The National Centre for Groundwater Research and Training (NCGRT) has secured access to international water research organisation DHI’s state-of-the-art modelling and research tools for groundwater and integrated catchment hydrology.
Modelling the complex interaction between groundwater and surface water requires advanced technology and is vital to projects such as the Murray-Darling Basin Plan.
In Australia this interaction has been identified by scientists as one of the key areas in water resources planning where knowledge and management gaps exist.
NCGRT director Craig Simmons said he was thrilled the DHI was making such a significant investment in the future of Australian groundwater research.
“DHI modelling software will play a critical role in helping the Centre's researchers understand and predict groundwater behaviour and the interactions with surface water,” he said.
“This knowledge will help us protect and manage Australia's vital groundwater resources."
The agreement will give Australian researchers access to three major tools:
Feflow, a simulation model for subsurface flow and transport processes; Mike She, a simulation model for the entire land based phase of the hydrological cycle; and Mike 11, a computer program that simulates water flow, quality and sediment-levels in rivers.
The estimated value of the software agreement is in excess of $3 m in license fees and software maintenance over five years.
The DHI is an independent, not-for-profit consulting and research organisation.
Stefan Szylkarski, managing director of DHI in Australia said collaboration between leading training and research organisations such as the NCGRT and DHI will lead to improvement of the Australian water resources sector.
“We are proud to have this collaboration with NCGRT and assist them in their mandate to raise the national standards in groundwater management,” he said.
The news comes in the same week as research by the CSIRO found that excessive groundwater use represents a greater threat to nearby rivers and streams during dry periods (low flows) than previously thought.
