Towards a National Framework for managing the impact of groundwater and surface water interaction in Australia
Prepared by Sinclair Knight Merz
February 2006
ISBN 0 642 55231 2
PDF file
About this document
Groundwater and surface waters are often connected and interchangeable resources. The capture of surface water by groundwater pumping and / or the reduction of groundwater recharge by surface water diversions can be a significant loophole in current water resource planning. This issue is recognised in the National Water Initiative and a fundamental objective has been agreed to, being “the recognition of the connectivity between surface water and groundwater resources and connected systems managed as a single resource”. Although the intent to manage the issue has been agreed to amongst those signatory States and Territories, at this stage there is no effective national process in place to implement appropriate management practices. In turn, the principles of environmental flows, and the security of supply for both surface water and groundwater users over the short and long term may be undermined.
A framework for the management of groundwater resources alongside the current surface water management systems will allow for sustainable development of water resources with positive environmental and agricultural benefits. Without this forward planning, development of water resources in many areas will be constrained such that future developments will be undertaken with little confidence that the resource will be available in the long term or accessible to all current licensed users.
The overriding objective of this Natural Heritage Trust National Competitive Component funded project is to develop a relevant and easily implemented national framework for managing the impacts of groundwater and surface water interaction (as a consequence of abstraction) that will be accepted by all States and Territories and are applicable to their institutional frameworks.
Fundamental to achieving the project objective was the involvement of the Project Steering Committee of representatives from key organisations at the Australian Government and State / Territory level. The Committee provided a regular input and review role in progressing the draft national framework, ensuring its content was directly applicable and relevant to each institutional framework.
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