Limnology study

Limnology is the study of the physical properties of lakes and other fresh-water bodies.

The SCA is currently developing a limnological model of its storages to understand and assess the fate of contaminants. The model will initially be applied to Lake Burragorang and Prospect Reservoir, but will be general enough to be applied to any other storages in the SCA network.

This model will enable the SCA to operate the water supply system so that the best quality water is identified, extracted and delivered under all conditions.

Early warning system

The limnological computer model will provide an early warning system for contamination threats. The SCA will be able to accurately forecast contamination threats to Lake Burragorang and Prospect Reservoir - up to ten days in advance, depending on the type of contamination and where it is.

Real-time data from automated sensors in the catchment and dam will be beamed via satellites to a central database and fed into the 'virtual' computer model of the storage system.

The SCA will then be able to use the predictions so that water is drawn from supply locations unaffected by contamination.

Data collection

The accuracy of the limnological model is dependent in part on having reliable scientific data. The SCA has been gathering this data since its inception in 1999, and now has sufficient and reliable scientific data to form the foundations for the limnological study.

Additional scientific information will continue to be collected, standardised and integrated into the system - and the system will undergo a robust regime of testing, interrogation and corroboration.