Teacher Earth Science Education Programme
Teacher Earth Science Education Programme
PARTNERS
PRINCIPAL
PLATINUM
GOLD
Teacher Earth Science Education Programme
Teacher Earth Science Education Programme
PARTNERS
SILVER
BRONZE
• The Australian National University

• Department of Primary Industries, Vic
• Earth Science Western Australia




• Pitney Bowes Business Insight


• PowerWorks


• Queensland Resources Council


• Rob Kirk Consultants
• The University of Sydney
• The University of Tasmania








Anglo Coal
Australian Nuclear Science and Technology
Organisation
CS Energy
Department of Sustainability and Environment, Vic
Essential Petroleum
Flinders University
Gordon Wakelin King
Great Artesian Basin Coordinating Committee
Hot Dry Rocks
Macquarie University
Sandy Menpes
Monash Energy
Museum Victoria
Our Water Our Future, Vic
Petroleum Geo-Services
Primary Industries and Resources SA
Stanwell Corporation
Velseis
ZeroGen
Teacher Earth Science Education Programme
Teacher Earth Science Education Programme
Wet Rocks –
Learning about Groundwater
Presenter Name
Partner Organisations
TESEP Position
Co-presenter Name
Organisation
TESEP Position
Teacher Earth Science Education Programme
Wet Rocks
• Overview of groundwater
• Basics of groundwater
• Management of groundwater resources
• Management as an integrated resource with
surface water
• Management of groundwater as a hazard
Teacher Earth Science Education Programme
Overview of the Groundwater
Resource
Teacher Earth Science Education Programme
World Groundwater Resources
Source: http://www.whymap.org
Teacher Earth Science Education Programme
Importance of Groundwater
to Australia
Groundwater as a % of total water use (2000)
Groundwater Use by Type
Rural (18%)
63%
Other (1%)
72%
37%
35%
Urban /
Industrial (29%)
Irrigation
(52%)
10%
11%
21% of total Australian use
4%
7%
Groundwater Use 4986 GL
Surface Water Use 19109 GL
Total Volume
24095 GL
Source: Google Maps
National Land And Water Resources Audit (2000)
Teacher Earth Science Education Programme
Groundwater Dynamics
Flow time: Hours to years
Flow time: Years to millennia
Teacher Earth Science Education Programme
How does groundwater flow?
• Are there “underground rivers”?
• How does water flow through rock and soil?
• Does groundwater flow “downhill”?
• How long does it take for groundwater to flow?
• How do you get it out?
Teacher Earth Science Education Programme
Porosity and Permeability
Porosity = the gaps between
the soil and rock particles
Permeability = how well the
gaps are connected to allow
water to move between them
Teacher Earth Science Education Programme
Flowing water underground
“Contours” of the
groundwater surface
“Gradient” of the
groundwater surface
3m
2.5m3m
3m
2m
1.5m
1m
1m
“Head” elevation
“Block” View
Bores measure the head
elevation at specific points
2m
“Map” View
Groundwater flows from the higher “head” to the
lower “head” – the hydraulic head of the system.
Teacher Earth Science Education Programme
Aquifers and Aquitards
Aquifer: A layer of soil or rock that has relatively
higher porosity and permeability than the
surrounding layers, enabling usable
quantities of water to be extracted.
Aquitard: A layer of soil or rock that has relatively lower
porosity and/or permeability than the
surrounding layers, limiting the movement of
groundwater through it and the capacity to
extract useable quantities of water.
Teacher Earth Science Education Programme
Confined and Unconfined
Aquifers
Unconfined: Surface
of the groundwater
(the watertable) is at
the same pressure as
the atmosphere.
Confined: The “surface” of
the groundwater is constrained
by an aquitard. It is under
pressure. If the aquifer is
tapped, the water level will rise
up in response to the pressure.
The distribution of pressure is
called the potentiometric
surface.
Confined zone
Teacher Earth Science Education Programme
Multi-Aquifer Systems
Source: Groundwater Notes, Department of Sustainability and Environment, Victoria http://www.ourwater.vic.gov.au
Teacher Earth Science Education Programme
Scale of groundwater systems
• Local systems – recharge and discharge areas within 5km of each other
• Intermediate system – recharge and discharge areas within 50km of each
other
• Regional system - recharge and discharge areas grater than 50km of
each other
Teacher Earth Science Education Programme
Groundwater Dynamics –
Unconfined Aquifers
Water entering the soil
Water used from the soil
Soil storage
(unsaturated zone)
Recharge
Change in saturated
zone storage
Aquifer through-flow
Groundwater Pumping
Teacher Earth Science Education Programme
Groundwater System Dynamics –
Unconfined Aquifer
• waterways
• flooding
• water supply
• irrigation
Plant use
Soil
Evaporation
Pumping
Discharge to
the
Environment
Out-flow
• land-use
Rainfall
Infiltration
Recharge
In-flow
Teacher Earth Science Education Programme
Rainfall variability
Cumulative rainfall residual
1880
1900
1920
Falling
trend
-1500
1940
1960
Rising
trend
1980
2000
Falling
trend
Teacher Earth Science Education Programme
Ability to predict what is
climate change
Teacher Earth Science Education Programme
Landuse impacts on recharge
Recharge for six soils and Landuses
1.8
1.6
Total recharge (Ml/ha/yr)
1.4
1
Sandy Loam, Light Clay over Fractured Rock; Basalt, Rhyolite, Rhyodacite, Ignimbrite
2
Loam over Fractured Rock
3
Sandy Loam, Light Clay over Sedimentary; Silt, Alluvium
4
Loamy Sand, Medium Clay over Sedimentary; Silt, Alluvium
5
Loamy Sand, Medium Clay over Sedimentary; Sand
6
Sandy Loam, Light Clay over Sedimentary; Clay, Aeolian / Evaporates, Mudstone/Marl/ Laterite
1.2
1
1
2
3
0.8
4
0.6
5
6
0.4
0.2
0
-0.2
AnnualPasture
Crop
PerennialPasture
NativeForest
Landuse
Plantation
Woodland
Teacher Earth Science Education Programme
Unsaturated Zone Storage
Soil Moisture
Depth
Teacher Earth Science Education Programme
Significance of climate variability
on recharge
0.50
0.45
0.40
ML/yr
0.35
1998 to
2008
comparison
0.30
0.25
0.20
0.15
0.10
0.05
0.00
10% Rainfall
40
2500
20% of
high
rainfall
35
Frequency
Recharge, 5%
/ 20%, last 10
years
5% of Rainfall,
with 20% of
high rainfall
50
45
Recharge,
0%, 20%
30
25
20
1500
1000
5% of Rainfall
15
2000
10
500
5
0
0
100-200mm
200-300mm
300-400mm
400-500mm
500-600mm
600-700mm
>700mm
Recharge (mm)
Recharge
Recharge 5% Recharge, 5%
10% of rainfall
of rainfall
/ 20%
Teacher Earth Science Education Programme
Groundwater Dynamics –
Unconfined Aquifers
Water entering the soil
Water used from the soil
Soil storage
(unsaturated zone)
Recharge
Change in saturated
zone storage
Aquifer through-flow
Groundwater Pumping
Teacher Earth Science Education Programme
Groundwater Pumping
Takes water from storage by
reducing level or pressure.
Changes flow patterns
Changes recharge / discharge
relationships
Teacher Earth Science Education Programme
Environment as a water user
• waterways
• flooding
• water supply
• irrigation
Plant use
Soil
Evaporation
• land-use
Pumping
Rainfall
Infiltration
Discharge to
the
Environment
Out-flow
Recharge
In-flow
Teacher Earth Science Education Programme
Groundwater Dependent
Ecosystems
Teacher Earth Science Education Programme
Groundwater and Waterways
Gaining during low flow, losing
during high flow.
Connected losing stream
Disconnected stream
Source: http://www.connectedwater.gov.au/processes
Teacher Earth Science Education Programme
Groundwater use affects
surface water and environment
Teacher Earth Science Education Programme
Groundwater/surface water
“connectivity”
Example: Goulburn Broken catchment
“Losing streams” –
surface water recharging
groundwater
“Gaining streams” –
groundwater base flow to
surface water
Seasonally variable
Not connected
Source: CSIRO Sustainable Yields Project
http://www.csiro.au/files/files/pkgb.pdf
Teacher Earth Science Education Programme
Groundwater / surface water
interaction
Teacher Earth Science Education Programme
Groundwater Management
Basics
Rainfall
Water entering the soil
Water used from the soil
Soil storage
(unsaturated zone)
Recharge
Change in saturated
zone storage
(groundwater levels)
Aquifer through-flow
Discharge (waterways,
ocean, land)
Land use (forest,
agriculture, urban)
Groundwater
Pumping
Teacher Earth Science Education Programme
Managing groundwater –
as a resource
• Sustainable yield is inherently intergenerational
because it implies resource use in ways that are
compatible with maintaining them for future
generations.
• Proposed National definition (2002):
”The groundwater extraction regime, measured
over a specified planning timeframe, that allows
acceptable levels of stress and protects the higher
value uses that have a dependency on the water.”
Teacher Earth Science Education Programme
Sustainable Yield – a dynamic
concept
• Sustainability and SY are dynamic concepts that
will continue to be refined
• The challenge is to turn the principles of
sustainability and groundwater sustainable yield
into achievable policies and then practice.
• Science alone cannot choose the correct
interpretations for society but any interpretation
must be based on sound hydrologic analysis
and understanding, and community
involvement.
Teacher Earth Science Education Programme
Sustainable yield for an aquifer
Recharge
A
B
A
Hydraulic Properties
What are the elements of defining SY?
• Annual aggregate abstraction volume
• provision for groundwater dependent
ecosystems
• time element
• social/economic aspects
B
Teacher Earth Science Education Programme
Sustainable yield (cont)
A
B
Discharge
Volume
Leakage impacts
on water quality
Well
hydraulics
Teacher Earth Science Education Programme
Wetland / Waterway Protection
Recharge
A
B
A
Management
zone
Hydraulic
Properties
B
Teacher Earth Science Education Programme
Dryland salinity management
(a) Prior to development
(b) With clearing and development
a
Note: Historical “salt” refers to
concentrated solute
b
Impact:
• 2.5MHa of cultivated land (5%)
affected by salinity
• 5.7MHa has immediate potential
to be affected by salinity
Teacher Earth Science Education Programme
Salinity in a catchment
A
Hydraulic
Properties
Recharge B
B
A
Trade off in land-use can affect
viability of the land and adjacent areas
Requires LARGE SCALE CONTROLS
eg dewatering and interceptor
networks, evaporation basins, stream
regulation
Teacher Earth Science Education Programme
Managing groundwater for
construction
Dewatering bores
Mine or Building
Basement /
Foundation
Watertable reduced
for stability and to
provide safe operating
conditions
In-pit pump
Teacher Earth Science Education Programme
Saline intrusion into
fresh aquifers
Saline lake or
the sea
Sea / lake
level
Teacher Earth Science Education Programme
Key management principles…
• Regardless of the key issue for management, the
same key elements of the water cycle apply – it is
how you use them to achieve your objective that
differs.
• Groundwater systems are complex natural systems –
the response to your management action is not
always what you may expect. Always think of the
range of potential outcomes.
• Scale matters – there is a much greater likelihood of
interacting with local systems in observable
timeframes than with a regional system.
Teacher Earth Science Education Programme
Threats of pollution on
groundwater
The many sources
of contamination to
groundwater
Teacher Earth Science Education Programme
Point Source and Diffuse
Sources
• Point source (localised) eg.
• Leaking tanks
• Spills
• Landfills
• Tar pits
• Diffuse source
• Agricultural chemical application (fertilizers / pesticides)
• Large scale mining
Teacher Earth Science Education Programme
Point source
Type
Source
Contaminants
Industry
Manufacturing sites,
refining sites, gasworks
Organic compounds, heavy
metals
Waste disposal
Landfills
Heavy metals, organic
compounds, BOD1, COD2,
nutrients
Septic tanks
Commercial
Petrol stations
Dry cleaners
1: BOD - biological oxygen demand
2: COD – chemical oxygen demand
Petroleum hydrocarbons,
chlorinated hydrocarbons
Teacher Earth Science Education Programme
Diffuse sources
Type
Source
Contaminants
Agriculture
Intensive agriculture,
irrigation
Pesticides, nutrients
(fertilizers)
Large scale facilities
Defence sites, firing
ranges, water
treatment plants
Organic compounds,
heavy metals, dioxins
Large scale mining
Tailings
Heavy metals
Teacher Earth Science Education Programme
A complex picture...
Teacher Earth Science Education Programme
Advective processes,
concentrations – single point source
Single point source
t1
t2
t3
1
C
C0
C
C0
C
C0
t1
0
1
t2
0
1
t3
0
Distance (x)
Teacher Earth Science Education Programme
Concentrations – continuous
point source
Continuous point source
t1
1
t2
At t2
C
C0
0
Distance
(x)
Distance (x)
t3
Teacher Earth Science Education Programme
Dispersivity is a
function of the
porous media
Longitudinal
Mechanical Dispersion
Transverse
Teacher Earth Science Education Programme
Dispersion of the solute
Longitudinal (l)
At t2
Results in spreading
of the front
1
C
C0
0
Distance (x)
Transverse (t)
Continuous point source
Teacher Earth Science Education Programme
Dispersion effect
Instantaneous point source
t1
t2
t3
1
C
C0
C
C0
C
C0
t1
0
1
t2
0
1
t3
0
Distance (x)
Teacher Earth Science Education Programme
Reactions in solute transport
• Initial assumption for advection – dispersion
equation is that the porous media and the solute
are non-reactive
• However, in reality, the solute often interacts with
the porous media, other components of the pore
water and / or undergoes decay
• Main processes are decay / degradation and
retardation
Teacher Earth Science Education Programme
Degradation and daughter
products
Cp
Cd
Time or Distance
Assumes a first order kinetic reaction, in that the solute is lost
to the pore water through the decay or degradation (ie only
deals with the loss term)
Teacher Earth Science Education Programme
Biodegradation
• Where biological processes aid the breakdown
of contaminants
• Rate specific to:
• Bacterial population
• Nutrient / substrate availability
• Solution chemistry (redox, pH)
• Co-metabolites / toxins
• Temperature
• Laboratory determined
Teacher Earth Science Education Programme
Retardation
Taken from “In-situ” presentation on “Groundwater Contamination and remediation
Teacher Earth Science Education Programme
Effects in the field....
From Fetter, 1999, Contaminant Hydrogeology
Teacher Earth Science Education Programme
Effects in the field (cont.)
Chloride
Carbon Tetrachloride
Perchloroethene
Teacher Earth Science Education Programme
Contamination Summary
• Generally a legacy issue.
• Can be from localised “point sources” or
distributed over large areas (“diffuse source”).
• Once in the ground, interact with the material they
are passing through.
• Main processes affecting the concentration in the
groundwater are advection, dispersion,
degradation / decay and retardation.
Teacher Earth Science Education Programme
Contributions
• Prepared by Chris McAuley, Principal Hydrogeologist,
Department of Sustainability and Environment, Victoria.
• Support figures sourced from:
• Lectures given by Chris McAuley
• TESEP teaching package developed by Louse Goldie
Divko (Department of Primary Industries, Victoria),
Megan Bourke (independent education consultant)
and Philomena Manifold (independent consultant)
• Referenced sources
Teacher Earth Science Education Programme
Teacher Earth Science Education Programme
PARTNERS
PRINCIPAL
($30,000+)
PLATINUM
($20,000+)
GOLD
($10,000+)
Teacher Earth Science Education Programme
Teacher Earth Science Education Programme
PARTNERS
SILVER
BRONZE
• The Australian National University

• Department of Primary Industries, Vic
• Earth Science Western Australia




• Pitney Bowes Business Insight


• PowerWorks


• Queensland Resources Council


• Rob Kirk Consultants
• The University of Sydney









Anglo Coal
Australian Nuclear Science and Technology
Organisation
CS Energy
Department of Sustainability and Environment, Vic
Essential Petroleum
Flinders University
Gordon Wakelin King
Great Artesian Basin Coordinating Committee
Hot Dry Rocks
Macquarie University
Sandy Menpes
Monash Energy
Museum Victoria
Our Water Our Future, Vic
Petroleum Geo-Services
Primary Industries and Resources SA
Stanwell Corporation
University of Tasmania
Velseis
ZeroGen
Teacher Earth Science Education Programme
Geoscience Pathways
TESEP uses this fabulous website to distribute materials
www.geosciencepathways.org.au
Teacher Earth Science Education Programme
Please partner!
• TESEP will only succeed in the long term if
we continue to grow our partnerships
• Contact either
– Executive Officer, Greg McNamara
• eo@tesep.org.au
– Chairperson, Jill Stevens
• cp@tesep.org.au
to discuss the options
Teacher Earth Science Education Programme
Partners
TESEP wishes to thank the following partners
PRINCIPAL
PLATINUM
GOLD
Teacher Earth Science Education Programme
Partners
SILVER
BRONZE
• The Australian National University

• Department of Primary Industries, Vic
• Earth Science Western Australia




• Pitney Bowes Business Insight


• PowerWorks


• Queensland Resources Council


• Rob Kirk Consultants
• The University of Sydney
• University of Tasmania








Anglo Coal
Australian Nuclear Science and Technology
Organisation
CS Energy
Department of Sustainability and Environment, Vic
Essential Petroleum
Flinders University
Gordon Wakelin King
Great Artesian Basin Coordinating Committee
Hot Dry Rocks
Macquarie University
Sandy Menpes
Monash Energy
Museum Victoria
Our Water Our Future, Vic
Petroleum Geo-Services
Primary Industries and Resources SA
Stanwell Corporation
Velseis
ZeroGen
Teacher Earth Science Education Programme
TESEP
Also wishes to thank:

Australian Geoscience Council

Australasian Institute of Mining and Metallurgy

Geoscience Australia

Minerals Council Australia
Teacher Earth Science Education Programme
Thank you