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A palaeoclimate proxy database for water security planning in Queensland Australia
Jacky Croke1, John Vítkovský2, Kate Hughes3
1School of Geography, University College Dublin, Belfield, Dublin, Ireland. jacky.croke@ucd.ie.
Scientific Data
|November 3, 2021
Summary
Accessing long-term climate data is crucial for water management. PalaeoWISE offers a user-friendly database of past climate proxy data to improve flood and drought preparedness.
Area of Science:
- Earth and Environmental Sciences
- Climate Science
- Hydrology
Background:
- The global water sector requires hydroclimate variability data beyond historical records to understand extreme events like floods and droughts.
- Current limitations in accessing and utilizing paleoclimate data hinder effective water infrastructure design and demand management.
- There is a need for accessible and relevant paleoclimate data to inform water resource planning.
Purpose of the Study:
- To introduce PalaeoWISE, a novel, integrated, and quality-assured database of paleoclimate proxy data.
- To facilitate user-friendly access to paleoclimate information for the water industry and security planning.
- To demonstrate the application of the PalaeoWISE database in a hydrologically extreme region.
Main Methods:
- Collating paleoclimate proxy data from diverse repositories and publications into the Linked Paleo Data (LiPD) format.
- Developing a fully integrated and quality-assured database (PalaeoWISE) for efficient data retrieval.
- Applying the PalaeoWISE database to analyze hydroclimate correlations in Queensland, Australia.
Main Results:
- PalaeoWISE provides a centralized and quality-assured repository of paleoclimate proxy data.
- The database enables efficient identification of relevant proxies for specific planning scenarios and geographic areas.
- Hydroclimate correlations derived from PalaeoWISE offer valuable insights for water resource management in Queensland.
Conclusions:
- PalaeoWISE serves as a vital resource for both scientists and water managers, enhancing the understanding of past hydroclimate variability.
- The database empowers better-informed decision-making for future climate change adaptation and water security.
- Improved access to paleoclimate data through PalaeoWISE is essential for resilient water sector planning globally.
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