Program 1: Innovative Characterisation of Aquifers and Aquitards

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 NCGRT's research program Innovative Characterisation of Aquifers and Aquitards.

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

Download the Program 1 outline (PDF 174KB) .

Leader

Professor Ian Acworth, UNSW

For enquiries about Program 1, email Ian Acworth

Chief and Partner Investigators

• Dr Martin Andersen , UNSW
• Dr Ross Brodie, GA
• Ms Jane Coram, GA
• Associate Professor Malcom Cox, QUT
• Associate Professor Bryce Kelly, UNSW
• Dr Andrew Love, Flinders
• Dr Matthew McCabe, UNSW
• Dr David Mitchell, NSW DPI
• Dr Wendy Timms, UNSW