Atlas of groundwater-dependent ecosystems
| Objective: | To identify and characterise the major terrestrial, wetland and base-flow ecosystems across Australia that are groundwater-dependent |
| Funding: |
$5, 545, 000. This consists of an initital $5,400,000 plus GST and further funding of $145,000 to allow Queensland data to be input to the project. |
| Jurisdiction: | National |
| Commencing: | March 2009 |
| Completion: | 2012 |
Progress
About the project
Australia does not have a comprehensive national inventory of groundwater-dependent ecosystems. Groundwater-dependent ecosystems (GDEs) are defined as ecosystems that have any dependence on groundwater for their survival at any time. These can include rivers and wetlands. A fundamental knowledge gap for managing GDEs has been our capacity to identify which ecosystems are dependent upon groundwater for their survival, and to what extent.
This national project will identify major GDEs across Australia. It will produce a national comprehensive geographic database inventory of groundwater-dependent ecosystems. This 'atlas' will underpin future management decisions and help protect these vulnerable environmental assets. Remote sensing technology will be used to investigate and characterise major terrestrial, wetland and base-flow ecosystems. Where possible, the atlas will include information about the groundwater sources for the GDEs inferred from hydrogeological data, limited field surveys and expert knowledge.
Project benefits
The National Water Initiative requires that consumptive use of both surface water and groundwater should be managed in an environmentally sustainable manner. Previously, this has been hampered by a lack of knowledge. A comprehensive national atlas of GDEs across Australia will provide water managers with vital information about the ecological requirements of the groundwater systems they deal with.