How Australia’s Millennium drought induced hydrological shifts

Abstract

Hydrological shifts, or changes in the ratio between rainfall and runoff caused by multi-year drought may largely impact urban water supply, agriculture, environment and hydropower generation. A thorough understanding and robust modelling of the hydrological response to multi-year drought are essential for developing water management strategies. Research so far has managed to establish where and when shifts take place, but convincing explanations about underlying processes are still lacking in many cases. There are still many open questions, such as the limited information on historical multi-year drought, insufficient observations of all components relevant for the catchment water balance and modelling ability in highly variable climates.