April 21, 2009
The New South Wales Department of Water and Energy will undertake a new study to improve understanding of how pumping and tidal patterns in coastal sand and alluvial aquifers affect groundwater quality and dependent ecosystems.
The project will model how groundwater and the ocean interact in a number of coastal aquifers. A field program will sample groundwater quality, conduct geophysical surveys during a tidal cycle, and identify vegetation that depends on groundwater.
The results will improve understanding of coastal aquifers and how changes in groundwater quality and use can affect estuarine and marine groundwater-dependent ecosystems. Models developed will also be applied to other settings on the New South Wales coast to assist with the implementation of water-sharing plans for coastal sand and alluvial aquifer systems.
By the end of the project, New South Wales will have an improved understanding of how its estuarine and marine ecosystems depend on groundwater and where its estuarine and marine ecosystems are located.
Minister for Climate Change and Water, Senator Penny Wong, said $960,000 funding for the project comes from the National Water Commission's $82 million National Groundwater Action Plan.
The National Groundwater Action Plan aims to build knowledge and understanding of groundwater and to guide groundwater management reforms agreed by states, territories and the Commonwealth under the 2004 National Water Initiative.
Senator Wong said groundwater was a resource that often extended across state boundaries, and required integrated management right around Australia.
"But there is still a great deal to learn about groundwater, which to date has received far less attention and interest than surface water."
Source: National Water Commission web site, Web site of the Australian Federal Minister for Climate Change and Water
The New South Wales Department of Water and Energy will undertake a new study to improve understanding of how pumping and tidal patterns in coastal sand and alluvial aquifers affect groundwater quality and dependent ecosystems.
The project will model how groundwater and the ocean interact in a number of coastal aquifers. A field program will sample groundwater quality, conduct geophysical surveys during a tidal cycle, and identify vegetation that depends on groundwater.
The results will improve understanding of coastal aquifers and how changes in groundwater quality and use can affect estuarine and marine groundwater-dependent ecosystems. Models developed will also be applied to other settings on the New South Wales coast to assist with the implementation of water-sharing plans for coastal sand and alluvial aquifer systems.
By the end of the project, New South Wales will have an improved understanding of how its estuarine and marine ecosystems depend on groundwater and where its estuarine and marine ecosystems are located.
Minister for Climate Change and Water, Senator Penny Wong, said $960,000 funding for the project comes from the National Water Commission's $82 million National Groundwater Action Plan.
The National Groundwater Action Plan aims to build knowledge and understanding of groundwater and to guide groundwater management reforms agreed by states, territories and the Commonwealth under the 2004 National Water Initiative.
Senator Wong said groundwater was a resource that often extended across state boundaries, and required integrated management right around Australia.
"But there is still a great deal to learn about groundwater, which to date has received far less attention and interest than surface water."
Source: National Water Commission web site, Web site of the Australian Federal Minister for Climate Change and Water