Water for Australia's arid zone-identifying and assessing Australia's palaeovalley groundwater resources
Project details
| Objective: |
To improve understanding and management of groundwater resources and their connectivity with surface water. |
| Funding: |
Up to $4.935 million plus applicable GST from the Australian Government. |
| Jurisdiction: |
Multi State |
| Commenced: |
June 2008 |
| Completion: |
April 2012 |
Progress
About the project
The Australian Government is contributing funds to address the knowledge and management gap currently limiting the use of a major potential source of groundwater in much of Australia, including in drier areas which are entirely groundwater dependent. The understanding and national guidelines generated by this project will significantly improve Australia's capacity to measure groundwater resources in palaeovalleys in the most cost-effective manner and to monitor and manage the resource.
Project benefits
The project will:
- fill gaps in the groundwater resource knowledge of arid Australia
- improve methodologies in determining the groundwater resources in palaeovalley groundwater features
- evaluate the application of non-traditional groundwater evaluation methodologies against traditional methodologies to determine groundwater resources for remote communities, possible horticulture and mining activities
- develop a conceptual and spatial framework of key palaeovalley system types in arid and semi-arid regions
- develop a strategy to delineate and manage palaeovalley resources, and
- provide guidelines to state agencies, other water managers and communities for the sustainable management and use of the palaeovalley resources and associated ecosystems.
The project builds on and will work in conjunction with the Australian Government Onshore Energy Security Program being led by Geoscience Australia.