How we develop and maintain water information standards
Australians need accurate and reliable water data. As the national water information provider, we:
- collect and compile water data
- make it accessible to the Australian public.
Water information standards and guidelines support community understanding, comparison and sharing of nationally consistent water information.
If you need accessible versions of any of the documents on this page, contact us to discuss your needs.
Collaborative approach
The Director of Meteorology has the power to issue National Water Information Standards under the Water Act 2007 (section 130, Part 7).
We have chosen not to issue mandatory standards under this authority. Instead, we work collaboratively with the water industry to develop and promote water information standards and guidelines.
Water Monitoring Standardisation Technical Committee
We work with experts and practitioners in water resource monitoring across Australia to develop and maintain common standards and guidelines.
One way we do this is through the Water Monitoring Standardisation Technical Committee.
This committee is accountable for governance of the National Industry guidelines. It:
- has representatives from across Australia
- meets every 6 months
- coordinates development, endorsement and adoption of guidelines and standards
- reviews guidelines and standards at least every 5 years. See Consultations on water information standards.
Hydrometric monitoring – National Industry Guidelines
This series of 11 National Industry Guidelines covers activities relating to surface water level, discharge and water quality monitoring, groundwater level and water quality monitoring and rainfall monitoring.
They contain high level guidance and targets, and present non-mandatory Australian industry recommended practice.
The Water Monitoring Standardisation Technical Committee endorsed updated guidelines in December 2018. This followed a review process, which happens every 5 years.
The committee encourages feedback from users of the National Industry Guidelines. Contact us to:
- raise issues
- make comments
- request corrections
- provide other feedback, or
- request an accessible version of any of these documents.
You'll find superseded guidelines on Trove, an archive service provided by the National Library of Australia.
Water quality metadata – National Industry Guideline
This guideline identifies the essential metadata requirements for water quality data.
It provides guidance about metadata requirements for water quality data relevant to hydrographical, laboratory and hydrologic practitioners. The guideline applies to:
- automated continuous water quality monitoring (for example, using in-situ sensors or probes)
- tests performed in the field
- grab samples sent for laboratory testing.
Organisations involved in water quality data collection and supply under the Water Regulations 2008 are encouraged to adopt this guideline.
Implementation of the guideline:
- facilitates consistent collection of water quality metadata
- improves the interoperability, quality and future usefulness of the water quality data.
The Water Monitoring Standardisation Technical Committee encourages feedback from users of the National Industry Guidelines.
Contact us to:
- raise issues
- make comments
- request corrections
- provide other feedback relating to guideline content, scope or application, or
- request an accessible version of any of these documents.
Water data collection standard
The water data transfer format (WDTF) is an XML data format for transferring water information. It was developed by the Bureau and the CSIRO.
Some data providers are required to give specified water information to the Bureau in this format.
Also see common water data file formats on our Providing your water information page.
Australian water accounting standards
These standards provide guidance to help you prepare general purpose water accounting reports.
Water accounting is a systematic process of identifying, recognising, quantifying, reporting, and assuring:
- information about water
- the rights and other claims to that water
- the obligations against that water.
These standards are captured in 3 publications. If you need an accessible version, contact us about your needs.
Flood warning infrastructure standard
Flood warning infrastructure provide rainfall and river level data.
Flood forecasting models use this data to predict water levels and flows at locations within a catchment.
This standard outlines industry-recommended requirements for flood forecasting and flood warning infrastructure. It is not mandatory. We collaborate with government and industry to develop and maintain this standard.
This standard can support decision-making across a range of disciplines, for example:
- flood risk and flood hazard managers
- flood forecasting and warning service providers
- hydrometric data infrastructure providers
- communication and network providers
- civil engineering professionals.
If you need an accessible version, contact us about your needs.
Improving Australia's flood warning infrastructure
We're delivering a 10-year program to improve flood warning infrastructure. Learn about Flood warning network upgrades.
Consultations on water information standards and guidelines
Active consultations
No documents are available for review.
License to use this content
You can use content on this page in accordance with the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International Licence.