×K11. Quantifying and managing hydroclimatic variability and change – getting maximum value from observed data, palaeoclimate records and climate models
Hydrological extremes (e.g. floods and droughts) are a recurrent and natural part of Australia’s hydroclimate. Improved understanding into the likelihood and severity of hydrological extremes is highly relevant to the decision making process, especially for determining the trade-offs between up-front investment to improve system reliability versus response-focussed investments that are triggered during or after an extreme event. Existing research has demonstrated that hydrological extremes are influenced strongly by climate variability (and change) but these influences are not yet completely understood or accounted for.
This session will focus on research into:
- How bad floods, droughts and other hydroclimatic extremes can get?
- What causes the frequency and/or magnitude of hydroclimatic extremes to change over time?
- Methods that use observed data, palaeoclimate records and/or climate models to understand and quantify how hydroclimatic variability and change affects water resources.
- The reliability of water resources infrastructure and policy given uncertain and non-stationary hydroclimatic risk.
- Adaptation strategies that reduce vulnerability to hydroclimatic variability and change and that are robust under a range of plausible futures.
Key topics: Flood, Drought, Water security, Climate variability