MIKE SHE Public Data Catalog – State Supplement
Victoria
Version: 0.1 test template
Purpose: State-specific data sources and hydrological context for MIKE SHE models in Victoria
Complements: MIKE SHE Public Data Catalog – Australia (national datasets are not repeated here)
1. Hydrological Context
1.1 Climate
- temperate climate with winter-dominant rainfall in the south
- semi-arid Mallee in the north-west (about 250–350 mm per year)
- alpine climate with seasonal snow in the north-east
- long-term decline in cool-season rainfall and the Millennium Drought (2001–2009)
1.2 Landscape
- Great Dividing Range running east–west
- northern riverine plains draining to the Murray (Murray-Darling Basin)
- southern coastal basins (Otway, Port Phillip, Westernport, Gippsland)
- Western District volcanic plains with lakes and springs
1.3 Key Modelling Challenges
- dryland and irrigation salinity (Shepparton Irrigation Region, Mallee)
- Latrobe Valley coal mine dewatering and pit-lake rehabilitation
- groundwater-dependent ecosystems (Western District lakes, Gippsland Lakes)
- land-cover change after major bushfires
- groundwater-surface water interaction in unregulated rivers
2. Major Aquifer Systems
| Aquifer / System |
Type |
Modelling Relevance |
| Murray Basin (Murray Group limestone, Renmark Group, Shepparton Formation) |
Sedimentary |
Salinity, irrigation, shallow water tables |
| Otway Basin (Dilwyn Formation, Port Campbell Limestone) |
Confined sand / limestone |
Regional supply in south-west Victoria |
| Gippsland Basin (Latrobe Group, Boisdale Formation) |
Confined sand |
Coal mine dewatering, offshore depressurisation |
| Port Phillip and Westernport basins |
Sedimentary |
Urban and peri-urban use |
| Newer Volcanics |
Fractured basalt |
Lakes, springs, GDEs |
| Highland fractured rock |
Fractured rock |
Baseflow |
3. State Data Sources
| Component |
Source |
Content |
MIKE SHE Use |
| Surface water and groundwater monitoring |
Water Measurement Information System |
Streamflow, levels, groundwater levels, water quality |
Calibration, boundaries |
| Groundwater and aquifer framework |
Visualising Victoria's Groundwater |
Bores, Victorian Aquifer Framework (VAF) 3D surfaces, salinity, GDEs |
SZ layers, initial heads |
| Water licensing and use |
Victorian Water Register |
Entitlements, allocations, trade |
Pumping and irrigation demand |
| Water policy and accounts |
Water and Catchments Victoria |
Victorian Water Accounts, groundwater management |
Water balance checks |
| Soils and land |
Victorian Resources Online |
Soil and land surveys, soil profiles |
Local UZ refinement |
| Geology |
Earth Resources Victoria (GeoVic) |
Geological maps, boreholes |
Hydrogeological layering |
| Spatial data |
DataVic |
Vicmap Elevation (LiDAR), land use (VLUIS) |
DEM refinement, land use |
| Native vegetation |
NatureKit |
Ecological Vegetation Classes (EVCs) |
Vegetation zones, rooting depth |
4. Water Management and Regulation
- groundwater is managed through Groundwater Management Areas and Water Supply Protection Areas
- rural water corporations (Goulburn-Murray Water, Southern Rural Water, GWMWater, Lower Murray Water) hold licensing and local data
- Catchment Management Authorities (CMAs) manage waterways and floodplains and are a good source of local LiDAR and flood studies
5. Modelling Notes
- import the VAF surfaces directly as SZ layer boundaries in MIKE SHE
- use GMA and WSPA boundaries as zonation and reporting units
- represent irrigation drains in the Shepparton region with the MIKE SHE drainage option
- for Latrobe Valley models, include mine dewatering as pumping boundaries
- for Murray-side models, see also the Murray-Darling Basin supplement
6. Checklist
- [ ] VAF layers downloaded and clipped
- [ ] relevant GMA / WSPA identified
- [ ] WMIS gauges and bores selected
- [ ] licensed use obtained from the rural water corporation
- [ ] CMA flood studies and LiDAR checked