The JCRT wish to install an Automatic Weather Station (AWS) to improve both the frequency and accuracy of climate observations at Jenolan.

Due to its location and unique geographic environment, the Jenolan Caves Karst Conservation Reserve is subject to intense natural weather events. Climatic factors play a prominent role in the evolution and triggering of active slope processes.

Weather observations at Jenolan are currently recorded manually using rain gauges prior to the results being issued to the Bureau of meteorology (BoM). Both the frequency and accuracy of these readings are subject to human error. Such a system is inadequate for a public facility with such distinguished pedigree and high visitation.

An AWS system will assist the JCRT to accurately monitor weather events as they occur. Improvements to data collection will inform and calibrate existing thresholds allowing appropriate alarms to be established through dedicated trigger action response plans. These processes will allow access to high-risk areas to be managed with a higher degree of certainty than currently available.

High frequency readings will aid Jenolan caves in understanding the Intensity, Frequency and Duration (IFD) metric readings of rain fall / storm data to aid in Jenolan Caves understanding of flood modelling and slope movement triggers. Ideally the IFD data will aid in the development of Average Recurrence Interval (ARI) help Jenolan Caves predict rain fall events. This data will be able to be recorded on an online interface.