Australian Research Council and

National Water Commission Co-funded

National Centre for Groundwater Research and Training

(NCGRT)

A Brief Overview

Prof Craig T. Simmons

ARC/NWC National Centre for Groundwater Research and Training was launched at

Flinders University

on 22 January by the Minister for Climate Change and Water, Senator Penny Wong.

Groundwater – a critical resource

Groundwater use in Australia >30% of total consumption

NWC Groundwater Position Statement

New groundwater tools, techniques and methodologies are urgently required to understand and manage groundwater

People and the NWI - national shortage of hydrogeologists

National Centre for Groundwater Research and Training

GOAL 1: Build a high quality, integrated program of groundwater research

GOAL 2: Enhance the scale and focus of research to promote an environmentally sustainable Australia

GOAL 3: Build capacity in the Australian groundwater profession, by providing high quality post-graduate and post-doctoral training environments and other professional training activities such as short courses

GOAL 4: Establish the Centre as a point of interaction among higher education institutions, Governments, industry and the private sector

GOAL 5: Achieve national and international recognition and acclaim for its research output

Australia has world class capability in groundwater. NCGRT has brought 30 leading groundwater CI’s and PI’s (inc. an Australian Federation Fellow) together with some 20+ internationally renowned scholars to:

Presentation Outline

Centre Members

Research Programs

Research Training

Professional Training and Communication

Budget and Governance

Impact

Progress to date and next steps

Flinders University (Administering Organisation)

University of New South WalesUniversity of Queensland

Australian National UniversityCSIRO

Monash UniversityLa Trobe University

Queensland University of TechnologyUniversity of South Australia

University of Western AustraliaUniversity of Technology Sydney

Charles Sturt UniversityJames Cook University

Industry/Government Partners

Centre Research Partners

Industry / Government

State government agencies and consulting sector

Strong existing links and continuing nationwide consultation

Critical leveraging role

Links with industry projects and case studies

Field site selection, equipment and infrastructure

Research Programs

National and International Drivers

Australian Context

Hydrogeology is vitally about context and field settings.

Australian particularities:

Climate and drought

Episodicity in rainfall, water efficient vegetation, low relief

Saline groundwater

Episodic and distributed groundwater recharge

Ephemeral surface water leads to transient

surface water – groundwater interactions

Groundwater dependent ecosystems

Research Design

Internationally aware and Australia oriented

People and science

Fundamental vs applied science

Models we considered:

Geographical nodes

Climate based programs

Core groundwater technical science and all associated biophysical and social interfaces

P1. Innovative Characterisation of Aquifers and Aquitards

(leader: Prof Ian Acworth, UNSW)

Subprogram 1A: Linking Geological and Hydrogeological Processes.

Subprogram 1B: Characterising Aquitards.

Subprogram 1C: Heat as a groundwater tracer.

Subprogram 1D: Integration of hydrochemical and hydrogeological methods for analysing regional groundwater flow.

P2. Hydrodynamics and Modelling of Complex Groundwater Systems

(leader: Prof Craig Simmons, Flinders)

Subprogram 2A: Uncertainty in groundwater flow estimation. Subprogram 2B: Heterogeneity in groundwater fluids and geologic

structures. Subprogram 2C: Highly transient, spatially-distributed surface

water–groundwater interaction. Subprogram 2D: Simplicity versus complexity in groundwater

modelling.

P3. Surface Water – Groundwater Interactions

(leader: Prof Peter Cook, CSIRO/Flinders)

Subprogram 3A: Groundwater recharge from losing streams. Subprogram 3B: Groundwater discharge to gaining streams. Subprogram 3C: River – Hyporheic exchanges. Subprogram 3D: Groundwater interaction with estuarine rivers,

lakes and wetlands.

P4. Groundwater – Vegetation – Atmosphere Interactions

(leader: Prof David Lockington, UQ)

Subprogram 4A: Regional groundwater discharge through evapotranspiration.

Subprogram 4B: Impact of watertable decline on groundwater dependent vegetation (GDV).

Subprogram 4C: Effect of climate change on groundwater recharge and discharge.

P5. Integrating Socioeconomics, Policy and Decision Support

(leader: Prof Tony Jakeman, ANU)

Subprogram 5A: Integrated Assessment Modelling and Decision Support. Subprogram 5B: Farmers of the Future: How will they farm groundwater? Subprogram 5C: Policy, Institutional, Law and Governance issues. Subprogram 5D: Vulnerability, Risk, Sensitivity and Uncertainty

Issues in Integrated Management of Groundwater.

A few research highlights

Surface water – groundwater interaction –

field methods, theory and modelling approaches

Coupled 3D geological and hydrogeological modelling

Centrifuge facility for aquitard pore-water analysis

State of the art decision support modelling with a focus on groundwater issues (e.g., sustainable yield)

International Visiting Scholars Program

20+ world class scholars have agreed to work with NCGRT

Perfect hit rate

Sabbatical program supported financially by NCGRT

Links to professional and communication activities

Research Training

Capacity Building

Postdoctoral Fellows, PhD and Honours students

Hands-on technical training through research

Field based training

Lucrative NCGRT scholarships, travel/conference grants

Workshops, mentoring and professional development

Networking within a hive of active researchers, fellows, postgraduates and visiting scholars

A Research Program at a glance

5-6 3 year postdoctoral fellows

5-7 PhD scholarships @ $50K p.a. (or equivalent in APA top-up)

10-15 Honours scholarships @ $10K p.a.

2-3 new research and/or technical appointments

International Visiting Scholars Program

Equipment and maintenance for research and training

NCGRT Scale (Research)

5 programs = 5 Program Leaders (CI).

30 Senior Scientists (CI/PI).

5 NCGRT Investigators

9 new Senior Research Appointments

~30 postdoctoral fellows

~30 PhD students

~60 Honours students

>20 International Visiting Scholars

~ 120 NCGRT funded graduates / fellows

Professional Training and

Communication Programs

Professional Training

Centre for Groundwater Studies short course program

Graduate Certificate in Groundwater Hydrology (Flinders)

New “NCGRT National Groundwater Field School”

Shared research and professional training field sites

Knowledge transfer through new NCGRT specialist courses

Communication Programs

Media Engagement and Groundwater Advocacy

NCGRT Workshops and International Symposium

Professional Development and Seminar Series

Website and Centre Publications

Education and Outreach Program

Budget and

Governance

Budget (~$39M / 5yr)

5-YR EXPENDITURE ($M)

16

8

5

3

32 1.8 Research Training

Academic / Technical Positions

Equipment and Maintenance

Travel

Administration and Governance

Communication and Outreach

International Visiting Scholars

5-YR INCOME ($M)

30

8.30.8

ARC/NWC

University Partners

Industry Partners

Research Management

Committee (RMC)

NCGRT Advisory Board

Centre Executive

& Administration

Training and Outreach

Advisory

Committee (TOAC)

International Scientific

Advisory Committee

(ISAC)

Governance

NCGRT Impact –People and Knowledge

Focussed, sustained attention on groundwater through NCGRT will lead to major benefits both within and well beyond 5-year initial term:

Increased scale, focus and quality of research in Australia

Coordinated national approach to research and training

Improved groundwater tools, techniques and understanding

Urgent capacity building in support of the NWI and the profession

Enhancing links and raising awareness

Enhancing Australia’s international groundwater research reputation

Progress to date and next steps….

Revised research programs and budgets received by ARC on March 16th.

Meeting with ARC / NWC to discuss next steps, including development of Centre KPI’s, Business Plan, Strategic Plan – mid-April.

Aim is to have Heads Agreement between ARC and Flinders University in place by June 2009 (i.e., aiming for Centre to start in June 2009).

Subcontracts with 20 partner organisations (~3-6 month process).

Expect recruitment activities to commence in second half of 2009.