Storage in south-eastern Australian catchments
- Alexander Jack Verney Buzacott
, - Willem Vervoort

Alexander Jack Verney Buzacott

The University of Sydney, The University of Sydney
Corresponding Author:alexander.buzacott@sydney.edu.au
Author ProfileWillem Vervoort

Sydney Institute of Agriculture, School of Life and Environmental Sciences, Sydney Institute of Agriculture, School of Life and Environmental Sciences
Author ProfileAbstract
The storage and subsequent release of water is a key function of
catchments and provides a buffer against meteorological and climate
extremes. While catchment storage sits at the intersection of the main
hydrological processes and largely controls them, it is difficult to
quantify due to catchment heterogeneity and the paucity of
hydrogeological data. We adopt a multi-method approach to estimate the
dynamic and extended dynamic storages using hydrometric data in 75
catchments across the south east of Australia that span across the
largest mountain range in the country. The results are compared to
hydrological and physical characteristics to determine the main controls
of catchment storage. Each of the methods produced a wide range of
storage estimates for each catchment, but estimates from each of the
methods were largely ranked consistently across the study catchments.
Consistent and robust relationships between catchment characteristics
and estimates of storage were difficult to establish, however the
results suggest that streamflow is derived from slow storage release and
long flow paths while a substantial portion of storage is reserved for
evapotranspiration. This study highlights some limitations with the
current methodology and reinforces the need to collect data that can
validate storage estimates at the catchment scale.