Northern Australia Irrigation Futures

Providing new knowledge, tools, and processes to support debate
and decision making regarding irrigation in northern Australia

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Burdekin Water Forum 2010

Burdekin Water Futures hosted a successful Burdekin Water Forum on 15 and 16 February 2010.  Leading international and national water experts joined with local stakeholders to discuss emerging trends in water resource management and challenges currently being faced in the Burdekin region.  More information and speaker's presentations.

• Burdekin Water Forum Declaration (PDF, 28 KB)

Groundwater Science Plan

To address the many issues and challenges confronting the management of water resources in the region, the BWF has developed a set of integrated priorities. In consultation with, Sinclair Knight Merz, these priorities have formed the Lower Burdekin Groundwater Science Plan, which will be used to guide the development, selection and prioritisation of research projects.

The Lower Burdekin Groundwater Science Plan is a critical document as it demonstrates a strategic and integrated approach to addressing the water resource management issues and challenges.

• Lower Burdekin Groundwater Science Plan Prospectus (PDF, 705 kB)
• Lower Burdekin Groundwater Science Plan (PDF, 1.1 MB)

Management of Groundwater in the Burdekin River Irrigation Area

A project investigating water and salt balances, surface and groundwater management and farming sustainability within the Burdekin River irrigation area has been undertaken by John Williams Scientific Services Pty Ltd.

Contracted by Canegrowers Pty Ltd, Professor John Williams and his expert team conducted investigations and undertook consultation with stakeholders of the Burdekin region with the aim to further understand the current issues and challenges, and to formulate strategies and recommendations to overcome these.

The results of these investigations appear in the following report (soon to be uploaded):

• BRIA Groundwater Project Report October 2009 (PDF, 1 MB)
• BRIA Groundwater Project Report Appendix - Document of Discovery October 2009 (PDF, 1.1 MB)

Research and Key Water Activities in the lower Burdekin

Some of the research and related activities being carried out in the lower Burdekin include:

• Improving understanding of the hydrogeochemistry of the lower Burdekin groundwater systems and implications to groundwater salinisation and the transport and fate of solutes (eg nitrates) that enter the groundwater systems
• Improving understanding of the hydrogeological settings and surface water – groundwater interactions
• Development and implementation of the Lower Burdekin Knowledge Platform
• Assessing past and existing decision-making processes in order to develop a framework for new ways to make better decisions for irrigation development proposals
• Improving understanding of the complexity, uncertainty and resilience associated with irrigation
• Understanding and managing on-farm and regional water and salt balances in Mona Park
• Modelling seawater intrusion in the Burdekin Delta aquifer
• A range of other activities are being carried out by various organisations