Queensland Rainfall and Riverflow Reconstructions ----------------------------------------------------------------------- World Data Center for Paleoclimatology, Boulder and NOAA Paleoclimatology Program ----------------------------------------------------------------------- NOTE: PLEASE CITE CONTRIBUTORS WHEN USING THIS DATA!!!!! NAME OF DATA SET: Queensland Rainfall and Riverflow Reconstructions LAST UPDATE: 6/2007 (Original receipt by WDC Paleo) CONTRIBUTOR: Janice M. Lough, Australian Institute of Marine Science IGBP PAGES/WDCA CONTRIBUTION SERIES NUMBER: 2007-057 SUGGESTED DATA CITATION: Lough, J.M. 2007. Queensland Rainfall and Riverflow Reconstructions. IGBP PAGES/World Data Center for Paleoclimatology Data Contribution Series # 2007-057. NOAA/NCDC Paleoclimatology Program, Boulder CO, USA. ORIGINAL REFERENCE: Lough, J.M.. 2007. Tropical river flow and rainfall reconstructions from coral luminescence: Great Barrier Reef, Australia. Paleoceanography, Vol. 22, PA2218, doi:10.1029/2006PA001377. ABSTRACT: Rainfall and river flow in northeast Queensland, Australia, are highly seasonal and show high interannual and decadal variability that is modulated by El Nino-Southern Oscillation (ENSO) events and the Pacific Decadal Oscillation (PDO). Reconstructions of October-September freshwater input to the Great Barrier Reef lagoon and October-September Queensland rainfall are developed from visual assessment of the occurrence and intensity of luminescent lines in massive Porites from up to 25 coral cores from 15 nearshore reefs regularly influenced by river flood plumes. Separate reconstructions are developed for four rivers (Herbert, Burdekin, Pioneer, and Fitzroy), and these are used to reconstruct total annual freshwater flow into the Great Barrier Reef (69-74% variance calibrated) and an index of Queensland rainfall (53-57% variance calibrated). The reconstructions extend back to 1631 but are most reliable from 1661 and capture significant decadal variability. The reconstructions provide insights into long-term tropical rainfall and river flow variability and the behavior of ENSO and the PDO over several centuries. Significant, though weak, relationships are found between these reconstructions and an independent reconstruction of ENSO. The reconstructions highlight that observations from the instrumental records of high interannual and decadal rainfall and river flow variability in northeast Australia also characterize the past few centuries. Although there appears to be no overall trend toward wetter or drier conditions, the reconstructions suggest that the variability of rainfall and river flow has increased during the twentieth century with more very wet and very dry extremes than in earlier centuries, as projected for the region as a consequence of global warming. GEOGRAPHIC REGION: Great Barrier Reef, Queensland, Australia PERIOD OF RECORD: 1631-1983 AD DESCRIPTION: Reconstructed October-September freshwater river flow to Great Barrier Reef, Queensland, Australia (km3) and October-September Queensland rainfall (% of mean) from coral luminescence from 25 coral cores, 1631-1983. Great Barrier Reef, Queensland, Australia: ~17-23 South, ~146-151 East DATA: Column 1: Year = October-September, dated by January Column 2: Rainfall, % of mean Column 3: River flow, km3 Note: Instrumental values 1984-2005 Year Rainfall River flow 1631 106.09 29.62 1632 106.09 29.62 1633 87.63 14.32 1634 106.09 29.62 1635 78.4 6.67 1636 87.63 14.32 1637 106.09 29.62 1638 124.55 44.92 1639 106.09 29.62 1640 87.63 14.32 1641 87.63 14.32 1642 124.55 44.92 1643 87.63 14.32 1644 106.09 29.62 1645 87.63 14.32 1646 87.63 14.32 1647 87.63 14.32 1648 78.4 6.67 1649 124.55 44.92 1650 87.63 14.32 1651 78.4 6.67 1652 106.09 29.62 1653 87.63 14.32 1654 106.09 29.62 1655 115.32 37.27 1656 87.63 14.32 1657 87.63 14.32 1658 87.63 14.32 1659 78.4 6.67 1660 99.83 22.87 1661 99.83 22.87 1662 99.83 22.87 1663 136.27 53.96 1664 136.27 53.96 1665 87.9 14.48 1666 81.93 10.28 1667 77.29 5.66 1668 81.93 10.28 1669 87.9 14.48 1670 106.45 32.98 1671 97.17 23.73 1672 87.9 14.48 1673 97.17 23.73 1674 97.17 23.73 1675 83.26 9.85 1676 99.83 22.87 1677 118.38 41.37 1678 94.43 22.73 1679 94.43 22.73 1680 101.82 22.52 1681 87.7 14.1 1682 85.46 11.22 1683 95.9 17.09 1684 89.54 15.38 1685 108.54 31.16 1686 118.58 35.42 1687 104.06 25.4 1688 94.43 22.73 1689 100.78 24.44 1690 95.9 17.09 1691 85.46 11.22 1692 89.94 16.97 1693 85.86 12.82 1694 121.18 45.22 1695 85.46 11.22 1696 83.22 8.34 1697 105.9 26.68 1698 91.82 12.93 1699 98.1 25.29 1700 127.14 45.34 1701 89.58 10.05 1702 85.86 12.82 1703 94.06 15.81 1704 93.62 19.53 1705 93.62 19.53 1706 121.22 39.9 1707 89.94 16.97 1708 123.46 42.78 1709 89.94 16.97 1710 79.14 4.18 1711 121.18 45.22 1712 93.62 19.53 1713 104.86 28.6 1714 85.86 12.82 1715 85.46 11.22 1716 105.2 24.18 1717 113.76 34.09 1718 108.14 29.56 1719 85.46 11.22 1720 104.06 25.4 1721 89.94 16.97 1722 100.38 22.84 1723 85.86 12.82 1724 89.11 17.31 1725 106.2 27.58 1726 112.89 34.39 1727 108.46 31.67 1728 80.15 5.8 1729 93.54 20.04 1730 95.78 22.92 1731 123.32 40.26 1732 118.88 36.93 1733 112.92 36.21 1734 104 27.12 1735 99.53 21.97 1736 93.57 21.86 1737 101.78 25.45 1738 82.39 8.68 1739 115.14 37.88 1740 95.04 16.22 1741 90.58 11.67 1742 91.3 17.17 1743 89.07 14.89 1744 98.02 25.8 1745 109.94 26.63 1746 95.04 16.22 1747 93.53 19.44 1748 92.81 13.94 1749 112.91 35.61 1750 108.43 29.85 1751 92.81 13.94 1752 99.53 21.97 1753 106.22 28.79 1754 121.09 37.99 1755 108.45 31.06 1756 106.95 35.49 1757 101.74 23.03 1758 121.09 37.99 1759 112.93 36.82 1760 89.07 14.89 1761 132.29 51.77 1762 101.77 24.85 1763 106.19 26.97 1764 109.23 30.66 1765 104.69 31.41 1766 99.53 21.97 1767 90.58 11.67 1768 103.98 25.91 1769 118.1 37.33 1770 84.61 10.35 1771 93.53 19.44 1772 89.08 15.5 1773 99.51 20.76 1774 82.38 8.08 1775 84.6 9.74 1776 106.24 30 1777 100.26 19.15 1778 99.51 20.76 1779 95.76 21.71 1780 101.76 24.24 1781 69.71 1.01 1782 115.16 39.09 1783 93.57 21.86 1784 90.57 11.07 1785 102.74 25.4 1786 124.06 41.45 1787 95.19 21.75 1788 111.87 40.01 1789 94.24 18.64 1790 112.34 34.44 1791 94.73 18.22 1792 98.29 23.41 1793 93.09 19.49 1794 82.64 5.7 1795 131.41 49.04 1796 100.47 23.11 1797 106.68 27 1798 104.38 24.13 1799 83.91 8.02 1800 88.5 13.75 1801 117.61 35.8 1802 103.81 27.1 1803 105.27 30.03 1804 102.74 25.4 1805 85.38 11.52 1806 95.1 14.64 1807 92.67 17.12 1808 107.73 28.13 1809 100.82 18.95 1810 105.88 28.21 1811 116.93 40.18 1812 99.42 21.98 1813 87.93 12.72 1814 95.97 17.55 1815 101.24 27.47 1816 109.27 28.96 1817 126.27 45.54 1818 90.59 12.76 1819 105.11 33.81 1820 102.33 23.17 1821 84.8 9.78 1822 96.23 21.7 1823 89.69 11.1 1824 78.22 6.73 1825 108.84 35.11 1826 113.76 35.1 1827 80.1 5.32 1828 92.28 19.38 1829 90.9 13.35 1830 85.32 12.13 1831 118.49 37.77 1832 89.45 12.63 1833 108 27.2 1834 103.28 28.97 1835 102.22 17.75 1836 89.45 12.63 1837 94.22 20 1838 111.02 31.15 1839 87.79 9.57 1840 108.32 33.54 1841 99.41 19.98 1842 84.6 5.19 1843 85.97 10.51 1844 97.14 21.06 1845 76.68 6.55 1846 90.01 18.36 1847 106.8 32 1848 116.26 36.2 1849 89.95 18.29 1850 96.47 20.73 1851 89.67 18.23 1852 106.5 25.89 1853 68.66 2.54 1854 79.08 8.01 1855 87.57 14.45 1856 96.62 21.01 1857 119.14 37.06 1858 81.11 7.82 1859 121.92 34.42 1860 113.04 37.85 1861 88.95 12.02 1862 82.16 6.31 1863 109.32 27.75 1864 125.5 46.79 1865 80.17 10.08 1866 90.06 17.24 1867 84.39 16.35 1868 86.08 8.39 1869 79.08 4 1870 125.46 42.06 1871 76.28 5.79 1872 86.3 16.17 1873 119.1 42.28 1874 90.4 15.8 1875 102.15 26.12 1876 97.12 19.43 1877 105.75 18.58 1878 117.89 40.68 1879 110.11 31.02 1880 96.03 23.05 1881 104.85 28 1882 120 41.58 1883 85.84 15.68 1884 103.84 20.95 1885 79.9 8.43 1886 77.61 6.74 1887 119.28 36.62 1888 95.97 16.25 1889 83.85 14.29 1890 128.92 45.22 1891 126.75 47.35 1892 72.07 3.31 1893 97.8 18.87 1894 123.17 43.96 1895 116.97 43.27 1896 134.49 53.63 1897 87.26 16.65 1898 109.23 27.93 1899 113.6 34.93 1900 80.16 7.85 1901 96.52 16.46 1902 59.03 0.17 1903 96.34 18.72 1904 90.74 10.55 1905 97.48 25.35 1906 131.29 51.53 1907 80.6 6.61 1908 108.76 30.84 1909 79.66 6.01 1910 136.4 54.03 1911 139.08 56.11 1912 86.01 13.9 1913 114.16 34.3 1914 94.37 16.89 1915 76.15 8.41 1916 75.13 10.23 1917 115.48 42.06 1918 148.99 63.46 1919 78.91 4.82 1920 81.87 10.82 1921 95.55 18.3 1922 105.21 33.43 1923 67.36 1.09 1924 100.49 23.69 1925 95.99 22.42 1926 68.77 0.32 1927 109.2 39.56 1928 111.48 32.7 1929 97.52 25.3 1930 108.27 31.15 1931 72.74 5.84 1932 81.82 8.85 1933 86.05 17.27 1934 111.04 35.65 1935 76.35 6.73 1936 118.41 37.39 1937 92.92 19.64 1938 86.42 10.49 1939 91.17 12.79 1940 122.99 42.7 1941 99.75 20.21 1942 94.4 20.91 1943 108.36 28.62 1944 93.23 19.61 1945 86.06 13.38 1946 102.34 23.4 1947 103.98 32.66 1948 74.17 4.48 1949 125.35 44.13 1950 131.14 48.05 1951 108.3 36.25 1952 72.64 1.78 1953 104.5 26.43 1954 128.85 49.3 1955 133.63 52.91 1956 124.18 46.06 1957 100.35 21.82 1958 135.57 55.94 1959 112.97 35.68 1960 100.18 24.4 1961 78.01 10.37 1962 94.41 19.99 1963 111.1 32.43 1964 84.38 9.56 1965 83.97 9.5 1966 69.53 2.2 1967 89.18 13.11 1968 124.27 47.23 1969 62.42 4.43 1970 89.22 13.31 1971 133.78 49.96 1972 114.22 35.53 1973 88.62 13.71 1974 149.24 65.41 1975 99.25 22.04 1976 118.27 40.07 1977 111.81 35.84 1978 91.4 20.21 1979 131.71 49.32 1980 75.94 5.99 1981 100.24 32.12 1982 80.28 4.27 1983 109.32 36.64 1984 122.43 12.27 1985 81.84 8.07 1986 90.73 9.51 1987 86.81 3.91 1988 85.54 16.67 1989 99.09 31.28 1990 123.32 26.73 1991 105.6 76.01 1992 89.69 6.67 1993 82 8.22 1994 80.21 9.69 1995 81.01 4.06 1996 99.86 11.64 1997 92.4 20.95 1998 115.79 24.27 1999 103.62 23.84 2000 120.72 31.58 2001 111.29 22.85 2002 82.76 9.75 2003 66.53 10.15 2004 84.47 11.16 2005 80.04 10.55