Water Information Metadata
The Water Regulations 2008 require specified organisations to give water information including metadata. Metadata is included in the regulations under Water Information Category 10 – Descriptive and reference information about water information in other categories.
The Bureau is developing detailed metadata lists which will specify the metadata required for each water information subcategory in the Water Regulations 2008. The draft metadata list for sub-category 1a Watercourse level (451KB) includes 35 metadata elements and was developed with broad industry consultation. The Bureau will release draft lists for other subcategories in the near future and for each list, continue that industry consultation process.
The metadata list also includes supporting information which indicates the metadata formats, controlled lists and datums preferred by the Bureau. An example is the provision of geographic co-ordinate information in GDA 94 for site position. Eventually the metadata formats, controlled lists and datums proposed within the supporting information will be mandatory.
The Bureau will, in the future, make the metadata associated with a given observation, discoverable. This will enable data users to make an objective assessment of the fitness of data for their purposes.
The Bureau through The Modernisation and Extension of Hydrologic Monitoring Systems Program has funded a project to develop Water Quality Metadata.
