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Gippsland Basin water modelling products

The Victorian government delivered the following Gippsland Basin bioregion water modelling products as part of the Bioregional Assessment Program.

1.5 Current water accounts and water quality for the Gippsland Basin bioregion

This product provides baseline water account and water quality information that informs subsequent products in the Gippsland Basin bioregional assessment. The water accounts include information about groundwater stores, flows, licensed volumes and use. This product also provides information about groundwater quality based on historical salinity mapping and groundwater sampling undertaken for this assessment.

2.1-2.2 Observations analysis, statistical analysis and interpolation for the Gippsland Basin bioregion

The observations analysis, statistical analysis and interpolation product for the Gippsland Basin bioregion describes the information necessary to better understand and model the areas where coal resource development is possible. The product presents information about the bioregion's geography, geology, hydrogeology and groundwater quality, and surface water hydrology.

In addition, the product describes the nature, variation and uncertainty for datasets, and also provides advice on data gaps.

2.3 Conceptual modelling for the Gippsland Basin bioregion

This product describes the conceptual models for the Gippsland Basin bioregion. Conceptual models are simplified representations of complex systems. The product summarises key system components, processes and interactions for the geology, hydrogeology and surface water of the bioregion.

The approach taken in the Gippsland Basin bioregion used existing state-based resources and knowledge of geological, surface water and groundwater conceptual models, in particular, The Gippsland Groundwater model (Beverly et. al., 2015) developed for the Victorian onshore gas investigations undertaken in 2014-15. The approach was also informed by conceptual understandings developed for the suite of Gippsland Basin supporting knowledge projects.

2.5 Water balance assessment for the Gippsland Basin bioregion

This product uses results from groundwater numerical modelling (product 2.6.2) as well as data based on current water accounts (product 1.5) to assess how water balances might be different as a result of coal resource development in the Gippsland Basin bioregion for three time periods: 2013 to 2042, 2043 to 2072; and 2073 to 2102.

Water balances are reported for the two potential futures considered in a bioregional assessment:

  • baseline coal resource development (baseline): a future that includes all coal mines and coal seam gas fields that were commercially producing as at December 2012
  • coal resource development pathway (CRDP): a future that includes all coal mines and coal seam gas fields that are in the baseline as well as those that were expected to begin commercial production after December 2012.

This product reports water balance variations between the CRDP and baseline conditions.

2.6.2 Groundwater numerical modelling for the Gippsland Basin bioregion

The product presents the modelling of groundwater quantity and availability within the Gippsland Basin bioregion. It describes the modelling undertaken, results for hydrological response variables identified in the conceptual model (product 2.3), connections with surface water and limitations of the analysis.

The bioregional assessment of the Gippsland Basin was based on results derived using a combination of a detailed multi-layered regional groundwater model and a catchment runoff model. This modelling approach was similar to the methodology adopted for the onshore natural gas water science study commissioned by the Victorian Department of Environment, Land, Water and Planning.

Datasets used in the Gippsland water modelling products

The following document lists the datasets used in the Gippsland Basin bioregion water modelling products. It includes links to the Australian Government's public data information service www.data.gov.au. Publicly released datasets can be downloaded from this external site.

Datasets used in Gippsland water modelling products [PDF, 186KB]

Last updated:
11 December 2018
Assessments