Groundwater is integral to water security and economic growth

Fabien delivered the presentation titled “Empowering the flexibility and solution efficiency of a surface water model and a groundwater model into a new integrated modelling tool.” 

The theme for the conference was Groundwater Futures: Science to Practice.  With over 300 delegates from the groundwater community across the Australasian region in attendance for the three-day event.

For Australia to reach its full productive and economic potential, it will be crucial that we build a strong scientific understanding of our groundwater resources, and the knowledge to manage them sustainably and with long-term vision.

​That was the message from Assistant Minister to the Deputy Prime Minister, Luke Hartsuyker, at the Australasian Groundwater Conference in Sydney Tuesday.

Speaking at the Conference, Minister Hartsuyker said that, while there had been good progress in understanding and managing Australia's groundwater resources, there was still more work to do to meet contemporary challenges.

"Groundwater is integral to our national water security and economic growth. It supplies more than 30 percent of our consumptive water supplies and underpins many billions in economic activity each year," Minister Hartsuyker said.

​"However, there are a number of contemporary and emerging challenges that will require rigorous groundwater science, management, and policy if we are to manage them effectively.

"For example, in managing our groundwater resources going forward, we must consider issues such as impacts of mining and unconventional gas developments; balancing competing water use from different industries and sectors; and build our knowledge of techniques, such as managed aquifer recharge with the potential to supplement surface water storages.

"It will also be important for us to consider the role of groundwater in urban and rural water security, and the potential impacts of climate variability on groundwater availability and quality.

Consequently, groundwater projects will become more and more demanding and require modelling software with greater sophisticated capabilities, than ever before.

At DHI, our focus is to provide you with the solutions, next generation tools, and training to manage projects now and into the future.