University of Western Australia
Measuring recharge of groundwater was highlighted at the first Whiteman Park Field Day for the Recharge Estimation Collaboration (REC) project.
More than 25 representatives of the Department of Water and Environmental Regulation (DWER), Whiteman Park staff and hydrological consultants joined The University of Western Australia staff and students at the day-long event on November 9.
Associate Professor Sally Thompson, from UWA’s Centre for Water and Spatial Science, said it was a great day.
“We examined state-of-the-art scientific instruments, inspected soil cores, visited the instrumented sites and ran geophysical measurements together,” Associate Professor Thompson said.
“We looked at the data being collected and heard presentations from UWA research students”
The Field Day was held to share the work of REC with DWER staff and other stakeholders. REC is a partnership between UWA, CSIRO and DWER to measure and model recharge to Perth’s aquifers. Estimates of recharge are important for managing groundwater resources sustainably.
As part of REC, UWA and DWER have established seven research sites across the 12,000km2 Swan Coastal Plain — near Dandaragan, Gingin, Gnangara, Whiteman Park and Myalup — where water movement, storage, energy, and quality through soils are observed on different land covers and land uses.
Whiteman Park, a unique conservation reserve close to the CBD, hosts two of the sites — one on native Banksia woodland and one over a pastured site.
Dr Simone Gelsinari, a Research Associate from UWA’s School of Engineering who coordinates the field sites, said the Field Day highlighted the broad range of techniques and questions that the research can address.
“For example, the Gnangara site measures recharge in areas where pine plantations have been thinned to reduce water use but also allowed to regenerate because of the importance of pine seeds as a food resource for endangered Carnaby’s black cockatoos,” Dr Gelsinari said
“Other research sites take advantage of specialised instrumentation such as the Gingin Ozflux site where water, energy and carbon dioxide transport between land and the atmosphere is measured, or strategically important areas, such as the horticultural district at Myalup, where the final REC sites will be installed in December.”