MIKE SHE Public Data Catalog – State Supplement¶
South Australia¶
Version: 0.1 test template
Purpose: State-specific data sources and hydrological context for MIKE SHE models in South Australia
Complements: MIKE SHE Public Data Catalog – Australia (national datasets are not repeated here)
1. Hydrological Context¶
1.1 Climate¶
- Australia's driest state
- Mediterranean climate in the south with winter-dominant rainfall
- arid north with annual rainfall below 200 mm
- wetter Mount Lofty Ranges (up to around 1,000 mm per year)
1.2 Landscape¶
- Mount Lofty and Flinders Ranges
- lower River Murray, Lower Lakes and Coorong
- flat, karstic Limestone Coast with an extensive drainage network
- Eyre and Yorke Peninsulas
- Lake Eyre Basin in the far north
1.3 Key Modelling Challenges¶
- water scarcity and high dependence on groundwater outside Adelaide
- river salinity and Salt Interception Schemes along the Murray
- water use by plantation forestry on the Limestone Coast
- very low, episodic recharge
- managed aquifer recharge of stormwater in Adelaide
- Great Artesian Basin springs and large mining extractions
2. Major Aquifer Systems¶
| Aquifer / System | Type | Modelling Relevance |
|---|---|---|
| Murray Basin (Murray Group limestone, Renmark Group) | Limestone / sand | Saline groundwater inflow to the Murray |
| Otway Basin (Gambier Limestone, Dilwyn Formation) | Karst limestone / confined sand | Irrigation, forestry, Limestone Coast |
| Great Artesian Basin (J aquifer) | Confined sandstone | Mound springs, mining supply |
| Adelaide Plains Tertiary aquifers (T1, T2) | Confined sand / limestone | Managed aquifer recharge, urban use |
| Uley South and Eyre Peninsula Quaternary limestone | Unconfined limestone | Town water supply, low recharge |
| Mount Lofty Ranges and Clare Valley | Fractured rock | Baseflow, viticulture |
| McLaren Vale | Sedimentary / fractured rock | Viticulture irrigation |
3. State Data Sources¶
| Component | Source | Content | MIKE SHE Use |
|---|---|---|---|
| Groundwater and surface water | WaterConnect | Well data, levels, salinity, drill logs, surface water data, water allocation plans, reports | Heads, calibration, zonation |
| Geology | SARIG | Geological maps, drillholes | Hydrogeological layering |
| Spatial data | Location SA Map Viewer | Soil landscapes, land use, elevation | Local soils and land use |
| Open data | Data SA | Soil, land use, vegetation datasets | Land-use and vegetation zones |
| Regional management | Landscape South Australia | Regional landscape boards, local plans | Local context, monitoring |
4. Water Management and Regulation¶
- water resources are managed under the Landscape South Australia Act 2019
- prescribed water resources are managed through Water Allocation Plans
- plantation forestry on the Limestone Coast is regulated as a water-affecting activity
- the Department for Environment and Water (DEW) and SA Water hold key operational data
5. Modelling Notes¶
- focus on episodic recharge; long simulations including wet years are required
- represent plantation forests with deep roots and high ET demand
- consider karst and preferential flow in the Gambier Limestone
- represent the Limestone Coast drains with the MIKE SHE drainage option
- for Murray-side models, see also the Murray-Darling Basin supplement
- for the far north, see also the Great Artesian Basin supplement
6. Checklist¶
- relevant Water Allocation Plan identified
- WaterConnect wells and gauges selected
- salinity data extracted where relevant
- forestry areas identified
- SARIG drillholes reviewed for layering