During periods of low rainfall, some ecosystems rely on groundwater to support their water needs. These ecosystems can be affected when groundwater extraction causes a decline in the water table. NCGRT researchers have been working in field sites throughout Australia to examine water table depths accessed by vegetation, the magnitude of water table drawdown, and its influence on vegetation stress …

Groundwater and rivers are often connected, and groundwater can sustain river flow during periods without rainfall. Groundwater pumping can also reduce river flow. However, predicting how pumping will affect rivers requires a detailed understanding of the nature of the connection between the river and the groundwater system. NCGRT researchers have been working in Australia and internationally to understand the connection …

There are certain key datasets that are required to understand all groundwater systems. These include hydraulic conductivity, transmissivity and storage coefficients, hydraulic head distributions (including head gradients between aquifer layers, groundwater flow directions and velocities, rates and locations of recharge and discharge, and baseline salinity and water chemistry. Yet some of these characteristics can be difficult to quantify, particularly in …