Adelaide

The value reported in the water accounting statement (10,586 ML) represents the total precipitation falling onto SA water storages within the Adelaide region during 2009–10. The precipitation onto each water storage is provided in the table below.

Data source

Bureau of Meteorology: spatial data.

Data provider

Bureau of Meteorology.

Method

Monthly precipitation data were produced by the Bureau of Meteorology. Monthly figures were based on daily data from approximately 6,500 rain gauge stations and interpolated to a 0.05 degree (5 km) national grid (Jones et al. 2007).

The precipitation at each waterbody was estimated from the average of the grid-points within a 5 km radius of each water feature. The volume was then estimated using the surface area of each waterbody. The average monthly surface area of the major storages was calculated from daily storage levels and capacity tables. The surface area of all the storages in the Adelaide Region was calculated using this dynamic method.

Uncertainty

Ungraded.

Assumptions, approximations and caveats/limitations

• The precipitation estimates were subject to approximations associated with interpolating the observation point data to a national grid detailed in Jones et al. (2007).
• The dynamic storage surface areas calculated from the levels and capacity tables represent a monthly average and therefore will not capture changes that occur on a shorter time-scale.
• The total surface area of the surface water store within the Adelaide Region included only the reservoirs (and not the river channels).