NCGRT
Project details
| Objective: |
To accelerate the assessment of Australia's groundwater resources and to harmonise definitional issues, governance and management practices. |
| Funding: |
$30 million plus applicable GST from the Australian Government. |
| Jurisdiction: |
National |
| Commenced: |
January 2008 |
| Completion: |
January 2013 |
Progress
About the project
In general, groundwater in Australia is poorly understood compared to surface water. The drought has sparked a new awareness of the critical importance of groundwater in the minds of most Australians. Although groundwater provides Australia with about 30% of its water, this hidden resource is not well understood, which poses challenges for sustainable management. In addition, the groundwater resource is under increasing pressure due to increases in extraction as a result of declining surface water stocks. Given that groundwater is nearly always connected to surface water, unless we can improve our knowledge and understanding of this key resource, we are at risk of seriously over-exploiting it. This would result in significant flow-on reductions to surface water entitlement holders and the environment in many systems.
During the drought, pressure on our groundwater resources has become more severe and the risks of the over-extraction of groundwater have increased significantly. Similarly, the risk of contamination of groundwater with saline or polluted water has also increased. However, at this stage the depth of information and knowledge about Australia's groundwater resources is limited.
The Government is funding an ambitious package of projects to accelerate the assessment of Australia's groundwater resources and to harmonise definitional issues, governance and management practices. The joint funding by the Australian Research Council ($15m) and the Australian Government Water Fund ($15m) of a National Centre for Groundwater Research and Training is aimed at developing a new generation of skilled groundwater scientists and policy makers/managers who will develop the underpinning knowledge and practices so vital to the ongoing sustainable management of our groundwater resources. Key functions of the Centre will be to train postgraduate and postdoctoral scientists in advanced hydrogeological and related technologies as well as improving knowledge of groundwater connectivity and policy and management issues confronting water managers.
Project benefits
A key outcome from this Centre will be enhanced knowledge and understanding of our national groundwater resources resulting from targeted postdoctoral and postgraduate training programs. This improved knowledge of groundwater will be made available to water managers and users and will greatly enhance the sustainable use of the resource. The outcomes of the Centre's research will inform responses to critical administrative and policy concerns, including groundwater resource assessment, over-allocation and salinity, and provide high-quality training to our future hydro-geologists, groundwater engineers and managers.
In addition to training a new generation of groundwater leaders in the field, the Centre will engender flow-on benefits to a range of groundwater users by attracting additional funding from mining and industry. The Centre will play a pivotal role in equipping Australia to deal via adaptive management strategies with the impacts of climate change on our groundwater resources.