To secure the long term water supply of all Australians, the Australian Government has announced Water for the Future, a $12.9 billion water investment program. This includes $450 million for the 'Improving Water Information Program' administered by the Bureau of Meteorology and backed by the Commonwealth Water Act 2007 and key stakeholders.

The Bureau will enhance the quality and utility of Australia's water information by producing the National Water Account, supported by a truly national water monitoring and data collection network. The program includes development and maintenance of an integrated, national water information system freely accessible to the public.

The Bureau is now in the process of an intensive recruiting campaign, seeking to bring a further 120 staff into the newly-established Water Division to support our extended role in water information.

We are seeking passionate and talented leaders for a number of executive level positions. These challenging and rewarding roles offer an opportunity to participate in the transformation of Australia's water information and influence how our country's scarce water resources are managed.

• Issuing national water information standards
• Collecting and publishing water information
• Conducting regular national water resources assessments
• Publishing an annual National Water Account
• Providing regular water availability forecasts
• Giving advice on matters relating to water information
• Enhancing understanding of Australia's water resources

The Bureau will implement its new water information functions, along with its existing flood warning and forecasting services, through a new Water Division. The Division will have three programs:

• Water Data Management Services
• Water Data Analysis and Reporting Services
• Water Prediction Services

The Bureau will employ an additional 120 people around Australia to deliver these services, many of whom will be based in Melbourne and Canberra. Its investment in data storage, web serving and computational capabilities will enable analysis and interpretation of national water information and the provision of forecasting services across a variety of time and space scales.

Over the next five years the Bureau will invest $80 million to help water data collecting agencies upgrade and expand their streamflow, groundwater monitoring and water storage measurement networks. Proposed investment priorities include improving data quality and currency, technology to simplify data transmission to the Bureau and filling critical gaps in monitoring networks.

Over the next 10 years the Bureau will invest $160 million developing tools, acquiring commercial data sets and co-investing in water information research and development.

The Bureau will deliver a range of products designed to meet the needs of users engaged in water policy development, planning, operations, public enquiry, education, and research including:

• Regular national water resources assessments
• An annual National Water Account
• Real-time water reporting services
• Real-time water availability forecasts

• How much water is there right now and where is it?
• How does it compare with history?
• How much water will we have tomorrow, next month, next year?
• Who has the rights to use water?
• How much are they using?
• How much water is being traded and to where?
• How much water is the environment getting?
• How is water quality changing?

Water information will be delivered via the Australian Water Resources Information System (AWRIS) - an online information tool that is freely accessible to the public.

The development of a national system for water information storage, analysis and reporting requires an unprecedented level of collaboration between stakeholders.

The Bureau is working closely with water data owners to coordinate and implement these arrangements.

The Bureau has established formal advisory, reference and expert panels to ensure a broad suite of industry and government experience involved in the development and expansion of the national water information capacity.

The Bureau will offer many water-related career opportunities for professionals and graduates, including exciting new roles for hydrologists, modellers, web developers and ICT staff. To register your interest, email waterjobs@bom.gov.au