eWater Source model

The eWater Source modelling platform was developed to be applied to governmental water planning and management needs. As the platform is meant to be used to inform water policy it has components that span from physical to regulatory and management. The model incorporates traditional catchment rainfall-runoff models. The river system is represented via links and nodes. Nodes are locations where water can enter, be stored, extracted, lost or measured. This means that in-stream dams are represented by nodes. Links connect nodes, transferring water between them.

Groundwater is not explicitly modelled in Source, however, the interaction between surface water in the river and underlying aquifer is modelled.

Water planning statutory model

The Queensland Government uses the Source model to support water sharing plans and to assess the impact of changes to the system (e.g., constructing infrastructure, changing water sharing rules). It is used to determine water volumes when additional entitlements are announced, as well as any associated flow conditions to meet environmental flow objectives.

The Source water model is being the prescribed assessment computer program under the Water Plan (Gulf) 2007 for the Gilbert catchment. The Department of Regional Development, Manufacturing and Water (RDMW) is the custodian of the Source model in Queensland.

Resources