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Annual Accounting Recorders


The annual accounting recorders are calculated and named as follows in respect to the section within the time step that they are recorded.

  • "Pre Entry" -> PreEntry When first entering the RAS Pre phase
  • "Pre Pre Triggers" -> PrePreTriggers In RAS Pre just before triggers are fired
  • "Pre Post Triggers" -> PrePostTriggers In RAS Pre just after triggers are fired
  • "Pre Exit" -> PreExit At end of RAS Pre phase, just before the Order / Demand and Flow Distribution phases
  • "Post Entry" -> PostEntry When first entering the RAS Post phase
  • "Post Pre Triggers" -> PostPreTriggers In RAS Post just before triggers are fired
  • "Post Post Triggers" -> PostPostTriggers In RAS Post just after trigger are fired
  • "Post Exit" -> PostExit _At end of RAS Post phase before the end of timestep

Note: If no time-step descriptor is provided it should be assumed that the value is from "Post Exit" as this is the historic recorder phase. The only exceptions to this are "Account Balance", "Available Water in Account Balance", "Carryover", "Available Water in Carryover" , "Available Water" and "Total Water Accounts" which are sourced from the "Post post Triggers" phase but before carryover triggers.


Account Adjustment: Sum of Account adjustment (exclude spill adjustment). It includes any changes (caused by triggers) made to account balance, such as transfer for water trade, write off account at the end of water year, adjustment for particular purpose (subtract evaporation loss) and so on. Post exit phase.  

Account Balance: Balance of an account to keep track of water available for use or trade. This account records allocation made against entitlements throughout a water year, as well as water trades and use. Post post triggers phase but before two carryover triggers.

Account Balance = account balance from end of previous time step + increased allocation - usage - adjustment by triggers

Account Balance Post Entry: Account balance in post entry phase

Account Balance Post Pre Trigger: Account balance in post pre triggers phase

Account Balance Post Trigger:  Account balance in post post triggers phase

Account Balance Pre Exit: Account balance in pre exit Phase

Total Account Balance: Total amount of account balance from all accounts. Only available at system level.

Available Water:  Sum of available water in allocation account balance and carry over account balance. Each account has two account balance, one is to record allocation balance, the other is to record allocated carryover water balance which is carried over from last water season. Not all the water in these two account balance are available for use, some water can be reserved for special purpose, such as spilling. Only available component can be used by water user. Post post triggers phase but before two carryover triggers

     If "Water Available While Spillable" is enabled, 

     Available water = Account balance + Carryover Water; which means all water in these two account balance are available for use

    Otherwise, 

    Available water = Account balance + Carryover Water - spillable Water; which means some water (spillable water component) are reserved and not available for use

Available Water Post Entry: Available water in post entry phase

Available Water Post Pre Trigger: Available water in post pre trigger phase

Available Water Post Trigger: Available water in post post trigger phase

Available Water Pre Exit: Available water in pre exit phase

Available Water in Account Balance: This is water that can be used or traded in allocation account balance (exclude non available spillable water).

Available Water in Account Balance Post Entry: Available water in account balance in post entry phase

Available Water in Account Balance Post Pre Trigger: Available water in account balance in post pre trigger phase

Available Water in Account Balance Post Trigger: Available water in account balance in post post trigger phase

Available Water in Account Balance Pre Exit: Available water in account balance in pre exit phase

Carryover: Balance of an carryover account to keep track of carry over water available for use or trade. Carryover is an arrangement that allows a water entitlement holder to take unused water allocations from previous water year into a new water year to use or trade. Post post triggers phase but before two carryover triggers

carryover = carryover balance from end of previous time step - usage - spill reduction - adjustment by triggers

Carryover Post Entry: Carryover balance in post entry phase

Carryover Post Pre Trigger: Carryover balance in post pre trigger phase

Carryover Post Trigger: Carryover balance in post post trigger phase

Carryover Pre Exit: Carryover balance in pre exit phase

Carryover Allocated: This is the water carried over from last water year and is allocated to water user in current new water year. 

Total Carryover Balance: Total amount of carryover balance from all accounts. Only available at system level.

Total Carryover allocated: Total amount of carryover allocated to all accounts. Only available at system level.

Carryover Next Year Trigger Total/Addition to Carryover End of Water Year: Water that can be carried over from allocation account balance to next water year at the end of current water year. It does not include water that has already stayed in carryover account.

Available Water in Carryover: This is water that can be used or traded in carryover account balance (exclude non available spillable water). 

Available Water in Carryover Post Entry: Available water in carryover in post entry phase

Available Water in Carryover Post Pre Trigger: Available water in carryover in post pre trigger phase

Available Water in Carryover Post Trigger: Available water in carryover in post post trigger phase

Available Water in Carryover Pre Exit: Available water in carryover in pre exit phase

Carryover Scalar: This is used to reduce carryover commitment. The product of the carryover scalar and carryover start of water year is the carryover commitment at the start of the model run for the account. The carryover scalar is reset to 0 at the beginning of each water year, and increased as resources allow the commitment to be met (in accordance with the ARA table).

Carryover Start of Water Year: Total amount of water carried over from previous water year to start of current new water year.

Total Carryover Start Of Water Year: Total amount of carryover start of water year from all accounts. Only available at system level.

Total Carryover Balance Post Trigger: Total carry over balance from all accounts in post post trigger phase. Only available at system level.

Change in Allocation: Difference in allocation volume for current time step compared to last time step. Allocation level may change after each reassessment.

Change in Allocation Percent : Difference in allocation percentage for current time step compared to last time step. 

                           Change in Allocation Percent = ( Change in Allocation / Entitlement )*100%

Effective Allocation: This is total amount (in percentage of entitlement )of water that is actually available to use or trade in a water year, including new allocations and carryover.

Effective Allocation = min (maximum effective allocation, (carryover start of water year + total allocation water year - spill reduction water year) / number of shares)

Forfeit End of Water Year:

Max Carryover Percentage: Maximum amount of water (in percentage of entitlement) that can be carried over from previous water year to a new water year.

Max Carryover Volumetric: Maximum amount of water (in Volume) that can be carried over from previous water year to a new water year.

Max WDD: Maximum amount of without debit diversion. Non-debit accounting are designed for particular river systems (Murray, Murrumbidgee, Babubula and Upper Namoi) in New South Wales. Different river system has different rules for water diversion under no- debit accounting. For more details, please go to annual accounting SRG.

Number of SharesA right to take/use/extract/have water delivered over a water year.

Off Allocation Usage Today: Off allocation water used for current time step. Off allocation water, also called "Supplementary water" is effectively surplus flow that cannot be captured (regulated) into storages. When storm events result in flow that cannot be captured in storage structure such as dams or weirs for future use, and the water is not needed to meet current demand or commitments, then it is considered surplus to requirements.Supplementary flow events can occur in any regulated system at any time and therefore access is purely opportunistic. They can be triggered overnight and last for a day or two, a month or six months or more, depending on the river system and nature of the flow event.

Off Allocation Usage Water Year: Accumulative off allocation water usage from start of water year to current time step

Order/Use Debit: Water debited from accounts for current time-step. There are two debit types available for an account type: Order debit and Use debit. The difference of order debit and use debit is debit time and recredit . For order debit, water is debited from an account the moment water requirement passed up (could before extraction if there is travel time in upstream reaches) and if there is insufficient water available when actual extraction happens, the shortfall will recredit to the account. For use debit, water is debited from an account when actual extraction happens and only the actual extracted volume is debited from account, so no recredit is needed.

Spill Reduction: Spill deducted from spillable water accounts for current time step. Spill happens when water is discharged from a storage when there is more water in supply than demand for water.  When water is spilling from a dam, spillable water account should have the same amount of water deducted. 

Account Balance Spill  Reduction: not sure this one? also 0??

Account Type Spill Volume: This is a user defined spill volume for an account typeModeler can specify spill volume from Carryover tab under account type level in annual accounting system.

Total Account Spill Reduction: Sum of spill reduction from all accounts within the RAS in the current time step, sourced from RAS Post phase after post triggers (Post Post trigger) but before Sum of spill reduction from all accounts within the RAS in the current time step, sourced from RAS Post phase after post triggers (Post Post trigger). Only available at system level.

Total  Account Spill Reduction Water Year:  Total amount of spill reduction from all accounts form start of water year to current time step. Only available at system level.

Spill reduction Priority: Priority order of spill deducted from a account type. An account type with priority of "1" will have spill deducted before an account type with priority of "2". Only available at account type level

Spill reduction water year: Accumulative spill reduction from start of water year to current time step. It keeps track of water is lost when the dam spills over the water year.

Spillable water: Any carryover or allocations above water share volume. It keeps track of any water that can be lost if the dam spills. Spillable water can not be used or traded until it is recognized as low risk of spill and spillable water will then become available. Post post triggers phase but before two carryover triggers

There are two different rules for calculation of Spillable water:

  • Total water - 100%: The calculation is made based on the state of the Water Available While Spillable checkbox:
    • If enabled, Spillable water = max(0, Total allocation water year + Carryover start of water year − 100% entitlement − Total spill reduction water year − Total usage from carryover water year); or
    • If disabled, Spillable water = max(0, Total allocation water year + Carryover start of water year − 100% entitlement − Total spill reduction water year). In this case, spillable water increases with allocation.
  • Carryover - Use: In this case, Spillable water = Carryover start of water year − Total usage carryover water year − Total spill reduction water year.

Total Spillable Water: Total amount of spillable water from all spillable accounts. Only available at system level.

Spillable Trigger: This recorder is to keep track of whether an account type is spillable or not. A value of "1" represents it is spillable, otherwise a value of "o" means it is not spillable. Only available at account type level.

Spillable Water Post Entry: Spillable water in post entry phase

Spillable Post Pre Trigger: Spillable water in post pre trigger phase

Spillable Water Post Trigger: Spillable water in post post trigger phase

Spillable Water Pre Exit: Spillable water in pre exit phase

Spillable Water Pre Post Trigger: Spillable water in pre post trigger phase

Total Account Adjustment Water Year: Accumulative accounts adjustment from start of water year to current time step.  

Total Account Adjustment: Sum of balance in all accounts' Account Balance components within the RAS in the current time step, sourced from RAS Post phase after post triggers (Post Post trigger).

Total Allocation Water Year: Total amount of water that has been allocated to an account in a water year. The allocation is made again entitlements throughout a water year.

Total Commitment This recorder is to keep track of total amount of water that can be used from start of water year to current time step. It includes the water that has already been used.

  •        For spillable water accounts:

                         Total Commitment = Minimum [(Total allocation water year + Carryover Start of Water Year - Spill Reduction Water Year – Adjustments due to triggers), Usage Cap if any]

  •       For non-spillable water accounts:

                         Total Commitment = Minimum {[ Minimum (Total allocation water year + Carryover Start of Water Year, Max Effective Allocation Water Year) – Adjustments due to triggers], Usage Cap if any}

  •       For non debit accounts
                  Total Commitment = Minimum (Total allocation water year + Carryover Start of Water Year– Adjustments due to triggers, modified effective allocation water year)

Total Usage Carryover Water Year: Accumulative usage from carryover accounts from start of water year to current time step. It keeps track of usage of carryover water over the water year

Total Usage From All Paths Water Year: Usage of water from all different sources, including normal allocation, carryover water, off allocation water and water that has been lost on the way to extraction point.

            Total Usage From All Paths Water Year = Total Usage Water Year + Off Allocation Usage Water Year + Total Distribution Loss Water Year

Total Usage Water YearAccumulative usage from both allocation accounts and carryover accounts from start of water year to current time step. Without debit water repayment is deducted from allocation accounts and it is also included in total usage water year.

Total Usage: This is usage of water from both allocation accounts and carryover accounts per each time step. Only available at system level.

Total Water accounts: Sum of remaining water from all accounts from start of water year to current time step. Only available at account types, account hosts and system level. Post post trigger phase but before two carryover triggers.

Total Water Accounts Post Pre Trigger: Total water accounts in post pre trigger phase

Total Water Accounts Post Trigger: Total water accounts in post post trigger phase

Transferred Water Use: Water usage that has been transferred to different account/account type.

Total Transferred Water Use: Total amount of transferred water use from all accounts. Only available at system level.

Truncated CarryOver: carryover that has been truncated due to total amount of allocation and carryover goes beyond the maximum effective allocation cap

                  Truncated carryover =min ( carryover balance,  max ( 0, allocation + carryover - maximum effective allocation cap) )

Total Truncated Carryover: Total amount of truncated Carryover from all accounts. Only available at system level

WDD Repaid: Accumulative repayment of without debit water usage. This recorder is to keep track of repayment of without debit water usage.This repayment is based on allocation level, adjustment to account does not affect it.

WDD Usage: Accumulative usage of without debit diversion water. It keeps track of usage of without debit water over the water year.

Mod Effective Allocation: Volumes that can be diverted without debit. This is only available for non debit accounts. Please go to annual accounting SRG for more details if required.

Percent Per Share Entitlement: This is percentage of allocation against entitlement. Only available at account type level

               Percent Per Share Entitlement =   Allocation Volume / Entitlement

Active Storage: Active volume of water stored in storages, can be allocated to water users. Dead storage is not included.

Available Resources: Total available water resources that can be allocated to water users. It can include active storage volume, forecast inflows, other resources that will be transferred into and so on. for more details, please go to annual accounting SRG.

Commitments: This is the part of resources that is needed to be set aside for other purpose, such as reserve for environmental flow or needs to be supplied to other water users. It should be subtracted from available resources.

Forecast Inflows: This is the forecast inflows that could be added to available resources for allocation reassessment. For unregulated inflow which did not flow into any storage, a recession factor is usually assigned to it before it being added to available resources.

Other Resources: This is to consider other available resources, such as transferred water, which could be added to available resources reassessment.

Carryover Total Reassessment: looks like the same as carryover start of water year??

Spill Volumes: The amount of annual accounting system spill volumes based on user defined function in the "Spill Volume" field under the RAS's "Configuration" tab. Should it be spill volume from accounts rather than decided by the function??

Emptied On Spill: Not sure??? It is different from Total Emptied, one year lag and double the value of spill volume.??? a bug??

Total Emptied: Total emptied on spill from carryover. This recorder keeps track of spill reduction that are based on method of "Emptied on Spill or Pre-Release". rename to Total emptied on spill??

Available Storage Volume: This is the storage volume that are available to be allocated to water users. Inactive volume in storage (dead storage volume) and evaporation are not included. 

Evaporation to End of Season: Total evaporation (mm) from current time step to end of water year. ( Evaporation in RAS "Configuration" tab, not the one on storage node)

Inflow to End of Season: Total inflow from current time step to end of water year (Inflow in RAS  "Configuration" tab, not the one on storage node)

Net Evaporation Volume to End of Season: Total evaporation volume (ML) from current time step to end of water year.( Evaporation in RAS "Configuration" tab, not the one on storage node)

Volume Druing Assessment: total storage active volume ( before adding inflow or subtracting evaporation ) that can be used for resource reassessment . Storage inactive volume is not included.