Reconstructing annual inflows to the headwater catchments of the Murray River, Australia, using the Pacific Decadal Oscillation

H A McGowan; Samuel K Marx; J Denholm; J Soderholm; B S Kamber

doi:10.1029/2008GL037049

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Reconstructing annual inflows to the headwater catchments of the Murray River, Australia, using the Pacific Decadal Oscillation

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Reconstructing annual inflows to the headwater catchments of the Murray River, Australia, using the Pacific Decadal Oscillation

H A McGowan, Samuel K Marx, J Denholm, J Soderholm and B S Kamber

Geophysical Research Letters, Vol.36, L06707

2009

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1029/2008GL037049

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Abstract

Physical Geography and Environmental Geoscience

Geophysics

Pacific Decadal Oscillation

hydroclimatology

Murray River

Australia

The Pacific Decadal Oscillation (PDO) is a major forcing of inter-decadal to quasi-centennial variability of the hydroclimatology of the Pacific Basin. Its effects are most pronounced in the extra-tropical regions, while it modulates the El Niño Southern Oscillation (ENSO), the largest forcing of global inter-annual climate variability. Palaeo-PDO indices are now available for at least the past 500 years. Here we show that the >500 year PDO index of Shen et al. (2006) is highly correlated with inflows to the headwaters of Australia's longest river system, the Murray-Darling. We then use the PDO to reconstruct annual inflows to the Murray River back to A.D. 1474. These show penta-decadal and quasi-centennial cycles of low inflows and a possible 500 year cycle of much greater inflow variability. Superimposed on this is the likely influence of recent anthropogenic global warming. We believe this may explain the exceptionally low inflows of the past decade, the lowest of the previous 529 years.

Details

Title: Reconstructing annual inflows to the headwater catchments of the Murray River, Australia, using the Pacific Decadal Oscillation
Authors: H A McGowan (Author) - University of Queensland
Samuel K Marx (Author) - University of Queensland
J Denholm (Author) - University of Queensland
J Soderholm (Author) - University of Queensland
B S Kamber (Author) - Laurentian University, Canada
Publication details: Geophysical Research Letters, Vol.36, L06707; 5
Publisher: American Geophysical Union
Date published: 2009
DOI: 10.1029/2008GL037049
ISSN: 0094-8276
Organisation Unit: University of the Sunshine Coast, Queensland
Language: English
Record Identifier: 99449680502621
Output Type: Journal article

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Collaboration types: Domestic collaboration; International collaboration
Web Of Science research areas: Geosciences, Multidisciplinary

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