Contextualising the barriers limiting integration of ice core derived hydroclimate records into eastern Australian water management

Most water management strategies in Australia rely on relatively short instrumental records (∼100 years) to quantify the risk of hydroclimate extremes, such as droughts and floods. This reliance misrepresents the plausible frequency, magnitude, and duration of hydroclimate extremes, potentially leading to inadequate water management. Existing palaeorecords, such as those from ice cores with rainfall teleconnections to Australia, offer valuable extensions to short instrumental records in certain parts of Australia, yet remain underutilised. Here, semi-structured interviews with Antarctic researchers and water managers are used to investigate the barriers limiting the utilisation of ice core insights into water management. Barriers identified were Funding, Education, Communication, Computational, Conflicting Objectives, Decision-making, Attitudes, Endorsement, Politics, and Gender. Resolving these barriers is crucial for integrating ice core and other palaeorecords into water management, to better contextualise short instrumental records and prepare for future climate-driven hydroclimate extremes.