entity located within the region's boundary, with or without change in location of the abstraction point.
This definition applies to:
- account 2011line item 40.3 - groundwater allocation trade out of region
-
Transfer of groundwater allocation from a legal entity located within the region's boundary to a legal entity located outside the region's boundary, with or without change in location of the abstraction point.
This definition applies to:
- account 2011line item 41.1 - precipitation on storages
-
All forms in which water falls on the region's water storages as rain, sleet, snow, hail, or drizzle. The value can include all or part of the water storages reported under line item 1.1 Storage.
This definition applies to:
- account 2011line item 41.2 - groundwater discharge into storages
-
Groundwater discharge to the region's water storages. The value can include all or part of the water storages reported under line item 1.1 Storage.
This definition applies to:
- account 2011line item 41.3 - runoff into storages
-
Water that rans off into the region's water storages. It includes river flow into the water storages and runoff flowing directly from the landscape into the storages. The value can include all or part of the water storages reported under line item 1.1 Storages.
This definition applies to:
- account 2011line item 41.4 - transfer of water into storages
-
Water transferred via infrastructure into the water storages under any type of water access entitlement or other arrangement. The value can include all or part of the water storages reported under line item 1.1 Storage.
This definition applies to:
- account 2011line item 41.5 - other storage increases
-
Inflows into water storages other than those defined elsewhere. The value can include all or part of the water storages reported under line item 1.1 Storage.
This definition applies to:
- account 2011line item 42.1 - evaporation from storages
-
Movement of water from the region's water storages to the atmosphere (water vapour). The value can include all or part of the water storages reported under line item 1.1 Storage.
This definition applies to:
- account 2011line item 42.2 - groundwater recharge from storages
-
Infiltration from the water storages to the region's groundwater. It includes the deliberate recharge of groundwater from water storages. The value can include all or part of the water storages reported under line item 1.1 Storage.
This definition applies to:
- account 2011line item 42.3 - leakage from storages
-
Leakage from the water storages to the soil. It excludes recharge to groundwater. The value can include all or part of the water storages reported under line item 1.1 Storage.
This definition applies to:
- account 2011line item 42.4 - spillage from storages
-
Overflow from water storages via spillway and leakage through a dams' wall into downstream river. The value can include all or part of the water storages reported under line item 1.1 Storage.
This definition applies to:
- account 2011line item 42.5 - releases from storages
-
Releases from water storages into a downstream river under any type of water access entitlement or other arrangement. It includes releases to provide environmental benefit and responses to calls on announced allocation. The value can include all or part of the water storages reported under line item 1.1 Storage.
This definition applies to:
- account 2011line item 42.6 - diversions from storages
-
Diversions via infrastructure from water storages under any type of water access entitlement or other arrangement. It includes diversions within the region and out of the region. It excludes releases to a downstream river. The value can include all or part of the water storages reported under line item 1.1 Storage.
This definition applies to:
- account 2011line item 42.7 - other storage decreases
-
Outflows from water storages other than those defined elsewhere. The value can include all or part of the water storages reported under line item 1.1 Storage.
This definition applies to:
- account 2011line item 5.1 - surface water allocation remaining
-
Surface water allocation remaining on behalf of users other than the urban water system. It includes allocations remaining for:
• private users and irrigation schemes where those are not identified as a water asset of the water accounting region
• allocation holders located outside the region's boundary.
It excludes allocations remaining for:
• irrigation schemes where those are identified as a water asset of the water accounting region (reported in line item 5.3 surface water allocation remaining - irrigation scheme).
This definition applies to:
- account 2011line item 5.2 - surface water allocation remaining - urban water system
-
Surface water allocation remaining on behalf the urban water system. It includes allocations remaining for: • allocation holders located outside the region's boundary.
This definition applies to:
- account 2011line item 5.3 - surface water allocation remaining - irrigation scheme
-
Surface water allocation remaining on behalf of irrigation schemes where those are identified as water asset of the water accounting region. It excludes allocations remaining for:
• irrigation scheme where those are considered as users not part of the water assets of the water accounting region (reported in line item 5.1 surface water allocation remaining).
This definition applies to:
- account 2011line item 5.4 - inter-region commitment on surface water
-
Commitment on the region's surface water to deliver water outside the region. It includes commitments resulting from:
• inter-government agreements at allocation (retail) level.
It excludes commitments resulting from:
• inter-government agreements to share water before it is allocated
• water traded out of the region
• water allocated in the region that is subsequently transferred out of the region. Such commitment is reported as line item 5.1, 5.2 or 5.3.
This definition applies to:
- account 2011line item 5.5 - commitment on water traded out of the region
-
Commitment on the region's surface water to deliver water to another region as a result of trade between both regions.
This definition applies to:
- account 2011line item 5.6 - other surface water liability
-
Surface water liability other than those defined elsewhere. It does not include rules-based obligation, such as a commitment to ensure minimum passing flows to a downstream region.
This definition applies to:
- account 2011line item 6.1 - groundwater allocation remaining
-
Groundwater allocation remaining on behalf of users other than the urban water system. It includes allocations remaining for:
• private users and irrigation schemes where those are not identified as a water asset of the water accounting region
• allocation holders located outside the region's boundary.
It excludes allocations remaining for:
• irrigation schemes where those are identified as a+F805 water asset of the water accounting region (reported in line item 6.3 Groundwater allocation remaining - irrigation scheme).
This definition applies to:
- account 2011line item 6.2 - groundwater allocation remaining - urban water system
-
Groundwater allocation remaining on behalf the urban water system. It includes allocations remaining for:
• allocation holders located outside the region's boundary.
This definition applies to:
- account 2011line item 6.3 - groundwater allocation remaining - irrigation scheme
-
Groundwater allocation remaining on behalf of irrigation schemes where those are identified as a water asset of the water accounting region. It excludes allocations remaining for:
• irrigation scheme where those are considered as users not part of the water assets of the water accounting region (reported in line item 6.1 Groundwater allocation remaining).
This definition applies to:
- account 2011line item 6.4 - inter-region commitment on groundwater
-
Commitment on the region's groundwater to deliver water outside the region. It includes commitments resulting from:
• inter-government agreements at allocation (retail) level.
It excludes commitments resulting from:
• inter-government agreements to share water before it is allocated
• water traded out of the region
• water allocated in the region that is subsequently transferred out of the region. Such commitment is reported as line item 6.1- groundwater allocation remaining, 6.2- groundwater allocation remaining - urban water system or 6.3- groundwater allocation remaining - irrigation scheme.
This definition applies to:
- account 2011line item 6.5 - commitment on traded out groundwater
-
Commitment on the region's groundwater to deliver water to another region as a result of trade between both regions.
This definition applies to:
- account 2011line item 6.6 - other groundwater liability
-
Groundwater liability other than those defined elsewhere. It does not include rules-based obligation, such as a commitment to maintain groundwater at a certain level.
This definition applies to:
- account 2011line item 7.1 - urban system commitment to provide water
-
Commitment, including result of water trade, on the region's urban water system to deliver water to urban water users or to other urban water systems outside the region. It excludes commitments in favour of the surface water, groundwater and irrigation scheme where those have been identified as water assets of the region.
This definition applies to:
- account 2011line item 7.2 - other urban water liability
-
Urban water system liability other than those defined elsewhere.
This definition applies to:
- account 2011line item 8.1 - irrigation scheme commitment to provide water
-
Commitment, including result of water trade, on the region's irrigation scheme to deliver water to users or to other irrigation schemes outside the region. It excludes commitments in favour of the surface water, groundwater and urban water system where those have been identified as water assets of the region.
This definition applies to:
- account 2011line item 8.2 - other irrigation scheme liability
-
Irrigation scheme liability other than those defined elsewhere.
This definition applies to:
- account 2011line item 9.1 - precipitation on surface water
-
All forms in which water falls on the region's surface water as rain, sleet, snow, hail, or drizzle.
This definition applies to:
- account 2011line item 9.10 - direct discharge by user
-
Discharge of water by a user to the region's surface water done directly and not through the urban or irrigation collection systems. It includes discharge of water that has been self-abstracted or delivered through an urban or irrigation water supply system.
This definition applies to:
- account 2011line item 9.11 - delivery of water under inter-region agreement
-
Delivery of imported water to the region's surface water to service a prior claim recognised on behalf of the surface water. The prior claim may be an inter-basin agreement or an announced allocation held on a water resource located outside the region, but excludes water trade (see line item 9.12 Delivery of traded water).
This definition applies to:
- account 2011line item 9.12 - delivery of traded water
-
Delivery of water into the region's surface water to service a prior claim resulting from water traded into the region (see line item 9.16 Increase of claim on water traded into the region).
This definition applies to:
- account 2011line item 9.13 - delivery of claimed desalinated water
-
Delivery of desalinated sea water to the region's surface water to service a prior claim recognised on behalf of the surface water. It excludes delivery of desalinated sea water where no prior claim has been recognised (see line item 9.8 Delivery of desalinated water).
This definition applies to:
- account 2011line item 9.14 - other delivery of water
-
Delivery of water to the region's surface water other than those defined elsewhere.
This definition applies to:
- account 2011line item 9.15 - increase of inter-region claim on water
-
Increase of claims to water outside the region on behalf of the surface water. It includes claims resulting from:
• an announced allocation held on a water resource located outside the region
• inter-government agreements at allocation (retail) level.
It excludes claims resulting from:
• inter-government agreements to share water before it is allocated
• water traded into the region
• contract to deliver desalinated sea water.
This definition applies to:
- account 2011line item 9.16 - increase of claim on water traded into the region
-
Increase of claim held on behalf of the surface water resulting from water traded into the region.
This definition applies to:
- account 2011line item 9.17 - increase of claim on desalinated water
-
Increase of claim to desalinated sea water held on behalf of the surface water. It excludes increase of claim held on behalf of the urban water system (see line item 11.17 Increase of urban claim on desalinated water).
This definition applies to:
- account 2011line item 9.18 - increase of other claims on water
-
Increase of claim held on behalf of the region's surface water other than those defined elsewhere.
This definition applies to:
- account 2011line item 9.19 - other surface water increases
-
Increases of physical and non-physical surface water assets other than those defined elsewhere.
This definition applies to:
- account 2011line item 9.2 - river inflow to region
-
River inflow that enters the region.
This definition applies to:
- account 2011line item 9.3 - groundwater discharge
-
Groundwater discharge to the region's surface water.
This definition applies to:
- account 2011line item 9.4 - runoff to surface water
-
Runoff from landscape to the region's surface water due to rainfall or irrigation.
This definition applies to:
- account 2011line item 9.5 - point return from irrigation scheme
-
Point discharge from irrigation scheme to the region's surface water. It includes overflows from irrigation scheme water supply channels and discharge of used irrigation water from irrigation scheme collection systems.
This definition applies to:
- account 2011line item 9.6 - overbank flood return to river channel
-
Return of flood waters from the flood plains. It excludes flood waters returning from seasonally connected wetlands and other surface water bodies.
This definition applies to:
- account 2011line item 9.7 - delivery of water from outside region
-
Delivery of imported water to the region's surface water where no prior claim has been recognised on behalf of the surface water.
This definition applies to:
- account 2011line item 9.8 - delivery of desalinated water
-
Delivery of desalinated sea water to the region's surface water where no prior claim has been recognised on behalf of the surface water.
This definition applies to:
- account 2011line item 9.9 - discharge from urban water system
-
Discharge from urban water systems to the region's surface water. It includes discharge of non-potable, potable, treated wastewater and recycled water. It includes pump back or transfer back of water to surface water for the purpose of storage and releases to meet environmental requirements. It excludes pump back or transfer of water to off-channel water storages considered part of the urban water system (see line item 3.1 Urban water supply system).
This definition applies to:
- account 2012-2017 line item 1.1 – storage
-
Water in artificial or natural water storages connected to rivers, for which primary purpose is medium to long term water storage to service surface water access rights. These storages can be managed by an organisation to provide water to a rural or urban water system. Weirs that are used primarily to redirect flows are excluded. The volumetric capacity reported includes dead storage capacity.
This definition applies to:
- account 2012-2017 line item 1.10 – other surface water assets
-
Physical and non-physical surface water assets other than those defined elsewhere.
This definition applies to:
- account 2012-2017 line item 1.2 – unregulated river
-
A river where there is no entitlement system at all or where there is an entitlement system which does not allow orders to be placed for upstream release of a licensed allocation. It includes locks and weirs used primarily to redirect flows that are located on unregulated stretches of river.
This definition applies to:
- account 2012-2017 line item 1.3 – regulated river
-
A river on which a licensed entitlement regime exists with centralised allocation, and from which orders may be placed for upstream release of a licensed allocation. A necessary, but not sufficient condition for a river to be regulated is that it is located downstream of a surface water storage. Includes locks and weirs used primarily to redirect flows that are located on regulated stretches of river.
This definition applies to:
- account 2012-2017 line item 1.4 – lakes and wetlands
-
Other water bodies, of natural origin, for which the primary purpose is not abstractive or consumptive use. They may include water in natural lakes, ponds, lagoons, wetlands, billabongs and groundwater-fed water bodies that are not classified as storages based on their primary purpose.
This definition applies to:
- account 2012-2017 line item 1.5 – inter–region claim on water
-
A claim to water outside the region held on behalf of the surface water. It includes claims resulting from:
• an announced allocation held on a water resource located outside the region
• inter-government agreements at allocation (retail) level
It excludes claims resulting from:
• inter-government agreements to share water before it is allocated
• water traded into the region
• contract to deliver desalinated sea water.
This definition applies to:
- account 2012-2017 line item 1.6 – claim on water traded into the region
-
A claim to water resulting from water traded into the region held on behalf of the surface water.
This definition applies to:
- account 2012-2017 line item 1.7 – claim on desalinated water
-
A claim to desalinated sea water held on behalf of the surface water. It excludes claims on behalf of the urban water system, which are reported in account 2012-2017 line item 3.6 – urban claim on desalinated water.
This definition applies to:
- account 2012-2017 line item 1.8 – other claims on water
-
A claim to water held on behalf of the surface water other than those defined elsewhere.
This definition applies to:
- account 2012-2017 line item 1.9 – overdraft of surface water allocation
-
A claim to water held on behalf of the surface water, following an overdraft of surface water allocation by an allocation holder that is not part of the water accounting region. This can be thought of as an 'advance draw'. It includes overdraft by private allocation holders.
It only includes overdraft by urban water system and irrigation schemes when those are not part of the water accounting region.
This definition applies to:
- account 2012-2017 line item 10.1 – groundwater inflow from outside region
-
Lateral flow of groundwater into the region's groundwater from inland groundwater aquifers that extend outside the region. It excludes lateral flow of groundwater from coastal aquifers.
This definition applies to:
- account 2012-2017 line item 10.10 – discharge from urban water system to groundwater
-
Discharge from the urban water system either directly or indirectly to the region's groundwater. It includes recycled water discharge to infiltration basins for the purpose of recharging groundwater and wastewater discharge to groundwater via infiltration.
This definition applies to:
- account 2012-2017 line item 10.11 – delivery of claimed water to groundwater
-
Delivery of water to the region's groundwater to service a prior claim recognised on behalf of the groundwater.
This definition applies to:
- account 2012-2017 line item 10.12 – increase of groundwater claims on water
-
Increase of claim held on behalf of the region's groundwater. It includes claims resulting from:
• an announced allocation held on a water resource located outside the region
• inter-government agreements at allocation (retail) level
• water traded into the region.
It excludes claims resulting from inter-government agreements to share water before it is allocated.
This definition applies to:
- account 2012-2017 line item 10.13 – other groundwater increases
-
Increases of physical and non-physical groundwater assets other than those defined elsewhere.
This definition applies to:
- account 2012-2017 line item 10.2 – groundwater inflow from outside region at coast
-
Lateral flow of groundwater into the region from groundwater aquifers that extend outside the region at the coast.
This definition applies to:
- account 2012-2017 line item 10.3 – recharge from landscape
-
Diffuse recharge from landscape to the region's groundwater due to both natural and artificial processes. It includes irrigation induced recharge. It excludes urban infiltration basin recharge or managed aquifer recharge.
This definition applies to:
- account 2012-2017 line item 10.4 – recharge from surface water
-
Recharge from surface water to the region's groundwater. It includes the deliberate recharge of groundwater from surface water storages and rivers.
This definition applies to:
- account 2012-2017 line item 10.5 – leakage from off – channel water storage
-
Leakage from off-channel water storages to the region's groundwater.
This definition applies to:
- account 2012-2017 line item 10.6 – leakage from urban water system
-
Leakage from urban water systems to the region's groundwater. It includes exfiltration from wastewater collection systems. It includes leakage from non-potable, potable and recycled water supply systems. It excludes pipe bursts, overflows or spills.
This definition applies to:
- account 2012-2017 line item 10.7 – leakage from irrigation scheme
-
Leakage from an irrigation scheme to the region's groundwater. It includes leakage from irrigation channels, tanks and storages that form part of the irrigation scheme.
This definition applies to:
- account 2012-2017 line item 10.8 – managed aquifer recharge – private user
-
Managed aquifer recharge other than from the urban water system to the region's groundwater. It includes stormwater and industrial wastewater used for managed aquifer recharge and for a managed aquifer recharge scheme.
This definition applies to:
- account 2012-2017 line item 10.9 – managed aquifer recharge – urban water system
-
Managed aquifer recharge from the urban water system to the region's groundwater. It includes non-potable and recycled water used in a managed aquifer recharge scheme.
This definition applies to:
- account 2012-2017 line item 11.1 – precipitation on urban water system
-
All forms in which water falls on the region's urban water system as rain, sleet, snow, hail, or drizzle. It includes precipitation on wastewater treatment lagoons or ponds, recycled water storages and off-channel water storages that are part of the urban water system. It excludes precipitation on surface water storages.
This definition applies to:
- account 2012-2017 line item 11.10 – delivery of traded water to urban water system
-
Delivery of water into the region's urban water system to service a prior claim resulting from water traded into the region (see account 2012-2017 line item 11.16 – increase of urban claim on traded water).
This definition applies to:
- account 2012-2017 line item 11.11 – delivery of claimed desalinated water to urban water system
-
Delivery of desalinated sea water to the region's urban water system to service a prior claim recognised on behalf of the urban water system. It excludes delivery of desalinated sea water where no prior claim has been recognised (see account 2012-2017 line item 11.6 – delivery of desalinated water to urban water system). It excludes water delivered to an urban water system from the region's surface water that was originally desalinated water.
This definition applies to:
- account 2012-2017 line item 11.12 – entitled diversion of allocated surface water to urban water system
-
Diversion of surface water to the region's urban water system to service a prior allocation announced on behalf of the urban water system. It includes diversions under account 2012-2017 line item 32.3 – surface water access entitlement for allocation diversion.
This definition applies to:
- account 2012-2017 line item 11.13 – entitled extraction of allocated groundwater to urban water system
-
Diversion of groundwater to the region's urban water system to service a prior allocation announced on behalf of the urban water system. It includes diversions under account 2012-2017 line item 33.3 – groundwater access entitlement for allocation diversion.
This definition applies to:
- account 2012-2017 line item 11.14 – other delivery of water to urban water system
-
Delivery of physical water to the region's urban water system other than those defined elsewhere.
This definition applies to:
- account 2012-2017 line item 11.15 – increase of inter – region claim on water by urban water system
-
Increase of claims to water outside the region on behalf of the urban water system. It includes claims resulting from:
• an announced allocation held on a water resource located outside the region
• agreements at allocation (retail) level.
It excludes claims resulting from:
• water traded into the region
• contract to deliver desalinated sea water.
This definition applies to:
- account 2012-2017 line item 11.16 – increase of urban claim on traded water
-
Increase of claim held on behalf of the urban water system resulting from water traded into the region.
This definition applies to:
- account 2012-2017 line item 11.17 – increase of urban claim on desalinated water
-
Increase of claim to desalinated sea water held on behalf of the urban water system. It excludes an increase of claim held on behalf of the surface water (see line item 9.17 – increase of surface water claim on desalinated water).
This definition applies to:
- account 2012-2017 line item 11.18 – increase of urban claim on surface water
-
Increase of claim on the region's surface water held on behalf of the urban water system. It includes allocations announced or otherwise recognised during the reporting period on the region's surface water for the urban water system.
This definition applies to:
- account 2012-2017 line item 11.19 – increase of urban claim on groundwater
-
Increase of claim on the region's groundwater held on behalf of the urban water system. It includes allocations announced or otherwise recognised during the reporting period on the region's groundwater for the urban water system.
This definition applies to:
- account 2012-2017 line item 11.2 – entitled diversion of non-allocated surface water to urban water system
-
Diversion from the region's surface water into the urban water system where no prior claim has been recognised on behalf of the urban water system. It includes diversions under 32.2–surface water access entitlement for non-allocated diversions and the 32.1–other statutory surface water rights.
This definition applies to:
- account 2012-2017 line item 11.20 – increase of other urban claims on water
-
Increase of claim held on behalf of the region's urban water system other than those defined elsewhere.
This definition applies to:
- account 2012-2017 line item 11.21 – other urban water system increases
-
Increases of physical and non-physical urban water system assets other than those defined elsewhere.
This definition applies to:
- account 2012-2017 line item 11.3 – entitled extraction of non–allocated groundwater to urban water system
-
Extraction from the region's groundwater into the urban water system where no prior claim has been recognised on behalf of the urban water system. It includes extractions under 33.2 Groundwater access entitlement for direct extraction and 33.1 Other statutory groundwater rights.
This definition applies to:
- account 2012-2017 line item 11.4 – wastewater collected
-
Metered volume of wastewater collected by the wastewater collection network, which is part of the region's wastewater system. It includes wastewater discharged following the use of water supplied via the region's urban water supply system or taken individually (e.g. from rainwater tanks).
It excludes wastewater collected by urban utilities outside the region and then transferred into the region.
This definition applies to:
- account 2012-2017 line item 11.5 – delivery of water from outside region to urban water system
-
Delivery of imported water to the region's urban water system where no prior claim has been recognised on behalf of the urban water system. It includes potable, non-potable, wastewater and recycled water transferred into the region by urban water agencies servicing an area that extends outside the region.
This definition applies to:
- account 2012-2017 line item 11.6 – delivery of desalinated water to urban water system
-
Delivery of desalinated sea water to the region's urban water system where no prior claim has been recognised on behalf of the urban water system.
This definition applies to:
- account 2012-2017 line item 11.7 – stormwater ingress
-
Ingress of stormwater into the region's wastewater system.
Note: This item shouldn't be considered as part of the urban water system increases. Wastewater collected (metered volume) includes this component (see account 2012-2017 line item 11.4). However, this item is to be considered as part of the 'Landscape store decrease'.
This definition applies to:
- account 2012-2017 line item 11.8 – infiltration from groundwater to urban water system
-
Infiltration of groundwater into the region's wastewater system.
Note: This item shouldn't be considered as part of the 'Urban water system increases'. Wastewater collected (metered volume) includes this component (see account 2012-2017 line item 11.4). However, this item is to be considered as part of the 'Groundwater store decrease'.
This definition applies to:
- account 2012-2017 line item 11.9 – delivery of water to urban water system under inter-region agreement
-
Delivery of imported water to the region's urban water system to service a prior claim recognised on behalf of the urban water system. The prior claim may be an announced allocation held on a water resource located outside the region or another agreement at allocation (retail level), but excludes water trade and contracts for the delivery of desalinated sea water.
This definition applies to:
- account 2012-2017 line item 12.1 – precipitation on irrigation scheme
-
All forms in which water falls on the region's irrigation scheme as rain, sleet, snow, hail, or drizzle. F873It includes precipitation on irrigation supply and collection channels, and irrigation scheme storages.
This definition applies to:
- account 2012-2017 line item 12.10 – entitled extraction of allocated groundwater to irrigation scheme
-
Diversion of groundwater to the region's irrigation scheme to service a prior allocation announced on behalf of the irrigation scheme. It includes diversions under account 2012-2017 line item 33.3 – groundwater access entitlement for allocation diversion.
This definition applies to:
- account 2012-2017 line item 12.11 – other delivery of water to irrigation scheme
-
Delivery of physical water to the region's irrigation scheme other than those defined elsewhere.
This definition applies to:
- account 2012-2017 line item 12.12 – increase of irrigation scheme inter-region claim on water
-
Increase of claims to water outside the region on behalf of the irrigation scheme. It includes claims resulting from:
• an announced allocation held on a water resource located outside the region
• agreements at allocation (retail) level.
It excludes claims resulting from:
• water traded into the region
• contract to deliver desalinated sea water.
This definition applies to:
- account 2012-2017 line item 12.13 – increase of irrigation scheme claim on traded water
-
Increase of claim held on behalf of the irrigation scheme resulting from water traded into the region.
This definition applies to:
- account 2012-2017 line item 12.14 – increase of irrigation scheme claim on desalinated water
-
Increase of claim to desalinated sea water held on behalf of the irrigation scheme. It excludes an increase of claim held on behalf of the surface water (see line item 9.17 – increase of surface water claim on desalinated water).
This definition applies to:
- account 2012-2017 line item 12.15 – increase of irrigation scheme claim on surface water
-
Increase of claim on the region's surface water held on behalf of the irrigation scheme. It includes allocations announced or otherwise recognised during the reporting period on the region's surface water for the irrigation scheme.
This definition applies to:
- account 2012-2017 line item 12.16 – increase of irrigation scheme claim on groundwater
-
Increase of claim on the region's groundwater held on behalf of the irrigation scheme. It includes allocations announced or otherwise recognised during the reporting period on the region's groundwater for the irrigation scheme.
This definition applies to:
- account 2012-2017 line item 12.17 – increase of other irrigation scheme claims on water
-
Increase of claim held on behalf of the region's irrigation scheme other than those defined elsewhere.
This definition applies to:
- account 2012-2017 line item 12.18 – other irrigation water increases
-
Increases of physical and non-physical irrigation scheme assets other than those defined elsewhere.
This definition applies to:
- account 2012-2017 line item 12.2 – entitled diversion of non – allocated surface water to irrigation scheme
-
Diversion from the region's surface water into the irrigation scheme where no prior claim has been recognised on behalf of the irrigation scheme. It includes diversions under 32.2 – surface water access entitlement for non-allocated diversions and 32.1 – other statutory surface water rights.
This definition applies to:
- account 2012-2017 line item 12.3 – entitled extraction of non-allocated groundwater to irrigation scheme
-
Extraction from the region's groundwater into the irrigation scheme where no prior claim has been recognised on behalf of the irrigation scheme. It includes extractions under 33.2 Groundwater access entitlement for direct extraction and 33.1 Other statutory groundwater rights.
This definition applies to:
- account 2012-2017 line item 12.4 – discharge from urban water system to irrigation scheme
-
Delivery of water from the region's urban water system to the irrigation scheme where no prior claim has been recognised on behalf of the irrigation scheme. It includes recycled water.
This definition applies to:
- account 2012-2017 line item 12.5 – delivery of water from outside region to irrigation scheme
-
Delivery of imported water to the region's irrigation scheme where no prior claim has been recognised on behalf of the irrigation scheme. It includes water transferred into the region by irrigation entities servicing an area that extends outside the region.
This definition applies to:
- account 2012-2017 line item 12.6 – delivery of water to irrigation scheme under inter–region agreement
-
Delivery of imported water to the region's irrigation scheme to service a prior claim recognised on behalf of the irrigation scheme. The prior claim may be an announced allocation held on a water resource located outside the region or another agreement at allocation (retail level), but excludes water trade and contracts for the delivery of desalinated sea water.
This definition applies to:
- account 2012-2017 line item 12.7 – delivery of traded water to irrigation scheme
-
Delivery of water into the region's irrigation scheme to service a prior claim resulting from water traded into the region (see line item 12.13 – increase of irrigation scheme claim on traded water).
This definition applies to:
- account 2012-2017 line item 12.8 – delivery of claimed desalinated water to irrigation scheme
-
Delivery of desalinated sea water to the region's irrigation scheme to service a prior claim recognised on behalf of the irrigation scheme. It excludes delivery of desalinated sea water where no prior claim has been recognised.
This definition applies to:
- account 2012-2017 line item 12.9 – entitled diversion of allocated surface water to irrigation scheme
-
Diversion of surface water to the region's irrigation scheme to service a prior allocation announced on behalf of the irrigation scheme. It includes diversions under account 2012-2017 line item 32.3 – surface water access entitlement for allocation diversion.
This definition applies to:
- account 2012-2017 line item 13.1 – adjustment and forfeiture of surface water allocation
-
Adjustment and forfeiture of allocation on the surface water held on behalf of users other than the urban water system. It includes adjustment and forfeiture of allocation for:
• private users and irrigation schemes where those are not identified as a water asset of the water accounting region
• allocation holders located outside the region's boundary.
It excludes adjustment and forfeiture of allocation for:
• irrigation schemes where those are identified as a water asset of the water accounting region (reported in line item 13.3 – adjustment and forfeiture of surface water allocation – irrigation scheme).
This definition applies to:
- account 2012-2017 line item 13.2 – adjustment and forfeiture of surface water allocation – urban water system
-
Adjustment and forfeiture of allocation on the surface water held on behalf the urban water system. It includes adjustment and forfeiture of allocation for:
• allocation holders located outside the region's boundary.
This definition applies to:
- account 2012-2017 line item 13.3 – adjustment and forfeiture of surface water allocation – irrigation scheme
-
Adjustment and forfeiture of allocation on the surface water held on behalf of irrigation schemes where those are identified as water asset of the water accounting region. It excludes adjustment and forfeiture of allocation for:
• irrigation scheme considered as users not part of the water assets of the water accounting region (reported in line item 13.1–adjustment and forfeiture of surface water allocation).
This definition applies to:
- account 2012-2017 line item 13.4 – adjustment and forfeiture of inter-region commitment on surface water
-
Adjustment and forfeiture of inter-region commitment on surface water (see line item 5.4–inter-region commitment on surface water) approved during the reporting period (or remaining from the previous reporting period) that has not been serviced at the end of the reporting period.
This definition applies to:
- account 2012-2017 line item 13.5 – adjustment and forfeiture of traded surface water commitment
-
Adjustment and forfeiture of commitment resulting from trade of surface water out of the region (see line item 5.5 – commitment on water traded out of the region) approved during the reporting period (or remaining from the previous reporting period) that has not been serviced at the end of the reporting period.
This definition applies to:
- account 2012-2017 line item 13.6 – other surface water liability decreases
-
Decreases of surface water liabilities other than those defined elsewhere.
This definition applies to:
- account 2012-2017 line item 14.1 – adjustment and forfeiture of groundwater allocation
-
Adjustment and forfeiture of allocation on the groundwater held on behalf of users other than the urban water system. It includes adjustment and forfeiture of allocation for:
• private users and irrigation schemes where those are not identified as a water asset of the water accounting region
• allocation holders located outside the region's boundary.
It excludes adjustment and forfeiture of allocation for:
• irrigation schemes where those are identified as a water asset of the water accounting region (reported in line item 14.3 – adjustment and forfeiture of groundwater allocation – irrigation scheme).
This definition applies to:
- account 2012-2017 line item 14.2 – adjustment and forfeiture of groundwater allocation – urban water system
-
Adjustment and forfeiture of allocation on the groundwater held on behalf the urban water system. It includes adjustment and forfeiture of allocation for:
• allocation holders located outside the region's boundary.
This definition applies to:
- account 2012-2017 line item 14.3 – adjustment and forfeiture of groundwater allocation – irrigation scheme
-
Adjustment and forfeiture of allocation on the groundwater held on behalf of irrigation schemes where those are identified as a water asset of the water accounting region.
It excludes adjustment and forfeiture of allocation for:
• irrigation scheme where those are considered as users not part of the water assets of the water accounting region (reported in line item 14.1 – adjustment and forfeiture of groundwater allocation).
This definition applies to:
- account 2012-2017 line item 14.4 – adjustment and forfeiture of inter–region commitment on groundwater
-
Adjustment and forfeiture of inter-region commitment on groundwater (see line item 6.4 – inter-region commitment on groundwater) approved during the reporting period (or remaining from the previous reporting period) that has not been serviced at the end of the reporting period.
This definition applies to:
- account 2012-2017 line item 14.5 – adjustment and forfeiture of traded groundwater commitment
-
Adjustment and forfeiture of commitment resulting from trade of groundwater out of the region (see line item 6.5 – commitment on traded out groundwater) approved during the reporting period (or remaining from the previous reporting period) that has not been serviced at the end of the reporting period.
This definition applies to:
- account 2012-2017 line item 14.6 – other groundwater liability decreases
-
Decreases of groundwater liabilities other than those defined elsewhere.
This definition applies to:
- account 2012-2017 line item 15.1 – adjustment and forfeiture of urban water system commitment to deliver water
-
Adjustment and forfeiture of commitment made during the reporting period (or remaining from the previous reporting period) to deliver water from the region's urban water system to users within or out of the region or to other urban water systems out of the region. It excludes adjustment and forfeiture of commitment to deliver water to surface water, groundwater and the irrigation scheme where those are part of the water accounting region.
This definition applies to:
- account 2012-2017 line item 15.2 – other urban water system liability decreases
-
Decreases of urban water system liabilities other than those defined elsewhere. It includes adjustment and forfeiture of commitment to deliver water to surface water, groundwater and the irrigation scheme where those are part of the water accounting region.
This definition applies to:
- account 2012-2017 line item 16.1 – adjustment and forfeiture of irrigation scheme commitment to deliver water
-
Adjustment and forfeiture of commitment made during the reporting period (or remaining from the previous reporting period) to deliver water from the region's irrigation scheme to users within or out of the region or to other irrigation schemes out of the region. It excludes adjustment and forfeiture of commitment to deliver water to surface water, groundwater and the urban water system where those are part of the water accounting region.
This definition applies to:
- account 2012-2017 line item 16.2 – other irrigation scheme liability decreases
-
Decreases of irrigation scheme liabilities other than those defined elsewhere. It includes adjustment and forfeiture of commitment to deliver water to surface water, groundwater and the F910urban water system where those are part of the water accounting region.
This definition applies to:
- account 2012-2017 line item 17.1 – evaporation from surface water
-
Movement of water from the region's surface water to the atmosphere (water vapour).
This definition applies to:
- account 2012-2017 line item 17.10 – river and floodplain leakage, evaporation and errors
-
All uncalculated flows and changes in storage and errors made on calculated terms related to the surface water. The main uncalculated ouflows may include: runoff water evaporated or leaked from the floodplain and not reaching the rivers, overbank flood water, leakage to groundwater and evaporation from rivers.
This definition applies to:
- account 2012-2017 line item 17.11 – entitled diversion of allocated surface water to users
-
Surface water diverted to users other than the urban water system, under water access entitlements for which an allocation has been recognised (see line item 32.3 – surface water access entitlement for allocated diversions). It includes allocated diversions for:
• private users and irrigation schemes where those are not identified as a water asset of the water accounting region
• allocation holders located outside the region's boundary.
It excludes allocated diversions for:
• irrigation schemes where those are identified as a water asset of the water accounting region (reported in line item 17.13 – entitled diversion of allocated surface water to irrigation scheme).
This definition applies to:
- account 2012-2017 line item 17.12 – entitled diversion of allocated surface water to urban water system
-
Surface water diverted to urban water system, under water access entitlements for which an allocation has been recognised (see account 2012-2017 line item 32.3 – surface water access entitlement for allocation diversion). It includes allocated diversions for:
• allocation holders located outside the region's boundary.
This definition applies to:
- account 2012-2017 line item 17.13 – entitled diversion of allocated surface water to irrigation scheme
-
Surface water diverted to irrigation schemes under water access entitlements for which an allocation has been recognised (see line item 32.3 – surface water access entitlement for allocated diversions). It includes allocated diversions for:
• irrigation schemes where those are identified as water asset of the water accounting region
It excludes allocated diversions for:
• irrigation scheme where those are considered as users not part of the water assets of the water accounting region (reported in line item 17.11 – entitled diversion of allocated surface water to users).
This definition applies to:
- account 2012-2017 line item 17.14 – surface water transfer under inter-region commitment
-
Surface water transferred out of the region under a recognised inter-region commitment to deliver surface water (see line item 5.4 – inter-region commitment on surface water).
This definition applies to:
- account 2012-2017 line item 17.15 – surface water transfer under trade commitment
-
Surface water transferred out of the region under a recognised commitment to deliver surface water traded to another region (see line item 5.5 – commitment on water traded out of the region).
This definition applies to:
- account 2012-2017 line item 17.16 – other delivery of allocated surface water
-
Surface water diverted under a recognised commitment to deliver surface water other than those defined elsewhere.
This definition applies to:
- account 2012-2017 line item 17.17 – decrease of inter – region surface water claim on water
-
Decrease of claim to water outside the region held on behalf of the surface water. It includes adjustment and forfeiture of claims resulting from:
• an announced allocation held on a water resource located outside the region
• inter-government agreements at allocation (retail) level.
It excludes adjustment and forfeiture of claims resulting from:
• inter-government agreements to share water before it is allocated
• water traded into the region
• contracts to deliver desalinated sea water.
This definition applies to:
- account 2012-2017 line item 17.18 – decrease of surface water claim on traded water
-
Decrease of claim to water resulting from water traded into the region held on behalf of the surface water.
This definition applies to:
- account 2012-2017 line item 17.19 – decrease of surface water claim on desalinated water
-
Decrease of claim to desalinated sea water held on behalf of the surface water. It excludes claims on behalf of the urban water system, which are reported in line item 19.16 – adjustment and forfeiture of urban claim on desalinated water.
This definition applies to:
- account 2012-2017 line item 17.2 – river outflow from the region
-
River outflow from the region to either a downstream region or the sea.
This definition applies to:
- account 2012-2017 line item 17.20 – decrease of other surface water claims on water
-
Decrease of claims to water held on behalf of the surface water other than those defined elsewhere.
This definition applies to:
- account 2012-2017 line item 17.21 – other surface water decreases
-
Decreases of physical and non-physical surface water assets other than those defined elsewhere.
This definition applies to:
- account 2012-2017 line item 17.3 – leakage to groundwater
-
Leakage from either the surface water, urban system or irrigation scheme to the region's groundwater. It excludes pipe bursts, overflows or spills, which are classified as leakage to landscape.
This definition applies to:
- account 2012-2017 line item 17.4 – leakage to landscape
-
Leakage from either the surface water, urban water system or irrigation scheme to the unsaturated zone of the soil profile and which does not infiltrate to groundwater as recharge.
This definition applies to:
- account 2012-2017 line item 17.5 – overbank flood spilling
-
Overflow from the surface water to the landscape. It includes flood waters that have overflowed the river channel top of bank and spilled to the flood plains. It excludes flood waters to seasonally connected wetlands and other surface water bodies.
This definition applies to:
- account 2012-2017 line item 17.6 – Surface water diversions – other statutory rights
-
Surface water diverted under statutory rights other than entitlements (see account 2012-2017 line item 32.1 – other statutory surface water rights).
This definition applies to:
- account 2012-2017 line item 17.7 – entitled diversion of non–allocated surface water to users
-
Surface water diverted to users other than the urban water system, under water access entitlements for which no allocation has been recognised (see account 2012-2017 line item 32.2–surface water access entitlement for direct diversion). It includes non-allocated diversions for:
• private users and irrigation schemes where those are not identified as a water asset of the water accounting region
• allocation holders located outside the region's boundary.
It excludes non-allocated diversions for:
• irrigation schemes where those are identified as a water asset of the water accounting region (reported in account 2012-2017 line item line item 17.9 – non-allocated diversions - irrigation scheme).
This definition applies to:
- account 2012-2017 line item 17.8 – entitled diversion of non–allocated surface water to urban water system
-
Surface water diverted to an urban water system, under water access entitlements for which no allocation has been recognised (see line item 32.2 – surface water access entitlement for non-allocated diversions). It includes non-allocated diversions for:
• allocation holders located outside the region's boundary.
This definition applies to:
- account 2012-2017 line item 17.9 – entitled diversion of non–allocated surface water to irrigation scheme
-
Surface water diverted to irrigation schemes under water access entitlements for which no allocation has been recognised (see line item 32.2–surface water access entitlement for non-allocated diversions). It includes non-allocated diversions for:
• irrigation schemes where those are identified as a water asset of the water accounting region.
It excludes non-allocated diversions for:
• irrigation scheme where those are considered as users not part of the water assets of the water accounting region (reported in line item 17.7 – entitled diversion of non–allocated surface water to users).
This definition applies to:
- account 2012-2017 line item 18.1 – groundwater outflow to outside region
-
Lateral flow of groundwater out of the region's groundwater to inland groundwater aquifers that extend outside the region. It excludes lateral flow of groundwater to coastal aquifers.
This definition applies to:
- account 2012-2017 line item 18.10 – entitled extraction of non-allocated groundwater to irrigation scheme
-
Groundwater extracted to irrigation schemes under water access entitlements for which no allocation has been recognised (see line item 33.2 – groundwater access entitlement for direct extraction). It includes non-allocated extractions for:
• irrigation schemes where those are identified as water asset of the water accounting region
It excludes non-allocated extractions for:
• irrigation scheme where those are considered as users not part of the water assets of the water accounting region (reported in line item 18.8 – entitled extraction of non-allocated groundwater to users).
This definition applies to:
- account 2012-2017 line item 18.11 – entitled extraction of allocated groundwater to users
-
Groundwater extracted to users other than the urban water system, under water access entitlements for which an allocation has been recognised (see line item 33.3 – groundwater access entitlement for allocation extraction). It includes allocated extractions for:
• private users and irrigation schemes where those are not identified as a water asset of the water accounting region
• allocation holders located outside the region's boundary.
It excludes allocated extractions for:
• irrigation schemes where those are identified as a water asset of the water accounting region (reported in line item 18.13 – groundwater allocation diversion – irrigation scheme).
This definition applies to:
- account 2012-2017 line item 18.12 – entitled extraction of allocated groundwater to urban water system
-
Groundwater extracted to urban water system, under water access entitlements for which an allocation has been recognised (see line item 33.3 – groundwater access entitlement for allocation extraction). It includes allocated extractions for:
• allocation holders located outside the region's boundary.
This definition applies to:
- account 2012-2017 line item 18.13 – entitled extraction of allocated groundwater to irrigation scheme
-
Groundwater extracted to irrigation schemes under water access entitlements for which an allocation has been recognised (see line item 33.3 – groundwater access entitlement for allocation extraction). It includes allocated extractions for:
• irrigation schemes where those are identified as a water asset of the water accounting region.
It excludes allocated extractions for:
• irrigation scheme where those are considered as users not part of the water assets of the water accounting region (reported in line item 18.11 – entitled extraction of allocated groundwater to users).
This definition applies to:
- account 2012-2017 line item 18.14 – groundwater transfer under inter–region commitment
-
Groundwater transferred out of the region under a recognised inter-region commitment to deliver groundwater (see line item 6.4 – inter-region commitment on groundwater).
This definition applies to:
- account 2012-2017 line item 18.15 – groundwater transfer under trade commitment
-
Groundwater transferred out of the region under a recognised commitment to deliver groundwater traded to another region (see line item 6.5 – commitment on traded out groundwater).
This definition applies to:
- account 2012-2017 line item 18.16 – other delivery of allocated groundwater
-
Groundwater diverted under a recognised commitment to deliver groundwater other than those defined elsewhere.
This definition applies to:
- account 2012-2017 line item 18.17 – decrease of claims on groundwater
-
Decrease of claim to water outside the region held on behalf of the groundwater. It includes adjustment and forfeiture of claims resulting from:
• an announced allocation held on a water resource located outside the region
• inter-government agreements at allocation (retail) level
• water traded into the region
• contract to deliver desalinated sea water.
It excludes adjustment and forfeiture of claims resulting from:
• inter-government agreements to share water before it is allocated.
This definition applies to:
- account 2012-2017 line item 18.18 – other groundwater decreases
-
Decreases of physical and non-physical groundwater assets other than those defined elsewhere.
This definition applies to:
- account 2012-2017 line item 18.2 – groundwater outflow to outside region at coast
-
Lateral flow of groundwater out of the region to groundwater aquifers that extend outside the region at the coast.
This definition applies to:
- account 2012-2017 line item 18.3 – discharge to landscape
-
Discharge from the groundwater to the landscape, including soil, unconnected lakes and wetlands. It includes capillary rise and evaporation from the water table aquifer.
This definition applies to:
- account 2012-2017 line item 18.4 – discharge to surface water
-
Flow of groundwater from the saturated zone to streams, water storages, farm dams and natural surface water features. This is a form of groundwater-surface water interaction.
This definition applies to:
- account 2012-2017 line item 18.5 – discharge to off-channel water storage
-
Discharge from groundwater to the region's off-channel water storages such as farm dams.
This definition applies to:
- account 2012-2017 line item 18.6 – infiltration to urban water system
-
Infiltration of groundwater into the region's wastewater system.
This definition applies to:
- account 2012-2017 line item 18.7 – groundwater extraction – other statutory rights
-
Groundwater extracted under statutory rights other than entitlements (see line item 33.1 – other statutory groundwater rights).
This definition applies to:
- account 2012-2017 line item 18.8 – entitled extraction of non-allocated groundwater to users
-
Groundwater extracted to users other than the urban water system, under water access entitlements for which no allocation has been recognised (see line item 33.2 – groundwater access entitlement for direct extraction). It includes non-allocated extractions for:
• private users and irrigation schemes where those are not identified as a water asset of the water accounting region
• allocation holders located outside the region's boundary.
It excludes non-allocated extractions for:
• irrigation schemes where those are identified as a water asset of the water accounting region (reported in line item 18.10 – entitled extraction of non-allocated groundwater to irrigation scheme).
This definition applies to:
- account 2012-2017 line item 18.9 – entitled extraction of non-allocated groundwater to urban water system
-
Groundwater extracted to urban water system, under water access entitlements for which no allocation has been recognised (see line item 33.2 – groundwater access entitlement for direct extraction). It includes non-allocated extractions for:
• allocation holders located outside the region's boundary.
This definition applies to:
- account 2012-2017 line item 19.1 – evaporation from urban water system
-
Movement of water from the region's urban water system to the atmosphere (water vapour).
This definition applies to:
- account 2012-2017 line item 19.10 – discharge from urban water system to groundwater
-
Water from the urban water system discharged either directly or indirectly to groundwater. It includes recycled treated wastewater discharged to infiltration basins for the purpose of recharging groundwater.
This definition applies to:
- account 2012-2017 line item 19.11 – transfer of water outside of region
-
Water transferred out of the region from the urban water system without prior commitment to deliver water having being recognised. It includes export of non-potable, potable, wastewater and recycled water from the region due to the region's urban utilities servicing an area that extends outside the region.
This definition applies to:
- account 2012-2017 line item 19.12 – delivery of committed urban water
-
Water transferred out of the region or delivered to urban water users from the urban water system under a recognised commitment, including result of a water trade, to deliver water. It excludes commitments in favour of the surface water, groundwater and irrigation scheme where those have been identified as water assets of the region.
This definition applies to:
- account 2012-2017 line item 19.13 – delivery of other committed urban water
-
Water delivered from the urban water system under a recognised commitment other than those defined elsewhere.
This definition applies to:
- account 2012-2017 line item 19.14 – adjustment and forfeiture of urban inter-region claim on water
-
Decrease of claim to water outside the region on behalf of the urban water system. It includes adjustment and forfeiture of claim resulting from:
• allocations announced under entitlements to access a water resource located outside the region
• other agreements at allocation (retail) level.
It excludes claims resulting from:
• water traded into the region.
This definition applies to:
- account 2012-2017 line item 19.15 – adjustment and forfeiture of urban claim on traded water
-
Decrease of claim to water resulting from water traded into the region on behalf of the urban water system.
This definition applies to:
- account 2012-2017 line item 19.16 – adjustment and forfeiture of urban claim on desalinated water
-
Decrease of claim to desalinated sea water on behalf of the urban water system. It excludes claims on behalf of the surface water, which are reported in line item 17.19 – decrease of surface water claim on desalinated water.
This definition applies to:
- account 2012-2017 line item 19.17 – adjustment and forfeiture of urban claim on surface water
-
Decrease of claims on the region's surface water held on behalf of the urban water system. It includes adjustment and forfeiture of surface water allocation announced or otherwise recognised during the reporting period (or remaining from the previous reporting period) for the urban water system.
This definition applies to:
- account 2012-2017 line item 19.18 – adjustment and forfeiture of urban claim on groundwater
-
Decrease of claims on the region's groundwater held on behalf of the urban water system. It includes adjustment and forfeiture of groundwater allocation announced or otherwise recognised during the reporting period (or remaining from the previous reporting period) for the urban water system.
This definition applies to:
- account 2012-2017 line item 19.19 – Adjustment and forfeiture of other urban claims on water
-
Decrease of claims to water held on behalf of the urban water system other than those defined elsewhere.
This definition applies to:
- account 2012-2017 line item 19.2 – leakage to landscape
-
Leakage from the urban water system to the landscape. It includes pipe bursts and overflows from the water supply system and the recycled water system. It excludes background leakage from urban water supply system and the recycled water system, which are included in account 2012-2017 line item 19.3 – leakage to groundwater.
This definition applies to:
- account 2012-2017 line item 19.20 – other urban water system decreases
-
Decreases of physical and non-physical urban water system assets other than those defined elsewhere. Includes losses from the water supply system and [recycled water][793] system not included in account lines items 19.2 and 19.3 (e.g. other water losses included as part of 'non-revenue water' components).
This definition applies to:
- account 2012-2017 line item 19.3 – leakage to groundwater
-
Leakage from the urban water system to the region's groundwater. It excludes pipe bursts, overflows or spills, which are classified as leakage to landscape reported at account line item 19.2 – leakage to landscape.
It includes background leakage from the urban water supply system and the recycled water system. It excludes pipe bursts and overflows from the urban water supply system and the recycled water system, which are included in account 2012-2017 line item 19.2 – leakage to landscape.
This definition applies to:
- account 2012-2017 line item 19.4 – delivery to urban water system users
-
Delivery of water from the region's urban water system to urban users.
It includes portable, non-potable and recycled water supplied from the region's urban water system for residential, commercial, industrial, municipal and individual irrigation use. It excludes delivery of water to the region's irrigation schemes, which is reported under line item 19.6 – urban water discharge to irrigation scheme.
This definition applies to:
- account 2012-2017 line item 19.5 – discharge from urban water system to surface water
-
Discharge from the urban water system to the region's surface water. It includes:
• potable and non-potable water discharge to surface water from urban water supply system including pump back or transfer back from the water supply system to surface water for the purpose of storage;
• discharge of wastewater system to surface water (treated wastewater discharge under licences, other spills or losses of wastewater to surface water);
• discharge of [recycled water][793] to surface water to meet environmental requirements; and
• discharge of [recycled water][793] to surface water to augment potable water supply.
This definition applies to:
- account 2012-2017 line item 19.6 – discharge from urban water system to irrigation scheme
-
Delivery of water from the urban water system to the region's irrigation scheme without prior commitment to deliver water having been recognised.
This definition applies to:
- account 2012-2017 line item 19.7 – wastewater discharge outside of region
-
Discharge of treated wastewater out of the region. This definition includes discharge to sea and to other regions.
This definition applies to:
- account 2012-2017 line item 19.8 – other wastewater discharge
-
Discharge of treated wastewater other than those defined elsewhere. It includes treated wastewater discharged to landscape (e.g. in excess of the volume required for use as recycled water). Volumes discharged from recycled water use are excluded.
This definition applies to:
- account 2012-2017 line item 19.9 – managed aquifer recharge
-
The volume of water intentionally transferred to ground water assets (e.g. via injection wells) from the urban water system. It includes potable, non-potable and [recycled water][793] used for managed aquifer recharge schemes.
This definition applies to:
- account 2012-2017 line item 2.1 – water table aquifer
-
Portion of the groundwater that is contained in an aquifer that is not overlain by a confining bed and whose upper surface is a water table free to fluctuate in equilibrium with atmospheric pressure. It includes all types of unconfined aquifers, including fractured rock and sedimentary.
This definition applies to:
- account 2012-2017 line item 2.2 – underlying aquifers
-
Portion of the groundwater that is contained in an aquifer overlain by a confining bed. A confining bed acts as a barrier to water flow. Pressure in an underlying aquifer is typically greater than atmospheric pressure. It includes all types of confined aquifers, including fractured rock and sedimentary.
This definition applies to:
- account 2012-2017 line item 2.3 – groundwater claims on water
-
Claims to water outside the region held on behalf of the groundwater. It includes claims resulting from:
• allocations announced under entitlements to access a water resource located outside the region
• inter-government agreements at allocation (retail) level.
It excludes claims resulting from:
• inter-government agreements to share water before it is allocated
• water traded into the region.
This definition applies to:
- account 2012-2017 line item 2.4 – overdraft of groundwater allocation
-
Claim to water held on behalf of the groundwater, following an overdraft of groundwater allocation by an allocation holder that is not part of the water accounting region. This can be thought of as an advance draw.
It includes overdraft by private allocation holders.
It only includes overdraft by urban water system and irrigation schemes when those are not part of the water accounting region.
This definition applies to:
- account 2012-2017 line item 2.5 – other groundwater assets
-
Physical and non-physical groundwater assets other than those defined elsewhere.
This definition applies to:
- account 2012-2017 line item 20.1 – evaporation from irrigation scheme
-
Movement of water from the region's irrigation scheme to the atmosphere (water vapour).
This definition applies to:
- account 2012-2017 line item 20.10 – adjustment and forfeiture of irrigation scheme claim on traded water
-
Decrease of claim to water resulting from water traded into the region on behalf of the irrigation scheme.
This definition applies to:
- account 2012-2017 line item 20.11 – adjustment and forfeiture of irrigation scheme claim on desalinated water
-
Decrease of claim to desalinated sea water on behalf of the irrigation scheme. It excludes claims on behalf of the surface water, which are reported in line item 17.19 – decrease of surface water claim on desalinated water.
This definition applies to:
- account 2012-2017 line item 20.12 – adjustment and forfeiture of irrigation scheme claim on surface water
-
Decrease of claims on the region's surface water held on behalf of the irrigation scheme. It includes adjustment and forfeiture of surface water allocation announced or otherwise recognised during the reporting period (or remaining from the previous reporting period) for the irrigation scheme.
This definition applies to:
- account 2012-2017 line item 20.13 – adjustment and forfeiture of irrigation scheme claim on groundwater
-
Decrease of claims on the region's groundwater held on behalf of the irrigation scheme. It includes adjustment and forfeiture of groundwater allocation announced or otherwise recognised during the reporting period (or remaining from the previous reporting period) for the irrigation scheme.
This definition applies to:
- account 2012-2017 line item 20.14 – adjustment and forfeiture of other irrigation scheme claims on water
-
Decrease of claims to water held on behalf of the irrigation scheme other than those defined elsewhere.
This definition applies to:
- account 2012-2017 line item 20.15 – other irrigation scheme decreases
-
Decreases of physical and non-physical irrigation scheme water assets other than those defined elsewhere.
This definition applies to:
- account 2012-2017 line item 20.2 – leakage to landscape
-
Leakage from the irrigation scheme to the landscape. It includes leakage from irrigation scheme pipes and channel bursts and overflows. It excludes background leakage, which is included in line item 20.3 – leakage to groundwater.
This definition applies to:
- account 2012-2017 line item 20.3 – leakage to groundwater
-
Leakage from either the surface water, urban system or irrigation scheme to the region's groundwater. It excludes pipe bursts, overflows or spills, which are classified as leakage to landscape.
This definition applies to:
- account 2012-2017 line item 20.4 – delivery to irrigation scheme users
-
Delivery of water from the region's irrigation scheme to users. It excludes delivery of water to the region's urban water system where it is part of the water accounting region.
This definition applies to:
- account 2012-2017 line item 20.5 – return of water to surface water
-
Discharge from the irrigation scheme to the region's surface water. It includes point return from irrigation scheme (see [line item 9.5 – point return from irrigation scheme1596).
This definition applies to:
- account 2012-2017 line item 20.7 – delivery of committed irrigation scheme water
-
Water transferred out of the region or delivered to users from the irrigation scheme under a recognised commitment, including result of water trade, to deliver water. It excludes commitments in favour of the surface water, groundwater and urban water system where those have been identified as water assets of the region.
This definition applies to:
- account 2012-2017 line item 20.8 – delivery of other committed irrigation scheme water
-
Water delivered from the irrgigation scheme under a recognised commitment other than those defined elsewhere.
This definition applies to:
- account 2012-2017 line item 20.9 – adjustment and forfeiture of irrigation scheme inter-region claim on water
-
Decrease of claim to water outside the region on behalf of the irrigation scheme. It includes adjustment and forfeiture of claim resulting from:
• allocations announced under entitlements to access a water resource located outside the region
• other agreements at allocation (retail) level.
It excludes claims resulting from:
• water traded into the region.
This definition applies to:
- account 2012-2017 line item 21.1 – surface water allocation announcements
-
Surface water allocation announcement on behalf of users other than the urban water system. It includes allocation announcements for:
• private users and irrigation schemes where those are not identified as a water asset of the water accounting region
• allocation holders located outside the region's boundary.
It excludes allocation announcements for:
• irrigation schemes where those are identified as a water asset of the water accounting region (reported in line item 21.3 – surface water allocation announcements – irrigation scheme).
This definition applies to:
- account 2012-2017 line item 21.2 – surface water allocation announcements – urban water system
-
Surface water allocation announcement on behalf the urban water system. It includes allocation announcements for:
• allocation holders located outside the region's boundary.
This definition applies to:
- account 2012-2017 line item 21.3 – surface water allocation announcements – irrigation scheme
-
Surface water allocation announcement on behalf of irrigation schemes where those are identified as a water asset of the water accounting region. It excludes allocation announcements for:
• irrigation scheme where those are considered as users not part of the water assets of the water accounting region (reported in line item 21.1 – surface water allocation announcements).
This definition applies to:
- account 2012-2017 line item 21.4 – increase of inter-region commitment on surface water
-
Increase of commitment on the region's surface water to deliver water outside the region. It includes increase of commitments resulting from:
• inter-government agreements at allocation (retail) level.
It excludes increase of commitments resulting from:
• inter-government agreements to share water before it is allocated
• water traded out of the region
• water allocated in the region that is subsequently transferred out of the region (reported in line items 21.1, 21.21753 or 21.31754.)
This definition applies to:
- account 2012-2017 line item 21.5 – increase of commitment on traded out surface water
-
Increase of commitment on the region's surface water to deliver water to another region as a result of trade between both regions.
This definition applies to:
- account 2012-2017 line item 21.6 – other surface water liability increases
-
Increase of surface water liability other than those defined elsewhere.
This definition applies to:
- account 2012-2017 line item 22.1 – groundwater allocation announcements
-
Groundwater allocation announcement on behalf of users other than the urban water system. It includes allocation announcements for:
• private users and irrigation schemes where those are not identified as a water asset of the water accounting region
• allocation holders located outside the region's boundary.
It excludes allocation announcements for:
• irrigation schemes where those are identified as a water asset of the water accounting region (reported in line item 22.3 – groundwater allocation announcements – irrigation scheme).
This definition applies to:
- account 2012-2017 line item 22.2 – groundwater allocation announcements – urban water system
-
Groundwater allocation announcement on behalf the urban water system. It includes allocation announcements for:
• allocation holders located outside the region's boundary.
This definition applies to:
- account 2012-2017 line item 22.3 – groundwater allocation announcements – irrigation scheme
-
Groundwater allocation announcement on behalf of irrigation schemes where those are identified as a water asset of the water accounting region.
It excludes allocation announcements for:
• irrigation scheme where those are considered as users not part of the water assets of the water accounting region (reported in line item 22.1 – groundwater allocation announcements).
This definition applies to:
- account 2012-2017 line item 22.4 – increase of inter-region commitment on groundwater
-
Increase of commitment on the region's groundwater to deliver water outside the region. It includes increase of commitments resulting from:
• inter-government agreements at allocation (retail) level
It excludes increase of commitments resulting from:
• inter-government agreements to share water before it is allocated
• water traded out of the region
• water allocated in the region that is subsequently transferred out of the region (reported in line items 22.1 – groundwater allocation announcements, 22.2 – groundwater allocation announcements – urban water system or 22.3 – groundwater allocation announcements – irrigation scheme).
This definition applies to:
- account 2012-2017 line item 22.5 – increase of commitment on traded out groundwater
-
Increase of commitment on the region's groundwater to deliver water to another region as a result of trade between both regions.
This definition applies to:
- account 2012-2017 line item 22.6 – other groundwater liability increases
-
Increase of groundwater liability other than those defined elsewhere.
This definition applies to:
- account 2012-2017 line item 23.1 – urban commitment to deliver water
-
Increase of commitment, including result of water trade, on the region's urban water system to deliver water to urban water users or to other urban water systems outside the region. It excludes increase of commitments in favour of the surface water, groundwater and irrigation scheme where those have been identified as water assets of the region.
This definition applies to:
- account 2012-2017 line item 23.2 – other urban system liability increases
-
Urban water system liability increases other than those defined elsewhere.
This definition applies to:
- account 2012-2017 line item 24.1 – irrigation scheme commitment to deliver water
-
Increase of commitment, including result of water trade, on the region's irrigation scheme to deliver water to users or to other irrigation schemes outside the region. It excludes commitments in favour of the surface water, groundwater and urban water system where those have been identified as water assets of the region.
This definition applies to:
- account 2012-2017 line item 24.2 – other irrigation scheme liability increases
-
Irrigation scheme liability increases other than those defined elsewhere.
This definition applies to:
- account 2012-2017 line item 25.1 – unaccounted-for difference
-
The volume necessary to reconcile the opening water storage and closing water storage with the total water inflows and total water outflows reported in the water accounting statements. This definition recognises that in the 2011 Account, there is no uncertainty attached to the values of the line items associated with water liabilities (commitments on water) and non-physical water assets (claims to water).
This definition applies to:
- account 2012-2017 line item 26.1 – soil moisture
-
Water in the unsaturated zone of the soil profile.
This definition applies to:
- account 2012-2017 line item 26.2 – flood waters out of channel
-
Water from flood events stored on flood plains.
This definition applies to:
- account 2012-2017 line item 26.3 – lakes and wetlands
-
Other water bodies, of natural origin, for which the primary purpose is not abstractive or consumptive use. It may include water in natural lakes, ponds, lagoons, wetlands, billabongs and groundwater-fed water bodies that are not classified as storages based on their primary purpose.
This definition applies to:
- account 2012-2017 line item 27.1 – off-channel water storages
-
Water in constructed storages not connected, either seasonally or perennially, to rivers. Storages are filled predominantly by harvesting local catchment runoff. Other water sources include abstractions from surface water and groundwater. It includes off-channel farm dams and industrial, commercial and mining water storages. It excludes:
• on-channel farm dams, industrial, commercial and mining water storages
• off-channel storages operated to supply urban water systems (included in line item 3.1 – urban water supply system).
This definition applies to:
- account 2012-2017 line item 27.2 – rainwater tanks
-
Water stored in on-site infrastructure primarily designed to collect rainfall.
This definition applies to:
- account 2012-2017 line item 27.3 – other off-channel storages
-
Water stored in off-channel water other than those defined elsewhere.
This definition applies to:
- account 2012-2017 line item 28.1 – precipitation on landscape
-
All forms in which water falls on the region's landscape as rain, sleet, snow, hail, or drizzle. It excludes water that falls on the region's surface water, urban water system and irrigation scheme.
This definition applies to:
- account 2012-2017 line item 29.1 – evapotranspiration from landscape
-
Movement of water from the region's landscape water to the atmosphere (water vapour). It excludes evaporation from the region's surface water, groundwater, urban water system and irrigation scheme.
This definition applies to:
- account 2012-2017 line item 29.2 – runoff harvesting
-
Runoff water harvested into off-channel water storages.
This definition applies to:
- account 2012-2017 line item 29.3 – other landscape decreases
-
Decreases in landscape water other than those defined elsewhere.
This definition applies to:
- account 2012-2017 line item 3.1 – urban water supply system
-
Water in the potable and non-potable water supply system, including pipes and tanks. It excludes recycled water.
This definition applies to:
- account 2012-2017 line item 3.10 – other urban water assets
-
Physical and non-physical urban water system assets other than those defined elsewhere.
This definition applies to:
- account 2012-2017 line item 3.2 – wastewater system
-
Water in the wastewater system, including in the collection network and treatment lagoons and ponds, pipes, tanks, pits, sumps and storages.
This definition applies to:
- account 2012-2017 line item 3.3 – recycled water system
-
Treated effluent water from wastewater treatment plants or sewer mining operations fit for recycled use and contained in the recycled water system, including pipes, tanks and storages.
This definition applies to:
- account 2012-2017 line item 3.4 – urban inter-region claim on water
-
Claims to water outside the region on behalf of the urban water system. It includes claims resulting from:
• allocations announced under entitlements to access a water resource located outside the region
• other agreements at allocation (retail) level.
It excludes claims resulting from:
• water traded into the region.
This definition applies to:
- account 2012-2017 line item 3.5 – urban claim on traded water
-
Claim to water resulting from water traded into the region on behalf of the urban water system.
This definition applies to:
- account 2012-2017 line item 3.6 – urban claim on desalinated water
-
Claim to desalinated sea water on behalf of the urban water system. It excludes claims on behalf of the surface water, which are reported in line item 1.7 – claim on desalinated water.
This definition applies to:
- account 2012-2017 line item 3.7 – urban claim on surface water
-
Claim to surface water within the region on behalf of the urban water system. It includes volume of surface water allocation remaining held by the region's urban utilities.
This definition applies to:
- account 2012-2017 line item 3.8 – urban claim on groundwater
-
Claim to groundwater within the region on behalf of the urban water system. It includes volume of groundwater allocation remaining held by the region's urban utilities.
This definition applies to:
- account 2012-2017 line item 3.9 – other urban claims on water
-
Claims to water on behalf of the urban water system other than those included elsewhere.
This definition applies to:
- account 2012-2017 line item 30.1 – precipitation on off-channel water store
-
All forms in which water falls on the region's off-channel water store as rain, sleet, snow, hail, or drizzle. It includes precipitation on off-channel water storages and collected into rainwater tanks. It excludes precipitation on the region's landscape, surface water, urban water system and irrigation scheme.
This definition applies to:
- account 2012-2017 line item 30.2 – groundwater discharge into off-channel water store
-
Discharge of water from the region's groundwater into off-channel water storages.
This definition applies to:
- account 2012-2017 line item 30.3 – runoff harvesting into off-channel water store
-
Runoff water harvested into off-channel water storages.
This definition applies to:
- account 2012-2017 line item 30.4 – surface water diversion into off-channel water store
-
Surface water diverted into off-channel water storages under water access entitlements or other statutory water rights. This definition includes surface water allocations diverted into farm dams for the purpose of storage.
This definition applies to:
- account 2012-2017 line item 30.5 – groundwater extraction into off-channel water store
-
Groundwater diverted into off-channel water storages under water access entitlements or other statutory water rights. This definition includes surface water allocations diverted into farm dams for the purpose of storage.
This definition applies to:
- account 2012-2017 line item 30.6 – other off-channel water increases
-
Increases in off-channel water other than those defined elsewhere.
This definition applies to:
- account 2012-2017 line item 31.1 – evaporation from off-channel water storages
-
Movement of water from the region's off-channel water store to the atmosphere (water vapour). It excludes evaporation from the region's landscape water, surface water, groundwater, urban water system and irrigation scheme.
This definition applies to:
- account 2012-2017 line item 31.2 – leakages from off-channel water storages
-
Leakage from off-channel water storages into the region's groundwater.
This definition applies to:
- account 2012-2017 line item 31.3 – Off-channel water abstraction
-
Abstraction of water from the off-channel water store for use.
This definition applies to:
- account 2012-2017 line item 31.4 – other off-channel water decreases
-
Decreases in off-channel water other than those defined elsewhere.
This definition applies to:
- account 2012-2017 line item 32.1 – other statutory surface water rights
-
Water rights granted by a jurisdiction on the surface water resource, external to an entitlement system. These rights may be granted under a State Water Act or a water plan. They include land owner basic rights, riparian rights and non-entitled water rights for stock and domestic and mining purposes. In the National Water Account, no commitment to deliver water (water liability) is recognised for these water rights.
This definition applies to:
- account 2012-2017 line item 32.2 – surface water access entitlement for non-allocated diversions
-
Water access entitlements on issue granted on the surface water resource, for which no allocation (water liability) has been recognised. They include unregulated entitlement on issue in unregulated systems and in regulated systems. Unregulated flows accessed outside the normal allocation process in regulated systems are referred to as supplementary water in New South Wales.
This definition applies to:
- account 2012-2017 line item 32.3 – surface water access entitlement for allocated diversions
-
Water access entitlements on issue granted on the surface water resource, for which an allocation (water liability) has been recognised. They include regulated entitlement.
This definition applies to:
- account 2012-2017 line item 32.4 – other surface water rights
-
Surface water rights other than those defined elsewhere.
This definition applies to:
- account 2012-2017 line item 33.1 – other statutory groundwater rights
-
Water rights granted by a jurisdiction on the groundwater resource, external to an entitlement system. These rights may be granted under a State Water Act or a water plan. They include land owner basic rights and non-entitled water rights for stock and domestic and mining purposes. In the National Water Account, no commitment to deliver water (water liability) is recognised for these water rights.
This definition applies to:
- account 2012-2017 line item 33.2 – groundwater access entitlement for non-allocated extractions
-
Water access entitlements on issue granted on the groundwater resource for which no allocation (water liability) has been recognised.
This definition applies to:
- account 2012-2017 line item 33.3 – groundwater access entitlement for allocated extractions
-
Water access entitlements on issue granted on the groundwater resource, for which an allocation (water liability) has been recognised. They include regulated entitlement. They include entitlements for which the entitled volume has been recognised as a water liability, although there was no formal allocation announcement.
This definition applies to:
- account 2012-2017 line item 33.4 – other groundwater rights
-
Groundwater rights other than those defined elsewhere.
This definition applies to:
- account 2012-2017 line item 34.1 – combined surface water and groundwater rights
-
Water access entitlements on issue that grant access to either surface water or groundwater.
This definition applies to:
- account 2012-2017 line item 35.1 – trade of surface water entitlement within region
-
Approved transaction to transfer perpetually a surface water access entitlement between legal entities located within the region's boundary, with or without change in location of the abstraction point.
This definition applies to:
- account 2012-2017 line item 35.2 – trade of surface water entitlement into region
-
Approved transaction to transfer perpetually a surface water access entitlement from a legal entity located outside the region's boundary to a legal entity located within the region's geographic boundary, with or without change in location of the abstraction point.
This definition applies to:
- account 2012-2017 line item 35.3 – trade of surface water entitlement out of region
-
Approved transaction to transfer perpetually a surface water access entitlement from a legal entity located within the region's boundary to a legal entity located outside the region's geographic boundary, with or without change in location of the abstraction point.
This definition applies to:
- account 2012-2017 line item 36.1 – lease of surface water entitlement within region
-
Approved transaction to transfer for a specified term a surface water access entitlement between legal entities located within the region's boundary, with or without change in location of the abstraction point.
This definition applies to:
- account 2012-2017 line item 36.2 – lease of surface water entitlement into region
-
Approved transaction to transfer for a specified term a surface water access entitlement from a legal entity located outside the region's boundary to a legal entity located within the region's boundary, with or without change in location of the abstraction point.
This definition applies to:
- account 2012-2017 line item 36.3 – lease of surface water entitlement out of region
-
Approved transaction to transfer for a specified term a surface water access entitlement from a legal entity located within the region's boundary to a legal entity located outside the region's boundary, with or without change in location of the abstraction point.
This definition applies to:
- account 2012-2017 line item 37.1 – surface water allocation trade within region
-
Transfer of surface water allocation between legal entities located within the region's boundary, with or without change in location of the abstraction point.
This definition applies to:
- account 2012-2017 line item 37.2 – surface water allocation trade into region
-
Transfer of surface water allocation from a legal entity located outside the region's boundary to a legal entity located within the region's boundary, with or without change in location of the abstraction point.
This definition applies to:
- account 2012-2017 line item 37.3 – surface water allocation trade out of region
-
Transfer of surface water allocation from a legal entity located within the region's boundary to a legal entity located outside the region's boundary, with or without change in location of the abstraction point.
This definition applies to:
- account 2012-2017 line item 38.1 – trade of groundwater entitlement within region
-
Approved transaction to transfer perpetually a groundwater access entitlement between legal entities located within the region's boundary, with or without a change in location of the abstraction point.
This definition applies to:
- account 2012-2017 line item 38.2 – trade of groundwater entitlement into region
-
Approved transaction to transfer perpetually a groundwater access entitlement from a legal entity located outside the region's boundary to a legal entity located within the region's boundary, with or without a change in location of the abstraction point.
This definition applies to:
- account 2012-2017 line item 38.3 – trade of groundwater entitlement out of region
-
Approved transaction to transfer perpetually a groundwater access entitlement from a legal entity located within the region's boundary to a legal entity located outside the region's boundary, with or without a change in location of the abstraction point.
This definition applies to:
- account 2012-2017 line item 39.1 – lease of groundwater entitlement within region
-
Approved transaction to transfer for a specified term a groundwater access entitlement between legal entities located within the region's boundary, with or without change in location of the abstraction point.
This definition applies to:
- account 2012-2017 line item 39.2 – lease of groundwater entitlement into region
-
Approved transaction to transfer for a specified term a groundwater access entitlement from a legal entity located outside the region's boundary to a legal entity located within the region's boundary, with or without change in location of the abstraction
This definition applies to:
- account 2012-2017 line item 39.3 – lease of groundwater entitlement out of region
-
Approved transaction to transfer for a specified term a groundwater access entitlement from a legal entity located within the region's boundary to a legal entity located outside the region's boundary, with or without change in location of the abstraction
This definition applies to:
- account 2012-2017 line item 4.1 – irrigation water supply system
-
Water in the irrigation water supply and collection system, including pipes, artificial channels and tanks. It includes water in off-channel water storages that has already been abstracted by the region's irrigation scheme, including dead storage capacity. It excludes water in private channels and storages, already abstracted from the scheme by individual irrigators.
This definition applies to:
- account 2012-2017 line item 4.2 – irrigation scheme inter-region claim on water
-
Claims to water outside the region on behalf of the irrigation scheme. It includes claims resulting from:
• allocations announced under entitlements to access a water resource located outside the region
• other agreements at allocation (retail) level.
It excludes claims resulting from:
• water traded into the region.
This definition applies to:
- account 2012-2017 line item 4.3 – irrigation scheme claim on traded water
-
Claim to water resulting from water traded into the region on behalf of the irrigation scheme.
This definition applies to:
- account 2012-2017 line item 4.4 – irrigation scheme claim on desalinated water
-
Claim to desalinated sea water on behalf of the irrigation scheme. It excludes claims on behalf of the surface water, which are reported in line item 1.7 – claim on desalinated water.
This definition applies to:
- account 2012-2017 line item 4.5 – irrigation scheme claim on surface water
-
Claim to surface water within the region on behalf of the irrigation scheme. It includes volume of surface water allocation remaining held by the region's irrigation entities.
This definition applies to:
- account 2012-2017 line item 4.6 – irrigation scheme claim on groundwater
-
Claim to groundwater within the region on behalf of the irrigation scheme. It includes volume of groundwater allocation remaining held by the region's irrigation entities.
This definition applies to:
- account 2012-2017 line item 4.7 – other irrigation scheme claims on water
-
Claims to water on behalf of the irrigation scheme other than those included elsewhere.
This definition applies to:
- account 2012-2017 line item 4.8 – other irrigation scheme water assets
-
Physical and non-physical irrigation scheme water assets other than those defined elsewhere.
This definition applies to:
- account 2012-2017 line item 40.1 – groundwater allocation trade within region
-
Transfer of groundwater allocation between legal entities located within the region's boundary, with or without change in location of the abstraction point.
This definition applies to:
- account 2012-2017 line item 40.2 – groundwater allocation trade into region
-
Transfer of groundwater allocation from a legal entity located outside the region's boundary to a legal entity located within the region's boundary, with or without change in location of the abstraction point.
This definition applies to:
- account 2012-2017 line item 40.3 – groundwater allocation trade out of region
-
Transfer of groundwater allocation from a legal entity located within the region's boundary to a legal entity located outside the region's boundary, with or without change in location of the abstraction point.
This definition applies to:
- account 2012-2017 line item 41.1 – precipitation on storages
-
All forms in which water falls on the region's water storages as rain, sleet, snow, hail, or drizzle. The value can include all or part of the water storages reported under line item 1.1 – storage.
This definition applies to:
- account 2012-2017 line item 41.2 – groundwater discharge into storages
-
Groundwater discharge to the region's water storages. The value can include all or part of the water storages reported under line item 1.1 – storage.
This definition applies to:
- account 2012-2017 line item 41.3 – runoff into storages
-
Water that rans off into the region's water storages. It includes river flow into the water storages and runoff flowing directly from the landscape into the storages. The value can include all or part of the water storages reported under line item 1.1 – storage.
This definition applies to:
- account 2012-2017 line item 41.4 – transfer of water into storages
-
Water transferred via infrastructure into the water storages under any type of water access entitlement or other arrangement. The value can include all or part of the water storages reported under line item 1.1 – storage.
This definition applies to:
- account 2012-2017 line item 41.5 – other storage increases
-
Inflows into water storages other than those defined elsewhere. The value can include all or part of the water storages reported under line item 1.1 – storage.
This definition applies to:
- account 2012-2017 line item 42.1 – evaporation from storages
-
Movement of water from the region's water storages to the atmosphere (water vapour). The value can include all or part of the water storages reported under line item 1.1 – storage.
This definition applies to:
- account 2012-2017 line item 42.2 – groundwater recharge from storages
-
Infiltration from the water storages to the region's groundwater. It includes the deliberate recharge of groundwater from water storages. The value can include all or part of the water storages reported under line item 1.1 – storage.
This definition applies to:
- account 2012-2017 line item 42.3 – leakage from storages
-
Leakage from the water storages to the soil. It excludes recharge to groundwater. The value can include all or part of the water storages reported under line item 1.1 – storage.
This definition applies to:
- account 2012-2017 line item 42.4 – spillage from storages
-
Overflow from water storages via spillway and leakage through a dams' wall into downstream river. The value can include all or part of the water storages reported under line item 1.1 – storage.
This definition applies to:
- account 2012-2017 line item 42.5 – releases from storages
-
Releases from water storages into a downstream river under any type of water access entitlement or other arrangement. It includes releases to provide environmental benefit and responses to calls on announced allocation. The value can include all or part of the water storages reported under line item 1.1 – storage.
This definition applies to:
- account 2012-2017 line item 42.6 – diversions from storages
-
Diversions via infrastructure from water storages under any type of water access entitlement or other arrangement. It includes diversions within the region and out of the region. It excludes releases to a downstream river. The value can include all or part of the water storages reported under line item 1.1 – storage.
This definition applies to:
- account 2012-2017 line item 42.7 – other storage decreases
-
Outflows from water storages other than those defined elsewhere. The value can include all or part of the water storages reported under line item 1.1 – storage.
This definition applies to:
- account 2012-2017 line item 5.1 – surface water allocation remaining
-
Surface water allocation remaining on behalf of users other than the urban water system. It includes allocations remaining for:
• private users and irrigation schemes where those are not identified as a water asset of the water accounting region
• allocation holders located outside the region's boundary.
It excludes allocations remaining for:
• irrigation schemes where those are identified as a water asset of the water accounting region (reported in line item 5.3 – surface water allocation remaining – irrigation scheme).
This definition applies to:
- account 2012-2017 line item 5.2 – surface water allocation remaining – urban water system
-
Surface water allocation remaining on behalf the urban water system. It includes allocations remaining for: • allocation holders located outside the region's boundary.
This definition applies to:
- account 2012-2017 line item 5.3 – surface water allocation remaining – irrigation scheme
-
Surface water allocation remaining on behalf of irrigation schemes where those are identified as water asset of the water accounting region. It excludes allocations remaining for:
• irrigation scheme where those are considered as users not part of the water assets of the water accounting region (reported in line item 5.1 – surface water allocation remaining).
This definition applies to:
- account 2012-2017 line item 5.4 – inter-region commitment on surface water
-
Commitment on the region's surface water to deliver water outside the region. It includes commitments resulting from:
• inter-government agreements at allocation (retail) level.
It excludes commitments resulting from:
• inter-government agreements to share water before it is allocated
• water traded out of the region
• water allocated in the region that is subsequently transferred out of the region. Such commitment is reported as line item 5.1, 5.2 or 5.3.
This definition applies to:
- account 2012-2017 line item 5.5 – commitment on water traded out of the region
-
Commitment on the region's surface water to deliver water to another region as a result of trade between both regions.
This definition applies to:
- account 2012-2017 line item 5.6 – other surface water liability
-
Surface water liability other than those defined elsewhere. It does not include rules-based obligation, such as a commitment to ensure minimum passing flows to a downstream region.
This definition applies to:
- account 2012-2017 line item 6.1 – groundwater allocation remaining
-
Groundwater allocation remaining on behalf of users other than the urban water system. It includes allocations remaining for:
• private users and irrigation schemes where those are not identified as a water asset of the water accounting region
• allocation holders located outside the region's boundary.
It excludes allocations remaining for:
• irrigation schemes where those are identified as a water asset of the water accounting region (reported in line item 6.3 – groundwater allocation remaining – irrigation scheme).
This definition applies to:
- account 2012-2017 line item 6.2 – groundwater allocation remaining – urban water system
-
Groundwater allocation remaining on behalf the urban water system. It includes allocations remaining for:
• allocation holders located outside the region's boundary.
This definition applies to:
- account 2012-2017 line item 6.3 – groundwater allocation remaining – irrigation scheme
-
Groundwater allocation remaining on behalf of irrigation schemes where those are identified as a water asset of the water accounting region. It excludes allocations remaining for:
• irrigation scheme where those are considered as users not part of the water assets of the water accounting region (reported in line item 6.1 – groundwater allocation remaining).
This definition applies to:
- account 2012-2017 line item 6.4 – inter–region commitment on groundwater
-
Commitment on the region's groundwater to deliver water outside the region. It includes commitments resulting from:
• inter-government agreements at allocation (retail) level.
It excludes commitments resulting from:
• inter-government agreements to share water before it is allocated
• water traded out of the region
• water allocated in the region that is subsequently transferred out of the region. Such commitment is reported as line item 6.1- groundwater allocation remaining, 6.2–groundwater allocation remaining–urban water system or 6.3–groundwater allocation remaining–irrigation scheme.
This definition applies to:
- account 2012-2017 line item 6.5 – commitment on traded out groundwater
-
Commitment on the region's groundwater to deliver water to another region as a result of trade between both regions.
This definition applies to:
- account 2012-2017 line item 6.6 – other groundwater liability
-
Groundwater liability other than those defined elsewhere. It does not include rules-based obligation, such as a commitment to maintain groundwater at a certain level.
This definition applies to:
- account 2012-2017 line item 7.1 – urban system commitment to provide water
-
Commitment, including result of water trade, on the region's urban water system to deliver water to urban water users or to other urban water systems outside the region. It excludes commitments in favour of the surface water, groundwater and irrigation scheme where those have been identified as water assets of the region.
This definition applies to:
- account 2012-2017 line item 7.2 – other urban water liability
-
Urban water system liability other than those defined elsewhere.
This definition applies to:
- account 2012-2017 line item 8.1 – irrigation scheme commitment to provide water
-
Commitment, including result of water trade, on the region's irrigation scheme to deliver water to users or to other irrigation schemes outside the region. It excludes commitments in favour of the surface water, groundwater and urban water system where those have been identified as water assets of the region.
This definition applies to:
- account 2012-2017 line item 8.2 – other irrigation scheme liability
-
Irrigation scheme liability other than those defined elsewhere.
This definition applies to:
- account 2012-2017 line item 9.1 – precipitation on surface water
-
All forms in which water falls on the region's surface water as rain, sleet, snow, hail, or drizzle.
This definition applies to:
- account 2012-2017 line item 9.10 – direct discharge by user
-
Discharge of water by a user to the region's surface water done directly and not through the urban or irrigation collection systems. It includes discharge of water that has been self-abstracted or delivered through an urban or irrigation water supply system.
This definition applies to:
- account 2012-2017 line item 9.11 – Delivery of water under inter – region agreement to surface water
-
Delivery of imported water to the region's surface water to service a prior claim recognised on behalf of the surface water. The prior claim may be an inter-basin agreement or an announced allocation held on a water resource located outside the region, but excludes water trade (see line item 9.12 – delivery of traded water to surface water).
This definition applies to:
- account 2012-2017 line item 9.12 – delivery of traded water to surface water
-
Delivery of water into the region's surface water to service a prior claim resulting from water traded into the region (see line item 9.16 – increase of claim on water traded into the region).
This definition applies to:
- account 2012-2017 line item 9.13 – delivery of claimed desalinated water to surface water
-
Delivery of desalinated sea water to the region's surface water to service a prior claim recognised on behalf of the surface water. It excludes delivery of desalinated sea water where no prior claim has been recognised (see line item 9.8 – delivery of desalinated water).
This definition applies to:
- account 2012-2017 line item 9.14 – other delivery of water to surface water
-
Delivery of water to the region's surface water other than those defined elsewhere.
This definition applies to:
- account 2012-2017 line item 9.15 – increase of inter-region surface water claim on water
-
Increase of claims to water outside the region on behalf of the surface water. It includes claims resulting from:
• an announced allocation held on a water resource located outside the region
• inter-government agreements at allocation (retail) level.
It excludes claims resulting from:
• inter-government agreements to share water before it is allocated
• water traded into the region
• contract to deliver desalinated sea water.
This definition applies to:
- account 2012-2017 line item 9.16 – increase of surface water claim on water traded into the region
-
Increase of claim held on behalf of the surface water resulting from water traded into the region.
This definition applies to:
- account 2012-2017 line item 9.17 – increase of surface water claim on desalinated water
-
Increase of claim to desalinated sea water held on behalf of the surface water. It excludes increase of claim held on behalf of the urban water system (see line item 11.17 – increase of urban claim on desalinated water).
This definition applies to:
- account 2012-2017 line item 9.18 – increase of other surface water claims on water
-
Increase of claim held on behalf of the region's surface water other than those defined elsewhere.
This definition applies to:
- account 2012-2017 line item 9.19 – other surface water increases
-
Increases of physical and non-physical surface water assets other than those defined elsewhere.
This definition applies to:
- account 2012-2017 line item 9.2 – river inflow to region
-
River inflow that enters the region.
This definition applies to:
- account 2012-2017 line item 9.3 – groundwater discharge
-
Groundwater discharge to the region's surface water.
This definition applies to:
- account 2012-2017 line item 9.4 – runoff to surface water
-
Runoff from landscape to the region's surface water due to rainfall or irrigation.
This definition applies to:
- account 2012-2017 line item 9.5 – point return from irrigation scheme
-
Point discharge from irrigation scheme to the region's surface water. It includes overflows from irrigation scheme water supply channels and discharge of used irrigation water from irrigation scheme collection systems.
This definition applies to:
- account 2012-2017 line item 9.6 – overbank flood return to river channel
-
Return of flood waters from the flood plains. It excludes flood waters returning from seasonally connected wetlands and other surface water bodies.
This definition applies to:
- account 2012-2017 line item 9.7 – delivery of water from outside region
-
Delivery of imported water to the region's surface water where no prior claim has been recognised on behalf of the surface water.
This definition applies to:
- account 2012-2017 line item 9.8 – delivery of desalinated water
-
Delivery of desalinated sea water to the region's surface water where no prior claim has been recognised on behalf of the surface water.
This definition applies to:
- account 2012-2017 line item 9.9 – discharge from urban water system
-
Discharge from urban water systems to the region's surface water. It includes discharge of non-potable, potable, treated wastewater and recycled water. It includes pump back or transfer back of water to surface water for the purpose of storage and releases to meet environmental requirements. It excludes pump back or transfer of water to off-channel water storages considered part of the urban water system (see line item 3.1 – urban water supply system).
This definition applies to:
- accountability
-
Includes but is not limited to, responsibilities under legislation, regulations or operational plans. It also means the responsibility to provide information that enable users to make informed judgements about the management of water resources.
This definition applies to:
- accrual basis of water accounting
-
Recording and reporting the effects of transactions, transformations and other events when the decision or commitments that give rise to them occur. This may not necessarily be the time at which water is physically transacted, transferred or transformed. Accrual water accounting ensures that transactions, transformations and other events are recorded in and reported in the reporting periods to which they relate.
This definition applies to:
- acoustic Doppler current meter
-
A point velocity meter that uses two acoustic transducers, each acting as transmitters and receivers for the purpose of water velocity measurement, when undertaking a discrete discharge measurement (gauging).
This definition applies to:
- acoustic Doppler current profiler
-
A family of acoustic based instrumentation used to measure water velocities and water depths during a discrete discharge measurement (gauging).
This definition applies to:
- acoustic Doppler velocimeter
-
A point velocity meter that uses a single acoustic transducer as a transmitter and separate dedicated transducers as receivers for the purpose of water velocity measurement, when undertaking a discrete discharge measurement (gauging).
This definition applies to:
- acoustic Doppler velocity meter
-
A family of acoustic based instrumentation used for continuous in-situ measurement of water velocities.
This definition applies to:
- ACT
-
Australian Capital Territory
This definition applies to:
- ADC
-
acoustic Doppler current meter
A point velocity meter that uses two acoustic transducers, each acting as transmitters and receivers for the purpose of water velocity measurement, when undertaking a discrete discharge measurement (gauging).
This definition applies to:
- ADCP
-
acoustic Doppler current profiler
A family of acoustic based instrumentation used to measure water velocities and water depths during a discrete discharge measurement (gauging).
This definition applies to:
- adjusting event after the reporting period
-
An event that occurs between the end of the reporting period and the date when the Accountability Statement is signed that provides evidence of conditions that existed at the end of the reporting period.
This definition applies to:
- adjustment and forfeiture of allocation
-
Adjustments made to allocation carryover. For example, amounts written off as a result of the operation of rules or upon agreement between the allocation owner and the body responsible for managing water in the region.
This definition applies to:
- adopted middle thread distance
-
The distance in kilometres, measured along the middle of a watercourse that a specific point in the watercourse is from the watercourse’s mouth or junction with the main watercourse.
This definition applies to:
- ADV
-
acoustic Doppler velocimeter
A point velocity meter that uses a single acoustic transducer as a transmitter and separate dedicated transducers as receivers for the purpose of water velocity measurement, when undertaking a discrete discharge measurement (gauging).
This definition applies to:
- ADVM
-
acoustic Doppler velocity meter
A family of acoustic based instrumentation used for continuous in-situ measurement of water velocities.
This definition applies to:
- AEP
-
annual exceedance probability
The probability that a given rainfall total accumulated over a given duration will be exceeded in any one year.
Related: average recurrence interval
- aggregated volume
-
The sum of volumes held in water storages that are within a region or associated with a city or system. Each water storage can contribute up to its accessible storage capacity to the aggregated volume. In some cases only a portion of the water in a storage is shared with a city or system.
Related FAQ
Synonym: volume
This definition applies to:
- AHD
-
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 1966–1968.
See Geoscience Australia for further information.
This definition applies to:
- AHGF
-
Australian Hydrological Geospatial Fabric (Geofabric)
Source: Geofabric Product Guide V2.0
Related: Geofabric
This definition applies to:
- AIFS
-
Australian Integrated Forecast System
This definition applies to:
- allocation
-
There are multiple contexts for this item
Context 1
The specific volume of water allocated to water access entitlements in a given water year or allocated as specified within a water resource plan.
Synonym: water allocation
This definition applies to:
Context 2
The specific volume of water allocated to water access entitlements in a given season, given accounting period, defined according to rules established in the relevant water plan.
This definition applies to:
- allocation announcement
-
There are multiple contexts for this item
Context 1
Announcement of water allocations arising due to seasonal determinations of surface water to be available under water access entitlements.
This definition applies to:
Context 2
Announcement of water allocations arising due to seasonal determinations of water to be available under water access entitlements.
This definition applies to:
- allocation carryover
-
There are multiple contexts for this item
Context 1
Water allocated during the water year of an entitlement that is yet to be accessed, taken or delivered at the end of the water year and is able to be carried over to the next water year. Where the water year coincides with the National Water Account reporting period allocation carryover equates to allocation remaining.
Related: allocation remaining
This definition applies to:
Context 2
Water allocated during the water year of an entitlement that is yet to be accessed, abstracted or delivered at the end of the water year and is able to be carried over to the next water year.
In the Bureau the National Water Account, where the water year coincides with its reporting period allocation carryover equates to allocation remaining.
Related: allocation remaining
This definition applies to:
- allocation diversion
-
There are multiple contexts for this item
Context 1
The volume of surface water outflows delivered or otherwise taken to settle allocation or claim liabilities. When used as a high level term can also include the volume of groundwater abstracted to settle allocation liabilities.
This definition applies to:
Context 2
The volume of surface water abstracted to settle an allocation or other claim on the surface water.
This definition applies to:
- allocation extraction
-
The volume of groundwater abstracted to settle an allocation or other claim on the groundwater.
This definition applies to:
- allocation remaining
-
There are multiple contexts for this item
Context 1
Water allocated in a reporting period (or remaining from the previous reporting period) that is yet to be accessed, taken or delivered at the end of the reporting period and is not forfeited. Where the National Water Account reporting period coincides with the entitlement’s water year, allocation remaining equates to allocation carryover.
Related: allocation carryover
This definition applies to:
Context 2
Water allocated in a reporting period (or remaining from the previous reporting period) that is yet to be accessed, abstracted or delivered at the end of the reporting period and is not forfeited. Where the National Water Account reporting period coincides with the entitlement’s water year, allocation remaining equates to allocation carryover.
Related: allocation carryover
This definition applies to:
- allocation volume
-
The specific volume of water allocated to water access entitlements.
This definition applies to:
- alluvial
-
Relating to a deposit of sand, mud, etc., formed by flowing water.
Source: © Macquarie Dictionary Fifth Edition, 2009, Macquarie Dictionary Publishers.
This definition applies to:
- alluvial plain
-
The plain or flat land area adjacent to a stream or river (or the prior course of a stream or river) composed of unconsolidated sedimentary deposits (alluvium) subject to periodic inundation by the stream (either now or in the past).
Related: floodplain
This definition applies to:
- alluvial valley
-
A valley filled with alluvial stream deposits.
Source: © McGraw-Hill,1994, Dictionary of Scientific and Technical Terms, Editor: Parker, SP, 5th edition, McGraw-Hill Professional, New York.
This definition applies to:
- alluvium
-
Loose, unconsolidated (not cemented together into a solid rock), soil or sediments (from sands to large boulders), eroded, deposited and reshaped by water in some form in a non-marine setting.
This definition applies to:
- AMTD
-
Adopted Middle Thread Distance
This definition applies to:
- ANCOLD
-
Australian National Committee on Large Dams
This definition applies to:
- announced allocation
-
A number, expressed as a percentage, which is used to determine the maximum volume of water that may be accessed in a water year.
This definition applies to:
- annual exceedance probability
-
The probability that a given rainfall total accumulated over a given duration will be exceeded in any one year.
Related: average recurrence interval
This definition applies to:
- anomaly
-
The deviation of a measurable unit, (e.g, temperature or precipitation) from the long-term average in a given region over a specified period.
This definition applies to:
- antecedent soil moisture
-
Water present in the soil prior to a rainfall event
Related: soil moisture
This definition applies to:
- ANU
-
Australian National University
Related: ANUDEM
This definition applies to:
- ANUDEM
-
A computer program developed by the ANU for processing data into a digital elevation model.
Source: Geofabric Product Guide V2.0
Related: ANU
This definition applies to:
- ANUDEM Streams
-
Topologically connected flow direction streamlines developed by ANU using ANUDEM.
Source: Geofabric Product Guide V2.0
Related:
This definition applies to:
- ANZLIC
-
Australia New Zealand Land Information Council
This definition applies to:
- aquatic GDE
-
A GDE which uses groundwater after it has been discharged to the surface. This includes all groundwater-fed surface water bodies, such as rivers, wetlands, lakes and springs.
This definition refers only to the aquatic (inundated) component of a system, and therefore excludes any vegetation which may fringe a surface water body.
Source: Eamus, D., Froend, R., Loomes, R., Hose, G., Murray, B., (2006). A functional methodology for determining the groundwater regime needed to maintain the health of groundwater-dependent vegetation, Australian Journal of Botany, 2006, 54, 97–114, 2006.
This definition applies to:
- Aquaveo
-
A software development company based in the United States that builds ArcHydro for groundwater tools.
Related: ArcHydro for groundwater
This definition applies to:
- aquifer
-
There are multiple contexts for this item
Context 1
A geological formation, group of formations or part of a formation; able to receive, store and transmit significant quantities of water.
This definition applies to:
- Glossary for Water status: National Water Account 2010
- Glossary for Water status: National Water Account 2011
- Glossary for Water data: Geofabric
- Glossary for Water status: National Water Account 2012-2017
- Glossary for Water status: Australian Water Resources Assessment
- Glossary for Standards: National Industry Guidelines for hydrometric monitoring
Context 2
An underground layer of saturated rock, sand or gravel that absorbs water and allows it to pass freely through pore spaces.
Source: Modified from Australian and New Zealand Guidelines for Fresh and Marine Water Quality (2000)
This definition applies to:
- aquitard
-
A geological formation that may contain groundwater but is not capable of transmitting significant quantities of it under normal hydraulic gradients. May function as a confining bed.
This definition applies to:
- ArcGIS
-
A range of software programs developed by ESRI for spatial data analysis, processing and storage.
Related: Geographic Information System
This definition applies to:
- ArcHydro
-
A data model and tools published by ESRI for analysis of hydrological data.
This definition applies to:
- ArcHydro for groundwater
-
A data model published by ESRI and tools developed by Aquaveo for analysis of hydrogeological data.
Related: Aquaveo
This definition applies to:
- ARI
-
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.
- ARMA
-
autoregressive moving average
A combined process of statistical time series analysis in terms of two polynomials, one for the auto-regression and the second for the moving-average.
This definition applies to:
- ARR
-
Australian rainfall and runoff
This definition applies to:
- artesian basin
-
A geological structural feature or combination of such features in which water is confined under pressure.
Source: © Macquarie Dictionary Fifth Edition, 2009, Macquarie Dictionary Publishers
This definition applies to:
- artificial control
-
A hydraulic structure (e.g. weir, flume or gate) installed in an open channel where in most cases the discharge can be derived from the measured upstream water level.
Note: The structure is an artificial reduction of the cross-sectional area in the channel, where part of the upstream total head is converted into kinetic energy used to obtain critical streamflow.
This definition applies to:
- ASCII
-
American Standard Code for Information Interchange. A character-encoding that represents text in computers.
This definition applies to:
- ASRIS
-
Australian Soil Resource Information System
This definition applies to:
- assurance
-
To provide independent attestation that the reports have been prepared in accordance with approved water accounting standards and other approved pronouncements governing the content of the reports and are consistent with the concepts in the Water Accounting Conceptual Framework. Assurance reduces the risk that the information provided is incorrect.
This definition applies to:
- atmosphere
-
A physical feature that is the mixture of gases surrounding the planet.
Source: Bureau glossary
This definition applies to:
- AusHydro
-
Flow directed and topological connected surface hydrology data derived from Geoscience Australia GEODATA series.
Source: Geofabric Product Guide V2.0
Related:
This definition applies to:
- 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 1966–1968.
See Geoscience Australia for further information.
This definition applies to:
- Australian Hydrological Geospatial Fabric
-
The Australian Hydrological Geospatial Fabric (Geofabric) is a specialised Geographic Information System (GIS). It identifies and registers the spatial relationships between important hydrological features such as watercourses, water bodies, canals, aquifers, monitoring points and catchments.
Source: Geofabric website
Related:
This definition applies to:
- Australian water access entitlement
-
A perpetual or ongoing entitlement, by or under a law of a State, to exclusive access to a share of the water resources of a water resource plan area or other water management area.
Source: Water Regulations 2008 Schedule 3 Part 1. For the latest information on Australian Government law please go to Federal Register of Legislation
This definition applies to:
- Australian water allocation
-
The specific volume of water allocated to an Australian water access entitlement in a given water accounting period.
Source: Water Regulations 2008 Schedule 3 Part 1. For the latest information on Australian Government law please go to Federal Register of Legislation
This definition applies to:
- Australian Water Availability Project
-
An operational data assimilation and modelling project that monitors the state and trend of the Australian terrestrial water balance at a resolution of 5 km. Using both measurements and modelling, the past history and present state of soil moisture are determined. The water fluxes that contribute to changes in soil moisture are incorporated in this project. These water fluxes include rainfall, transpiration, soil evaporation, surface runoff and deep drainage.
Source: Australian Water Availability Project
This definition applies to:
- Australian Water Resources Council
-
Established in 1962, the Australian Water Resources Council (AWRC) was set up by the Commonwealth and Sate Governments as a non-statutory body. The council existed into the 1980s.
Source: National Library of Australia
This definition applies to:
- autocorrelation function
-
Describes the correlation between values of that process as a function of the time separation between them.
This definition applies to:
- autoregressive moving average
-
A combined process of statistical time series analysis in terms of two polynomials, one for the auto-regression and the second for the moving-average.
This definition applies to:
- available water
-
Water potentially available for consumptive or environmental use.
This definition applies to:
- 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.
Related: annual exceedance probability
This definition applies to:
- AWAP
-
Australian water availability project
An operational data assimilation and modelling project that monitors the state and trend of the Australian terrestrial water balance at a resolution of 5 km. Using both measurements and modelling, the past history and present state of soil moisture are determined. The water fluxes that contribute to changes in soil moisture are incorporated in this project. These water fluxes include rainfall, transpiration, soil evaporation, surface runoff and deep drainage.
Source: Australian Water Availability Project
This definition applies to:
- AWRA
-
Australian Water Resources Assessment
This definition applies to:
- AWRA-L
-
A part of the AWRA Modelling System developed by CSIRO under the WIRADA alliance with the Bureau that represents landscape water balance.
This definition applies to:
- AWRC
-
Australian Water Resources Council
This definition applies to:
- AWRIS
-
Australian Water Resources Information System
This definition applies to:
- backscatter
-
The deflection of waves or particles through angles greater than 90 degrees by an obstacle.
Source: © Macquarie Dictionary Fourth Edition, 2005, Macquarie Dictionary Publishers
This definition applies to:
- backwater
-
Water backed-up or retarded in its course as compared with its normal or natural condition of flow.
Source: USGS, viewed 2 October 2018.
This definition applies to:
- bare ground
-
Land not covered by vegetation that does not fall into any other land use/cover category. It includes eroded areas and construction sites.
This definition applies to:
- baseflow
-
The component of streamflow supplied by groundwater discharge.
This definition applies to:
- basin
-
A tract of country, generally larger catchment areas, drained by a river and its tributaries.
This definition applies to:
- basinal aquifer
-
A subsurface porous and permeable layer present in a basin. A basin is a concave or syncline-like bedrock structure filled or partially filled with sediments.
Related: aquifer
This definition applies to:
- BATEA
-
Bayesian total error analysis
A generalised Bayesian framework for environmental model calibration and validation. BATEA permits the use of explicit probabilistic errors models which are used to describe the uncertainty associated with observed data, notably, in forcing inputs and outputs, e.g. rainfall and discharge data.
This definition applies to:
- Bayesian
-
Refers to methods in probability or statistics, e.g. Bayesian Joint Probability, named after Thomas Bayes (c. 1702-61), who provided the first mathematical treatment of Bayesian inference.
Source: S E Fienberg, 2006, When Did Bayesian Inference Become "Bayesian"?, Bayesian Analysis, 1 (1), 1-40.
Related: Bayesian total error analysis
This definition applies to:
- Bayesian joint probability (BJP)
-
A statistical modelling method to produce predictions of seasonal streamflows. Application of the BJP method to streamflow forecasting was developed by the CSIRO.
See the Seasonal Streamflow Forecast Research papers section for more information.
This definition applies to:
- Bayesian total error analysis
-
A generalised Bayesian framework for environmental model calibration and validation. BATEA permits the use of explicit probabilistic error models which are used to describe the uncertainty associated with observed data, notably, in forcing inputs and outputs, e.g. rainfall and discharge data.
Source: G Kuczera, D Kavetski, S Franks, M Thyer 2006, Towards a Bayesian total error analysis of conceptual rainfall-runoff models: Characterising model error using storm-dependent parameters, Journal of Hydrology, 331:1-2,161-177.
Related: Bayesian
This definition applies to:
- bias error
-
A measurement error that remains constant in magnitude for all observations; a kind of systematic error.
Source: McGraw-Hill Dictionary of Scientific & Technical Terms sixth edition, Copyright © 2003, McGraw-Hill Education
This definition applies to:
- BJP
-
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.
- blanking distance
-
The distance from the transducers of an ADCP in which no measurement is taken. Also known as the “blank”.
This definition applies to:
- blue line
-
The typical depiction of a river or stream in a cartographic product.
This definition applies to:
- bootstrapping
-
A type of resampling where large numbers of smaller samples of the same size are repeatedly drawn, with replacement, from a single original sample. This technique allows estimation of the sampling distribution of almost any statistic using random sampling methods.
Source: Derived from V Fortin, J Bernier, B Bobee 1997, Simulation, Bayes, and bootstrap in statistical hydrology, WATER RESOUCES RESEARCH, VOL. 33, No. 3
For example, in the 7-day ensemble streamflow forecasting system, forecast skill is computed from 200 samples. Each sample is comprised of approximately three years of daily streamflow observations/forecast pairs generated by randomly drawing monthly sub-samples repeatedly from an original dataset of three years of daily streamflow observations/forecast pairs.
This definition applies to:
- bore
-
A hole drilled in the ground, a well or any other excavation used to access groundwater. May be used for observation of groundwater (including water level, pressure or quality).
This definition applies to:
- bore feature
-
Point feature class that represents the location of a bore and associated attributes. Multiple independently screened bore pipes are regarded as separate bore features.
This definition applies to:
- bore line
-
A three dimensional line feature class that represents the hydrogeologic units along a borehole.
This definition applies to:
- bore log
-
A table with rock or sediment types classified into hydrogeologic units along a borehole.
Synonym: hydrostratigraphy log
This definition applies to:
- bore pipe
-
An independently screened inlet to a bore that can be pumped or monitored separately. A bore can have multiple pipes, each having one or more screens.
This definition applies to:
- bore screen
-
The construction component of a bore that allows groundwater to enter e.g. casing with slots or holes.
Related: construction log
This definition applies to:
- bottom tracking
-
Acoustic method used to measure boat speed and direction by computing the Doppler shift of sound reflected from the stream bed relative to the ADCP.
This definition applies to:
- broadacre
-
Farms or industries engaged in the production of grains, oilseeds and other crops (especially wheat, barley, peas, sorghum, maize, hemp, safflower and sunflower), or the grazing of livestock for meat or wool, on a large scale.
Source: © Organisation for Ecomonic Co-operation and Development, Glossary of Statistical Terms, Viewed 5 October 2011, http://stats.oecd.org/glossary/detail.asp?ID=235
This definition applies to:
- BT
-
bottom tracking
Acoustic method used to measure boat speed and direction by computing the Doppler shift of sound reflected from the stream bed relative to the ADCP.
This definition applies to:
- bulk diversion and extraction
-
The volume of water diverted from streams and storages (surface water) or extracted from bores (groundwater) by water providers for various uses.
This definition applies to:
- bulk water
-
Water supplied by a water provider to another water provider.
This definition applies to:
- bulk water access entitlement
-
A water access entitlement allowing an infrastructure operator to access, take and hold water for the supply of water to another person.
This definition applies to:
- bulk water charge
-
A charge payable for the storage of water for, and the delivery of water to, any of the following:
(a) infrastructure operators;
(b) other operators of reticulated water systems;
(c) other persons prescribed by the regulations for the purposes of this paragraph.
In the Regulation 1.05A, a person is prescribed for the above paragraph (c) if:
(a) the person diverts water directly from a watercourse for the person’s use, including for one of the following purposes:
(i) agricultural purposes;
(ii) industrial purposes;
(iii) irrigation;
(iv) stock and domestic water use; and
(b) the water is made available through a bulk water service.
Source: Derived from Water Act 2007 Part 1 Section 4 and Water Regulations 2008 Regulation 1.05A, at 8 Febraury 2019. For the latest information on Australian Government law please go to Federal Register of Legislation.
This definition applies to:
- bulk water supplier
-
An entity who imposes a bulk water charge for a bulk water service.
Source: Water Regulations 2008 Regulation 4.01A. For the latest information on Australian Government law please go to Federal Register of Legislation
This definition applies to:
- bundled right
-
The aggregation of individual rights into a single right. These might include but are not limited to: land property title, water access entitlement, water allocations, water use rights, delivery rights, irrigation rights and works approvals.
Equivalent: water market equivalent terms
This definition applies to:
- Bureau
-
Bureau of Meteorology
This definition applies to:
- calendar month
-
A period commencing at the beginning of a day of one of the 12 months of the year and ending immediately before the beginning of the corresponding day of the next month or, if there is no such corresponding day, ending at the expiration of the next month.
Source: Acts Interpretation Act 1901 Part V 22
This definition applies to:
- calibration
-
The process of comparing the response of a measuring device with a calibrator or a measuring standard, of known accuracy, over the measurement range.
Note: The comparison may result in no significant error being noted on the device under test, a significant error being noted but no adjustment made, or an adjustment made to correct the error to an acceptable level either by physical adjustment or by establishing a relationship for obtaining a result from the primary measured value.
Source: derived from AS 3778.1—2009 Clause 7.17. © Standards Australia Limited. Copied by the Australian Government Bureau of Meteorology with the permission of Standards Australia and Standards New Zealand under Licence 1901-c052.
This definition applies to:
- capacity
-
The volume of water that a water storage can hold between the minimum supply level and full supply level; equal to the total storage capacity excluding the dead storage capacity. It is the sum of this capacity that is reported for a collection of water storages. See the water storage diagram for more information.
Synonym: accessible storage capacity
This definition applies to:
- capillary zone
-
The zone of soil moisture above the watertable where water is drawn upwards by capillary tension in which the water is at less than atmospheric pressure.
This definition applies to:
- carryover
-
The option to hold in storage a portion of unused seasonal allocations for use at a later date.
This definition applies to:
- casing
-
The construction component that lines a bore and provides the conduit from the water-producing zone to the surface.
Related: construction log
This definition applies to:
- catchment
-
The land area draining to a point of interest, such as a water storage or monitoring site on a watercourse.
Related:
This definition applies to:
- Glossary for Water forecasts: Flood warning services
- Glossary for Water forecasts: Seasonal streamflow
- Glossary for Water forecasts: Dynamic streamflow
- Glossary for Water status: Australian Water Resources Assessment
- Glossary for Water status: Water in Australia
- Glossary for Water forecasts: 7-day Streamflow Forecasts
- catchment area
-
The extent of land where water from precipitation drains into the water storage.
Related: catchment
This definition applies to:
- Category 1 water information
-
Surface water resource information
Related FAQ: What does Category 1 information include?
Source: Water Regulations 2008 Schedule 3 Part 2. For the latest information on Australian Government law please go to Federal Register of Legislation
Related:
This definition applies to:
- Category 11 water information
-
Water information for flood warning purposes
Related FAQ: What does Category 11 information include?
Source: Water Regulations 2008 Schedule 3 Part 11. For the latest information on Australian Government law please go to Federal Register of Legislation
Related:
- subcategory 11a water information
- subcategory 11b water information
- subcategory 11c water information
This definition applies to:
- Category 2 water information
-
Ground water resource information
Related FAQ: What does Category 2 information include?
Source: Water Regulations 2008 Schedule 3 Part 3. For the latest information on Australian Government law please go to Federal Register of Legislation
Related:
- subcategory 2a water information
- subcategory 2b water information
- subcategory 2d water information
- subcategory 2e water information
This definition applies to:
- Category 3 water information
-
Water storage information
Related FAQ: What does Category 3 information include?
Source: Water Regulations 2008 Schedule 3 Part 4. For the latest information on Australian Government law please go to Federal Register of Legislation
Related:
- subcategory 3a water information
- subcategory 3b water information
- subcategory 3c water information
- subcategory 3d water information
- subcategory 3da water information
- subcategory 3e water information
- subcategory 3f water information
This definition applies to:
- Category 4 water information
-
Meteorological information
Related FAQ: What does Category 4 information include?
Source: Water Regulations 2008 Schedule 3 Part 5. For the latest information on Australian Government law please go to Federal Register of Legislation
Related:
- subcategory 4a water information
- subcategory 4b water information
- subcategory 4c water information
- subcategory 4d water information
- subcategory 4e water information
- subcategory 4f water information
- subcategory 4g water information
- subcategory 4h water information
- subcategory 4i water information
- subcategory 4j water information
This definition applies to:
- Category 5 water information
-
Water use information
Related FAQ: What does Category 5 information include?
Source: Water Regulations 2008 Schedule 3 Part 6. For the latest information on Australian Government law please go to Federal Register of Legislation
Related:
- subcategory 5a water information
- subcategory 5b water information
- subcategory 5c water information
- subcategory 5d water information
- subcategory 5e water information
- subcategory 5f water information
- subcategory 5g water information
- subcategory 5h water information
This definition applies to:
- Category 6 water information
-
Information about water rights, allocations and trades
Related FAQ: What does Category 6 information include?
Source: Water Regulations 2008 Schedule 3 Part 7. For the latest information on Australian Government law please go to Federal Register of Legislation
Related:
- subcategory 6a water information
- subcategory 6b water information
- subcategory 6c water information
- subcategory 6d water information
- subcategory 6e water information
- subcategory 6f water information
- subcategory 6g water information
This definition applies to:
- Category 7 water information
-
Information about urban water management
Related FAQ: What does Category 7 information include?
Source: Water Regulations 2008 Schedule 3 Part 8. For the latest information on Australian Government law please go to Federal Register of Legislation
Related:
- subcategory 7a water information
- subcategory 7b water information
- subcategory 7c water information
- subcategory 7d water information
This definition applies to:
- Category 8 water information
-
Information about water restrictions
Related FAQ: What does Category 8 information include?
Source: Water Regulations 2008 Schedule 3 Part 9. For the latest information on Australian Government law please go to Federal Register of Legislation
Related: subcategory 8a water information
This definition applies to:
- Category 9 water information
-
Water quality information
Related FAQ: What does Category 9 information include?
Source: Water Regulations 2008 Schedule 3 Part 10. For the latest information on Australian Government law please go to Federal Register of Legislation
Related:
- subcategory 9a water information
- subcategory 9b water information
- subcategory 9c water information
- subcategory 9d water information
- subcategory 9e water information
- subcategory 9f water information
- subcategory 9g water information
- subcategory 9ga water information
- subcategory 9h water information
This definition applies to:
- Category A person
-
A person specified as a Category A person in the document titled Persons and Classes of Persons
Related FAQ: Who/what are persons?, What does Category A include?
Source: Water Regulations 2008 Regulation 1.03. For the latest information on Australian Government law please go to Federal Register of Legislation
This definition applies to:
- Category B person
-
A person specified as a Category B person in the document titled Persons and Classes of Persons
Related FAQ: Who/what are persons?, What does Category B include?
Source: Water Regulations 2008 Regulation 1.03. For the latest information on Australian Government law please go to Federal Register of Legislation
This definition applies to:
- Category C person
-
A person specified as a Category C person in the document titled Persons and Classes of Persons
Related FAQ: Who/what are persons?, What does Category C include?
Source: Water Regulations 2008 Regulation 1.03. For the latest information on Australian Government law please go to Federal Register of Legislation
This definition applies to:
- Category D person
-
A person specified as a Category D person in the document titled Persons and Classes of Persons
Related FAQ: Who/what are persons?, What does Category D include?
Source: Water Regulations 2008 Regulation 1.03. For the latest information on Australian Government law please go to Federal Register of Legislation
This definition applies to:
- Category E person
-
A person specified as a Category E person in the document titled Persons and Classes of Persons
Related FAQ: Who/what are persons?, What does Category E include?
Source: Water Regulations 2008 Regulation 1.03.For the latest information on Australian Government law please go to Federal Register of Legislation
This definition applies to:
- Category F person
-
A person specified as a Category F person in the document titled Persons and Classes of Persons
Related FAQ: Who/what are persons?, What does Category F include?
Source: Water Regulations 2008 Regulation 1.03. For the latest information on Australian Government law please go to Federal Register of Legislation
This definition applies to:
- Category G person
-
A person specified as a Category G person in the document titled Persons and Classes of Persons
Related FAQ: Who/what are persons?, What does Category G include?
Source: Water Regulations 2008 Regulation 1.03. For the latest information on Australian Government law please go to Federal Register of Legislation
This definition applies to:
- Category H person
-
A person specified as a Category H person in the document titled Persons and Classes of Persons
Related FAQ: Who/what are persons?, What does Category H include?
Source: Water Regulations 2008 Regulation 1.03. For the latest information on Australian Government law please go to Federal Register of Legislation
This definition applies to:
- Category K person
-
A person specified as a Category K person in the document titled Persons and Classes of Persons
Related FAQ: Who/what are persons?, What does Category K include?
Source: Water Regulations 2008 Regulation 1.03. For the latest information on Australian Government law please go to Federal Register of Legislation
This definition applies to:
- Category L person
-
A person specified as a Category L person in the document titled Persons and Classes of Persons
Related FAQ: Who/what are persons?, What does Category L include?
Source: Water Regulations 2008 Subregulation 1.03(1). For the latest information on Australian Government law please go to Federal Register of Legislation
This definition applies to:
- Category M person
-
A person specified as a Category M person in the document titled Persons and Classes of Persons
Related FAQ: Who/what are persons?, What does Category M include?
Source: Water Regulations 2008 Subregulation 1.03(1). For the latest information on Australian Government law please go to Federal Register of Legislation
This definition applies to:
- CDIRS
-
computerised design IFD rainfall system
This definition applies to:
- cease to flow
-
The level or physical location at which a stream stops flowing. The lowest point in the low flow control.
This definition applies to:
- change in net water assets
-
There are multiple contexts for this item
Context 1
Increases or decreases in net water assets for the water report entity from one reporting date to the next.
This definition applies to:
- Glossary for Standards: Australian Water Accounting Standards
- Glossary for Water status: National Water Account 2010
Context 2
The change in net water assets for the region from one reporting date to the next.
This definition applies to:
- change in net water storage
-
The change in net water storage for the region from one report date to the next.
This definition applies to:
- change in water assets
-
There are multiple contexts for this item
Context 1
Increases or decreases in the water report entity’s water assets from one reporting date to the next.
This definition applies to:
- Glossary for Standards: Australian Water Accounting Standards
- Glossary for Water status: National Water Account 2010
Context 2
Increases or decreases in the region’s water assets from one reporting date to the next.
This definition applies to:
- change in water liabilities
-
There are multiple contexts for this item
Context 1
Increases or decreases in the water report entity’s water liabilities from one reporting date to the next.
This definition applies to:
- Glossary for Standards: Australian Water Accounting Standards
- Glossary for Water status: National Water Account 2010
Context 2
Increases or decreases in the region’s water liabilities from one reporting date to the next.
This definition applies to:
- change in water storage
-
Increases or decreases in water storage for a water report entity from one reporting date to the next.
This definition applies to:
- channel
-
An artificial or constructed waterway designed to convey water. Often described as open channels to distinguish then from pipes, channels can be categorised as: main (or major) channels whose primary purpose is to convey bulk water from headworks storage or river diversion points into the distribution system; or distribution channels whose primary purpose is to deliver water from main channels to individual farms. The term canal may sometimes be used for main channels that are used for other purposes than just conveyance of bulk water, such as recreation or transport.
This definition applies to:
- chromosols
-
Soils with an abrupt increase in clay content down the soil profile. Occur in all parts of Australia. Common in the cereal belt of southern New South Wales and Victoria.
Source: R F Isbell, 1996, The Australian Soil Classification, CSIRO Publishing, Melbourne.
This definition applies to:
- claims to water
-
A right to water or an interest or claim associated with a right to water.
This definition applies to:
- claims to water decreases
-
Adjustments to claims to water in the region. For example, amounts written off as a result of the operation of rules or upon agreement between the relevant parties.
This definition applies to:
- climate
-
The average long-term weather conditions in a particular area. See the Climate Glossary webpage for more information.
This definition applies to:
- climatic condition
-
The condition of the climate (e.g. rainfall, temperature, humidity) over a particular period such as a year or a month.
This definition applies to:
- closing net water assets
-
Net water assets at the end of the reporting period.
Related: net water assets
This definition applies to:
- closing water storage
-
There are multiple contexts for this item
Context 1
The total water storage in water assets in the region at the end of the reporting period.
This definition applies to:
- Glossary for Water status: National Water Account 2010
- Glossary for Water status: National Water Account 2011
- Glossary for Water status: National Water Account 2012-2017
Context 2
The total water storage for a water report entity at the reporting date.
This definition applies to:
- coefficient of variation
-
A normalized measure of dispersion of a probability distribution. The coefficient of variation is the ratio of the standard deviation to the mean.
Source: Business Dictionary, viewed 6 August 2013.
This definition applies to:
- commercial water
-
The total amount of metered and estimated non-metered, potable and non-potable, water supplied to commercial properties.
This definition applies to:
- compliance
-
Adherence to relevant externally-imposed requirements, or with broader notions of best practice relevant to water reporting entities, such as statutory requirements, regulations, rules, ordinances, or directives, in respect of which non-compliance may have, or may have had, an economic, environmental or social effect.
This definition applies to:
- conceptual model
-
There are multiple contexts for this item
Context 1
A platform independent model for showing the entities and relationship between the features of interest generally described using UML.
Source: Geofabric Product Guide V2.0
Related: UML
This definition applies to:
Context 2
Documentation of a conceptual understanding of the location of GDEs and interaction between ecosystems and groundwater.
This definition applies to:
- confined aquifer
-
An aquifer overlain by a confining bed. The confining bed has a significantly lower hydraulic conductivity than the aquifer. Typically, groundwater in a confined aquifer is under pressure significantly greater than atmospheric pressure.
This definition applies to:
- connected surface water
-
All the surface water bodies connected to the river channel network, with the exception of the off-channel but connected man-made water structures.
This definition applies to:
- connected surface water decreases
-
Decreases in connected surface water due to natural processes or diversion of water.
This definition applies to:
- connected surface water increases
-
Increases in connected surface water due to natural processes or return of water.
This definition applies to:
- connected surface water inflows
-
Volume of physical inflows to connected surface water during the reporting period; from outside the region or from other stores.
This definition applies to:
- connected surface water outflows
-
Volume of physical outflows from connected surface water during the reporting period; to outside the region or to other stores.
This definition applies to:
- connected surface water store
-
Comprises all the surface water bodies connected, either seasonally or perennially, to the river channel network that are administered by the jurisdictions. Also includes any other surface water body which contains water not yet ‘abstracted’, such as storages managed by organisations to provide water to urban centres.
This definition applies to:
- construction line
-
A three dimensional line feature class that represents the construction information (e.g. casing and bore screen) along a borehole
This definition applies to:
- construction log
-
A table with bore construction information along a borehole (e.g. casing and bore screen).
This definition applies to:
- constructive obligation
-
An obligation that derives from actions of the management of a water report entity whereby:
a) an established pattern of past practice, published policies or sufficiently specific current statement means that the management of the water report entity has indicated to other parties that it will accept certain responsibilities; and
b) as a result, a valid expectation has been created on the part of those other parties that the management of the water report entity will discharge those responsibilities.
This definition applies to:
- consumptive pool
-
The amount of a water resource that can be made available for consumptive use in a particular water resource plan area under the rules of the water resource plan for that water resource plan area.
This definition applies to:
- consumptive use
-
Use of water for private benefit consumptive purposes including irrigation, industry, urban and stock and domestic use.
This definition applies to:
- contingent water asset
-
A possible water asset that arises from past events and whose existence will be confirmed only by the occurrence or non-occurrence of one or more uncertain future events not wholly within the control of the management of the water report entity.
This definition applies to:
- contingent water liability
-
A possible obligation that arises from past events and whose existence will be confirmed only by the occurrence or non-occurrence of one or more uncertain future events not wholly within the control of the management of the water report entity.
This definition applies to:
- continuous monitoring
-
Collecting repeated measurements of a parameter over time, typically using automatic sensing and recording instruments.
This definition applies to:
- continuous ranked probability score (CRPS)
-
A measure of forecast accuracy 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 squared area between the two functions is the single CRPS value, which is averaged across all forecasts.
This definition applies to:
- contracted catchment
-
A set of low level catchments derived from the nine second digital elevation model (DEM) with a contracted node at the outflow point.
Source: Geofabric Product Guide V2.0
Related:
This definition applies to:
- contracted node
-
An entity within the Geofabric that represents a logical feature in the landscape such as the confluence of two major rivers or a significant monitoring location. A contracted node has a unique and persistent identifier.
This definition applies to:
- control
-
Physical properties of a cross-section or a reach of an open channel, either natural or artificial, that govern the relation between stage and discharge at a location in the open channel.
Source: AS3778.1—2009 Clause 1.91. © Standards Australia Limited. Copied by the Australian Government Bureau of Meteorology with the permission of Standards Australia and Standards New Zealand under Licence 1901-c052.
This definition applies to:
- conveyance water
-
Water required primarily to operate regulated rivers and utility supply networks to enable the delivery of water.
This definition applies to:
- Creative Commons
-
An international non-profit organisation that provides free licences and tools that copyright owners can use to allow others to share, reuse and remix their material, legally.
Source: Creative Commons Australia
This definition applies to:
- cross-section
-
The section of a stream is the section normal to the mean direction of flow bounded by the free surface and wetted perimeter of the stream.
Source: AS3778.1—2009 Clause 1.58. © Standards Australia Limited. Copied by the Australian Government Bureau of Meteorology with the permission of Standards Australia and Standards New Zealand under Licence 1901-c052.
This definition applies to:
- CSIRO
-
Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation
This definition applies to:
- CSV
-
comma separated values.
A computer text file where numbers are written as characters separated by commas.
This definition applies to:
- CTF
-
cease to flow
The level or physical location at which a stream stops flowing, the lowest point in the low flow control.
This definition applies to:
- cultural basic right
-
Right that allows diversion of water for anyone who holds native title with respect to water, as determined under the Native Title Act 1993 (Commonwealth).
This definition applies to:
- cumecs
-
Cubic metres per second (m³/s). International System of Units (SI Units) of measure for instantaneous discharge (rate unit).
This definition applies to:
- current meter
-
Instrument for measuring water velocity.
Source: AS3778.1—2009 Clause 2.56. © Standards Australia Limited. Copied by the Australian Government Bureau of Meteorology with the permission of Standards Australia and Standards New Zealand under Licence 1901-c052.
This definition applies to:
- CV
-
coefficient of variation
A normalized measure of dispersion of a probability distribution. The coefficient of variation is the ratio of the standard deviation to the mean.
This definition applies to:
- D8-9S
-
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
Related:
This definition applies to:
- dam
-
A barrier to obstruct the flow of water, especially one of earth, masonry, etc., built across a stream.
This definition applies to:
- data ingestion
-
The process of receiving, processing (decoding) and storing data collected from sites in data-user and data-provider systems.
This definition applies to:
- data management system
-
The software and hardware used to manage the storage of and access to information held in a set of related files.
Source: Water Regulations 2008 Regulation 1.03. For the latest information on Australian Government law please go to Federal Register of Legislation
This definition applies to:
- data owner
-
An organisation responsible for managing the collection of environmental and water observations (data) and information about these measurements (metadata). The designated owner may differ from the data provider.
This definition applies to:
- data provider
-
An organisation that provides data and metadata to the Bureau. The designated data provider may differ from the data owner.
This definition applies to:
- date reported – collection of water storages
-
The date for which the published aggregated volume was calculated.
Related FAQ
This definition applies to:
- date reported – single water storage
-
The date on which the published measurement was observed.
This definition applies to:
- datum
-
A point, plane, or surface to which systems of measurement are referred or related to one another.
Source: Geoscience Australia, viewed 2 October 2018.
This definition applies to:
- day
-
A period of 24 hours starting at 12:00 midnight.
Source: Water Regulations 2008 Regulation 1.04. For the latest information on Australian Government law please go to Federal Register of Legislation
This definition applies to:
- dead storage
-
In a water storage, the volume of water stored below the level of the lowest outlet (the minimum supply level). This water cannot be accessed under normal operating conditions.
This definition applies to:
- dead storage capacity
-
The portion of total storage capacity that is equal to the volume of water below the level of the lowest outlet (the minimum supply level). This water cannot be accessed under normal operating conditions. See the water storage diagram for more information.
Related: minimum supply level
This definition applies to:
- dead storage water
-
Water in a storage that is below the elevation of the lowest constructed outlet.
This definition applies to:
- decile
-
One of a series of threshold values that divides a set of ordered data into 10 groups with an equal number of data points in each.
For example, consider a dataset of annual rainfall totals arranged in increasing order. The first decile is a value with 10% of the data below it and 90% above it. The eighth decile is a value with 80% of the data below it and 20% above it.
Related: quantile
This definition applies to:
- declared water service
-
Water service, or part of a water service, declared under chapter 2A, part 5A, division 2 of the Water Act 2000 (Queensland).
Source: Water Act 2000 (Qld) Schedule 4 – Dictionary
This definition applies to:
- deep drainage
-
The volume of water that moves below vegetation root zones which may or may not enter the saturated zone and become recharge to the groundwater system.
Source: Science Notes - Land series L109, Gueensland Government
Related: zone of saturation
This definition applies to:
- DEM
-
Digital Elevation Model
A digital elevation model of the earth's surface.
Related:
This definition applies to:
- DEM-9S
-
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:
Synonym: digital elevation model - 9 second
This definition applies to:
- deploy
-
To prepare an instrument to retrieve data, then take measurements in contact with the water in its data retrieval mode.
This definition applies to:
- depth
-
The vertical distance below the free surface of a stream to a point of reference, e.g. a measuring instrument, or the bottom of the stream at any point on a cross-section.
This definition applies to:
- depth cell
-
A volume of water at a known distance and orientation from the transducer. Also known as a bin.
This definition applies to:
- dermosols
-
Moderately deep and well-drained soils of wetter areas in eastern Australia. Can be strongly acidic in the high rainfall areas or highly alkaline if they contain calcium carbonate.
Source: R F Isbell, 1996, The Australian Soil Classification, CSIRO Publishing, Melbourne.
This definition applies to:
- desalinated water
-
Volume of water sourced from desalination processes.
This definition applies to:
- desalination
-
The process of removing salt from brackish or saline water.
This definition applies to:
- dewpoint temperature
-
The temperature to which air must be cooled, at constant pressure and constant moisture content, to reach saturation.
Source: Water Regulations 2008 Schedule 3 Part 1. For the latest information on Australian Government law please go to Federal Register of Legislation
This definition applies to:
- DGPS
-
Differential Global Positioning System
An enhancement to Global Positioning System (GPS) that uses a network of fixed ground based reference stations to broadcast the difference between the positions indicated by the satellite systems and the known fixed positions.
The underlying premise of differential GPS is that any two receivers that are relatively close together will experience similar atmospheric errors. DGPS requires that a GPS receiver be set up on a precisely known location. This GPS receiver is the base or reference station. The base station receiver calculates its position based on satellite signals and compares this location to the known location. The difference is applied to the GPS data recorded by the second GPS receiver, which is known as the roving receiver. The corrected information can be applied to data from the roving receiver in real-time in the field using radio signals or through post-processing after data capture using special processing software.
Source: ESRI, viewed 2 October 2018. Copyright © 1995–2013 Esri.
This definition applies to:
- Differential Global Positioning System
-
An enhancement to Global Positioning System (GPS) that uses a network of fixed ground based reference stations to broadcast the difference between the positions indicated by the satellite systems and the known fixed positions.
The underlying premise of differential GPS (DGPS) is that any two receivers that are relatively close together will experience similar atmospheric errors. DGPS requires that a GPS receiver be set up on a precisely known location. This GPS receiver is the base or reference station. The base station receiver calculates its position based on satellite signals and compares this location to the known location. The difference is applied to the GPS data recorded by the second GPS receiver, which is known as the roving receiver. The corrected information can be applied to data from the roving receiver in real-time in the field using radio signals or through post-processing after data capture using special processing software.
Source: ESRI, viewed 2 October 2018. Copyright © 1995–2013 Esri.
This definition applies to:
- Digital Elevation Model
-
A digital elevation model of the earth's surface.
Related:
This definition applies to:
- digital elevation model - 9 second
-
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.
Source: Geoscience Australia, viewed 01 March 2017.
Synonym: DEM-9S
This definition applies to:
- direct diversion
-
The volume of surface water abstracted when no prior allocation or other claim on the surface water existed.
This definition applies to:
- direct extraction
-
The volume of groundwater abstracted when no prior allocation or other claim on the groundwater existed.
This definition applies to:
- discharge
-
Volume of liquid flowing through a cross-section in a unit time.
Source: AS3778.1—2009 Clause 1.37. © Standards Australia Limited. Copied by the Australian Government Bureau of Meteorology with the permission of Standards Australia and Standards New Zealand under Licence 1901-c052.
This definition applies to:
- discharge from groundwater to surface water
-
Flow of groundwater from the saturated zone to streams, water storages, farm dams and natural surface water features. This is a form of groundwater-surface water interaction.
This definition applies to:
- discrete monitoring
-
Operating sensors or instruments by hand to collect measurements of a parameter. This can include regular or irregular measurements.
Synonym: manual monitoring
This definition applies to:
- distributed model
-
A hydrological model that takes into consideration the spatial variability of driving processes.
This definition applies to:
- diversion
-
Synonymous with abstraction in case the water is removed from the surface water store.
Synonym: abstraction
This definition applies to:
- domestic purposes
-
Domestic purposes are defined in the dictionary of the Water Act 2000 (Qld) (Schedule 4). While not stated explicitly, domestic purposes includes water used in connection with a residential dwelling including human consumption, cooking, toilets and showers etc. Watering of gardens up to 0.25 ha in size is also considered to be domestic use provided the produce from the garden is not grown for sale, barter or exchange.
Source: Water Act 2000 (Qld) Schedule 4 – Dictionary
This definition applies to:
- downward leakage to deep aquifers
-
The downward movement of groundwater from a shallow aquifer to a deeper, underlying aquifer.
This definition applies to:
- downward longwave exposure
-
The total amount of terrestrial electromagnetic energy that falls on a specified unit horizontal surface.
Source: Water Regulations 2008 Schedule 3 Part 1. For the latest information on Australian Government law please go to Federal Register of Legislation
This definition applies to:
- downward longwave irradiance
-
The longwave irradiance emitted from the sky that falls on a specified unit horizontal surface.
Source: Water Regulations 2008 Schedule 3 Part 1. For the latest information on Australian Government law please go to Federal Register of Legislation
This definition applies to:
- DPS
-
Data Product Specification based on ISO 19139
Related: ISO
This definition applies to:
- drainage division
-
Representation of the catchments of major surface water drainage systems, generally comprising a number of river basins. In Australia, 12 drainage divisions were first defined in the 1960s by the Australian Water Resources Council. Australian drainage division boundaries were revised by the Bureau in 2010 in line with the creation of the Australian Hydrological Geospatial Fabric (Geofabric) based on the 9 second Digital Elevation Model.
Related: Bureau
This definition applies to:
- drought
-
A long period of abnormally low rainfall, especially one that adversely affects agriculture and other human activities. See the Climate Glossary for more information.
This definition applies to:
- dry-bulb air temperature
-
The temperature of air measured by a thermometer freely exposed to the air but shielded from radiation and moisture.
Source: Water Regulations 2008 Schedule 3 Part 1. For the latest information on Australian Government law please go to Federal Register of Legislation
This definition applies to:
- dryland agriculture
-
All agricultural crops and grassland cultivated for production with water input from rainfall only , i.e. no irrigated crops.
This definition applies to:
- dryland crops
-
All non-irrigated crops including cereals, oil seeds, sugar and legumes.
This definition applies to:
- dryland horticulture
-
All non-irrigated horticulture excluding intensive horticulture (e.g. glasshouses and shadehouses), which falls into the intensive use category. This category includes both perennial (e.g. tree fruits, tree nuts and vine fruits) and seasonal (e.g. fruits, nuts and herbs) horticulture.
This definition applies to:
- dryland pasture
-
All non-irrigated pastures including grazing modified pasture, exotic pasture, native pasture, woody fodder plants, pasture legumes and sown grasses.
This definition applies to:
- dryland salinity
-
Excessive salts in the soil surface and groundwater in non-irrigated areas. Although salts are a natural part of the Australian landscape, dryland salinity refers to excess salt that affects soil, native vegetation, biodiversity, crops and water quality.
Source: NSW Enviornment and Heritage - Dryland salinity
This definition applies to:
- EC
-
electrical conductivity
This definition applies to:
- eco-hydrogeological zone
-
A region where similar processes determine the interaction between groundwater and ecosystems, due to similar ecology, geology, climate, and groundwater/surface water connections.
Related: EHZ
This definition applies to:
- ecological water requirement
-
Description of the water regimes needed to sustain the ecological values of water-dependent ecosystems at a low level of risk.
Source: adapted from definition for Environmental Water Requirements in ARMCANZ & ANZECC 1996, National principles for the provision of water for ecosystems, Sustainable Land and Water Resources Management Committee Subcommittee on Water Resources Occasional Paper SWR No 3.
Related: EWR
This definition applies to:
- ecosystem
-
A dynamic complex of plant, animal and micro-organism communities and their non-living environment interacting as a functional unit.
Source: Commonwealth Environmental Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999
This definition applies to:
- EHZ
-
eco-hydrogeological zone
Related: eco-hydrogeological zone
This definition applies to:
- El Niño
-
Refers to the extensive warming of the central and eastern Pacific Ocean that leads to a major shift in weather patterns across the Pacific. In Australia (particularly eastern Australia), El Niño events are associated with an increased probability of drier conditions. See the Climate Glossary webpage on El Niño for more information.
Related:
This definition applies to:
- El Niño Southern Oscillation
-
The oscillation between the El Niño climate phase and the La Niña phase, usually over several years. See the Australian Climate Influence webpage on ENSO for more information.
Related:
This definition applies to:
- electric tape
-
A water level measurement device comprising a graduated measurement tape with a moisture detector on one end and a signal device on the other.
The moisture detector is lowered into the bore and sends an electrical signal to the surface when it makes contact with the groundwater. This triggers the signal device, usually a light or sound, enabling the operator to measure the distance to water.
This definition applies to:
- electrical conductivity
-
There are multiple contexts for this item
Context 1
In relation to water, the capacity of the water to transmit a flow of electricity and is a common measure of the salinity of the water.
Source: Water Regulations 2008 Schedule 3 Part 1. For the latest information on Australian Government law please go to Federal Register of Legislation
This definition applies to:
- Glossary for Regulations: Water Regulations
- Glossary for Water status: Australian Water Resources Assessment
- Glossary for Water status: Water in Australia
Context 2
Electrical conductivity (EC) measures dissolved salt in water. The standard EC unit is microSiemens per centimetre (µS/cm) at 25 °C.
This definition applies to:
- electronic format
-
A format that is machine readable, but does not include scanned documents.
Source: Water Regulations 2008 Regulation 1.03. For the latest information on Australian Government law please go to Federal Register of Legislation
This definition applies to:
- endorheic basin
-
A closed surface water drainage basin that retains water and has no outflow to the sea.
This definition applies to:
- ensemble
-
A column of depth cells equivalent to a vertical in conventional current meter gauging. An ensemble or profile may refer to a single measurement of the water column or an average of pings or profile measurements.
This definition applies to:
- ensemble forecast
-
A set of multiple forecasts for the same period and location. The spread of multiple forecasts provides information about forecast uncertainty.
This definition applies to:
- ENSO
-
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.
Related:
This definition applies to:
- entitlement security
-
The frequency with which water allocated under a water access entitlement is able to be supplied in full.
Related: security licence
Synonym: reliability
This definition applies to:
- entitlement system
-
A jurisdictional gazetted instrument (e.g. Water Sharing Plan), subordinate to the overarching State or Territory water rights legislation, intended to share the portion of the total water resource it covers.
This definition applies to:
- entitlements held for the environment
-
Water Access Entitlements held for the benefit of the environment. They may include entitlements of a specific environmental class and non specific classes of entitlement.
Related: water access entitlement
This definition applies to:
- environmental allocation
-
Allocations announced on entitlements held for the environment.
This definition applies to:
- environmental flow
-
The streamflow required to maintain appropriate environmental conditions in a waterway or water body.
This definition applies to:
- environmental water
-
Water that is available or preserved, to achieve environmental outcomes, including ecosystem function, biodiversity, water quality and water resource health.
Source: Water Act 2007 Part 1 Section 4, at 8 Febraury 2019. For the latest information on Australian Government law please go to Federal Register of Legislation
This definition applies to:
- environmental water commitment
-
Instruments in place to achieve the environmental water determination, e.g. environmental water storage release rules, water access rules to limit abstractions, rules on diversion to wetlands and annual environmental watering plans.
This definition applies to:
- environmental water determination
-
The environmental objectives or water regime that will be provided to meet the appropriate ecological values. The water regime is defined in terms of specific water level or flow criteria at key representative sites, which together form the Environmental Water Provisions (EWP).
This definition applies to:
- environmental water outcome
-
Water level or water flow with its timing and location that has been determined or delivered for the benefit of the environment
This definition applies to:
- environmental water provisions
-
The specific water level or flow criteria at key representative sites that the environmental water regime is set to achieve as part of the environmental water determination. They may meet in part or in full the environmenal water regimes requirements.
This definition applies to:
- environmental water regime
-
Water regime for the benefit of the environment.
This definition applies to:
- environmental water regime requirement
-
The water regime needed to maintain ecological values of water dependent ecosystems at a low level of risk.
This definition applies to:
- environmental water release
-
Water released from infrastructure, such as a surface water storage, for the benefit of the environment.
This definition applies to:
- ephemeral
-
Something which only lasts for a short time. Typically used to describe rivers, lakes and wetlands that are intermittantly dry.
This definition applies to:
- ESRI
-
A software development company based in the United States that builds ArcGIS.
Related: ArcGIS
This definition applies to:
- ESRI File Geodatabase
-
A format for storing GIS data within the ArcGIS software.
Related: Geographic Information System
This definition applies to:
- ET
-
evapotranspiration
The sum of evaporation and plant transpiration from the earth’s land surface to the atmosphere.
This definition applies to:
- evaporation
-
A process that occurs at a liquid surface, resulting in a change of state from liquid to vapour. In relation to water resource assessment and water accounting, evaporation refers to the movement of water from the land surface (predominantly liquid) to the atmosphere (water vapour). The liquid water at the land surface that may be available for evaporation includes surface water, soil water, water within vegetation, and water on vegetation and paved surfaces.
Related:
This definition applies to:
- Glossary for Water status: National Water Account 2010
- Glossary for Water status: National Water Account 2011
- Glossary for Water data: Environmental Information Explorer
- Glossary for Water status: National Water Account 2012-2017
- Glossary for Water status: Australian Water Resources Assessment
- Glossary for Water status: Water in Australia
- evapotranspiration
-
There are multiple contexts for this item
Context 1
The sum of evaporation and plant transpiration from the earth’s land surface to the atmosphere.
This definition applies to:
- Glossary for Water status: National Water Account 2010
- Glossary for Water status: National Water Account 2011
- Glossary for Water status: National Water Account 2012-2017
- Glossary for Water status: Australian Water Resources Assessment
- Glossary for Water status: Water in Australia
Context 2
The combined loss of water from a given area during a specified period of time by evaporation from the soil or water surface and by transpiration from plants.
Source: Australian and New Zealand Guidelines for Fresh and Marine Water Quality (2000)
Synonym: evapotranspiration
This definition applies to:
- EWP
-
Environmental Water Provisions
This definition applies to:
- EWR
-
ecological water requirement
Related: ecological water requirement
This definition applies to:
- exceedance probability
-
The forecast probability that a particular variable such as streamflow volume will be exceeded.
This definition applies to:
- exposure
-
The measure of the energy received per unit area.
Source: Water Regulations 2008 Schedule 3 Part 1. For the latest information on Australian Government law please go to Federal Register of Legislation
This definition applies to:
- external trade
-
A transaction to transfer a water right from one legal entity to another out of a specified area. The area can be a water system, water management area or a trading zone as defined in respective State and Territory legislation.
This definition applies to:
- extraction
-
Synonymous with abstraction in case the water is removed from the groundwater store.
Synonym: abstraction
This definition applies to:
- farm dam
-
Small water storage, usually managed by the landowner with a capacity usually less than 100 ML. The volume includes dead storage.
Related: runoff dam
This definition applies to:
- feature
-
A part of the physical environment with properties that can be observed; these include natural features such as rivers, aquifers and the atmosphere, and human defined or constructed features such as channels, irrigation districts and urban supply areas.
This definition applies to:
- feature class
-
Homogeneous collections of common features, each having the same spatial representation, such as points, lines, or polygons, and a common set of attribute columns, for example, a line feature class for representing road centrelines. The four most commonly used feature classes in the geodatabase are points, lines, polygons, and annotation (the geodatabase name for map text).
Source: ArcGIS 9.2 Desktop Help
This definition applies to:
- ferrosols
-
Soils with high free iron and clay contents. They occur along the eastern coastline, in northern parts of Western Australia and the Top End.
Source: R F Isbell, 1996, The Australian Soil Classification, CSIRO Publishing, Melbourne.
This definition applies to:
- ferruginous
-
Containing iron and typically having reddish-brown colour.
This definition applies to:
- financial year
-
A period used for reporting of annual financial statements in Government and other organisations. In Australia this usually refers to the 12 months starting 1 July and ending on 30 June.
This definition applies to:
- first quartile
-
The first quartile of a set of numbers is the value in which 25% of the numbers are below it and 75% of the numbers are above it when the numbers are arranged in ascending (increasing) order.
Synonym: 25% quartile
This definition applies to:
- flash flooding
-
Flooding occurring within about six hours of rain, usually the result of intense local rain and characterised by rapid rises in water-levels.
This definition applies to:
- flood threat advice
-
An advice of the potential occurrence of flooding inferred from forecast meteorological considerations and an assessment of catchment wetness. The issuing of a flood watch is meant to indicate that vigilance to potential flooding is required of the community.
Related:
Synonym: flood watch
This definition applies to:
- flood watch
-
An advice of the potential occurrence of flooding inferred from forecast meteorological considerations and an assessment of catchment wetness. The issuing of a flood watch is meant to indicate that vigilance to potential flooding is required of the community.
Synonym: flood threat advice
This definition applies to:
- floodplain
-
Flat or nearly flat land adjacent to a stream or river that experiences occasional or periodic flooding.
Related: alluvial plain
This definition applies to:
- flow
-
The flow of water in streams, rivers and other channels.
Synonym: streamflow
This definition applies to:
- forest
-
Land dominated by trees and other woody vegetation. It includes closed forest, open forest and woodland.
This definition applies to:
- foundation input data
-
Input data such as AusHydro, ANUDEM streams and the National Catchment Boundaries used to build the Geofabric.
Source: Geofabric Product Guide V2.0
Related:
This definition applies to:
- fractured rock
-
Hard, impermeable rock containing fractures and fissures that are able to store and transmit water.
This definition applies to:
- FSD
-
full scale deflection
The full range of observations which can be recorded by an instrument.
This definition applies to:
- FSL
-
Full Supply Level
This definition applies to:
- FTP
-
File Transfer Protocol
FTP is a network protocol used to transfer data from one computer to another through a network, such as over the Internet.
See also File Transfer Protocol (FTP) details and data file content and naming conventions.
This definition applies to:
- full scale deflection
-
The full range of observations which can be recorded by an instrument.
This definition applies to:
- full supply level
-
The normal maximum operating water level of a water storage when not affected by floods. This water level corresponds to 100% capacity. See the water storage diagram for more information.
Related: capacity
This definition applies to:
- future commitment
-
An expected future demand on water influenced by the availability and management of the region’s water resources. It may arise as a result of an externally imposed requirement or best practice for managing water resources.
This definition applies to:
- future water commitment
-
An expected future demand for water influenced by the availability and management of the water assets and water liabilities of the water report entity. It may arise as a result of an externally imposed requirement or best practices for managing water resources.
This definition applies to:
- GA
-
Geoscience Australia
This definition applies to:
- GAB
-
Great Artesian Basin
This definition applies to:
- gaining stream
-
A stream where groundwater discharge contributes to streamflow.
Synonym: discharge from groundwater to surface water
This definition applies to:
- gauge height
-
The water level, typically measured at a water monitoring site.
Synonym: stage
This definition applies to:
- gauging
-
Physical measurement of instantaneous streamflow to develop the stage-discharge relationship.
This definition applies to:
- GDA2020
-
Geocentric Datum of Australia 2020
A geocentric (earth-centred) coordinate reference system that is Australia’s official national datum (since December 2017). It is a plate-fixed datum that is aligned with the 2014 realisation of the International Terrestrial Reference Frame 2014.
GDA2020 coordinates differ from GDA94 coordinates by approximately 1.5 to 1.8 metres.
For more information on GDA94 and GDA2020 see Intergovernmental Committee on Surveying and Mapping
Source: Intergovernmental Committee on Surveying and Mapping, viewed 05 December 2018.
This definition applies to:
- GDA94
-
Geocentric Datum of Australia 1994
A coordinate reference system whose origin coincides with a determination of the centre of mass of the earth, hence the term ‘geocentric’. GDA94 is a plate-fixed or static coordinate datum based on the International Terrestrial Reference Frame 1992, held at the reference epoch of 1 January 1994.
GDA94 was the official geodetic datum before GDA2020.
For more information on GDA94 and GDA2020 see Intergovernmental Committee on Surveying and Mapping
Source: Intergovernmental Committee on Surveying and Mapping, viewed 2 October 2018.
This definition applies to:
- GDE
-
groundwater dependent ecosystem
This definition applies to:
- GDE potential
-
Describes ecosystems in terms of their 'potential to be interacting with groundwater'. The classes mapped in the GDE Atlas are:
- High potential for groundwater interaction
- Moderate potential for groundwater interaction
- Low potential for groundwater interaction
The term 'potential' is used to reflect the uncertainty inherent in identifying ecosystems as groundwater-dependant using desktop methods. Finer scale studies or fieldwork are needed to confirm this analysis.
This definition applies to:
- general purpose water accounting report
-
A water accounting report intended to meet the information needs common to users who are unable to command the preparation of water accounting reports tailored to satisfy their information needs. A general purpose water accounting report is prepared in accordance with Australian Water Accounting Standards and comprises a Contextual Statement, an Accountability Statement, water accounting statements and accompanying note disclosures.
This definition applies to:
- 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.
Related: probable maximum precipitation
This definition applies to:
- 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.
Related: probable maximum precipitation
This definition applies to:
- generalised tropical storm method – revised (GTSMR)
-
Appropriate for estimating probable maximum precipitation in regions of Australia affected by tropical storms.
Related: probable maximum precipitation
This definition applies to:
- GEODATA
-
A national set of topographic products developed by Geoscience Australia at various scales.
This definition applies to:
- Geofabric
-
The common abbreviation for the Australian Hydrological Geospatial Fabric.
Related:
This definition applies to:
- Geofabric Groundwater Cartography
-
A first pass national groundwater GIS dataset. Groundwater boundaries are derived from interim groundwater data.
Related:
- Geofabric Surface Cartography
- Geofabric Surface Catchments
- Geofabric Surface Network
- Geofabric Hydrology Reporting Catchments
- Geofabric Hydrology Reporting Regions
- interim groundwater data
- Geographic Information System
This definition applies to:
- Geofabric Hydrology Reporting Catchments
-
A contracted catchments hierarchy resulting from contracted nodes of important hydrological features. A simplified Node-Link network identifies contracted nodes in Geofabric Surface Network and the corresponding linkages between these nodes.
Related:
This definition applies to:
- Geofabric Hydrology Reporting Regions
-
A collection of GIS feature classes derived from aggregations of contracted catchments in the Geofabric Hydrology Reporting Catchments product. Data is aggregated to drainage divisions and river region reporting units.
Related:
- contracted catchment
- contracted node
- Geofabric Surface Catchments
- Geofabric Surface Network
- Geofabric Groundwater Cartography
- Geofabric Hydrology Reporting Regions
This definition applies to:
- Geofabric Surface Cartography
-
A collection of GIS feature classes of surface water features of Australia (excluding external Territories). It is flow directed and provides input for the production of maps and visualisations that present the results of hydrological analyses.
Source: Geofabric Product Guide V2.0
Related:
This definition applies to:
- Geofabric Surface Catchments
-
A collection of GIS feature classes providing topographic based surface catchment boundaries, organised into a hierarchy using the Pfafstetter reference system. It has a hydrological relationship to surface water features and can be used for surface hydrological analysis.
Source: Geofabric Product Guide V2.0
Related:
- Geofabric
- Geofabric Surface Cartography
- Geofabric Surface Network
- Geographic Information System
- Pfafstetter reference system
This definition applies to:
- Geofabric Surface Network
-
A collection of GIS feature classes based upon the DEM derived ANUDEM Streams. It is a generalised representation of Geofabric Surface Cartography streams with the addition of full topological connection. It can be used for selecting hydrological observation points (if they exist) and for geoprocessing and hydrological modelling that involves streamflow tracing operations.
Source: Geofabric Product Guide V2.0
Related:
This definition applies to:
- Geofabric Version 1
-
The first major release of Geofabric data in 2010 derived from foundation input data at scale 1:250 000. Three products were included: Geofabric Surface Cartography, Geofabric Surface Catchments, Geofabric Surface Network.
Related:
- Australian Hydrological Geospatial Fabric
- Geofabric Surface Cartography
- Geofabric Surface Catchments
- Geofabric Surface Network
This definition applies to:
- Geofabric Version 2
-
The second major release of Geofabric data in 2011 derived from foundation input data at scale 1:250 000. Six products were included: Geofabric Surface Cartography, Geofabric Surface Catchments, Geofabric Surface Network, Geofabric Hydrology Reporting Catchments, Geofabric Hydrology Rerpoting Regions, Geofabric Groundwater Cartography.
Related:
- Australian Hydrological Geospatial Fabric
- Geofabric Surface Cartography
- Geofabric Surface Catchments
- Geofabric Surface Network
- Geofabric Hydrology Reporting Catchments
- Geofabric Hydrology Reporting Regions
This definition applies to:
- Geographic Information System
-
A system used for the design, capture, storage, management and analysis of geographic data. Often referred to as GIS.
Related: Geographic Information System
This definition applies to:
- geologic unit
-
One of the tiers in the National Aquifer Framework. Smallest mapped or defined geological entity consistent at a national scale.
This definition applies to:
- georaster
-
A catalog of raster datasets describing properties of hydrogeologic units (e.g. depth or elevation of hydrogeologic unit's top or base, salinity and groundwater level).
This definition applies to:
- Geoscience Australia
-
Australia's national geoscience agency.
Related:
This definition applies to:
- geovolume
-
A three dimensional multipatch feature class that represents hydrogeologic units as a volume.
This definition applies to:
- GFS
-
groundwater flow system
This definition applies to:
- GGA
-
Data string that provides geographic position information determined by the GPS.
This definition applies to:
- gigalitre
-
1,000 megalitres, which also is 1,000,000,000 litres.
Related: gigalitre
This definition applies to:
- GIS
-
Geographic Information System
A system used for the design, capture, storage, management and analysis of geographic data. Often referred to as GIS.
This definition applies to:
- GL
-
gigalitre
1,000 megalitres, which also is 1,000,000,000 litres.
Related: gigalitre
This definition applies to:
- global positioning system
-
A system of radio-emitting and -receiving satellites used for determining positions on the earth. The orbiting satellites transmit signals that allow a Global Positioning System receiver anywhere on earth to calculate its own location through trilateration. Developed and operated by the U.S. Department of Defense, the system is used in navigation, mapping, surveying, and other applications in which precise positioning is necessary.
Source: ESRI GIS Dictionary, viewed 15 April 2013, Copyright © 1995–2013 Esri.
This definition applies to:
- global solar exposure
-
The total amount of electromagnetic energy emitted from the sun that falls on a specified unit horizontal surface.
Source: Water Regulations 2008 Schedule 3 Part 1. For the latest information on Australian Government law please go to Federal Register of Legislation
This definition applies to:
- global solar irradiance
-
The irradiance emitted from the sun that falls on a specified unit horizontal surface.
Source: Water Regulations 2008 Schedule 3 Part 1. For the latest information on Australian Government law please go to Federal Register of Legislation
This definition applies to:
- GMU
-
groundwater management unit
An area delineated for the management of groundwater based on similar resource characteristics (for example rock type and watertable depth) and management rules that may be applied.
This definition applies to:
- GPS
-
Global Positioning System
A system of radio-emitting and -receiving satellites used for determining positions on the earth. The orbiting satellites transmit signals that allow a Global Positioning System receiver anywhere on earth to calculate its own location through trilateration. Developed and operated by the U.S. Department of Defense, the system is used in navigation, mapping, surveying, and other applications in which precise positioning is necessary.
Source: ESRI GIS Dictionary, viewed 05 December 2018, Copyright © 1995–2019 Esri.
This definition applies to:
- GR4J
-
Modèle du Génie Rural à 4 Paramètres Journalier
A daily lumped four-parameter rainfall-runoff model, belonging to the family of soil moisture accounting models.
Source: Modèles Hydrologiques du Génie Rural
This definition applies to:
- grace period
-
The period beginning on the day the person is specified in the new category and ending 3 months after that day.
Related FAQ: What is the grace period?
Source: Water Regulations 2008 Subregulation 7.04(1A). For the latest information on Australian Government law please go to Federal Register of Legislation
This definition applies to:
- gross water price
-
The transfer price of water as agreed between legal entities inclusive of all applicable transaction costs.
This definition applies to:
- groundwater
-
There are multiple contexts for this item
Context 1
Subsurface water in soils and geological formations that are fully saturated.
This definition applies to:
- Glossary for Standards: Water Accounting Conceptual Framework
- Glossary for Standards: Australian Water Accounting Standards
- Glossary for Water status: National Water Account 2010
- Glossary for Water status: National Water Account 2011
- Glossary for Water status: National Water Account 2012-2017
- Glossary for Water status: Water in Australia
Context 2
(a) water occurring naturally below ground level (whether in an aquifer or otherwise) or (b) water occurring at a place below ground that has been pumped, diverted or released to that place for the purpose of being stored there. It does not include water held in underground tanks, pipes or other works.
In GDE Atlas, this definition includes the capillary fringe, which is an important source of water for many GDEs.
Source: Water Act 2007 Part 1 Section 4, at 8 Febraury 2019. For the latest information on Australian Government law please go to Federal Register of Legislation
Equivalent: water market equivalent terms
This definition applies to:
- groundwater access entitlement
-
Water access entitlement granted on the groundwater resource.
This definition applies to:
- groundwater allocation
-
Volume of water resulting from an allocation announcement made on a groundwater access entitlement.
This definition applies to:
- groundwater allocation trade
-
A transaction to transfer a groundwater allocation from one legal entity to another, with or without change in location of the abstraction point.
This definition applies to:
- groundwater assets
-
The water assets that relate to groundwater, excluding soil moisture and water held in works underground.
In the National Water Account, it is quantified as the total of managed groundwater volumes of each groundwater management unit significant to the water balance within the region. For example where available this managed volume corresponds to the permissible consumptive volume specified in the water management plan.
This definition applies to:
- groundwater decreases
-
Outflows from the region's groundwater due to natural processes or diversions, and decrease of claims to water held on behalf of the region's groundwater.
This definition applies to:
- Groundwater Dependent Ecosystem
-
Natural ecosystems that require access to groundwater to meet all or some of their water requirements on a permanent or intermittent basis, so as to maintain their communities of plants and animals, ecosystem processes and ecosystem services.
This definition applies to:
- groundwater entitlement lease
-
A transaction to transfer for a specified term a groundwater access entitlement from one legal entity to another, with or without change in location of the abstraction point.
This definition applies to:
- groundwater entitlement trade
-
A transaction to transfer perpetually a groundwater access entitlement from one legal entity to another, with or without change in location of the abstraction point.
This definition applies to:
- groundwater flow
-
Water that flows in aquifers and aquitards.
This definition applies to:
- groundwater flow system
-
The system which represents the movement of subsurface water from the point where it enters the ground to where it leaves.
Related: groundwater flow
This definition applies to:
- groundwater increases
-
Inflows into the region's groundwater or increase of claims to water that may result in inflows into the region's groundwater.
This definition applies to:
- groundwater inflows
-
Volume of physical inflows to groundwater during the reporting period; from outside the region or from other stores.
This definition applies to:
- groundwater level
-
The level of groundwater in an aquifer, typically measured in a groundwater bore. In the case of an unconfined aquifer, the groundwater level is equal to the watertable level.
This definition applies to:
- groundwater liability
-
A water liability relating to groundwater.
This definition applies to:
- groundwater liability decreases
-
Decreases in the region's groundwater liability. It includes adjustment or forfeiture of the obligation to deliver groundwater. It excludes extraction of water.
This definition applies to:
- groundwater liability increases
-
An increase in groundwater liability as a result of allocation announcements, etc.
This definition applies to:
- groundwater management plan
-
A document providing information about groundwater access for users. It may include rules about transferring licence entitlements, and contain arrangements that allow carryover of groundwater entitlements. It may also outline water sharing arrangements during times of water shortage.
Source: Modified from Goulburn-Murray Water, viewed 25 July 2015.
This definition applies to:
- groundwater management unit
-
An area delineated for the management of groundwater based on similar resource characteristics (for example rock type and watertable depth) and management rules that may be applied.
Synonym: GMU
This definition applies to:
- groundwater outflows
-
Volume of physical outflows from groundwater during the reporting period; to outside the region or to other stores.
This definition applies to:
- groundwater recharge
-
The infiltration or ingress of water to the saturated part of a geological layer. Infiltration of precipitation and its movement to the watertable is a form of natural recharge. Other forms of recharge are flooding and irrigation. Artificial recharge can also occur through various means, including bore injection.
This definition applies to:
- groundwater resource potential
-
The maximum volume of groundwater that can be extracted without causing any long-term mining of the aquifer system. It does not represent a ‘sustainable’ or ‘safe’ yield that normally takes into account factors such as intrusion of poor quality water and surface water groundwater interaction. In an unconfined aquifer the groundwater resource potential is mainly based on estimation of groundwater recharge, while in a confined aquifer the groundwater resource potential represents the available elastic storage (or a fraction of throughflow).
This definition applies to:
- groundwater rights
-
Water rights granted by a jurisdiction to access the region's groundwater.
This definition applies to:
- groundwater store assets
-
Water assets that relate to groundwater but excluding soil moisture and water held in works underground.
Related: water asset
This definition applies to:
- groundwater system
-
A collective term for areas that are defined normally at a higher level than groundwater management area, for the purposes of water data reporting.
Related: water system
This definition applies to:
- group water accounting report
-
The water accounting report of a group water report entity presented as a single water entity.
This definition applies to:
- group water report entity
-
A water report entity comprising individual water entities and for which a group water accounting report is required to be prepared under a regulation, statute or directive.
This definition applies to:
- GSAM
-
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.
Related: probable maximum precipitation
This definition applies to:
- GSDM
-
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.
Related: probable maximum precipitation
This definition applies to:
- GTP
-
groundwater treatment plant
This definition applies to:
- GTSMR
-
revised generalised tropical storm method
Appropriate for estimating probable maximum precipitation in regions of Australia affected by tropical storms.
Related: probable maximum precipitation
This definition applies to:
- GU
-
geologic unit
One of the tiers in the National Aquifer Framework. Smallest mapped or defined geological entity consistent at a national scale.
This definition applies to:
- ha
-
The abbreviation for hectare; one hectare is equal to an area of 10 000 square metres.
Synonym: hectare
This definition applies to:
- harvesting
-
Synonymous with abstraction in case the water is removed from the landscape water store.
Synonym: abstraction
This definition applies to:
- HDOP
-
horizontal dilution of precision
A measure of the geometric quality of a GPS satellite configuration in the sky. Horizontal Dilution of Precision is a factor in determining the relative accuracy of a horizontal position. The smaller the dilution of precision number, the better the geometry.
Source: ESRI GIS Dictionary, viewed 05 December 2018, Copyright © 1995–2013 Esri.
Related: PDOP
This definition applies to:
- hectare
-
one hectare is equal to an area of 10 000 square metres.
Synonym: ha
This definition applies to:
- held environmental water
-
water available under:
(a) a water access right; or
(b) a water delivery right; or
(c) an irrigation right;
for the purposes of achieving environmental outcomes (including water that is specified in a water access right to be for environmental use).
Source: Water Act 2007 Part 1 Section 4, at 8 Febraury 2019. For the latest information on Australian Government law please go to Federal Register of Legislation
This definition applies to:
- HGC
-
hydrogeologic complex
One of the tiers in the National Aquifer Framework. Aggregation and classification of hydrogeologic units according to their age, depositional environment, rock type and whether they behave as an aquifer or aquitard.
This definition applies to:
- HGU
-
hydrogeologic unit
One of the tiers in the National Aquifer Framework. One or more geologic units which have similar hydrogeological characteristics and behaviour.
This definition applies to:
- hindcast
-
A retrospective forecast using observed information to validate or test a mathematical model. Observed inputs for past events are entered into the model to see how well the output matches the observed streamflow volumes.
This definition applies to:
- historical reference or historical probability distribution
-
A probability distribution created by sampling the historical streamflow data record. It is the reference forecast used when skill scores are calculated from hindcast modelling results.
This definition applies to:
- holocene
-
The more recent of the two epochs of the Quaternary Period, beginning at the end of the last major Ice Age, about 10,000 years ago. It is characterised by the development of human civilisations.
This definition applies to:
- horizontal dilution of precision
-
A measure of the geometric quality of a GPS satellite configuration in the sky. Horizontal Dilution of Precision HDOP is a factor in determining the relative accuracy of a horizontal position. The smaller the dilution of precision number, the better the geometry.
Source: ESRI GIS Dictionary, viewed 05 December 2018, Copyright © 1995–2019 Esri.
Related: PDOP
This definition applies to:
- hour
-
A period of 60 minutes starting on the hour (e.g. 12:00).
Source: Water Regulations 2008 Regulation 1.04. For the latest information on Australian Government law please go to Federal Register of Legislation
This definition applies to:
- hydraulic conductivity
-
A property of soil or rock, which describes the ease with which water can move through pore spaces or fractures. It depends on the intrinsic permeability of the material and on the degree of saturation. Saturated hydraulic conductivity describes water movement through saturated media.
This definition applies to:
- hydraulic gradient
-
Calculated as the difference between two hydraulic head measurements divided by the distance between the two measurements. Hydraulic gradient is used in the calculation of water flow.
This definition applies to:
- hydraulics
-
A topic in applied science and engineering dealing with the mechanical properties of liquids.
This definition applies to:
- HYDRO1k
-
Developed at the United States Geological Survey (USGS), HYDRO1k is a geographic database providing comprehensive and consistent global coverage of topographically derived datasets.
Source: Geofabric Product Guide V2.0
This definition applies to:
- hydrogeologic complex
-
One of the tiers in the National Aquifer Framework. Aggregation and classification of hydrogeologic units according to their age, depositional environment, rock type and whether they behave as an aquifer or aquitard.
This definition applies to:
- hydrogeologic unit
-
One of the tiers in the National Aquifer Framework. One or more geologic units which have similar hydrogeological characteristics and behaviour.
This definition applies to:
- hydrogeology
-
The branch of geology that deals with the occurrence, distribution, movement and effect of groundwater.
This definition applies to:
- hydrograph
-
A graph showing the surface level, discharge, velocity, or some other feature of water, with respect to time. For example, a graph illustrating the discharge of a stream against time is called a discharge hydrograph.
This definition applies to:
- HydroID
-
An internal identifier assigned when using the ArcHydro tools to implement the ArcHydro data model.
This definition applies to:
- hydrology
-
The branch of science especially concerned with the movement and quality of water in relation to land.
This definition applies to:
- hydrometric project
-
An individual or collaborative work to monitor components of the hydrological cycle including rainfall, surface water and groundwater characteristics, as well as water quality.
This definition applies to:
- hydrometry
-
The monitoring of the components of the hydrological cycle including rainfall, groundwater characteristics, as well as water quality and flow characteristics of surface waters.
Source: Wikipedia, Viewed 5 October 2011, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hydrometry
This definition applies to:
- hydrosols
-
Seasonally or permanently wet soils. Distribution is often limited to wet drainage depressions, low lying narrow coastal plains and seepage areas on lower slopes.
Source: R F Isbell, 1996, The Australian Soil Classification, CSIRO Publishing, Melbourne.
This definition applies to:
- hydrostratigraphy log
-
A table with rock or sediment types classified into hydrogeologic units along a borehole.
Synonym: bore log
This definition applies to:
- IAF
-
Interim Aquifer Framework
Source: Geofabric Product Guide V2.0
Related:
This definition applies to:
- ID
-
inflow dependence
This definition applies to:
- IDE
-
Inflow Dependent Ecosystem
This definition applies to:
- IFD
-
intensity-frequency-duration
This definition applies to:
- IGWD
-
Interim Groundwater Data
Source: Geofabric Product Guide V2.0
Related:
This definition applies to:
- IIO
-
irrigation infrastructure operator
An entity that operates water service infrastructure for the purposes of delivering water for the primary purpose of it being used for irrigation.
Source: Adapted from the Water Act 2007 Part 1 Section 7, at 8 Febraury 2019. For the latest information on Australian Government law please go to Federal Register of Legislation
This definition applies to:
- implementation model
-
A platform specific model that references the conceptual model. In the case of the Geofabric the implementation is in ArcGIS.
This definition applies to:
- index velocity rating
-
The computation of discharge using measured water velocities that are an index or predictor of the mean channel velocity.
Note: More than one variable may be used in the creation of a rating if this would improve the accuracy of the overall rating.
This definition applies to:
- 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.
This definition applies to:
- infiltration
-
The process by which water on the ground surface enters the soil.
This definition applies to:
- inflow dependence
-
Describes a landscape within the GDE Atlas that is wetter than surrounding areas either seasonally or permanently, because it receives water from inflows in addition to rainfall. IDs include groundwater dependent ecosystems as well as ecosystems which use sources of water other than rainfall (e.g. surface water, soil water, irrigation).
The layer that shows IDs is derived from the remote sensing layer, in which only pixels that have inflow dependence likelihoods of between 6 and 10 are included. The pixels are a combination of MODIS and Landsat data and are at a resolution of 25m2.
This definition applies to:
- inflow dependence likelihood
-
Describes the likelihood that a landscape is accessing a source of water in addition to rainfall (that it is inflow dependent). It is expressed in the ID layer as a value between 6 (low) and 10 (high), where 10 indicates a landscape that is most likely to be accessing additional water sources. A likelihood value of 6 indicates a landscape that is marginally more likely to be accessing an additional source of water than relying solely on rainfall. A value of less than 6 represents a landscape that is more likely to rely solely on rainfall and is therefore not considered inflow dependent.
This definition applies to:
- inflow dependent ecosystem
-
Describes ecosystems that are likely to be using another source of water in addition to rainfall. IDEs include groundwater dependent ecosystems as well as ecosystems which use sources of water other than rainfall (e.g. surface water, soil water, irrigation).
IDEs are effectively the ID pixels assigned onto a previously mapped ecosystem polygon. The pixel ID likelihood value was assigned to each ecosystem polygon using a majority rules approach. This means that the ID likelihood value which occurred most often within the ecosystem polygon, was the likelihood value assigned to the polygon overall.
This definition applies to:
- inflow from the sea
-
The movement of seawater into a coastal aquifer often as a result of groundwater extraction. Also known as seawater intrusion.
This definition applies to:
- inflowing watercourses
-
The rivers and streams that flow into a water storage. If a water storage is not located on a watercourse it is referred to as being off stream.
This definition applies to:
- inflows
-
Surface water runoff and deep drainage to groundwater (groundwater recharge) and transfers into the water system (both surface and groundwater), for a defined area.
This definition applies to:
- inter-basin transfer
-
The bulk transfer of water from one river basin into another.
Related: transfer
This definition applies to:
- inter-bedded
-
Beds (layers) of rock lying between or alternating with beds of a different kind of rock.
This definition applies to:
- interim aquifer framework
-
A two tiered system of geological units aggregated to aquifers (and sometimes aquitards) of similar hydrogeological characteristics. When available, it will be replaced by the National Groundwater Information System.
Source: Geofabric Product Guide V2.0
Related:
This definition applies to:
- interim groundwater data
-
Digital groundwater boundaries obtained from the best available digital groundwater data sourced from both Commonwealth and State and Territory jurisdictions as part of the IGWD project. When available, it will be replaced by the National Groundwater Information System.
Source: Geofabric Product Guide V2.0
Related:
This definition applies to:
- internal trade
-
A transaction to transfer a water right from one legal entity to another within a specified area. The area can be a trading zone, irrigation district or water resource plan area as defined in respective State and Territory legislation.
This definition applies to:
- interquartile range (IQR)
-
A measure of statistical dispersion, being equal to the difference between the third and first quartiles. Also called the midspread or middle 50.
This definition applies to:
- interstate trade
-
A transaction to transfer a water right from one legal entity to another in a different State or Territory.
This definition applies to:
- intrastate trade
-
A transaction to transfer a water right from one legal entity to another within the same State or Territory.
This definition applies to:
- IOD
-
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.
This definition applies to:
- IQR
-
interquartile range
A measure of statistical dispersion, being equal to the difference between the third and first quartiles. Also called the midspread or middle 50.
- irradiance
-
The measure of the rate of electromagnetic energy received per unit area.
Source: Water Regulations 2008 Schedule 3 Part 1. For the latest information on Australian Government law please go to Federal Register of Legislation
This definition applies to:
- irrigated crops
-
Crops including cereals, oil seeds, sugar, cotton and legumes supplied with water artificially.
This definition applies to:
- irrigated horticulture
-
Fruits, vegetables, flowers, or ornamental plants supplied with water artificially.
This definition applies to:
- irrigated pasture
-
Pastures supplied with water artificially, including modified pasture, exotic pasture, native pasture, woody fodder plants, pasture legumes and sown grasses.
This definition applies to:
- irrigation distribution system
-
The irrigation distribution system is constituted by the irrigation delivery system only, which receives water that has been abstracted from the different water sources in the region or that has been transferred from outside the region, before delivery to the irrigation paddocks.
This definition applies to:
- irrigation infrastructure operator
-
An entity that operates water service infrastructure for the purposes of delivering water for the primary purpose of it being used for irrigation.
Source: Adapted from the Water Act 2007 Part 1 Section 7, at 8 Febraury 2019. For the latest information on Australian Government law please go to Federal Register of Legislation
Synonym: IIO
This definition applies to:
- irrigation network
-
The water service infrastructure for delivering water for the primary purpose of being used for irrigation.
Source: Derived from the Water Act 2007 Part 1 Section 7, at 8 Febraury 2019. For the latest information on Australian Government law please go to Federal Register of Legislation
Equivalent: Irrigation water scheme
This definition applies to:
- irrigation returns
-
The portion of irrigation water that, after delivery, is not consumed and is returned into the surface water or groundwater system.
This definition applies to:
- irrigation right
-
There are multiple contexts for this item
Context 1
A right that: (a) a person has against an irrigation infrastructure operator to receive water and (b) is not a water access right or a water delivery right.
Source: Water Act 2007 Part 1 Section 4, at 8 Febraury 2019. For the latest information on Australian Government law please go to Federal Register of Legislation
This definition applies to:
Context 2
A right issued by an irrigation entity and granted from the entity’s bulk water access entitlement.
This definition applies to:
- irrigation scheme
-
Infrastructure managed by an irrigation entity to service individual irrigators.
This definition applies to:
- irrigation scheme decreases
-
Outflows from the region's irrigation system due to natural processes or delivery of water and decrease of claims to water held on behalf of the region's irrigation scheme.
This definition applies to:
- irrigation scheme increases
-
Inflows into the region's irrigation scheme or increase of claims to water that may result in inflows into the region's irrigation scheme.
This definition applies to:
- irrigation scheme liability
-
Water liability relating to the irrigation scheme.
This definition applies to:
- irrigation scheme liability decreases
-
Decreases in the region's irrigation scheme liability. It includes adjustment or forfeiture of the obligation to deliver water from the irrigation scheme. It excludes actual delivery of water.
This definition applies to:
- irrigation scheme liability increases
-
Increases in the region's irrigation scheme water liability. It includes all recognised commitments to deliver water from the region's irrigation scheme.
This definition applies to:
- Irrigation water scheme
-
The water service infrastructure for delivering water for the primary purpose of being used for irrigation.
Equivalent: irrigation network
This definition applies to:
- ISO
-
International Organization for Standardization
An international standard-setting body composed of representatives from various national standards organisations.
This definition applies to:
- IVR
-
index velocity rating
The computation of discharge using measured water velocities that are an index or predictor of the mean channel velocity.
Note: More than one variable may be used in the creation of a rating if this would improve the accuracy of the overall rating.
This definition applies to:
- kandosols
-
Mostly well-drained, permeable soils. Common in all States except Victoria and Tasmania. Most widespread in the arid and semi-arid interior.
Source: R F Isbell, 1996, The Australian Soil Classification, CSIRO Publishing, Melbourne.
This definition applies to:
- karst
-
Terrain characterised by sinkholes, caves and springs, developed most commonly in carbonate rocks, where significant dissolution of the rock has occurred due to flowing water.
This definition applies to:
- karstic rock
-
Soluble rocks including limestone, dolomite and gypsum.
This definition applies to:
- kurosols
-
Acidic soils with an abrupt increase in clay content. Extend from southern Queensland, through coastal and subcoastal New South Wales, to Tasmania.
Source: R F Isbell, 1996, The Australian Soil Classification, CSIRO Publishing, Melbourne.
This definition applies to:
- La Niña
-
The extensive cooling of the central and eastern Pacific Ocean. In Australia (particularly eastern Australia), La Niña events are associated with an increased probability of wetter conditions. See the Climate Glossary webpage on La Niña for more information.
Related:
This definition applies to:
- lacustrine
-
Relating to a lake. Lacustrine sediments, for example, are those that are deposited in lakes.
Source: R F Isbell, 1996, The Australian Soil Classification, CSIRO Publishing, Melbourne.
This definition applies to:
- land surface
-
A physical feature that is the solid ground of the Earth.
This definition applies to:
- LandsatTM5
-
Landsat Thematic Mapper 5 – a medium resolution satellite image sensor obtained twice monthly over Australia. Data can be obtained from United States Geological Survey.
Source: Engel, J., and Weinstein, O., (1983). The Thematic Mapper – an overview, IEEE Transactions On Geoscience and Remote Sensing, GE-21:258-265
This definition applies to:
- landscape water
-
All water in the natural environment that is not surface water or groundwater. Includes water in the unsaturated zone of the soil, on the flood plain or in water bodies that are disconnected from the rivers, such as natural lakes, ponds or wetlands.
This definition applies to:
- landscape water increases
-
Inflows to the region's landscape water.
This definition applies to:
- landscape water yield
-
A combination of surface runoff and groundwater recharge.
This definition applies to:
- legal obligation
-
An obligation that derives from: (a) a contract, (b) legislation, or (c) other operation of law.
This definition applies to:
- licence extraction
-
The volume of water extracted from regulated groundwater assets pursuant to the rules of the groundwater allocation licence.
This definition applies to:
- line item
-
A piece of water information having a generic name and definition. In a given region, it consists of a volumetric value, expressed in megalitres (ML), and notes providing supporting information. The supporting information may include what the value represents, how it was quantified and how it compares to the previous year. In the National Water Account, line items may be reported in the water accounting statements and in the region notes.
This definition applies to:
- line item note
-
A note that is specific to a line item that appears in the water accounting statements or the region notes of the National Water Account.
This definition applies to:
- Lines of Evidence
-
GDE Atlas terminology identifying the number of rules that could be applied to a polygon given the GIS data available for the analysis. The ‘Lines of Evidence’ result shows how much data the GDE potential result was based on, and therefore is a pragmatic indicator of the reliability of the GDE potential result. This is an attribute for each derived GDE polygon.
This definition applies to:
- lithology log
-
A table with drillers' or geologists' description of rock or sediment types along a borehole.
This definition applies to:
- local flooding
-
Describes situations where intense rainfall is expected to cause high run-off volumes in small catchments or localised areas with minimal impact on main streams.
This definition applies to:
- losing stream
-
A stream from which water is lost to the surrounding and underlying substrate via infiltration through the streambed and banks.
This definition applies to:
- m
-
The abbreviation for metre(s).
This definition applies to:
- mAHD
-
The abbreviation for elevation in metres with respect to the Australian Height Datum.
Related: Australian height datum
This definition applies to:
- major flooding
-
In addition to the criteria for moderate flooding, extensive rural areas and/or urban areas are inundated. Properties and towns are likely to be isolated and major traffic routes likely to be closed. Evacuation of people from flood affected areas may be required.
Related:
This definition applies to:
- major storage
-
Any water storage that has a total storage capacity of 1000 million litres or more.
Source: Water Regulations 2008 Schedule 3 Part 1. For the latest information on Australian Government law please go to Federal Register of Legislation
This definition applies to:
- managed aquifer recharge
-
There are multiple contexts for this item
Context 1
The volume of water deliberately moved to groundwater assets from other water assets (such as surface water) due to human intervention.
This definition applies to:
- Glossary for Water status: National Water Account 2010
- Glossary for Water status: National Water Account 2011
- Glossary for Water status: National Water Account 2012-2017
Context 2
The deliberate adding of water to an aquifer.
This definition applies to:
- managed groundwater volume
-
An average annual groundwater volume available for extraction usually estimated by jurisdictions for each managed groundwater management unit. This volume has different names in different jurisdictions, for example permissible consumptive volume, volume available for extraction, groundwater availability and these volumes are usually presented and explained in documents such as Water Sharing Plans and Water Resource Plans. The intent is usually to manage the total of all groundwater allocations so that allocations do not exceed the managed groundwater volume. Furthermore this volume may be adjusted annually to reflect the status of the groundwater resource (and allocations would be adjusted accordingly).
This definition applies to:
- manual monitoring
-
Operating sensors or instruments by hand to collect measurements of a parameter. This can include regular or irregular measurements.
Synonym: discrete monitoring
This definition applies to:
- materiality
-
Information is material if its omission or misstatement could influence the water-related decisions made from using the general purpose water accounting report. Materiality depends on the impact of the nature and amount (volume, value or other attribute) of the item or error. It is influenced by the circumstances in which the information is presented and how it affects the decision-making process.
This definition applies to:
- may
-
Indicates an allowable option.
This definition applies to:
- MDB
-
Murray–Darling Basin
This definition applies to:
- mean seasonal storage range
-
Expresses the estimated mean seasonal range in the amount of water stored in all water stores (surface, soil and groundwater). A large range is likely to indicate a large use of water from storage during periods with low rainfall, for example through root water uptake from deeper soil or groundwater stores.
Source: Van Dijk, A., Warren, G., Van Niel, T., Byrne, G., Pollock. D., Doody, T., (2011). Derivation of data layers from medium resolution remote sensing to support mapping of groundwater dependent ecosystems. CSIRO Land and Water, Internal Document for National Water Commission GDE Atlas.
Related: MSSR
This definition applies to:
- measurement uncertainty
-
A parameter, associated with the result of a measurement, that characterises the dispersion of values that could reasonably be attributed to the measurand.
Source: ISO/IEC Guide 98-3:2008. © Standards Australia Limited. Copied by the Australian Government Bureau of Meteorology with the permission of Standards Australia and Standards New Zealand under Licence 1901-c052.
It describes a range of possible values of the quantity being measured (the measurand) that fall around the true value, and indicates a level of confidence that the true value lies within a defined uncertainty range. The ‘true value’ is the result that would be obtained if a 'perfect' measurement were made. However, all measurements have a degree of uncertainty regardless of precision and accuracy. Factors that may contribute to uncertainty include limitations of measuring systems, measurement techniques and behaviours of the natural system being measured that cannot be controlled during the measurement.
This definition applies to:
- measuring point
-
A place where a particular parameter is measured within a site. Typically, this is where a sensor is located or where the observation is made.
This definition applies to:
- median
-
The middle number of a given sequence of numbers. When the sequence contains an even amount of numbers, the median is the mean of the two middle values.
Source: The first part of definition sourced from Macquarie Dictionary Fifth Edition, 2009, Macquarie Dictionary Publishers.
This definition applies to:
- megalitre
-
One million litres.
Synonym: ML
This definition applies to:
- Mesozoic
-
An interval of geological time from about 250 million years ago to about 65 million years ago.
Source: USGS publication: Division of geological time - Major Chronostratigraphic and geochronologic units
Related:
This definition applies to:
- metadata
-
Information about a resource
Source: AS/NZS ISO 19115.1:2015. © Standards Australia Limited. Copied by the Australian Government Bureau of Meteorology with the permission of Standards Australia and Standards New Zealand under Licence 1901-c052.
This definition applies to:
- meteorological features
-
Those physical features that relate to atmospheric phenomena, especially weather and weather conditions. For example, the land surface or the atmosphere.
Related:
This definition applies to:
- metrological confirmation
-
A set of operations required to ensure that measuring equipment conforms to the requirements for its intended use.
Source: ISO 9000:2015. © Standards Australia Limited. Copied by the Australian Government Bureau of Meteorology with the permission of Standards Australia and Standards New Zealand under Licence 1901-c052.
This definition applies to:
- metrology
-
The science of measurement, embracing both experimental and theoretical determinations at any level of uncertainty in any field of science and technology.
Source: Bureau International des Poids et Mesures, viewed 05 December 2018.
This definition applies to:
- MGA2020
-
Map Grid of Australia 2020
The standard map projection associated with GDA2020. It is a transverse Mercator projection that conforms to the internationally accepted Universal Transverse Mercator Grid system.
Source: Intergovernmental Committee on Surveying and Mapping, viewed 05 December 2018.
This definition applies to:
- MGA94
-
Map Grid of Australia 1994
The standard map projection associated with GDA94. It is a transverse Mercator projection that conforms to the internationally accepted Universal Transverse Mercator Grid system.
Source: Intergovernmental Committee on Surveying and Mapping, viewed 05 December 2018.
This definition applies to:
- Millennium drought
-
The prolonged period of dry conditions experienced in much of southern Australia from late 1996 to mid-2010.
Source: Modified from the Bureau's Climate updates, viewed 25 July 2015.
Related: drought
This definition applies to:
- minimum supply level
-
The lowest water level to which a water storage can be drawn down (0% full) with existing outlet infrastructure; typically equal to the level of the lowest outlet, the lower limit of accessible storage capacity. See the water storage diagram for more information.
Related: accessible storage capacity
This definition applies to:
- minor flooding
-
Causes inconvenience. Low-lying areas next to watercourses are inundated which may require the removal of stock and equipment. Minor roads may be closed and low-level bridges submerged.
Related:
This definition applies to:
- minor storage
-
Any water storage in which water is stored for taking and that meets the following criteria: (a) it is not a major storage; (b) it has a storage capacity of 100 million litres or more; (c) it is not used primarily for the precipitation of ash; (d) it is not a mine tailings dam; (e) it is not managed by an urban infrastructure operator primarily for the purposes of flood management or pollution abatement.
Source: Water Regulations 2008 Schedule 3 Part 1. For the latest information on Australian Government law please go to Federal Register of Legislation
This definition applies to:
- ML
-
megalitre
One million litres.
This definition applies to:
- ML/d
-
The abbreviation for megalitres per day. A unit of measure for instantaneous discharge (rate unit).
This definition applies to:
- moderate flooding
-
In addition to the criteria for minor flooding, the evacuation of some houses may be required. Main traffic routes may be covered. The area of inundation is substantial in rural areas requiring the removal of stock.
Related:
This definition applies to:
- MODIS
-
MODerate resolution Imaging Spectrometer – a sensor mounted on NASA’s TERRA and AQUA satellites that orbits the Earth collecting data in visible and infrared wavelengths. The data used in this project was the MOD43B4 Nadir BRDF (NBAR) product disseminated by NASA and post-processed by CSIRO.
Source: Paget, M.J. and King, E.A., (2008). MODIS Land data sets for the Australian region. CSIRO Marine and Atmospheric Research internal report 004, CSIRO Canberra, Australia, ISBN 978192142432(pdf).
This definition applies to:
- Modèle du Génie Rural à 4 Paramètres Journalier
-
A daily lumped four-parameter rainfall-runoff model, belonging to the family of soil moisture accounting models.
Source: Perrin, C., Michel, C., & Andréassian, V. 2003, Improvement of a parsimonious model for streamflow simulation. Journal of Hydrology, 279(1), 275-289.
This definition applies to:
- monitoring site
-
A place where observations of the environment are made; typically a physical location where sensors are used to measure the properties of one or more features of the environment (e.g. depth of a river and temperature of the atmosphere).
Related: feature
Synonym: site
This definition applies to:
- monitoring site catalogue
-
A systematic collection of information about a set of monitoring sites.
Related: monitoring site
This definition applies to:
- monsoon
-
The northern Australian monsoon season generally lasts from December to March. It is associated with the inflow of moist west to northwesterly winds into the monsoon trough, producing convective cloud and heavy rainfall over northern Australia. These moisture-laden winds originate from the Indian Ocean and southern Asian waters. The northern Australian wet season encompasses the monsoon months but can extend several months either side. See the Weather and Climate page on the Australian monsoon for more information.
This definition applies to:
- month
-
One of the 12 months of the calendar year (e.g. January).
Source: Water Regulations 2008 Regulation 1.04. For the latest information on Australian Government law please go to Federal Register of Legislation
This definition applies to:
- MSL
-
Minimum Supply Level
This definition applies to:
- MSSR
-
mean seasonal storage range
Related: mean seasonal storage range
This definition applies to:
- multipatch feature class
-
A GIS object that stores a collection of patches to represent the boundary of a three dimensional object as a single row in a database.
Source: ArcGIS Help 10.1
Related: feature class
This definition applies to:
- NAF
-
National Aquifer Framework
Bureau developed framework for naming and grouping hydrogeologic units from across Australia.
This definition applies to:
- National Aquifer Framework
-
Bureau developed framework for naming and grouping hydrogeologic units from across Australia.
This definition applies to:
- national catchment boundaries
-
Foundation input data derived from DEM-9S for Geofabric Surface Catchments, in which a catchment has been defined for every stream segment contained within the Geofabric Surface Network product. It also includes Levels 1 (drainage divisions) and 2 (aggregated river basin groups) and NCB Pfafstetter coding.
Source: Geofabric Product Guide V2.0
Related:
This definition applies to:
- National Groundwater Information System
-
A spatially-enabled database for storing and analysing Australian groundwater data.
This definition applies to:
- National Water Initiative
-
The Intergovernmental Agreement on a National Water Initiative between the Commonwealth of Australia and the Governments of New South Wales, Victoria, Queensland, South Australia, Western Australia, Tasmania, the Australian Capital Territory and the Northern Territory (as amended from time to time).
Source: Water Act 2007 Part 1 Section 4, at 8 Febraury 2019. For the latest information on Australian Government law please go to Federal Register of Legislation
Synonym: NWI
This definition applies to:
- NCB
-
National Catchment Boundaries
Source: Geofabric Product Guide V2.0
Related:
This definition applies to:
- nested bore
-
A bore with more than one casing or pipe or a group of nearby bores, open at different levels in aquifers/aquitards, used to evaluate the vertical variation in groundwater pressure head or chemistry.
This definition applies to:
- net exposure
-
The net global solar exposure plus the net longwave exposure.
Source: Water Regulations 2008 Schedule 3 Part 1. For the latest information on Australian Government law please go to Federal Register of Legislation
This definition applies to:
- net global solar exposure
-
The global solar exposure less the reflected global solar exposure.
Source: Water Regulations 2008 Schedule 3 Part 1. For the latest information on Australian Government law please go to Federal Register of Legislation
This definition applies to:
- net global solar irradiance
-
The global solar irradiance less the reflected global solar irradiance.
Source: Water Regulations 2008 Schedule 3 Part 1. For the latest information on Australian Government law please go to Federal Register of Legislation
This definition applies to:
- net irradiance
-
The net global solar irradiance plus the net longwave irradiance.
Source: Water Regulations 2008 Schedule 3 Part 1. For the latest information on Australian Government law please go to Federal Register of Legislation
This definition applies to:
- net longwave exposure
-
The downward longwave exposure less the upward longwave exposure.
Source: Water Regulations 2008 Schedule 3 Part 1. For the latest information on Australian Government law please go to Federal Register of Legislation
This definition applies to:
- net longwave irradiance
-
The downward longwave irradiance less the upward longwave exposure.
Source: Water Regulations 2008 Schedule 3 Part 1. For the latest information on Australian Government law please go to Federal Register of Legislation
This definition applies to:
- net water assets
-
There are multiple contexts for this item
Context 1
Equals total water assets less total water liabilities
This definition applies to:
- Glossary for Water status: National Water Account 2011
- Glossary for Water status: National Water Account 2012-2017
Context 2
The excess of the water assets of the water report entity after deducting all of its water liabilities.
This definition applies to:
- net water price
-
The transfer price of water as agreed between legal entities exclusive of all applicable transaction costs.
This definition applies to:
- NGIS
-
National Groundwater Information System
A spatially-enabled database for storing and analysing Australian groundwater data.
This definition applies to:
- NHDPlus
-
National Hydrography Dataset Plus. A geospatial hydrological system implemented in the United States.
This definition applies to:
- non-adjusting event after the end of the reporting period
-
An event that occurs between the end of the reporting period and the date when the Accountability Statement is signed that relates to conditions that arose after the end of the reporting period.
This definition applies to:
- Non-consumptive use
-
Non-consumptive use is when there is no diversion from or diminishment of resource, for example water used to generate hydroelectricity. Held and planned environmental water is a non-consumptive water use.
This definition applies to:
- non-physical water asset increases
-
Increases in non physical water asset due to allocation announcements or recognition of other claims to water.
This definition applies to:
- non-physical water assets decreases
-
Decrease in non physical water asset due to adjustment and forfeiture.
This definition applies to:
- non-potable water
-
Water not intended for use as drinking water.
Source: Water Regulations 2008 Schedule 3 Part 1. For the latest information on Australian Government law please go to Federal Register of Legislation
This definition applies to:
- non-saline groundwater
-
Groundwater with salinity (expressed as Total Dissolved Solids) usually less than 3,000 milligrams per litre.
This definition applies to:
- non–allocated diversion
-
Surface water abstracted under a water access entitlement that does not settle an allocation or other claim on the surface water.
This definition applies to:
- non–allocated extraction
-
Groundwater abstracted under a water access entitlement that does not settle an allocation or other claim on the groundwater.
This definition applies to:
- NRM
-
natural resource management
This definition applies to:
- NSW
-
New South Wales
This definition applies to:
- numerical weather prediction (NWP)
-
A science focused on taking current observations of weather and processing these data with computer models to forecast the future state of weather.
Source: Modified from NOAA, viewed 25 July 2015.
This definition applies to:
- NWC
-
National Water Commission
This definition applies to:
- NWI
-
National Water Initiative
This definition applies to:
- NWP
-
numerical weather prediction
A science focused on taking current observations of weather and processing these data with computer models to forecast the future state of weather.
Source: Modified from NOAA, viewed 25 July 2015.
- obligating event
-
An event that creates a legal or constructive obligation that results in the management of a water report entity having no realistic alternative to settling that obligation.
This definition applies to:
- observation well
-
A well drilled in a selected location for the purposes of observing parameters such as water levels or pressure changes. Also called a bore, monitoring bore, monitoring well or piezometer.
This definition applies to:
- observed river height
-
The depth of water (in metres) at a river height measuring gauge located along the river. In most cases a zero reading is the lowest water-level that is reached during dry conditions. In many tidal areas, as well as a few inland areas, river levels are expressed in metres above mean sea level or Australian height datum.
Related: peak river height
This definition applies to:
- off-channel water
-
off-channel water comprises water in: (i) storages, such as farm dams, not connected to rivers and filled from runoff harvesting, surface water diversion or groundwater extraction (ii) rainwater tanks. off-channel water is owned by the individual or entity that abstracted the water and not available for water sharing.
This definition applies to:
- off-channel water decreases
-
Outflows from the region's off-channel water.
This definition applies to:
- off-channel water increases
-
Inflows to the region's off-channel water.
This definition applies to:
- off-grid
-
Towns not connected to the SEQ Water Grid are considered off-grid.
This definition applies to:
- on-grid
-
Towns and water treatment plants connected to the SEQ Water Grid are considered on-grid.
This definition applies to:
- opening water storage
-
There are multiple contexts for this item
Context 1
The total water storage in water assets in the region at the beginning of the reporting period.
This definition applies to:
- Glossary for Water status: National Water Account 2010
- Glossary for Water status: National Water Account 2011
- Glossary for Water status: National Water Account 2012-2017
Context 2
The total water storage for a water report entity at the beginning of the reporting period.
This definition applies to:
- other statutory water rights
-
Water rights granted by a jurisdiction, external to an entitlement system.
This definition applies to:
- other water rights
-
Water rights granted by a jurisdiction other than those giving access exclusively to surface water or groundwater.
This definition applies to:
- OzCoasts
-
Australian Online Coastal Information.
Source: Ozcoasts
Geofabric Product Guide V2.0
Related: Geoscience Australia
This definition applies to:
- palaeochannel
-
A deposit of unconsolidated sediments or semi-consolidated sedimentary rocks deposited in ancient inactive river channel systems.
This definition applies to:
- palaeovalley
-
A valley formed by ancient rivers that are no longer active. Alluvial deposits can often be found here buried by other sediments.
This definition applies to:
- palaeovalleys
-
A valley that existed in a preceding geological period - most likely infilled with sediments in subsequent geological periods thus providing a potential subsurface pathway for water in current times.
This definition applies to:
- Palaeozoic
-
An interval of geological time spanning from roughly 540 to 250 million years ago.
Source: USGS publication: Division of geological time - Major Chronostratigraphic and geochronologic units
Related:
This definition applies to:
- parameter
-
A measurable characteristic of a physical entity (feature); for example the temperature of water in a river.
Related: feature
This definition applies to:
- PDOP
-
positional dilution of precision
A measure of the geometric quality of a GPS satellite configuration in the sky. A PDOP value measures the possible error in both the horizontal and vertical plane (altitude).
Related: HDOP
This definition applies to:
- peak river height
-
The highest river height (in metres) observed during a flood event at the specified site on the river.
Related: observed river height
This definition applies to:
- percentage full
-
The volume of water in storage as a percentage of the accessible storage capacity. Note that the percentage full may exceed 100% due to floods for example.
Related: accessible storage capacity
Synonym: % full
This definition applies to:
- percentile
-
One of a series of threshold values that divides a set of ordered data into 100 groups with an equal number of data points in each.
For example, consider a dataset of annual rainfall totals arranged in increasing order. The 20th percentile is a value with 20% of the data below it and 80% above it. The 90th percentile is a value with 90% of the data below it and 10% above it.
Related: quantile
This definition applies to:
- perched aquifer
-
A region in the unsaturated zone where the soil or rock may be locally saturated because it overlies a low-permeability unit.
This definition applies to:
- permanent trade
-
Permanent trade has the same meaning as water access entitlement trade.
Synonym: water access entitlement trade
This definition applies to:
- Pfafstetter reference system
-
The Pfafstetter coding system developed by Otto Pfafstetter in 1989, is a methodology for assigning catchment identifers based on the topology of the land surface.
Source: K.L Verdin, J.P Verdin., 1999. A topological system for delineation and codification of the Earth’s river basins, Journal of Hydrology, Vol. 218 (1-2) and J. L. Stein, M. F. Hutchinson, J. A. Stein., 2014. A new stream and nested catchment framework for Australia, Hydrol. Earth Syst. Sci., 18
Related: Geofabric Surface Catchments
This definition applies to:
- pH
-
Value that represents the acidity or alkalinity of an aqueous solution. It is defined as the negative logarithm of the hydrogen ion concentration of the solution.
Source: Australian and New Zealand Guidelines for Fresh and Marine Water Quality (2000)
This definition applies to:
- pie chart
-
A circular chart that is divided into sectors. A pie chart is used to display tercile forecasts with three sectors representing low flow, near median flow and high flow.
This definition applies to:
- piezometer
-
A small pipe open at the bottom inserted into an aquifer to observe water table changes.
This definition applies to:
- ping
-
A series of acoustic pulses, of a given frequency, transmitted by an acoustic doppler current profiler.
Source: AS 3778.1—2009 Clause 5.84. © Standards Australia Limited. Copied by the Australian Government Bureau of Meteorology with the permission of Standards Australia and Standards New Zealand under Licence 1901-c052.
This definition applies to:
- planned environmental water
-
Planned environmental water is committed in a water plan for achieving environmental outcomes.
This definition applies to:
- plant
-
A treatment plant, relevant to the particular urban water system, of the reporting organisation. It includes water treatment plants (WTP), wastewater treatment plants (WWTP) and water reclamation plants (WRP).
Source: Category 7 Reporting Handbook
This definition applies to:
- pleistocene
-
An epoch which is part of the geologic timescale, usually dated as 1.8-1.6 million to 10,000 years before the present. It covers most of the latest period of repeated glaciations.
This definition applies to:
- pliocene
-
An epoch that lasted from 5.3 million to 2.6 million years ago. It follows the Miocene epoch and is followed by the pleistocene epoch. It represents a period of general cooling and drying.
This definition applies to:
- PMF
-
probable maximum flood
The largest flood that could conceivably occur at a particular location.
Generally, it is not physically or financially possible to provide general protection against this event. This flood defines the maximum extent of land liable to flooding. The extent, nature and potential consequences of flooding associated with the PMF event should be assessed in a Flood Study. The PMF event may form the basis of evacuation planning and the identification of refuge areas. Considerations should be given to adopting the PMF event as the design flood event for emergency services planning and for determining the location and floor levels of facilities such as telephone exchanges, police stations and hospitals. The PMF event may also be used to develop land use development guidelines in the floodplain management plan.
Source: Flood Victoria
Related: probable maximum precipitation
This definition applies to:
- PMP
-
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.
Source: World Meteorological Organisation (1986). Manual for Estimation of Probable Maximum Precipitation. Second Edition. Operational Hydrology Report No. 1, WMO – No. 332, Geneva
Related: PMF
- POAMA
-
predictive ocean atmosphere model for Australia
A state-of-the-art seasonal to inter-annual forecast system consisting of coupled ocean-atmosphere general circulation models (GCMs) along with sophisticated data assimilation and land-surface initialisation systems.
Source: POAMA
This definition applies to:
- podosols
-
Soils dominated by organic matter and aluminium with or without iron. Largely confined to parts of the coastal zone and some offshore islands in Australia.
Source: R F Isbell, 1996, The Australian Soil Classification, CSIRO Publishing, Melbourne.
This definition applies to:
- point velocity meter
-
A family of hand held acoustic based instrumentation used to measure water velocities and water depths during a discrete discharge measurement (gauging).
This definition applies to:
- positional dilution of precision
-
A measure of the geometric quality of a GPS satellite configuration in the sky. A PDOP value measures the possible error in both the horizontal and vertical plane (altitude).
Related: HDOP
This definition applies to:
- potable water
-
Water that is intended for use as drinking water and should materially meet the Australian Drinking Water Guidelines 2004, or equivalent.
Source: Derived from Water Regulations 2008 Schedule 3 Part 1. For the latest information on Australian Government law please go to Federal Register of Legislation
This definition applies to:
- potentiometric surface
-
A surface representing the hydraulic head of groundwater; represented by the watertable altitude in an unconfined aquifer or by the altitude to which water will rise in a properly constructed well in a confined aquifer.
Source: USGS Definition of Terms
This definition applies to:
- precipitation
-
All forms in which water falls on the land surface and open water bodies as rain, sleet, snow, hail, or drizzle.
Related:
This definition applies to:
- predicted river height
-
The height (in metres) to which the river is predicted to rise at the river gauge referred to in the warning. The actual depth of floodwater will vary across the floodplain. Knowledge of past flood events, as well as estimates of flood levels from flood studies, are used by local Councils, emergency services and landowners to determine which areas are likely to be flooded from the predicted river height. The accuracy of this prediction will depend on a number of factors, including the type of flood forecasting model and its input data. Predicted river heights are subject to forecasting error and are regularly updated as more information becomes available.
This definition applies to:
- Predictive Ocean Atmosphere Model for Australia
-
A state-of-the-art seasonal to inter-annual forecast system consisting of coupled ocean-atmosphere general circulation models (GCMs) along with sophisticated data assimilation and land-surface initialisation systems.
Source: POAMA
This definition applies to:
- prescribed well area
-
A groundwater area in South Australia that is regulated under the Natural Resources Management Act 2004 (SA) where control of groundwater abstraction is needed to secure sustainable management and support water-dependent ecosystems. The regulation is administered by the Department for Water, SA.
This definition applies to:
- primary gauge
-
The gauge plate which shows gauge zero elevation as described in AS 3778.2.2:2001 section 5.2.2.3.
This definition applies to:
- primary measured data
-
Data recorded on-site, or observed or collected first hand. Also known as raw, unedited or original data.
This definition applies to:
- prior period errors
-
Omissions from, or misstatements in, the water report entity’s general purpose water accounting report for one or more prior reporting periods arising from a failure to use, or misuse of, reliable information that:
(a) was available when general purpose water accounting reports for those reporting periods were issued and
(b) could reasonably be expected to have been obtained and taken into account in the preparation and presentation of those general purpose water accounting reports.
This definition applies to:
- private irrigation diversion and extraction
-
Water that is self-extracted by the user usually in situ from streams and farm dams (surface water) or from bores (groundwater) for irrigation.
This definition applies to:
- private stock and domestic diversion and extraction
-
Water that is self-extracted by the user usually in situ from streams and farm dams (surface water) or from bores (groundwater) for stock and domestic use.
This definition applies to:
- probabilistic forecast
-
A probabilistic streamflow forecast shows the range of possible streamflow volumes and how likely it is that they will occur.
This definition applies to:
- probable maximum flood
-
The largest flood that could conceivably occur at a particular location.
Generally, it is not physically or financially possible to provide general protection against this event. This flood defines the maximum extent of land liable to flooding. The extent, nature and potential consequences of flooding associated with the PMF event should be assessed in a Flood Study. The PMF event may form the basis of evacuation planning and the identification of refuge areas. Considerations should be given to adopting the PMF event as the design flood event for emergency services planning and for determining the location and floor levels of facilities such as telephone exchanges, police stations and hospitals. The PMF event may also be used to develop land use development guidelines in the floodplain management plan.
Source: Flood Victoria
Related: probable maximum precipitation
This definition applies to:
- 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.
Source: World Meteorological Organisation (1986). Manual for Estimation of Probable Maximum Precipitation. Second Edition. Operational Hydrology Report No. 1, WMO – No. 332, Geneva
Synonym: PMP
This definition applies to:
- product
-
A water right that is tradeable, falling under the broad category of either water access entitlement or water allocation. A product may be bundled or unbundled and has various attributes such as water resource type (e.g. surface water, groundwater, regulated, unregulated) and reliability type (e.g. high, low priority).
Synonym: water product
This definition applies to:
- profile
-
The velocity distribution of a stream cross-section.
Notes:
(1) Ensembles are measured representations of the profile.(2) When used as a verb, profile refers to an instrument measuring stream velocity at defined positions in the cross-section.
This definition applies to:
- pumpback reservoir
-
Collects non-potable water on an opportunistic basis downstream of a major storage. This water is transferred back to the main urban supply reservoirs in order to settle (i.e. reduce turbidity) and become part of the water supply source for that reservoir.
This definition applies to:
- PVM
-
Point Velocity Meter
A family of hand held acoustic based instrumentation used to measure water velocities and water depths during a discrete discharge measurement (gauging).
This definition applies to:
- quantile
-
Denotes one of a series of threshold values that divides a set of ordered data into groups with an equal number of data points in each. The terms tercile, quartile, quintile, decile and percentile refer to quantiles that divide the distribution of data into 3, 4, 5, 10 and 100 equal parts, respectively.
Related:
This definition applies to:
- Quaternary
-
An interval of geological time from about 1.8 million years ago to the present.
Source: USGS publication: Division of geological time - Major Chronostratigraphic and geochronologic units
Related:
This definition applies to:
- QWC
-
Queensland Water Commission
This definition applies to:
- rainfall
-
The total liquid product of precipitation or condensation from the atmosphere, as received and measured in a rain gauge.
Source: learn about meteorology
Related:
This definition applies to:
- rainfall deficit
-
Rainfall minus the amount of evaporation that would occur if a sufficient water was available. This is usually calculated for a period of a month, season or year.
This definition applies to:
- rainfall residual
-
Actual rainfall minus the average rainfall.
This definition applies to:
- Ramsar sites
-
Wetlands of international importance that are representative, rare or unique, or are important for conserving biological diversity and are developed and protected under the Ramsar Convention on Wetlands of International Importance.
This definition applies to:
- raster data
-
Data organised as a regular grid or as pixels.
Source: Geofabric Product Guide V2.0
This definition applies to:
- raster dataset
-
Represents geographic features by dividing the world into discrete square or rectangular cells laid out in a grid. Each cell has a value that is used to represent some characteristic of that location.
This definition applies to:
- rating
-
A relationship between variables.
Related: stage-discharge relationship
This definition applies to:
- rating table
-
Any table showing the relation between two mutually dependent quantities or variables over a given range of magnitude, e.g., a table showing the relationship between the stage in a reservoir and its volume.
Source: waterinfo.nsw Water Information Glossary
This definition applies to:
- raw water
-
Untreated water.
This definition applies to:
- recycled water
-
Treated sewage effluent, and:
• includes water extracted by sewer mining and subsequently treated
• does not include treated urban stormwater.
This definition applies to:
- reduced level
-
The surveyed level of a location relative to a datum (after survey calculations have been completed).
Synonym: RL
This definition applies to:
- reference point
-
A point from which a water level measurement is recorded.
This definition applies to:
- reflected global solar exposure
-
The total amount of electromagnetic energy emitted from the sun that is reflected from the ground and irradiates a specified unit horizontal surface from underneath.
Source: Water Regulations 2008 Schedule 3 Part 1. For the latest information on Australian Government law please go to Federal Register of Legislation
This definition applies to:
- reflected global solar irradiance
-
The irradiance emitted from the sun that is reflected from the ground and irradiates a specified unit horizontal surface from underneath.
Source: Water Regulations 2008 Schedule 3 Part 1. For the latest information on Australian Government law please go to Federal Register of Legislation
This definition applies to:
- region
-
(i) Spatial unit on which sub-accounts of the National Water Account are built. (ii) Region is also the name given in the National Water Account to the water accounting concept of water report entity.
This definition applies to:
- region note
-
In the National Water Account, a note that is not specific to a line item but may apply to all or part of the region.
This definition applies to:
- regulated channel
-
Channel on which a licensed entitlement regime exists with centralised allocation, and from which orders may be placed for upstream release of a licensed allocation. A necessary, but not sufficient condition for a channel to be regulated is that it is located downstream of a ‘Storage for Entitlement’.
This definition applies to:
- regulated entitlement
-
There are multiple contexts for this item
Context 1
The National Water Account considers an entitlement or claim to water to be regulated when all three of the following conditions are met:
The holder of a water entitlement or a claim to water can order the release or delivery of water as per their entitlement or claim.
The volume of water as specified on the entitlement or claim is ‘at call’ and subject to relatively few access conditions under normal circumstances.
The entitlement or claim to water is volumetrically well-specified.
All regulated entitlements and claims to water and actual diversions of flows are reported in the respective water accounting statements of the National Water Account.
This definition applies to:
Context 2
An entitlement or claim to water is considered to be regulated when all three of the following conditions are met:
- The holder of a water entitlement or a claim to water can order the release or delivery of water as per their entitlement or claim.
- The volume of water as specified on the entitlement or claim is ‘at call’ and subject to relatively few access conditions under normal circumstances.
- The entitlement or claim to water is volumetrically well-specified.
All allocations on regulated entitlements and actual diversions of flows are reported in the respective water accounting statements of the National Water Account.
This definition applies to:
- regulated flows
-
There are multiple contexts for this item
Context 1
A channel flow resulting from an upstream release of a licensed allocation.
This definition applies to:
Context 2
A river flow resulting from an upstream release of a licensed allocation. Note: the term river can be replaced by channel with the same meaning.
This definition applies to:
- regulated river
-
River on which a licensed entitlement regime exists with centralised allocation, and from which orders may be placed for upstream release of a licensed allocation. A necessary, but not sufficient condition for a river to be regulated is that it is located downstream of a surface water storage. Note: the term 'river' can be replaced with 'channel' and retain the same meaning.
This definition applies to:
- regulated water resource
-
A water resource which has its flows controlled through the use of infrastructure to store and release water.
This definition applies to:
- relative humidity
-
A traditional indicator of the air's moisture content. It is the ratio of the amount of moisture actually in the air to the maximum amount of moisture which the air could hold at the same temperature. Relative humidity is normally expressed as a percentage and at saturation the relative humidity will be very close to 100%. The air can hold more moisture at higher temperatures, hence the relative humidity alone does not give an absolute measure of moisture content.
Source: learn about meteorology
This definition applies to:
- reliability
-
The frequency with which water allocated under a water access entitlement is able to be supplied in full.
Source: Intergovernmental Agreement on a National Water Initiative Schedule B(ii)
Synonym: entitlement security
Equivalent: water market equivalent terms
This definition applies to:
- remote sensing
-
Any kind of data recording by a sensor which measures energy emitted or reflected by objects located at some distance from the sensor (i.e. no direct ground contact). Can include aerial photographs, airborne digital sensors and satellite imagery.
This definition applies to:
- reporting date
-
The end of the last day of the reporting period.
This definition applies to:
- reporting frequency
-
A designation given to rainfall monitoring sites that indicates how often, or at what times, observations are reported. The set of frequencies include: • Continuous: sites equipped with continuous rainfall intensity recording devices; commonly referred to as the "Pluviograph Network". • Daily: sites where observations of total daily rainfall or evaporation are made. • Synoptic: sites providing discrete observations of total rainfall at some synoptic hours (e.g. 6am, 12am and 3pm) in addition to 9am.
Related: rainfall
This definition applies to:
- reporting period
-
The period for which a water accounting report is prepared.
This definition applies to:
- residential water
-
The total amount of metered and estimated non-metered, potable and non-potable water supplied to residential properties.
This definition applies to:
- return flow
-
The volume of returns of water from delivery service providers or water users to surface water assets.
This definition applies to:
- rights to abstract water
-
In the National Water Account, it is equated to the right to access water, which gives access to a share of the total water resource.
This definition applies to:
- rights to water
-
Include a broad array of rights, with associated obligations, to access and use water or to have access to water infrastructure and may arise from common or statute law. Such rights include but are not limited to: riparian rights to water in a stream, water access licence or entitlements, annual water allocations, the right to a water supply service that may be subject to restrictions, shares in water distribution infrastructure capacity, the right to trade water entitlement or annual water allocation.
This definition applies to:
- riparian
-
An area or zone within or along the banks of a stream or adjacent to a watercourse or wetland; relating to a riverbank and its environment, particularly to the vegetation.
Related: riparian zone
This definition applies to:
- riparian zone
-
The interface between land and a river or stream.
Related: riparian
This definition applies to:
- river alert advice
-
A river alert is an advice issued whenever specific rainfall or river height criteria are exceeded at key reporting stations.
This definition applies to:
- river height bulletin
-
A summary of observed river heights (metres) at selected locations and specified times within river basins. These bulletins are not available in all States.
This definition applies to:
- river region
-
Produced as part of the Australian Hydrological Geospatial Fabric (Geofabric). These regions align with, and are nested within, the revised drainage divisions.
Source: Geofabric Product Guide V2.0
Related:
This definition applies to:
- RL
-
reduced level
The surveyed level of a location relative to a datum (after survey calculations have been completed).
Synonym: reduced level
This definition applies to:
- RMSE
-
root mean squared error
The square root of the average square error (SE) for a set of forecasts
The SE is the squared difference between the observed value and median of the forecast.
This definition applies to:
- RMSEP
-
root mean squared error in probability
The square root of the average square error in probability (SEP) for a set of forecasts
The SEP is the squared difference between the historical probabilities of the observed value and median of the forecast.
This definition applies to:
- root mean squared error
-
The square root of the average square error (SE) for a set of forecasts
The SE is the squared difference between the observed value and median of the forecast.
Related: root mean squared error in probability
Synonym: RMSE
This definition applies to:
- root mean squared error in probability
-
The square root of the average square error in probability (SEP) for a set of forecasts
The SEP is the squared difference between the historical probabilities of the observed value and median of the forecast.
Related: root mean squared error
Synonym: RMSEP
This definition applies to:
- rudosols
-
Soils with minimal development. Widespread but most have few commercial land uses because of their properties or occurrence in arid regions, or both. The largest areas occur in the desert regions of arid central and northwest Australia and support grazing of native pastures.
Source: R F Isbell, 1996, The Australian Soil Classification, CSIRO Publishing, Melbourne.
This definition applies to:
- runoff dam
-
A dam or reservoir that collects surface water flowing across land.
Note: In New South Wales, a runoff dam may also collect water from a first- or second-order stream.
Source: Water Act 2007 -Basin Plan, Part 3 Section 1.07, viewed 25 July 2015. For the latest information on Australian Government law please go to Federal Register of Legislation
Related: farm dam
This definition applies to:
- rural water utility
-
An organisation that supplies water for irrigation, town and community use in a rural area.
This definition applies to:
- saline groundwater
-
Groundwater with a salinity (expressed as Total Dissolved Solids) greater than 3,000 milligrams per litre.
This definition applies to:
- salinity
-
The concentration of soluble salts in a solution, soil or other medium.
Source: eWater Toolkit Glossary
This definition applies to:
- saturated zone
-
The part of the lithosphere where each void space in subsurface material is filled with water, or is saturated, under greater pressure than that of the atmosphere.
Source: Poehls DJ and Smith GJ 2009, Encyclopedic dictionary of hydrogeology, Elsevier Inc., 517 pp.
This definition applies to:
- SE
-
South East / southeast
This definition applies to:
- Seasonal Streamflow Forecast
-
A forecast of total streamflow volumes predicted at a particular gauging station, or for the total of inflowing watercourses into a water storage. The forecast can be for a specific period, ranging from one to several months.
This definition applies to:
- seasonal water assignment
-
For an interim water allocation, a water allocation, a seasonal water assignment or a water licence, means the assignment by the holder of the allocation, notice or licence of the benefit under the allocation, notice or licence to another person, for a water year, of all or part of the water that may be taken under the allocation or notice.
Source: Water Act 2000 (Qld)
This definition applies to:
- section
-
A portion of a cross-section for which velocity is measured or unmeasured.
This definition applies to:
- security licence
-
A permission to use water at a prescribed level of reliability.
High-security licences provide greater reliability for special needs, such as household water, electricity generation, some industry and some perennial high-value crops.
On-channel general security licences have lower reliability, which means that these licence holders—usually irrigators of annual crops—are more susceptible to reductions in water availability.
Related: entitlement security
This definition applies to:
- seepage
-
The infiltration of water from streams, irrigation channels, water storages, farm dams, natural surface water features and septic tanks into the groundwater system. It is a form of surface water–groundwater interaction and groundwater recharge.
This definition applies to:
- seiche
-
Oscillation of the surface of a liquid caused mainly by winds and variations in atmospheric pressure.
Source: AS 3778.1—2009 Clause 2.53 . © Standards Australia Limited. Copied by the Australian Government Bureau of Meteorology with the permission of Standards Australia and Standards New Zealand under Licence 1901-c052.
This definition applies to:
- self extract
-
To take water directly from a water resource for the use of the person who takes the water, but does not include taking water: (a) to provide it to another person, (b) under a stock and domestic right or (c) from an infrastructure operator.
Source: Water Regulations 2008 Schedule 3 Part 1. For the latest information on Australian Government law please go to Federal Register of Legislation
This definition applies to:
- septic tank
-
A small-scale, on-site sewage system that is common in areas with no connection to main sewage systems and uses anaerobic processes to break down wastewater.
This definition applies to:
- SEQ Water Grid
-
The SEQ Water Grid was established in July 2008 to connect water supplies and treatment facilities across the South East Queensland region. This provides coordinated management of water resources. See SEQ Water Grid for further information.
This definition applies to:
- serious rainfall deficiency
-
Describes the situation of an area where the total rain received for three months or more is between the lowest five to ten per cent of recorded rainfall for that area.
This definition applies to:
- severe rainfall deficiency
-
Describes the situation of an area where the total rain received for three months or more is within the lowest five per cent of recorded rainfall for that area.
This definition applies to:
- sewer mining
-
The process of recovering water from a wastewater system.
This definition applies to:
- shall
-
Indicates a mandatory requirement.
This definition applies to:
- shallow groundwater evapotranspiration
-
Loss of shallow groundwater to the atmosphere by evapotranspiration, particularly important in the riparian zone. It includes groundwater uptake by vegetation from beneath the watertable but does not include uptake from the unsaturated zone.
This definition applies to:
- shapefile
-
A vector GIS format for storing geometric location and associated attribute information, that lacks the capacity to store toplogical information. It is developed and regulated by ESRI as a (mostly) open specification for data interoperability.
Source: ESRI
Related: Geographic Information System
This definition applies to:
- ship track
-
The displayed route undertaken by an ADCP during a measured transect.
This definition applies to:
- should
-
Indicates a recommendation.
This definition applies to:
- signal to noise ratio
-
A measure used in science and engineering that compares the level of a desired signal to the level of background noise. It is defined as the ratio of signal power to the noise power. A ratio higher than 1:1 indicates more signal than noise.
Synonym: SNR
This definition applies to:
- site
-
A place where observations of the environment are made; typically a physical location where sensors are used to measure the properties of one or more features of the environment (e.g. depth of a river and temperature of the atmosphere).
Synonym: monitoring site
This definition applies to:
- skill score
-
A statistical score used to assess the relative performance (skill) of a model against a reference forecast (e.g. climatology).
Skill Score =(Smod - Sref) / (Sperf - Sref)
Where
Smod = Score for the model forecast
Sref = Score for a reference forecast, e.g. climatology
Sperf = Score for a perfect forecast, usually 0 or 1
This definition applies to:
- snowpack
-
Accumulation of snow and ice on the ground.
This definition applies to:
- SNR
-
signal to noise ratio
A measure used in science and engineering that compares the level of a desired signal to the level of background noise. It is defined as the ratio of signal power to the noise power. A ratio higher than 1:1 indicates more signal than noise.
Synonym: signal to noise ratio
This definition applies to:
- sodosols
-
Soils with an abrupt clay increase down the profile and high sodium content, which may lead to soil dispersion and instability. Usually associated with a dry climate and widely distributed in the eastern half of Australia and western portion of Western Australia.
Source: R F Isbell, 1996, The Australian Soil Classification, CSIRO Publishing, Melbourne.
This definition applies to:
- SOI
-
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.
This definition applies to:
- soil moisture
-
The water content in the unsaturated zone of a soil profile.
This definition applies to:
- soil permeability
-
A soil property indicating the rate of transmission of water through the soil matrix.
This definition applies to:
- soil sodicity
-
The characteristics caused by the presence of sufficient sodium attached to clay in soil as to effect the soil structure. This reduces infiltration and drainage.
Source: CRC for Soil & Land Management, 1994, Technical note 1: Introduction to soil sodicity.
This definition applies to:
- soil texture
-
The relative amounts of sand, silt and clay particles in a soil. The physical and chemical behaviour of a soil is influenced strongly by soil texture.
This definition applies to:
- 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.
This definition applies to:
- space time image velocimetry
-
A method to calculate surface velocities from an orthorectified video image. The velocities are used to calculate discharge using the midsection method.
This definition applies to:
- special purpose water accounting report
-
A water accounting report tailored to the information needs of a user able to command this information.
This definition applies to:
- specific yield
-
The storage property for an unconfined aquifer that defines the quantity of water that can be drained from an aquifer under the influence of gravity or extracted by pumping.
This definition applies to:
- spot check
-
A single value check of a measuring instrument or system to confirm that it is within expected tolerance.
A series of spot checks may provide sufficient evidence for verification of a measuring instrument or system.
This definition applies to:
- SST
-
sea surface temperature
This definition applies to:
- stage
-
The water level, typically measured at a water monitoring site.
Synonym: gauge height
This definition applies to:
- stage-area relationship
-
The relationship between the gauge height and the cross-sectional area of the stream.
This definition applies to:
- stage-discharge relationship
-
Curve, equation or table that expresses the relation between the stage and the discharge in an open channel at a given cross-section, for a given condition of steady, rising or falling stage.
Source: AS 3778.1—2009, Clause 1.83. © Standards Australia Limited. Copied by the Australian Government Bureau of Meteorology with the permission of Standards Australia and Standards New Zealand under Licence 1901-c052.
Related: rating
This definition applies to:
- standard deviation
-
The square root of the average of the squares of a set of deviations about an arithmetic mean.
Source: © Macquarie Dictionary Fifth Edition, 2009, Macquarie Dictionary Publishers.
This definition applies to:
- standard test instrument
-
An instrument used to perform calibration tests of monitoring equipment.
This definition applies to:
- State aquifer framework information
-
Any water information in the aquifer framework used by a State.
Source: Water Regulations 2008 Schedule 3 Part 1. For the latest information on Australian Government law please go to Federal Register of Legislation
This definition applies to:
- State NGIS information
-
Any water information in a State’s National Groundwater Information System (NGIS) database.
Source: Water Regulations 2008 Schedule 3 Part 1. For the latest information on Australian Government law please go to Federal Register of Legislation
This definition applies to:
- State or Territory water rights legislation
-
Precedent legislation for administering water rights in each State or Territory (ultimately vested in the Crown) and applicable to all water within the jurisdiction.
This definition applies to:
- statistical significance
-
A statistical assessment of whether observations reflect a pattern rather than just chance.
This definition applies to:
- stock and domestic water use
-
Use of water for domestic consumption (e.g. drinking, cooking, washing, watering household gardens, filling swimming pools associated with domestic premises) and to water stock on a property. Does not include water used for irrigating crops that will be sold, bartered or used for stock fodder, for washing down machinery sheds, or for intensive livestock operations.
This definition applies to:
- storage
-
A pond, lake or basin, whether natural or artificial, for the storage, regulation and control of water.
Synonym: water storage
This definition applies to:
- storage decreases
-
Outflows from water storages of the region. The value can include all or part of the water storages reported under line item 1.1 Storage.
This definition applies to:
- storage increases
-
Inflows into water storages of the region. The value can include all or part of the water storages reported under line item 1.1 Storage.
This definition applies to:
- storage level
-
The elevation of the water surface in a water storage at a particular time and date, measured relative to a specified datum, typically the Australian Height Datum (AHD). See the water storage diagram for application with respect to water storages.
Synonym: water level
This definition applies to:
- storage system
-
A water storage or group of water storages from which releases and diversions are the main source of water for users within the boundaries of a particular region, normally aligning with a river catchment.
This definition applies to:
- storage volume
-
The volume of water stored at a particular time and date. It excludes the dead storage volume and is therefore the volume of water that can be accessed under normal circumstances without the installation of additional infrastructure.
Related: dead storage capacity
Synonym:
This definition applies to:
- storages – entitlement system
-
Storages which are part of the connected surface water store and contain water yet to be shared within an entitlement system. In the National Water Account, storages managed by organisations to provide water to urban centres are included in ‘storages – entitlement system’ as they are considered to contain water yet to be ‘shared’ or ‘abstracted’, even if not formal entitlement system governs the urban water supply.
This definition applies to:
- storativity
-
The volume of water a confined aquifer will release when the water-level is lowered. Upon the lowering of water-levels in such aquifers, they remain fully saturated so that no dewatering occurs. The water released is volumetrically equivalent to the volumetric expansion of the water and contraction of the pore space. Also referred to as the coefficient of storage.
This definition applies to:
- stormwater
-
Surface runoff from rainfall events that may enter drains, creeks or streams. It can carry contaminants that may cause pollution in watercourses.
Source: Derived from Environment Protection Authority of Victoria, viewed 15 April 2019.
This definition applies to:
- stormwater capture
-
Excess rainfall that is collected after it has run off urban surfaces.
This definition applies to:
- stormwater discharge to sea
-
Stormwater that discharges directly into the sea via a stormwater outflow drain located on the coastline.
This definition applies to:
- stratification
-
The formation of layers in a water body that show differences in temperature, turbidity, pH, nutrients, salinity, dissolved oxygen or light penetration at various depths.
Source: eWater Toolkit Glossary
This definition applies to:
- stream
-
A watercourse and its tributaries. Can be permanent or ephemeral.
This definition applies to:
- stream characteristics
-
Those physical characteristics of a specific stream location that determine the stage-discharge relationship.
This definition applies to:
- stream length
-
Longest distance along the stream from the point of consideration to the most distant headwater source.
Source: Modified from USGS, viewed 4 September 2015.
This definition applies to:
- streamflow
-
The flow of water in streams, rivers and other channels.
Synonym: flow
This definition applies to:
- Glossary for Water forecasts: Seasonal streamflow
- Glossary for Water data: National Atlas of Groundwater Dependent Ecosystems
- Glossary for Water forecasts: Dynamic streamflow
- Glossary for Standards: National Industry Guidelines for hydrometric monitoring
- Glossary for Water status: Water in Australia
- Glossary for Water forecasts: 7-day Streamflow Forecasts
- stygofauna
-
Aquatic animals found in groundwater; sometimes used as a synonym of stygobite.
This definition applies to:
- subcategory 11a water information
-
Level of a watercourse, expressed in metres.
Source: Water Regulations 2008 Schedule 3 Part 11. For the latest information on Australian Government law please go to Federal Register of Legislation
Related: Category 11 water information
This definition applies to:
- subcategory 11b water information
-
Discharge of a watercourse, expressed in cumecs.
Source: Water Regulations 2008 Schedule 3 Part 11. For the latest information on Australian Government law please go to Federal Register of Legislation
Related: Category 11 water information
This definition applies to:
- subcategory 11c water information
-
Accumulated precipitation depth, including the water-equivalent precipitation depth, expressed in millimetres.
Source: Water Regulations 2008 Schedule 3 Part 11. For the latest information on Australian Government law please go to Federal Register of Legislation
Related: Category 11 water information
This definition applies to:
- subcategory 1a water information
-
Level of a watercourse (other than a water storage), expressed in metres.
Source: Water Regulations 2008 Schedule 3 Part 2. For the latest information on Australian Government law please go to Federal Register of Legislation
Related: Category 1 water information
This definition applies to:
- subcategory 1b water information
-
Discharge of a watercourse (other than a water storage), expressed in cumecs.
Source: Water Regulations 2008 Schedule 3 Part 2. For the latest information on Australian Government law please go to Federal Register of Legislation
Related: Category 1 water information
This definition applies to:
- subcategory 2a water information
-
Ground water level, expressed in metres.
Source: Water Regulations 2008 Schedule 3 Part 3. For the latest information on Australian Government law please go to Federal Register of Legislation
Related: Category 2 water information
This definition applies to:
- subcategory 2b water information
-
Ground water pressure, expressed in kilopascals.
Source: Water Regulations 2008 Schedule 3 Part 3. For the latest information on Australian Government law please go to Federal Register of Legislation
Related: Category 2 water information
This definition applies to:
- subcategory 2d water information
-
State aquifer framework information
Source: Water Regulations 2008 Schedule 3 Part 3. For the latest information on Australian Government law please go to Federal Register of Legislation
Related: Category 2 water information
This definition applies to:
- subcategory 2e water information
-
Source: Water Regulations 2008 Schedule 3 Part 3. For the latest information on Australian Government law please go to Federal Register of Legislation
Related: Category 2 water information
This definition applies to:
- subcategory 3a water information
-
Level of water in a major storage, expressed in metres.
Source: Water Regulations 2008 Schedule 3 Part 4. For the latest information on Australian Government law please go to Federal Register of Legislation
Related: Category 3 water information
This definition applies to:
- subcategory 3b water information
-
Volume of water in a major storage, expressed in megalitres.
Source: Water Regulations 2008 Schedule 3 Part 4. For the latest information on Australian Government law please go to Federal Register of Legislation
Related: Category 3 water information
This definition applies to:
- subcategory 3c water information
-
Volume of water released from a major storage, expressed in megalitres.
Source: Water Regulations 2008 Schedule 3 Part 4. For the latest information on Australian Government law please go to Federal Register of Legislation
Related: Category 2 water information
This definition applies to:
- subcategory 3d water information
-
Total volume of water delivered to a major storage, expressed in megalitres.
Source: Water Regulations 2008 Schedule 3 Part 4. For the latest information on Australian Government law please go to Federal Register of Legislation
Related: Category 3 water information
This definition applies to:
- subcategory 3da water information
-
Volume of water delivered to a major storage from each water source, expressed in megalitres.
Source: Water Regulations 2008 Schedule 3 Part 4. For the latest information on Australian Government law please go to Federal Register of Legislation
Related: Category 3 water information
This definition applies to:
- subcategory 3e water information
-
Volume of water in a minor storage, expressed in megalitres.
Source: Water Regulations 2008 Schedule 3 Part 4. For the latest information on Australian Government law please go to Federal Register of Legislation
Related: Category 3 water information
This definition applies to:
- subcategory 3f water information
-
A list of major storages owned, operated or regulated by the person required to give the information.
Source: Water Regulations 2008 Schedule 3 Part 4. For the latest information on Australian Government law please go to Federal Register of Legislation
Related: Category 3 water information
This definition applies to:
- subcategory 4a water information
-
Accumulated precipitation depth, including the water-equivalent precipitation depth, expressed in millimetres.
Source: Water Regulations 2008 Schedule 3 Part 5. For the latest information on Australian Government law please go to Federal Register of Legislation
Related: Category 4 water information
This definition applies to:
- subcategory 4b water information
-
Wind speed (expressed in metres per second), wind direction, and wind run (expressed in kilometres over a specified period).
Source: Water Regulations 2008 Schedule 3 Part 5. For the latest information on Australian Government law please go to Federal Register of Legislation
Related: Category 4 water information
This definition applies to:
- subcategory 4c water information
-
Evaporation, expressed in millimetres per day.
Source: Water Regulations 2008 Schedule 3 Part 5. For the latest information on Australian Government law please go to Federal Register of Legislation
Related: Category 4 water information
This definition applies to:
- subcategory 4d water information
-
Global solar exposure, reflected global solar exposure, downward longwave exposure, upward longwave exposure, and net exposure, each expressed in joules per square metre.
Source: Water Regulations 2008 Schedule 3 Part 5. For the latest information on Australian Government law please go to Federal Register of Legislation
Related: Category 4 water information
This definition applies to:
- subcategory 4e water information
-
Global solar irradiance, reflected global solar irradiance, downward longwave irradiance, upward longwave irradiance, and net irradiance, each expressed in watts per square metre.
Source: Water Regulations 2008 Schedule 3 Part 5. For the latest information on Australian Government law please go to Federal Register of Legislation
Related: Category 4 water information
This definition applies to:
- subcategory 4f water information
-
Dry-bulb air temperature, expressed in degrees Celsius.
Source: Water Regulations 2008 Schedule 3 Part 5. For the latest information on Australian Government law please go to Federal Register of Legislation
Related: Category 4 water information
This definition applies to:
- subcategory 4g water information
-
Wet-bulb air temperature, expressed in degrees Celsius.
Source: Water Regulations 2008 Schedule 3 Part 5. For the latest information on Australian Government law please go to Federal Register of Legislation
Related: Category 4 water information
This definition applies to:
- subcategory 4h water information
-
Relative humidity, expressed as a percentage.
Source: Water Regulations 2008 Schedule 3 Part 5. For the latest information on Australian Government law please go to Federal Register of Legislation
Related: Category 4 water information
This definition applies to:
- subcategory 4i water information
-
Vapour pressure deficit, expressed in millibars.
Source: Water Regulations 2008 Schedule 3 Part 5. For the latest information on Australian Government law please go to Federal Register of Legislation
Related: Category 4 water information
This definition applies to:
- subcategory 4j water information
-
Dewpoint temperature, expressed in degrees Celsius.
Source: Water Regulations 2008 Schedule 3 Part 5. For the latest information on Australian Government law please go to Federal Register of Legislation
Related: Category 4 water information
This definition applies to:
- subcategory 5a water information
-
Total volume of surface water take in each water management area, expressed in megalitres.
Source: Water Regulations 2008 Schedule 3 Part 6. For the latest information on Australian Government law please go to Federal Register of Legislation
Related: Category 5 water information
This definition applies to:
- subcategory 5b water information
-
Volume of surface water take for irrigation networks in each water management area, expressed in megalitres.
Source: Water Regulations 2008 Schedule 3 Part 6. For the latest information on Australian Government law please go to Federal Register of Legislation
Related: Category 5 water information
This definition applies to:
- subcategory 5c water information
-
Volume of surface water returned from irrigation networks to a watercourse in each water management area, expressed in megalitres.
Source: Water Regulations 2008 Schedule 3 Part 6. For the latest information on Australian Government law please go to Federal Register of Legislation
Related: Category 5 water information
This definition applies to:
- subcategory 5d water information
-
Volume of surface water take (excluding take for irrigation networks) in each water management area, expressed in megalitres.
Source: Water Regulations 2008 Schedule 3 Part 6. For the latest information on Australian Government law please go to Federal Register of Legislation
Related: Category 5 water information
This definition applies to:
- subcategory 5e water information
-
Volume of water delivered to a surface water resource through inter-basin transfer (excluding transfers relating to water trades) in each water management area, expressed in megalitres.
Source: Water Regulations 2008 Schedule 3 Part 6. For the latest information on Australian Government law please go to Federal Register of Legislation
Related: Category 5 water information
This definition applies to:
- subcategory 5f water information
-
Volume of ground water extracted under each ground water licence, expressed in megalitres.
Source: Water Regulations 2008 Schedule 3 Part 6. For the latest information on Australian Government law please go to Federal Register of Legislation
Related: Category 5 water information
This definition applies to:
- subcategory 5g water information
-
Volume of ground water extracted in each water management area, otherwise than under a ground water licence, expressed in megalitres.
Source: Water Regulations 2008 Schedule 3 Part 6. For the latest information on Australian Government law please go to Federal Register of Legislation
Related: Category 5 water information
This definition applies to:
- subcategory 5h water information
-
Volume of water delivered to a ground water resource for aquifer replenishment in each water management area, expressed in megalitres.
Source: Water Regulations 2008 Schedule 3 Part 6. For the latest information on Australian Government law please go to Federal Register of Legislation
Related: Category 5 water information
This definition applies to:
- subcategory 6a water information
-
Water access rights
Source: Water Regulations 2008 Schedule 3 Part 7. For the latest information on Australian Government law please go to Federal Register of Legislation
Related: Category 6 water information
This definition applies to:
- subcategory 6b water information
-
Trades or leases of Australian water access entitlements and irrigation rights
Source: Water Regulations 2008 Schedule 3 Part 7. For the latest information on Australian Government law please go to Federal Register of Legislation
Related: Category 6 water information
This definition applies to:
- subcategory 6c water information
-
Trades of Australian water allocations
Source: Water Regulations 2008 Schedule 3 Part 7. For the latest information on Australian Government law please go to Federal Register of Legislation
Related: Category 6 water information
This definition applies to:
- subcategory 6d water information
-
Formal announcements of Australian water allocations
Source: Water Regulations 2008 Schedule 3 Part 7. For the latest information on Australian Government law please go to Federal Register of Legislation
Related: Category 6 water information
This definition applies to:
- subcategory 6e water information
-
Permits to operate or construct a minor storage
Source: Water Regulations 2008 Schedule 3 Part 7. For the latest information on Australian Government law please go to Federal Register of Legislation
Related: Category 6 water information
This definition applies to:
- subcategory 6f water information
-
Permits to self extract water from a bore
Source: Water Regulations 2008 Schedule 3 Part 7. For the latest information on Australian Government law please go to Federal Register of Legislation
Related: Category 6 water information
This definition applies to:
- subcategory 6g water information
-
Permits to self extract water from a watercourse
Source: Water Regulations 2008 Schedule 3 Part 7. For the latest information on Australian Government law please go to Federal Register of Legislation
Related: Category 6 water information
This definition applies to:
- subcategory 7a water information
-
Urban water supply information, provided as volumes and expressed in megalitres, of a kind specified for the purposes of this item in the document titled Urban Water Management Information Requirements (see Regulation 1.06).
Source: Water Regulations 2008 Schedule 3 Part 8. For the latest information on Australian Government law please go to Federal Register of Legislation
Related: Category 7 water information
This definition applies to:
- subcategory 7b water information
-
Urban wastewater information, provided as volumes and expressed in megalitres, of a kind specified for the purposes of this item in the document titled Urban Water Management Information Requirements (see Regulation 1.06).
Source: Water Regulations 2008 Schedule 3 Part 8. For the latest information on Australian Government law please go to Federal Register of Legislation
Related: Category 7 water information
This definition applies to:
- subcategory 7c water information
-
Urban recycled water information, provided as volumes and expressed in megalitres, of a kind specified for the purposes of this item in the document titled Urban Water Management Information Requirements (see Regulation 1.06).
Source: Water Regulations 2008 Schedule 3 Part 8. For the latest information on Australian Government law please go to Federal Register of Legislation
Related: Category 7 water information
This definition applies to:
- subcategory 7d water information
-
Urban stormwater information, provided as volumes and expressed in megalitres, of a kind specified for the purposes of this item in the document titled Urban Water Management Information Requirements (see Regulation 1.06).
Source: Water Regulations 2008 Schedule 3 Part 8. For the latest information on Australian Government law please go to Federal Register of Legislation
Related: Category 7 water information
This definition applies to:
- subcategory 8a water information
-
Water use restriction announcements
Source: Water Regulations 2008 Schedule 3 Part 9. For the latest information on Australian Government law please go to Federal Register of Legislation
Related: Category 8 water information
This definition applies to:
- subcategory 9a water information
-
Electrical conductivity of surface water above the tidal limit of a watercourse, expressed in microsiemens per centimetre at 25 °C.
Source: Water Regulations 2008 Schedule 3 Part 10. For the latest information on Australian Government law please go to Federal Register of Legislation
Related: Category 9 water information
This definition applies to:
- subcategory 9b water information
-
Electrical conductivity of ground water, expressed in microsiemens per centimetre at 25 °C.
Source: Water Regulations 2008 Schedule 3 Part 10. For the latest information on Australian Government law please go to Federal Register of Legislation
Related: Category 9 water information
This definition applies to:
- subcategory 9c water information
-
Total suspended solids concentration of surface water collected above the tidal limit of a watercourse, expressed in milligrams per litre.
Source: Water Regulations 2008 Schedule 3 Part 10. For the latest information on Australian Government law please go to Federal Register of Legislation
Related: Category 9 water information
This definition applies to:
- subcategory 9d water information
-
Turbidity of surface water above the tidal limit of a watercourse, expressed in nephelometric turbidity units.
Source: Water Regulations 2008 Schedule 3 Part 10. For the latest information on Australian Government law please go to Federal Register of Legislation
Related: Category 9 water information
This definition applies to:
- subcategory 9e water information
-
Total phosphorus concentration of a surface water sample collected above the tidal limit of a watercourse, expressed in milligrams per litre.
Source: Water Regulations 2008 Schedule 3 Part 10. For the latest information on Australian Government law please go to Federal Register of Legislation
Related: Category 9 water information
This definition applies to:
- subcategory 9f water information
-
Total nitrogen concentration of a surface water sample collected above the tidal limit of a watercourse, expressed in milligrams per litre.
Source: Water Regulations 2008 Schedule 3 Part 10. For the latest information on Australian Government law please go to Federal Register of Legislation
Related: Category 9 water information
This definition applies to:
- subcategory 9g water information
-
pH of surface water collected above the tidal limit of a watercourse
Source: Water Regulations 2008 Schedule 3 Part 10. For the latest information on Australian Government law please go to Federal Register of Legislation
Related: Category 9 water information
This definition applies to:
- subcategory 9ga water information
-
pH of ground water
Source: Water Regulations 2008 Schedule 3 Part 10. For the latest information on Australian Government law please go to Federal Register of Legislation
Related: Category 9 water information
This definition applies to:
- subcategory 9h water information
-
Temperature of surface water collected above the tidal limit of a watercourse, expressed in degrees Celsius.
Source: Water Regulations 2008 Schedule 3 Part 10. For the latest information on Australian Government law please go to Federal Register of Legislation
Related: Category 9 water information
This definition applies to:
- subterranean GDE
-
A water-dependent ecosystem occurring below the surface of the ground within fractured, porous or unconsolidated aquifers, and in caves in both the saturated and vadose zones.
Source: Australian National Aquatic Ecosystem Classification, Subterranean Class – Background briefing note. Aquatic Ecosystems Task Group.
This definition applies to:
- surface area
-
The area of the water surface, typically measured when the water storage is at full supply level.
This definition applies to:
- surface runoff
-
Water from precipitation or other sources that flows over the land surface.
In relation to the water resource assessment, surface runoff is the fraction of precipitation that does not infiltrate at the land surface and may be retained at the surface or result in overland flow toward depressions, streams and other surface water bodies.
This definition applies to:
- surface water
-
There are multiple contexts for this item
Context 1
Water that flows over or is stored on the surface of the earth.
This definition applies to:
Context 2
Includes: (a) water in a watercourse, lake or wetland and (b) any water flowing over or lying on land: (i) after having precipitated naturally or (ii) after having risen to the surface naturally from underground.
Source: Water Act 2007 Part 1 Section 4, at 8 Febraury 2019. For the latest information on Australian Government law please go to Federal Register of Legislation
This definition applies to:
- Glossary for Water status: Water Market Reports
- Glossary for Water status: Water in Australia
- Glossary for Regulations: Water Regulations
Context 3
Water that flows over or is stored on the surface of the earth. For the purpose of the National Water Account, surface water consists only of water connected, either seasonally or perennially, to the rivers and not yet abstracted for consumptive purpose. It includes water administered by jurisdictions and water stored in surface water storages. It excludes water in off-channel water, urban water systems and irrigation schemes.
This definition applies to:
- surface water access entitlement
-
Water access entitlement granted on a surface water resource.
This definition applies to:
- surface water allocation
-
Volume of water resulting from an allocation announcement made on a surface water access entitlement.
This definition applies to:
- surface water allocation trade
-
A transaction to transfer a surface water allocation from one legal entity to another, with or without change in location of the abstraction point. It includes the volume allocated on a previous tagged trade.
This definition applies to:
- surface water asset
-
A region's surface water asset consists of surface water located within the region's boundaries and claims to water that may result in inflows into the region's surface water.
This definition applies to:
- surface water decreases
-
Outflows from the region's surface water due to natural processes or diversions, and decrease of claims to water held on behalf of the region's surface water.
This definition applies to:
- surface water entitlement lease
-
A transaction to transfer for a specified term a surface water access entitlement from one legal entity to another, with or without change in location of the abstraction point.
This definition applies to:
- surface water entitlement trade
-
A transaction to transfer perpetually a surface water access entitlement from one legal entity to another, with or without change in location of the abstraction point. It excludes tagged trade where the trade occurred prior to the reporting period.
This definition applies to:
- surface water features
-
Those hydrological features that convey and/or store water over the surface of the Earth; comprising streams, channels and water storages.
Related:
This definition applies to:
- surface water increases
-
Inflows into the region's surface water or increase of claims to water that may result in inflows into the region's surface water.
This definition applies to:
- surface water inflows
-
Volume of physical inflows to surface water during the reporting period from outside the region or from other stores.
This definition applies to:
- surface water liability
-
Water liability relating to surface water.
Related: water liability
This definition applies to:
- surface water liability decreases
-
Decreases in the region's surface water liability. It includes adjustment or forfeiture of the obligation to deliver surface water and in-stream use. It excludes diversion of water.
This definition applies to:
- surface water liability increases
-
An increase in surface water liability as a result of allocation announcements, etc.
This definition applies to:
- surface water outflows
-
Volume of physical outflows from surface water during the reporting period to outside the region or to other stores.
This definition applies to:
- surface water rights
-
Water rights granted by a jurisdiction to access the region's surface water.
This definition applies to:
- surface water system
-
An area that is hydrologically connected and defined, normally at a higher level than surface water management area, for the purposes of water data reporting.
Related: water system
This definition applies to:
- surficial sediment
-
Unconsolidated sediments found at the land surface.
This definition applies to:
- sustainable diversion limit
-
The limit on quantities of surface water and groundwater that can be taken for consumptive use from Murray Darling Basin water resources, having regard to environmental, social and economic impacts.
Source: Derived from the Water Act 2007 Chapter 5.05, at 8 Febraury 2019. For the latest information on Australian Government law please go to Federal Register of Legislation
This definition applies to:
- sustainable groundwater yield
-
The groundwater extraction regime, measured over a specified planning timeframe, which allows acceptable levels of stress in groundwater systems and protects dependent economic, social and environmental values.
This definition applies to:
- sustainable yield
-
The level of water extraction from a particular system that would compromise key environmental assets, or ecosystem functions and the productive base of the resource, if it were exceeded.
This definition applies to:
- tagged trade
-
Trade of water access entitlement between legal entities of different water allocation plans where the entitlement remains subjected to the allocation rules of the water allocation plan where the entitlement was sold (the selling water allocation plan). When an annual allocation announcement is subsequently made on the water access entitlement in the selling water allocation plan, the tag is automatically activated and the original purchaser is credited with the volume allocated, less any applicable exchange rate or transfer loss. In the National Water Account, annual allocation tagged on behalf of the original purchaser are reported together with transfers of water allocations between different legal entities.
This definition applies to:
- take
-
Take water from a water resource means to remove water from, or to reduce the flow of water in or into, the water resource including by any of the following means:
(a) pumping or siphoning water from the water resource;
(b) stopping, impeding or diverting the flow of water in or into the water resource;
(c) releasing water from the water resource if the water resource is a wetland or lake;
(d) permitting water to flow from the water resource if the water resource is a well or watercourse;
and includes storing water as part of, or in a way that is ancillary to, any of the processes or activities referred to in paragraphs (a) to (d).
Source: Water Act 2007 Part 1 Section 4, at 8 Febraury 2019. For the latest information on Australian Government law please go to Federal Register of Legislation
Related: water take
This definition applies to:
- TDS
-
total dissolved solids
This definition applies to:
- temporary trade
-
Temporary trade has the same meaning as water allocation trade.
Synonym: water allocation trade
This definition applies to:
- tenosols
-
Weakly developed soils with poor water retention, almost universal low fertility and occurrence in regions of low and erratic rainfall, Tenosols are mainly used for the grazing of native pastures.
Source: R F Isbell, 1996, The Australian Soil Classification, CSIRO Publishing, Melbourne.
This definition applies to:
- tercile
-
A set of data arranged in order with values that partition the data into three groups, each containing one-third of the total data. To define these terciles, the historical data is arranged in order from lowest to highest and then the data is partitioned into three equal groups. The lowest third of the data values are defined as the lowest tercile, the middle third of the values are the middle tercile and the upper third of the values are the upper tercile. A tercile is a specific form of quantile.
For example, if you had 100 data values, the lowest tercile would contain the 1st–33rd data values, the middle tercile the 34th–67th values and the upper tercile the 68th–100th values.
This definition applies to:
- terrestrial GDE
-
A GDE that accesses subsurface groundwater to meet all or some of its water requirements. This includes terrestrial vegetation, subsurface fauna communities (e.g. burrowing crayfish), and some vegetation which is associated with a surface water body.
Source: Eamus, D., Froend, R., Loomes, R., Hose, G., Murray, B., (2006). A functional methodology for determining the groundwater regime needed to maintain the health of groundwater-dependent vegetation, Australian Journal of Botany, 2006, 54, 97–114, 2006.
This definition applies to:
- terrigenous
-
The sediments formed in the sea from material derived from terrestrial environments by erosion. They comprise sand, mud and silt carried to sea by rivers. Their composition is usually related to their source rocks and deposition of these sediments is largely limited to the continental shelf.
This definition applies to:
- Tertiary
-
An interval of geological time from about 65 million to 1.8 million years ago.
Source: USGS publication: Division of geological time - Major Chronostratigraphic and geochronologic units
Related:
This definition applies to:
- third quartile
-
The third quartile of a set of numbers is the value in which 75% of the numbers are below it and 25% of the numbers are above it when the numbers are arranged in ascending (increasing) order.
Synonym: 75% quartile
This definition applies to:
- tidal limit
-
In relation to a watercourse, the maximum upstream location on that watercourse at which a tidal variation in water-level is observed.
Source: Water Regulations 2008 Schedule 3 Part 1. For the latest information on Australian Government law please go to Federal Register of Legislation
This definition applies to:
- tolerance
-
Root sum squared combination of instrument error and reference error. Tolerance is calculated as
Tolerance = ±√(A²+ B²)
where:
A = instrument error from manufacturer’s specifications confirmed by calibration (e.g. ±3 mm for this range); and
B = ability to read reference reading (e.g. gauge plate can be read to ±4 mm).
This definition applies to:
- total dissolved solids
-
The sum of all particulate material dissolved in water. Usually expressed in terms of milligrams per litre (mg/L). It can be measured by evaporating the solvent and measuring the mass of residues left or may be estimated from the electrical conductivity of the water.
This definition applies to:
- total nitrogen concentration
-
In relation to a water sample, the total concentration of all forms of nitrogen found in the water sample, including nitrate, nitrite, ammonia-N and organic forms of nitrogen.
Source: Water Regulations 2008 Schedule 3 Part 1. For the latest information on Australian Government law please go to Federal Register of Legislation
This definition applies to:
- total phosphorus concentration
-
In relation to a water sample, the total concentration of all forms of phosphorus found in the water sample.
Source: Water Regulations 2008 Schedule 3 Part 1. For the latest information on Australian Government law please go to Federal Register of Legislation
This definition applies to:
- total storage capacity
-
The entire volume of water contained by the water storage at full supply level; equal to the sum of the accessible storage capacity plus the dead storage capacity. See the water storage diagram for more information.
Related:
This definition applies to:
- total suspended solids
-
In relation to a water sample, the measure of the particles mixed in the water sample.
Source: Water Regulations 2008 Schedule 3 Part 1. For the latest information on Australian Government law please go to Federal Register of Legislation
This definition applies to:
- total water resource
-
The total volume of water contained within the physical boundaries of the region.
This definition applies to:
- trade waste sewage
-
The sewage produced by any industry, business, trade or manufacturing process.
This definition applies to:
- tradeable water rights
-
Are: (a) water access rights, (b) water delivery rights or (c) irrigation rights.
Note: Some components within water access rights are not tradeable.
Source: Derived from the Water Act 2007 Part 1 Section 4, at 8 Febraury 2019. For the latest information on Australian Government law please go to Federal Register of Legislation
This definition applies to:
- trading zones
-
Zones established to simplify administration of trade by setting out the known supply source or management arrangements and the physical realities of relevant supply systems within the zone.
Source: Derived from the Intergovernmental Agreement on a National Water Initiative Schedule B(i)
Equivalent: water market equivalent terms
This definition applies to:
- transaction costs
-
Includes search, negotiation and enforcement costs including, but not limited to, all government water transfer fees and charges applicable to water trade, conveyance charges and professional service fees (such as accountants, brokers, lawyers).
This definition applies to:
- transect
-
Single pass across a river, lake or estuary.
Notes:
(1) a transect may be described as a collection of ensembles.(2) one transect may constitute a single measurement of discharge.
Source: AS 3778.1—2009, Clause 5.86. © Standards Australia Limited. Copied by the Australian Government Bureau of Meteorology with the permission of Standards Australia and Standards New Zealand under Licence 1901-c052.
This definition applies to:
- transfer
-
The movement of water from one location to another.
Related: inter-basin transfer
This definition applies to:
- transfer party
-
Another service provider or other operational area within one's own operation.
Transfer party includes: (i)water utility; (ii) defined operational area of a utility; and (iii) private water manager.
Source: Category 7 Reporting Handbook
This definition applies to:
- transmissivity
-
The rate at which water moves through a unit width of aquifer or aquitard under a unit hydraulic gradient. It is the product of aquifer thickness and hydraulic conductivity.
This definition applies to:
- transpiration
-
There are multiple contexts for this item
Context 1
The release of water vapour from parts of plants, especially through the stomata of leaves.
Related: evapotranspiration
This definition applies to:
- Glossary for Water status: Australian Water Resources Assessment
- Glossary for Water status: Water in Australia
Context 2
Evaporation loss of water from the leaves of plants through the stomata; the flow of water through plants from soil to atmosphere.
Source: eWater Toolkit Glossary
Related:
This definition applies to:
- treated wastewater
-
Water generated from sewage, greywater or storm water systems that is treated to achieve sub-tertiary quality. The main difference between treated wastewater and recycled water is quality, and quality is determined by the level of treatment. Wastewater treated to achieve super-tertiary quality is called recycled water.
This definition applies to:
- troglofauna
-
Terrestrial animals living in caves and other air-filled subterranean spaces.
This definition applies to:
- turbidity
-
Means the measure of the light scattering properties of water, and is an indicator of the presence of suspended solids.
Source: Water Regulations 2008 Schedule 3 Part 1. For the latest information on Australian Government law please go to Federal Register of Legislation
This definition applies to:
- U code
-
A detailed component water volumes describing the availability, movement and use of water within urban water systems. Typically, U code volumes are at the plant or transfer party scale and provide a detailed breakdown of W indicator volumes.
Source: Category 7 Reporting Handbook
This definition applies to:
- UML
-
Unified Modelling Language
This definition applies to:
- unaccounted-for difference
-
An unexplained change in water assets and water liabilities during the reporting period.
This definition applies to:
- unbundled right
-
The separation of a bundled right into its individual elements. At its most basic level, unbundling separate water rights from a land property title, allowing the trade of the water rights independently of land.
Additional degrees of unbundling involve the separation of a water right into its individual elements. These might include, but are not limited to, water access entitlements, water allocations, water use rights, delivery rights and works approvals.
Equivalent: water market equivalent terms
This definition applies to:
- uncertainty
-
A state of lack of confidence to exactly describe the current or future condition of a system when limited knowledge of that system is available.
This definition applies to:
- uncertainty rating (methodology adopted by Department of Environment and Resource Management)
-
An uncertainty rating provided by Department of Environment and Resource Management for all line items provided by the department. The uncertainty ratings utilise the below adopted method from the National Performance Framework 2009-10 Urban Water Performance Report Auditing Requirements and Audit Report Template.
Reliability (A, B, C, D)
A Based on sound records with adequate procedures
B Mostly conforms to A but some deviations which have minor impact on integrity
C Data has significant procedural deviations or extrapolation
D Unsatisfactory data.
Accuracy (1, 2, 3, 4, 5)
1 +/- 5%
2 +/- 10%
3 +/- 20%
4 +/- 50%
5 Greater than +/- 50%.
This definition applies to:
- unconfined aquifer
-
There are multiple contexts for this item
Context 1
An aquifer whose upper surface is a watertable that is free to fluctuate in equilibrium with atmospheric pressure.
Source: Modified from USGS
This definition applies to:
- Glossary for Water status: National Water Account 2010
- Glossary for Water status: National Water Account 2011
- Glossary for Water status: National Water Account 2012-2017
- Glossary for Water status: Australian Water Resources Assessment
- Glossary for Water status: Water in Australia
Context 2
An aquifer in which there are no confining beds between the saturated zone and the surface. There will be a watertable in an unconfined aquifer.
This definition applies to:
- unconsolidated sediments
-
Loosely-bound sediment particles that are not cemented together into a solid matrix.
Source: Modified from the Groundwater Foundation, viewed 6th August 2015.
This definition applies to:
- United States Geological Survey
-
The sole American science agency for the Department of the Interior that provides science about the natural hazards that threaten lives and livelihoods, the water, energy, minerals, and other natural resources the U.S. relies on, the health of U.S. ecosystems and environment, and the impacts of climate and land-use change.
Source: Modified from USGS, viewed 02 October 2018.
This definition applies to:
- unregulated
-
Water that is not stored for the purpose of supplying the orders of downstream users.
This definition applies to:
- unregulated channel
-
Channel where there is no entitlement system at all or where there is an entitlement system which does not allow orders to be placed for upstream release of a licensed allocation.
This definition applies to:
- unregulated entitlement
-
There are multiple contexts for this item
Context 1
The National Water Account considers an entitlement or claim to water to be unregulated when the holder of a water entitlement or a claim to water cannot order the release or delivery of water. The holder must abstract or otherwise exercise their entitlement or claim subject to that water being available in the watercourse.
For unregulated entitlements, only actual diversions resulting from the exercise of the claim are reported in the water accounting statements, not the claim itself.
This definition applies to:
Context 2
An entitlement or claim to water is considered to be unregulated when the holder of a water entitlement or a claim to water cannot order the release or delivery of water. The holder must abstract or otherwise exercise their entitlement or claim subject to that water being available in the watercourse. For unregulated entitlements, only actual diversions resulting from the exercise of the claim are reported in the water accounting statements, not the claim itself. An unregulated entitlement may exist on a regulated river, where it gives access to unregulated flows.
This definition applies to:
- unregulated flows
-
There are multiple contexts for this item
Context 1
A channel flow that does not result from a controlled release made to service an allocation, or flows declared to be unregulated by the appropriate authority. Unregulated flow can occur both in an unregulated channel and in a regulated channel, in case of a flow event that could not be retained and controlled by the upstream infrastructure.
This definition applies to:
Context 2
A river flow that does not result from a controlled release made to service an allocation, or flows declared to be unregulated by the appropriate authority. Unregulated flow can occur both in an unregulated river and in a regulated river, in case of a flow event that could not be retained and controlled by the upstream infrastructure. Note: the term river can be replaced by channel with the same meaning.
This definition applies to:
- unregulated river
-
A river where there is no entitlement system at all or where there is an entitlement system that does not allow orders to be placed for upstream release of a licensed allocation. Note: the term 'river' can be replaced with 'channel' and retain the same meaning.
This definition applies to:
- unregulated water resource
-
A water resource that is not controlled through the use of infrastructure to store and release water.
This definition applies to:
- unsaturated zone
-
There are multiple contexts for this item
Context 1
The soil between the land surface and the regional watertable in which the pore space contains both air and water.
This definition applies to:
Context 2
The areas below the ground where void spaces are filled with a mixture of water under pressure less than atmospheric which includes water held by capillarity and air (gases) under atmospheric pressure.
Source: Poehls DJ and Smith GJ 2009, Encyclopedic dictionary of hydrogeology, Elsevier Inc., 517 pp.
Related: unsaturated zone
Synonym: vadose zone
This definition applies to:
- unused allocation
-
Water allocated in a reporting period in accordance with a water resource management instrument and is yet to be accessed, taken or delivered at the reporting date.
This definition applies to:
- upward leakage from deep aquifers
-
The upward movement of groundwater from a deep aquifer to an overlying aquifer.
This definition applies to:
- upward longwave exposure
-
The total amount of terrestrial electromagnetic energy emitted from the Earth’s surface that irradiates a specified unit horizontal surface from underneath.
Source: Water Regulations 2008 Schedule 3 Part 1. For the latest information on Australian Government law please go to Federal Register of Legislation
This definition applies to:
- upward longwave irradiance
-
The longwave irradiance emitted by the Earth’s surface that irradiates a specified unit horizontal surface from underneath.
Source: Water Regulations 2008 Schedule 3 Part 1. For the latest information on Australian Government law please go to Federal Register of Legislation
This definition applies to:
- urban recycled water information
-
Information about the treatment and reuse of urban wastewater.
Source: Water Regulations 2008 Schedule 3 Part 1. For the latest information on Australian Government law please go to Federal Register of Legislation
This definition applies to:
- urban stormwater
-
Water in the urban stormwater drainage system.
Source: Water Regulations 2008 Schedule 3 Part 1. For the latest information on Australian Government law please go to Federal Register of Legislation
This definition applies to:
- urban stormwater information
-
Information about water in the urban stormwater drainage system.
Source: Water Regulations 2008 Schedule 3 Part 1. For the latest information on Australian Government law please go to Federal Register of Legislation
This definition applies to:
- urban stormwater reuse
-
Urban stormwater that has been treated and reused.
This definition applies to:
- urban treated effluent
-
Urban waste water that has received some form of treatment. If re-used, it is a form of recycled water.
This definition applies to:
- urban untreated effluent
-
Urban waste water that has not received any form of treatment. If re-used, it is a form of recycled water.
This definition applies to:
- urban wastewater information
-
Information about water in the urban stormwater drainage system.
Source: Water Regulations 2008 Schedule 3 Part 1. For the latest information on Australian Government law please go to Federal Register of Legislation
This definition applies to:
- urban water
-
The total residential, commercial, municipal, industrial and other water supplied by urban water utilities.
This definition applies to:
- urban water distribution system
-
Constituted by three different components:
- Urban water delivery system: which conveys water abstracted from the different water sources in the region or that has been transferred into the system from outside the region (including desalination water).
- Urban wastewater system: which collects water after use, conveys it to the wastewater treatment plant and then discharges it into the environment.
- Urban recycled system: which recycles treated wastewater and discharges it to storages, before it is re-used for urban or irrigation purpose.
This definition applies to:
- urban water supply
-
The volume of water (potable, non-potable and recycled water) supplied to customers during a reporting period.
This definition applies to:
- urban water supply information
-
Information about water supplied by urban water utilities.
Source: Water Regulations 2008 Schedule 3 Part 1. For the latest information on Australian Government law please go to Federal Register of Legislation
This definition applies to:
- urban water system
-
It includes the following system: 1) potable and non-potable water supply, including pipes and tanks and off-stream ponds, which regulate water flow for operational purpose and not medium to long term water storage. 2) wastewater collection, including wastewater lagoons and ponds, pipes, tanks, pits, sumps and storages. 3) recycled water supply, including pipes, tanks and storage reservoirs.
Related: urban water distribution system
This definition applies to:
- urban water system asset
-
Water located in the urban water system within the region's boundaries and claims to water that may result in inflows into the region's urban water system.
This definition applies to:
- urban water system decreases
-
Outflows from the region's urban water system due to natural processes or delivery of water, and decrease of claims to water held on behalf of the region's urban water system.
Related: water distribution system decreases
This definition applies to:
- urban water system increases
-
Inflows into the region's urban water system or increase of claims to water that may result in inflows into the region's urban water system.
Related: water distribution system increases
This definition applies to:
- urban water system inflows
-
Volume of physical inflows to the urban water system during the reporting period; from outside the region or from other stores.
Related: water distribution system inflows
This definition applies to:
- urban water system liability
-
Water liability relating to the urban water system.
Related: water distribution system liability
This definition applies to:
- urban water system liability decreases
-
Decreases in the region's urban water system liability. It includes adjustment or forfeiture of the obligation to deliver water from the urban water system. It excludes actual delivery of water.
This definition applies to:
- urban water system liability increases
-
Increases in the region's urban water system water liability. It includes all recognised commitments to deliver water from the region's urban water system.
This definition applies to:
- urban water system outflows
-
Outflows from the urban water system; to outside the region or to other stores. For example the discharge of treated wastewater to a river or to the sea.
Related: water distribution system outflows
This definition applies to:
- USGS
-
United States Geological Survey
The sole American science agency for the Department of the Interior that provides science about the natural hazards that threaten lives and livelihoods, the water, energy, minerals, and other natural resources the U.S. relies on, the health of U.S. ecosystems and environment, and the impacts of climate and land-use change.
Source: Modified from USGS, viewed 02 October 2018.
This definition applies to:
- vadose zone
-
The areas below the ground where void spaces are filled with a mixture of water under pressure less than atmospheric which includes water held by capillarity and air (gases) under atmospheric pressure.
Source: Poehls DJ and Smith GJ 2009, Encyclopedic dictionary of hydrogeology, Elsevier Inc., 517 pp.
Synonym: unsaturated zone
This definition applies to:
- validation
-
The process of confirming, through provision of objective evidence (including verification and/or [spot checks][1912), that data fulfil the requirements for a specific use or application as agreed with the customer.
Note: Validation will include elements of verification and focuses on the suitability of the end result for the customer. For example, a hydrographer may verify a gauging as part of the validation of a rating for a streamflow site.
This definition applies to:
- vapour pressure deficit
-
The difference between the amount of moisture in the air and how much moisture the air can hold when it is saturated.
Source: Water Regulations 2008 Schedule 3 Part 1. For the latest information on Australian Government law please go to Federal Register of Legislation
This definition applies to:
- vector data
-
Data organised as geometry consisting of points, lines and polygons.
This definition applies to:
- velocity extrapolation method
-
A method of correcting a measured ADVM velocity to a theoretical mean velocity for each ADVM velocity bin (depth cell).
The method involves taking the depth position of the velocity bin and using a velocity profile (e.g. 1/6th power law), the water level, and the bed level to calculate a velocity correction which is applied to each raw ADVM bin velocity. The corrected ADVM velocity bins are then used to calculate a discharge using the mid-section method.
This definition applies to:
- VEM
-
velocity extrapolation method
A method of correcting a measured ADVM velocity to a theoretical mean velocity for each ADVM velocity bin (depth cell).
The method involves taking the depth position of the velocity bin and using a velocity profile (e.g. 1/6th power law), the water level, and the bed level to calculate a velocity correction which is applied to each raw ADVM bin velocity. The corrected ADVM velocity bins are then used to calculate a discharge using the mid-section method.
This definition applies to:
- verification
-
The process of confirming, through provision of objective evidence (e.g. a series of spot checks), that a given measuring instrument or system fulfils specific requirements.
For example, a hydrographer may verify that a measuring instrument is within expected tolerance over the measurement range.
This definition applies to:
- vertical
-
Line on which velocity measurements or depth measurements are made.
Source: AS 3778.1—2009 Clause 2.4. © Standards Australia Limited. Copied by the Australian Government Bureau of Meteorology with the permission of Standards Australia and Standards New Zealand under Licence 1901-c052.
This definition applies to:
- vertosols
-
Clay soils that shrink and swell, and crack as the soil dries. Largest single area occurs in the arid and semi-arid interior of the continent.
Source: R F Isbell, 1996, The Australian Soil Classification, CSIRO Publishing, Melbourne.
This definition applies to:
- volume
-
The volume of water stored at a particular time and date. It excludes the dead storage volume and hence is the volume of water that can be accessed under normal circumstances without the installation of additional infrastructure. See the water storage diagram for more information.
Synonym: accessible storage volume
This definition applies to:
- volume weighted average price
-
The average value (dollars per megalitre) of the water traded where each trade is weighted proportionally by the volume of water (in megalitre) involved in the sale. This provides a more accurate representation of the price (i.e. high volume trades generally attract a ‘bulk discount’).
This definition applies to:
- VTG
-
GPS data string that provides the velocity relative to the ground, including direction and speed.
This definition applies to:
- VWAP
-
volume weighted average price
The average value (dollars per megalitre) of the water traded where each trade is weighted proportionally by the volume of water (in megalitre) involved in the sale. This provides a more accurate representation of the price (i.e. high volume trades generally attract a ‘bulk discount’).
This definition applies to:
- W indicator
-
A component water volumes describing the availability, movement and use of water within urban water systems. W indicators are the water resources indicators used to compile the urban National Performance Report. W indicator volumes are at the scale of the urban National Performance Reporting regions.
Source: Category 7 Reporting Handbook
This definition applies to:
- wastewater treatment plant
-
The general name given to a plant used to treat wastewater collected through the urban wastewater system to meet quality requirements for effluent discharge to receiving waterways or land based re-use.
Source: Category 7 Reporting Handbook
This definition applies to:
- water
-
The liquid that descends from clouds as rain and forms streams, lakes, groundwater aquifers and seas. Water is a chemical compound comprising two atoms of hydrogen and one atom of oxygen. Water may exist in solid, liquid or gaseous form.
This definition applies to:
- water abstraction
-
The physical abstraction of water from a water resource for use. It excludes in-system uses of water and results, at least temporarily, in a depletion of the resource. Unless water is abstracted illegally, it is abstracted under a water right. In case the right specifies a volume of water that the water provider is liable to deliver to the water user, the exercise of the right through the abstraction effectively decreases the water liability of the provider.
Related: water take
This definition applies to:
- water abstraction right
-
A right that defines the location and conditions (e.g. rate) of the water abstraction.
This definition applies to:
- water access entitlement
-
A perpetual or ongoing entitlement to exclusive access to a share of water from a specified consumptive pool as defined in the relevant water plan.
Source: Intergovernmental Agreement on a National Water Initiative Schedule B(ii)
Equivalent: water market equivalent terms
This definition applies to:
- water access entitlement trade
-
A transaction to transfer a water access entitlement from one legal entity to another, with or without a change in location, perpetually or for a specified term (i.e. lease).
Equivalent: water market equivalent terms
This definition applies to:
- water access entitlement type
-
Water right types as defined in State and Territory legislation which includes bundled and unbundled water rights and bulk water access entitlements.
Equivalent: water market equivalent terms
This definition applies to:
- water access entitlement volume
-
The share, nominal volume or extraction rate associated with a water access entitlement.
This definition applies to:
- water access entitlements on issue
-
The total quantity of water access entitlements granted by State and Territory government water agencies which are in effect at a given point in time.
This definition applies to:
- water access licence
-
Water access licence means an access licence referred to in section 56 of the Water Management Act 2000 (New South Wales)
This definition applies to:
- water access right
-
Water access right: (a) any right conferred by or under a law of a State to do either or both of the following: (i) to hold water from a water resource or (ii) to take water from a water resource and (b) without limiting paragraph (a), includes the following rights of the kind referred to in that paragraph: (i) stock and domestic rights, (ii) riparian rights, (iii) a water access entitlement or (iv) a water allocation and (c) includes any other right in relation to the taking or use of water that is prescribed by the regulations for the purposes of this paragraph.
Source: Water Act 2007 Part 1 Section 4, at 8 Febraury 2019. For the latest information on Australian Government law please go to Federal Register of Legislation
This definition applies to:
- water accounting
-
A systematic process of identifying, recognising, quantifying, reporting and assuring information about water, the rights or other claims to that water and the obligations against that water.
This definition applies to:
- water accounting policies
-
The specific principles, bases, conventions, rules and practices applied in the preparation and presentation of water accounting reports.
This definition applies to:
- water accounting report
-
May be either a general purpose water accounting report or a special purpose water accounting report.
This definition applies to:
- water accounting statements
-
Comprise the Statement of Water Assets and Water Liabilities, the Statement of Changes in Water Assets and Water Liabilities, and the Statement of Water Flows.
This definition applies to:
- Water Act 2007
-
An Act of Parliament that commenced on 3 March 2008 and implemented key reforms for water management in Australia.
Source: Water Act 2007, at 8 Febraury 2019. For the latest information on Australian Government law please go to Federal Register of Legislation
Related: Australian Hydrological Geospatial Fabric
This definition applies to:
- water allocation
-
There are multiple contexts for this item
Context 1
The specific volume of water allocated to water access entitlements in a given water year or allocated as specified within a water resource plan.
Source: Water Act 2007 Part 1 Section 4, at 8 Febraury 2019. For the latest information on Australian Government law please go to Federal Register of Legislation
Synonym: allocation
Equivalent: water market equivalent terms
This definition applies to:
- Glossary for Water status: Water Market Reports
- Glossary for Water status: Australian Water Resources Assessment
Context 2
The specific volume of water allocated to water access entitlements in a given season or given accounting period, and defined according to rules established in the relevant water plan.
This definition applies to:
- water allocation trade
-
A transaction to transfer a water allocation from one legal entity to another, with or without a change in location, for the remaining water year (by default) or for a specified term that may be less than the end of the water year or carried over to subsequent years (i.e. lease).
Water allocation trade is used in preference to temporary trade in the National Water Initiative.
Synonym: planned environmental water
Equivalent: water market equivalent terms
This definition applies to:
- water asset
-
Water, or the rights or other claims to water, which the water report entity holds or transfers, and from which the water report entity, or stakeholders of the water report entity, derive future benefits.
This definition applies to:
- water asset decreases
-
Decreases in physical and non-physical water assets due to claims, natural processes or diversions etc.
This definition applies to:
- water asset increases
-
Increases in physical and non-physical water assets due to claims, natural processes or diversions etc.
This definition applies to:
- water availability
-
The portion of a water resource that can be abstracted, as determined by the total water resource and the rights to abstract water from that water resource.
This definition applies to:
- water available for abstraction
-
There are multiple contexts for this item
Context 1
For surface water, it is the total water in the connected surface water store deducted from the water that has to remain in channel (to satisfy economic, social, cultural and environmental outcomes), according to the jurisdictional water legislation. For groundwater, it is equivalent to the physical groundwater asset.
This definition applies to:
Context 2
For surface water, it is the total water in the surface water store deducted from the water that has to remain in channel (to satisfy economic, social, cultural and environmental outcomes), according to the jurisdictional water legislation. For groundwater, it is equivalent to the physical groundwater asset.
This definition applies to:
- water balance
-
The flow of water in and out and changes in storage of a surface water system, groundwater system, catchment or specified area over a defined period of time.
This definition applies to:
- water cycle
-
The cyclic movement of water on, above and below the surface of the earth.
This definition applies to:
- 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 as required under the Water Regulations 2008.
This definition applies to:
- water delivery right
-
There are multiple contexts for this item
Context 1
A right to have water delivered by an infrastructure operator.
Source: Water Act 2007 Part 1 Section 4, at 8 Febraury 2019. For the latest information on Australian Government law please go to Federal Register of Legislation
This definition applies to:
Context 2
A right to have water delivered by a water corporation and a share of the available flow in a delivery system.
This definition applies to:
- water depth
-
The height of water in a water storage at a particular time and date measured from the minimum supply level. See the water storage diagram for more information.
This definition applies to:
- water distribution system
-
Surface water assets that relate to water held in utility networks, including water in artificial channels, pipes (above or below the surface of the earth) and storages that are part of water distribution or collection infrastructure. The water distribution system consists of two separate systems: the urban water distribution system, and the irrigation distribution system.
This definition applies to:
- water distribution system decreases
-
Besides natural accidental outflows, decreases are constituted by the return of used water to the natural system, either within the physical boundaries of the region or directly out of them, as well as water transferred-out (result of trade or other agreement).
This definition applies to:
- water distribution system increases
-
Increases are constituted by the water abstracted from either the groundwater or the surface water stores or by water transferred-in (desalination water, result of trade or other agreement), and in addition, infiltration of groundwater or stormwater into wastewater systems.
This definition applies to:
- water distribution system inflows
-
Volume of physical inflows to the water distribution system during the reporting period; from outside the region or from other stores.
This definition applies to:
- water distribution system liability
-
Water liability relating to the water distribution system store.
This definition applies to:
- water distribution system outflows
-
Outflows from the water distribution system; to outside the region or to other stores. For example the discharge of treated wastewater to a river or to the sea.
This definition applies to:
- water elevation
-
The elevation of the water surface at a particular time and date, relative to a specified vertical datum.
This definition applies to:
- water entity
-
There are multiple contexts for this item
Context 1
An entity that:
(a) holds or transfers water; or
(b) holds or transfers rights or other direct or indirect claims to water; or
(c) has inflows and/or outflows of water.
This definition applies to:
- Glossary for Standards: Water Accounting Conceptual Framework
- Glossary for Standards: Australian Water Accounting Standards
Context 2
A physical entity, an organisation or individual, that: (a) holds or transfers water; or (b) holds or transfers rights or other direct or indirect claims to water; or (c) has inflows and/or outflows of water; or (d) has responsibilities relating to the management of water.
This definition applies to:
- water for cultural benefit
-
Water for indigenous purposes or other cultural outcomes.
This definition applies to:
- water for social benefit
-
Water for residential, stock and domestic or recreational purposes.
This definition applies to:
- water grid
-
Multiple supply sources, such as dams, groundwater, desalination and purified recycled water, connected via a network of pipes and channels to support water demands.
This definition applies to:
- water inflows
-
The volume of water which flowed from another store or from outside the region during the reporting period.
This definition applies to:
- water information
-
(a) any raw data, or any value added information product, that relates to:
(i) the availability, distribution, quantity, quality, use, trading or cost of water; or
(ii) water access rights, water delivery rights or irrigation rights; or
(b) any metadata relating to data of a kind referred to in paragraph (a);
and includes contextual information relating to water (such as land use information, geological information and ecological information).
Source: Water Act 2007 Part 7 Section 125, at 8 Febraury 2019. For the latest information on Australian Government law please go to Federal Register of Legislation
This definition applies to:
- water lease
-
A transaction to transfer a water right from one legal entity to another, in whole or in part, for a specified period of time which involves an exchange of a monetary value.
This definition applies to:
- water level
-
There are multiple contexts for this item
Context 1
The elevation of the water surface at a particular time and date, measured relative to a specified datum.
This definition applies to:
- Glossary for Water status: Water Storage
- Glossary for Water status: Australian Water Resources Assessment
Context 2
The measured distance to the water surface at a particular time and date, relative to a reference point.
Note: In groundwater monitoring practice, this is also known as 'depth to groundwater'.
This definition applies to:
- water liability
-
A present obligation of the water report entity, the discharge of which is expected to result in a decrease in the water report entity’s water assets or an increase in another water liability.
This definition applies to:
- water liability decreases
-
A decrease in water liability due to forfeiture or a delivery of water.
This definition applies to:
- water liability increases
-
An increase in water liability as a result of allocation announcements, etc.
This definition applies to:
- water management area
-
An area (however described) used by an agency of the Commonwealth or an agency of a State for the purposes of managing surface water or ground water.
Note: The following are examples of water management areas:
(a) river basins;
(b) catchments;
(c) aquifers;
(d) water sources;
(e) sustainable diversion limit resource units.
Source: Water Regulations 2008 Schedule 3 Part 1
This definition applies to:
- water market equivalent terms
-
Equivalent National, State and Territory water market product and trading terms
This definition applies to:
- water outflows
-
The volume of water which flowed to another store, or to outside the region during the reporting period.
This definition applies to:
- water plan
-
Statutory plans for surface and/or groundwater systems, consistent with the Regional Natural Resource Management Plans, developed in consultation with all relevant stakeholders on the basis of best scientific and socio-economic assessment, to provide secure ecological outcomes and resource security for users.
This definition applies to:
- water product
-
A water right that is tradeable, falling under the broad category of either water access entitlement or water allocation. A product may be bundled or unbundled and has various attributes such as water resource type (e.g. surface water, groundwater, regulated, unregulated) and reliability type (e.g. high, low priority).
Synonym: product
This definition applies to:
- water provider
-
A business or organisation that provides a reticulated water supply, irrigation water, reused or recycled water, or a bulk water supply service. Water providers may be Government or private and often operate water storage, purification and supply services. They may also provide sewerage or drainage services.
Source: © Commonwealth of Australia 2005, National Water Commission, Australian Water Resources 2005, Glossary and definitions.
This definition applies to:
- water quality
-
The physical, chemical and biological characteristics of water. Water-quality compliance is usually assessed by comparing these characteristics with a set of reference standards. Common standards used are those for drinking water, safety of human contact and the health of ecosystems.
This definition applies to:
- water reclamation plant
-
The general name given to a plant used to treated wastewater treatment plant effluent for recycling.
Source: Category 7 Reporting Handbook
This definition applies to:
- water reform
-
Actions to achieve a more cohesive national approach to the way Australia manages, measures, plans for, prices, and trades water.
This definition applies to:
- water regulations
-
The legislative instrument which supports the Bureau’s water information functions as set out in the Commonwealth Water Act 2007 under Part 7 – Water Information. The regulations define who must give specified water information to the Bureau and the time and format in which the information must be given. The Regulations came into effect on 30 June 2008.
This definition applies to:
- water report entity
-
A water entity in respect of which it is reasonable to expect the existence of users who depend on general purpose water accounting reports for information about water, or rights or other claims to water, which will be useful to them for making and evaluating decisions about the allocation of resources.
This definition applies to:
- water resource
-
There are multiple contexts for this item
Context 1
Means: (a) surface water or groundwater, or (b) a watercourse, lake, wetland or aquifer (whether or not it currently has water in it), and includes all aspects of the water resource (including water, organisms and other components and ecosystems that contribute to the physical state and environmental value of the water resource).
Source: Water Act 2007 Part 1 Section 4, at 8 Febraury 2019. For the latest information on Australian Government law please go to Federal Register of Legislation
This definition applies to:
Context 2
All natural water (surface water or groundwater) and alternative water sources, such as recycled or desalinated water, that has not yet been abstracted or used.
This definition applies to:
- water resource plan
-
A plan for the management of a water resource.
Related: water sharing plan
This definition applies to:
- water resource plan area
-
Water resource area defined in a water resource plan.
Equivalent: water market equivalent terms
This definition applies to:
- water resource type
-
Describes the attributes of a water resource, e.g. surface or groundwater, regulated or unregulated water.
Equivalent: water market equivalent terms
This definition applies to:
- water resources prescribed area
-
An area in South Australia which includes surface water, watercourses and groundwater. It is prescribed under the Natural Resources Management Act 2004 (SA) where regulatory control is needed to secure sustainable management and support water-dependent ecosystems. The prescription is administered by the Department for Water.
This definition applies to:
- water restrictions
-
Any constraints or restrictions placed on water use by an infrastructure operator, local council, or State or Territory Government.
This definition applies to:
- water right
-
There are multiple contexts for this item
Context 1
A generic term for the range of different tradeable and non-tradeable water rights across Australia. These might include, but are not limited to, water access entitlements, water allocations, water use rights, delivery rights, irrigation rights and works approvals.
This definition applies to:
Context 2
A right granted on the water resource (surface water, groundwater or landscape water) by the owner of the water resource (the State or the organisation to which the State has delegated its management power) to access, take or use water from the resource.
This definition applies to:
Context 3
A right granted on the water resource (surface water, groundwater or landscape water) by the owner of the water resource (the State or the organisation to which the State has delegated its management power) to access, abstract or use water from the resource.
This definition applies to:
- water sharing plan
-
A legislated plan that establishes rules for managing and sharing water between ecological processes and environmental needs of the respective water source (river/aquifer). It manages water access licences, water allocation and trading, water extraction, operation of dams, management of water flows, and use and rights of different water users.
Related: water resource plan
This definition applies to:
- water storage
-
There are multiple contexts for this item
Context 1
A hydrological feature in which water is stored. Surface water storages include natural and artificial ponds, lakes, reservoirs and lagoons, also the bodies of water held behind weirs and dams.
In the National Water Account, surface water storages include only artificial or natural water storages connected to rivers, which primary purposes are medium to long term water storage to service surface water access rights. These storages can be managed by an organisation to provide water to an urban water system.
This definition applies to:
- Glossary for Water status: Water Storage
- Glossary for Water status: National Water Account 2011
- Glossary for Water data: Environmental Information Explorer
- Glossary for Water status: National Water Account 2012-2017
- Glossary for Water forecasts: Seasonal streamflow
- Glossary for Water forecasts: 7-day Streamflow Forecasts
Context 2
A pond, lake or basin, whether natural or artificial, for the storage, regulation and control of water.
Synonym: storage
This definition applies to:
- Glossary for Water status: National Water Account 2010
- Glossary for Water status: Australian Water Resources Assessment
Context 3
The total water in water assets.
This definition applies to:
- Glossary for Standards: Australian Water Accounting Standards
- Glossary for Standards: Water Accounting Conceptual Framework
Context 4
A body of water that is naturally occurring, is impounded by a constructed barrier or is within an excavation, and includes ponds, swamps, lakes, wetlands, weirs, dams, basins, reservoirs and open pits.
Source: Water Regulations 2008 Schedule 3 Part 1. For the latest information on Australian Government law please go to Federal Register of Legislation
This definition applies to:
- water store
-
A place where water can accumulate. It may be natural, such as a pond, lake, aquifer or river, or artificial, such as a tank, reservoir, channel or pipe. It may be located above or below the surface of the earth.
This definition applies to:
- water stress
-
A condition where there is not enough water to meet needs, including the effective functioning of ecosystems.
This definition applies to:
- water system
-
A system that is hydrologically connected and defined, normally at a higher level than surface or groundwater management area, for the purpose of water data reporting (e.g. sub-catchment, catchment, basin or drainage division and/or groundwater management unit, sub-aquifer, aquifer, groundwater basin).
Source: Intergovernmental Agreement on a National Water Initiative Schedule B(i)
Related:
Equivalent: water market equivalent terms
This definition applies to:
- water tagging
-
An accounting approach that allows a traded water access entitlement to retain its original characteristics when traded to a new jurisdiction and/or trading zone, rather than being converted into a form issued in the new jurisdiction and/or trading zone.
Source: Intergovernmental Agreement on a National Water Initiative Schedule B(i)
This definition applies to:
- water take
-
The physical abstraction of water from a water resource for a use outside of the system from which the water is abstracted. It excludes in-system uses of water and results, at least temporarily, in a depletion of the resource. Unless water is taken illegally, it is taken under a water right. In case the right specifies a volume of water that the water provider is liable to deliver to the taker, the exercise of the right through the take effectively decreases the water liability of the provider.
Related: take
This definition applies to:
- water temperature
-
The temperature of water measured by a thermometer freely exposed to the water but shielded from radiation.
This definition applies to:
- water tracking and electronic reporting system
-
The Queensland Department of Environment and Resource Management’s water tracking and electronic reporting system is an Oracle database that collects electronic data for licensed discharges from environmentally relevant activities, such as wastewater treatment plants, and industrial and commercial discharges.
This definition applies to:
- water trade
-
A transaction to buy, sell or lease a water right, in whole or in part, from one legal entity to another.
This definition applies to:
- water trade price
-
Water price or trade price has the same meaning as net water price.
Related: net water price
This definition applies to:
- water treatment plant
-
The general name given to a plant typically used to treat water sourced from surface or groundwater for supply into the urban water system.
Source: Category 7 Reporting Handbook
This definition applies to:
- water use right
-
A right that allows use of water by specifying location of the use (plot) and/or purpose of the use.
This definition applies to:
- water year
-
1 July to 30 June.
This definition applies to:
- water-equivalent precipitation
-
The depth of water that would result if solid precipitation were melted.
Source: Water Regulations 2008 Schedule 3 Part 1. For the latest information on Australian Government law please go to Federal Register of Legislation
Related:
This definition applies to:
- watercourse
-
A river, creek or other natural watercourse (whether modified or not) in which water is contained or flows (whether permanently or from time to time); and includes:
(i) a dam or reservoir that collects water flowing in a watercourse;
(ii) a lake or wetland through which water flows;
(iii) a channel into which the water of a watercourse has been diverted;
(iv) part of a watercourse; and
(v) an estuary through which water flows.
Source: Based on content from the Federal Register of Legislation (https://www.legislation.gov.au/Details/C2018C00505), at 8 Febraury 2019. For the latest information on Australian Government law please go to Federal Register of Legislation
This definition applies to:
- watercourse discharge
-
The volume of water flowing down a watercourse over a fixed period of time; usually reported as megalitres per day or cubic metres per second.
This definition applies to:
- watercourse level
-
The elevation of the water surface in a watercourse at a particular time and date, measured relative to a specified datum, typically the Australian Height Datum (AHD).
This definition applies to:
- WaterHub database
-
The Queensland Water Commission’s WaterHub is a centralised web-based water information management system to store and provide secure access to water information. This is used to future analysis, planning and reporting. The modules that comprise the WaterHub are:
Volumetric Point Measurement Module (collects the bulk grid water meter readings)
Consumption Analysis Module (collects and consolidates SEQ retail billing data)
Reporting Facilitation Module
Production Analysis Module (calculates the weekly residential water consumption)
Demand Forecasting Module
The Reporting Facilitation Module automatically collates and sends the SEQ grid bulk water volumetric readings and storage level information to the Bureau.
This definition applies to:
- watertable
-
The groundwater surface in an unconfined aquifer or confining bed at which the pore pressure is atmospheric. It can be measured by installing shallow wells extending a few metres into the saturated zone and then determining the water level in those wells.
This definition applies to:
- WDTF
-
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 as required under the Water Regulations 2008.
This definition applies to:
- weather
-
Short term atmospheric conditions such as temperature, humidity, wind, cloud cover or precipitation in a certain location at a certain time. See the Weather and Climate pages for more information.
This definition applies to:
- web service
-
A software system designed to support machine-to-machine interaction, in which the machines are capable of being used or operated reciprocally over a network of computers.
Source: Water Regulations 2008 Regulation 1.03. For the latest information on Australian Government law please go to Federal Register of Legislation
This definition applies to:
- week
-
A period of seven consecutive days starting on the first moment of a Monday and finishing at the end of the following Sunday.
Source: Water Regulations 2008 Regulation 1.04. For the latest information on Australian Government law please go to Federal Register of Legislation
This definition applies to:
- Western Corridor Recycled Water Scheme
-
The Western Corridor Recycled Water Scheme is a water recycling scheme that treats wastewater effluent from Brisbane and Ipswich at three advanced water treatment plants at Bundamba, Luggage Point and Gibson Island. The recycled water system is managed by WaterSecure. The purified recycled water is pumped to Swanbank power station (located within the South East Queensland region defined for the National Water Account) and Tarong power station (located outside the South East Queensland region defined for the National Water Account) to provide cooling water previously supplied from Lake Wivenhoe. The system has the capability to discharge purified recycled water into Lake Wivenhoe to supplement drinking water supplies when Lake Wivenhoe storage drops to a trigger level of 40% capacity. See Western Corridor Recycled Water Scheme for further information.
This definition applies to:
- wet-bulb air temperature
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The temperature of air measured by a thermometer that has its bulb wrapped in wet muslin.
Source: Water Regulations 2008 Schedule 3 Part 1. For the latest information on Australian Government law please go to Federal Register of Legislation
This definition applies to:
- wetland
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An area of land whose soil is saturated with moisture either permanently or intermittently. Wetlands are typically highly productive ecosystems. They include areas of marsh, fen, parkland and open water. Open water can be natural or artificial; permanent or temporary; static or flowing; and fresh, brackish or salt. Wetlands may include areas of marine water, as long as the depth at low tide does not exceed six metres.
This definition applies to:
- wholesale water right
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There are multiple contexts for this item
Context 1
A wholesale water right can be interpreted in the National Water Account as one exercised by the take of water from the connected surface water, groundwater or landscape water stores. Wholesale water rights are those exercised over water resources specifically defined in legislation.
This definition applies to:
Context 2
A wholesale water right can be interpreted in the National Water Account as one exercised by the abstraction of water from the connected surface water, groundwater or landscape water stores. Wholesale water rights are those exercised over water resources specifically defined in legislation.
This definition applies to:
- wind run
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The product of the average wind speed and the period over which that average speed was measured.
Source: Water Regulations 2008 Schedule 3 Part 1. For the latest information on Australian Government law please go to Federal Register of Legislation
This definition applies to:
- wind speed
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The rate of movement of air in the atmosphere measured instantaneously at a specified altitude.
This definition applies to:
- WIRADA
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Water Information Research and Development Alliance
This definition applies to:
- WRP
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water reclamation plant
The general name given to a plant used to treated wastewater treatment plant effluent for recycling.
Source: Category 7 Reporting Handbook
This definition applies to:
- WRPA
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water resource plan area
This definition applies to:
- WTP
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water treatment plant
The general name given to a plant typically used to treat water sourced from surface or groundwater for supply into the urban water system.
Source: Category 7 Reporting Handbook
This definition applies to:
- WWTP
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wastewater treatment plant
The general name given to a plant used to treat wastewater collected through the urban wastewater system to meet quality requirements for effluent discharge to receiving waterways or land based re-use.
Source: Category 7 Reporting Handbook
This definition applies to:
- year
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The financial year.
Source: Water Regulations 2008 Regulation 1.04. For the latest information on Australian Government law please go to Federal Register of Legislation
This definition applies to:
- year of completion
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The year when the water storage structure was completed, as advised by the water storage owner or operator.
This definition applies to:
- zone of saturation
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The soil and geological layers below the land surface where all spaces between soil/sediment/rock particles are filled with water. It encompasses all the soil and geological layers below the watertable.
This definition applies to: