Introduction
Groundwater sources such as Artesian Aquifers are important to human development as they provide a source of Freshwater in many areas where there is no other viable alternative. They are essentially made of layers of porous rock that holds vast amounts of water underground.
The largest and deepest of these is called the Great Artesian Basin – an underground store of over 64,500 cubic kilometres of water.
Importance
It is the only low cost method of water extraction in much of rural mainland Australia. Underlying 23% of the continent, the basin is relied on by the pastoral community and livelihood of Australian farmers.
Problems
Recently, the basin has suffered from a drastic decrease in water volume, pressure and quality.
This is because, during the early 1900s and the onset of Australia’s farming industry, groundwater extraction was under regulated and unsustainable.
Many farmers did not recognise the importance of the basin as a primary water source. Over time, many of the thousands of wells in mainland Australia have begun to leak excess amounts of water due to old age.
- In 1915, there were over 1,500 bores providing 2,000 mega litres of water per day.
Solutions
To solve this problem, The Australian government has imposed a response plan to protect the remaining water.
- Resource management partnerships have been established to accelerate change in the way water is extracted.
- Expanded infrastructure renewal programs began in 2007, repairing and removing old extraction wells.
- Management technology has also improved, with many of the existing extraction points being mapped and monitored for leaks.
Conclusion
Overall, the Australian committee argues that the plan will be a success if 50% of the water extraction is saved (from 2007 levels) and the Great Artesian basin is efficiently managed as a single water resource.
IB Geography Turtle 