MIKE SHE Public Data Catalog – State Supplement
Western Australia
Version: 0.1 test template
Purpose: State-specific data sources and hydrological context for MIKE SHE models in Western Australia
Complements: MIKE SHE Public Data Catalog – Australia (national datasets are not repeated here)
1. Hydrological Context
1.1 Climate
- Mediterranean climate in the south-west with a marked rainfall decline since the 1970s
- arid interior
- tropical Kimberley and Pilbara with summer rainfall and cyclones
1.2 Landscape
- Swan Coastal Plain with sandy soils and wetlands
- Darling Scarp and Plateau
- Wheatbelt with flat, internally draining landscapes and salt lakes
- Pilbara ranges and Kimberley plateaus
- Nullarbor Plain
1.3 Key Modelling Challenges
- declining groundwater levels in Perth's Gnangara and Jandakot mounds
- non-stationary climate in the south-west
- dryland salinity in the cleared Wheatbelt
- mining dewatering and surplus water discharge in the Pilbara
- irrigation in the Ord and Gascoyne regions
- wetlands and groundwater-dependent ecosystems on the Swan Coastal Plain
- managed aquifer recharge (Perth Groundwater Replenishment Scheme)
2. Major Aquifer Systems
| Aquifer / System |
Type |
Modelling Relevance |
| Perth Basin – Superficial aquifer |
Unconfined sand |
Shallow water table, wetlands, Gnangara and Jandakot mounds |
| Perth Basin – Leederville and Yarragadee aquifers |
Confined sand |
Perth water supply |
| Canning Basin (Broome Sandstone, Wallal Sandstone) |
Sedimentary |
Kimberley irrigation development |
| Carnarvon Basin |
Sedimentary |
Gascoyne irrigation |
| Pilbara aquifers (channel iron deposits, dolomite) |
Fractured / karstic |
Mine dewatering |
| Collie Basin |
Sedimentary |
Coal mining |
| Wheatbelt regolith and palaeochannels |
Weathered rock / palaeochannel |
Salinity |
3. State Data Sources
| Component |
Source |
Content |
MIKE SHE Use |
| Surface water and groundwater |
Water Information Reporting |
Streamflow, groundwater levels, water quality |
Calibration, boundaries |
| Water regulation and licensing |
Department of Water and Environmental Regulation |
Water Register, allocation plans, Perth Groundwater Map |
Pumping, zonation |
| Geology |
GeoVIEW.WA (GSWA) |
Geological maps, drillholes |
Hydrogeological layering |
| Soils and land |
NR Info (DPIRD) |
Soil-landscape mapping |
Local soils |
| Spatial data |
Data WA |
Land use, elevation, vegetation |
Land use, DEM refinement |
4. Water Management and Regulation
- water is managed under the Rights in Water and Irrigation Act 1914 in proclaimed areas
- groundwater allocation plans cover key areas such as Gnangara and Jandakot
- the Perth Regional Aquifer Modelling System (PRAMS) is the main regional groundwater model for Perth
- mining dewatering is regulated through licences and environmental approvals
5. Modelling Notes
- account for the south-west rainfall decline when choosing calibration and prediction periods
- the Superficial aquifer, with its shallow water table and wetlands, is well suited to fully integrated MIKE SHE models
- consider land-cover change from pine plantation removal on the Gnangara Mound
- represent Wheatbelt salt lakes and internal drainage explicitly
- use PRAMS outputs for boundary conditions in Perth-area models
6. Checklist
- [ ] relevant proclaimed area and allocation plan identified
- [ ] WIR gauges and bores selected
- [ ] PRAMS data requested where relevant
- [ ] calibration period checked for climate non-stationarity
- [ ] wetlands and GDEs identified