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