Recharge Estimation Collaboration / Recharge in a Changing Climate
Seven monitoring sites have been established on the Western Australian coastal plain to observe unsaturated - saturated zone dynamics and learn about recharge to the critical water supply Gnangara Aquifer system.
See https://www.wa.gov.au/government/announcements/collaboration-the-importance-of-groundwater-recharge-estimation and https://insidewater.com.au/whiteman-park-highlights-groundwater-research/ for more information.
State-of-the-art installations at seven sites
We installed equipment to monitor unsaturated and saturated zone water balance at seven sites. We combine soil moisture sensing, neutron moisture meter access tubes, wells, eddy covariance and geophysics to observe the recharge process at multiple scales and locations.
Covering a range of climate and land covers
The seven sites range from Dandaragan in the north to Myalup in the south and represent major land cover x soil type combinations on the coastal plain.
What will climate change bring?
Future work will attempt to uncover the drivers of variation in recharge across multiple sites and years to help prepare water resources managers for a future where there may be less rainfall reaching the groundwater.