The Department of Environment, Land, Water and Planning (DELWP) has delivered two key documents following a four-year research program aimed at supporting the State’s water sector develop a response to climate change.
DELWP said the initiative, known as Victorian Water and Climate Initiative (VicWaCI), was a partnership with researchers from the Bureau of Meteorology, the Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation (CSIRO), and the University of Melbourne.
It said VicWaCI sought to better understand how our climate and water cycle was changing over time.
“The findings are available in Victoria’s Water in a Changing Climate and will assist in the Victorian water sector continuing to show leadership in responding to climate change,” DELWP said.
“The research conducted by VicWaCI has also been used to develop the 2020 edition of the Guidelines for Assessing the Impact of Climate Change on Water Availability in Victoria.”
It said the guidelines presented a consistent approach for applying assessments of climate change for water resource modelling and planning.
DELWP said key findings in its report included increased levels of atmospheric greenhouse gases had likely contributed to the decline in rainfall during the April to October cool season; how different climate and runoff projections compared; and methods for developing improved runoff projections.
DELWP’s 97-page report Victoria’s Water in a Changing Climate can be accessed at this PS News link.
