The Connected Waters Initiative (CWI) has created a new research focus at UNSW on the interaction between groundwater and surface water. Surface waters can include rivers, lakes, irrigation supplies, stormwater runoff, oceans and estuaries. Research is in progress in a number of rural and urban environments from the coast to the semi-arid slopes and plains, mainly within NSW, Australia.

Groundwater is now recognised as a crucial asset that must be an integral part of Australia's long-term water planning. But to effectively manage this resource requires far more knowledge of sub-surface water systems than is currently available.

Because existing data is limited or non-existent, management decisions are being made using hydrogeologic conceptual models that can be grossly misleading. Addressing these major inadequacies will be the focus of National Centre for Groundwater Research and Training's research program Innovative Characterisation of Aquifers and Aquitards (Program 1).

	Latest downloadable publications Geochemical and geophysical data sampling campaign at Maules Creek - data report for 2006. Go to download page >> Investigation of surface water groundwater exchange in the Maules Creek catchment (IAH-NSW 8Sep08). Go to download page >> Recharge sources and the extent of surface water/groundwater interaction in the Namoi River catchment (IAH Toyama 2008). Go to download page >> Integrated conceptual model using a hydrochemical approach at Maules Creek (IAH Toyama 2008). Go to download page >>

The UNSW Connected Waters Initiative is undertaking this research program together with our research partners, and collaborating to contribute to several other programs of the NCGRT.

This next generation of hydrogeology will explore various new field methods and tools to gather data and build accurate 3D geological models that link hydrogeological processes. Researchers will be using various innovative techniques such as heat to trace water through complex systems.

As part of the program, a long-term environmental monitoring site and field teaching laboratory is being developed on University of New South Wales farmland on the Macquarie River. The land lies in an area of geological complexity where establishing reliable groundwater supplies is problematic. Funds from the Super Science program will be used to develop an extensive network of observation bores for NCGRT scientists.

Sub-program 1A: Linking Geological and Hydrogeological Processes

Sub-program 1B: Characterising Aquitards

Sub-program 1C: Heat as a groundwater tracer

Subprogram 1D: Characterising Fractured Rock Aquifer Sysytems using hydraulic, hydrochemical and geophysical tools

• Dr Martin Andersen , UNSW
• Dr Ross Brodie, Geoscience Australia
• Ms Jane Coram, Geoscience Australia
• Associate Professor Malcom Cox, QUT
• Associate Professor Bryce Kelly, UNSW
• Dr Andrew Love, Flinders University
• Dr Matthew McCabe, UNSW
• Dr David Mitchell, NSW Department of Primary Industries
• Dr Wendy Timms, UNSW

Some localities where projects are currently conducted by the UNSW team (click to enlarge)

1. Aquitards
2. Climate change & groundwater
3. Connectivity studies
4. Fractured rock systems
5. Geological processes in 3D
6. Groundwater dependent eco-system studies
7. Heat as a tracer
8. Design, construction and testing of 3D electrical tomography equipment
9. Surface water hydrology
10. Managed aquifer recharge in the Botany aquifer
11. Coastal zone groundwater connectivity