The Federal Government has launched a joint initiative between the Bureau of Meteorology and CSIRO that will be the largest water information research project in the southern hemisphere.
The Water Information Research and Development Alliance (WIRADA) is a five-year, $50 million research partnership between the two organisations.
Water Minister Penny Wong said its aim was to provide a state-of-the-art, national database on Australia’s water resources.
The Bureau currently has the role of reporting on the availability, condition and use of water resources across Australia.
But through the new WIRADA initiative, CSIRO will perform research specifically for the Bureau that will be integrated into the way its water monitoring, analysis and prediction systems are developed.
"WIRADA will help us develop more robust monitoring and prediction tools to help the Bureau deliver on its new water information responsibilities," Senator Wong said.
WIRADA will assist the Bureau to deliver on new water information responsibilities, including:
* storing and managing all of Australia's water data;
* reporting on the status of Australia's water resources, patterns of water use and forecast future water availability;
* maintaining a comprehensive set of water accounts for the nation;
* setting national standards for water use metering and hydrologic measurements;
* influencing and supporting state-based investments in water monitoring and water use metering programmes; and
* procuring special data sets to enhance our understanding of Australia’s water resources.
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