Climate Futures for Tasmania

Client: Antarctic Climate and Ecosystems Cooperative Research Centre
Location: Tasmania, Australia
Date: January 2007 – December 2010

Analysing and interpreting the impacts of climate change on water and catchments, to help inform management of water availability in the future.

Background

The Climate Futures for Tasmania project uses a well-tested CSIRO model, nested within global climate models, to create fine-scale projections attuned to the complexities of local conditions. This project provides climate information at a local scale under a range of credible projections for the most likely global scenarios of greenhouse gas emissions.

Solution

Entura undertook the water and catchments impacts component of this study, leading the research and modelling water availability in Tasmanian river systems under future climate.

Building on our considerable hydrologic modelling experience, Entura developed rainfall-runoff models and river system models for all Tasmanian catchments. To evaluate impacts, we developed river system models which include hydroelectric systems, irrigation storages and offtakes, environmental flow requirements and water supplies for industry and towns.  We also modelled the impacts of changes in inflows under future climate on hydroelectricity generation.

Our previous experience in modelling Tasmanian catchments enabled a full assessment of water availability under current and future conditions. Our knowledge of Tasmanian catchments and river systems, and our considerable hydrologic modelling experience, allowed us to deliver the water and catchments component of CFT within the required time-frame.

Outcome

Through our involvement in the innovative Climate Futures for Tasmania research project, Entura is actively contributing to world-leading climate science that will give decision-makers locally relevant information about climate change to help develop adaptation actions. Our modelling evaluated the impacts of future climate on water availability for over sixty Tasmanian catchments, including the impacts on inflows to hydroelectric storages.

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