Extending the Coverage of the Groundwater Monitoring Network in Queensland, Australia

Significant groundwater resources exist in numerous areas around the state of Queensland, and are developed for agricultural, industrial, urban and stock or domestic purposes. Most of these areas are managed by the state government as Groundwater Management Areas under Water Resource Plans. Outside these Groundwater Management Areas, groundwater availability is either limited or is not significantly developed.  As unregulated areas become developed, risk assessments are undertaken to identify resources at risk and to introduce management arrangements that promote resource sustainability.

The state has a dedicated network of over 6000 groundwater monitoring bores.  A comprehensive review of the groundwater monitoring network was conducted in 2009 using a combination of tools including Multi-Criteria Analysis (MCA), GIS based systems and expert knowledge.  The review used an MCA process to rank GMAs and bores in order of importance.  This information was used in the review of the network resulting in the establishment of an optimum network and monitoring schedule, refined to align monitoring requirements and resource availability 

In addition a gap analysis identified deficiencies in the existing network.  This resulted in the identification of sites for proposed new monitoring bores as well as priority monitoring bores for equipping with continuous monitoring technologies.

As a result of the network review, funding has now been sourced for the construction of 228 new monitoring bores and installation of 80 new continuous loggers equipped with telemetry.  Data from these continuous loggers will be available to the public through the web in real time, enabling water users to monitor groundwater levels and improve decision making in relation to sustainable water use strategies.

This project will also significantly improve the state’s capacity to assess the groundwater component of regional water balances and accounts including the ability to develop conceptual and numerical models and to better understand surface water-groundwater interactions.