New knowledge can improve the Plan
The amendment of the Lower Limestone Coast Water Allocation will be underpinned by new knowledge, data and science, vastly improved on what was available for the Plan in 2013. This knowledge will support improvement in the Plan.
A consistent message through the review was that the Plan must be underpinned by the best available science. The LC Landscape Board commits to this. It will also be critical that all science used to underpin the Plan meets equivalent criteria in terms of peer review and rigor.
New knowledge includes but is not limited to:
Trend and condition data now spans more than 30 years with the Department for Environment and Water releasing the latest 5 year trend data (2017 – 2021) in 2023. Observation well data is updated annually following autumn and spring monitoring.
Extraction from bores has now been metered for 10 years with water licence holders reporting their water use annually.
Monitoring data is publicly available on WaterConnect (website).
We have access to the dynamically downscaled projections for South Australia from the NARCliM 1.5 regional climate modelling project to apply to groundwater models. The extensive coverage of the NARCliM 1.5 modelling of South Australia enables state wide mapping of projected changes in average temperature, rainfall and extreme heat. In addition, a range of other updates have been made where new information has become available since 2020. NARCLiM 2.0 is expected to be released in 2023 and it will also be considered for use with groundwater models.
Latest climate projections for SA (website).
- In 2021 LiDAR was captured around the Naracoorte area
- In 2018 LiDAR was captured along the south east coastline
- 2007/2008 LiDAR for all of the Limestone Coast and western portion of Victoria is also available.
Three sub-regional models are nearing completion to support amendment:
- South Coast sub-regional model
- Wattle Range (Mid-South East) sub-regional model
- Province 2 sub-regional model
In addition a regional groundwater model has been developed since the current plan was adopted and is being updated for the:
- Lower Limestone Coast unconfined and confined aquifer.
More information on groundwater dependent ecosystems, particularly wetlands, including:
- Reinstatement of the wetland groundwater dependent ecosystem monitoring network
- Long term mapping of wetland inundation using Water Observations from Space (WOfS)
- Development of the Wetlands Insight Tool by Geoscience Australia to characterise wetland vegetation cover and surface water
- South Australian Wetland Inventory Database (SAWID) updates
- Changes in level of groundwater dependency of wetland groundwater dependent ecosystem
- Improved understanding of water requirements for wetlands.
The Green Triangle Forest Industries Hub, funded by the Federal Government, has been undertaking research (independent of the Department for Environment and Water and LC Landscape Board) to improve the data that underpins the deemed rate. The research builds on work that was used to develop and underpin the current deemed rate. The Department for Environment and Water and the LC Landscape Board is in an ongoing conversation with the Green Triangle Forest Industries Hub in regards to the research.
