Murray-Darling Basin Authority partners with Optimatics

New ‘artificial intelligence' software to boost river system planning

The Murray-Darling Basin Authority is working with Adelaide firm Optimatics to adapt “artificial intelligence” software to enhance river system planning.

Executive Director of the MDBA's River Murray Water, Mr David Dreverman, said the software would be used in conjunction with the MDBA's existing BIGMOD river simulation model.

"Optimatics' software is very powerful software,” he said. “With all the challenges in the Murray system, there is growing pressure to look at variations to optimize systems and process our problems faster.

"Running BIGMOD and Optimatics' software together will allow us to significantly increase the number of options what we can consider in trying to find optimization outcomes from the river management challenges that we are working on.

Development of the new software builds on a two-year pilot project the MDBA carried out with Optimatics.

The software will help the Authority to develop the best short-term operating procedures and medium to long-term management policies for the Murray River.

Mr Dreverman said the new software should be completed and in operation by June this year.

Click here to go to the Authority's online article.

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