New knowledge will improve the Plan
The amendment of the Lower Limestone Coast Water Allocation Plan will be underpinned by new knowledge, data and science.
Water level monitoring
Trend and condition data now spans more than 30 years. There are over 500 groundwater monitoring wells across the Lower Limestone Coast. Observation well data is collected in autumn and spring. This monitoring data is made publicly available on WaterConnect.
On this map you can see the changing water levels across a 50 year period in your area.
Groundwater models
Four groundwater models will be used in the amendment process for the Lower Limestone Coast Water Allocation Plan.
Map of groundwater model areas for the Limestone Coast
Two subregional models are now publicly available:
- South Coast subregional model [PDF, 19 MB]
- Wattle Range (Mid-South East) subregional model [PDF, 66 MB]
One subregional model is complete and in the process of being finalised for publication:
- Province 2 subregional model
Development of the regional groundwater model for the unconfined and confined aquifer is continuing with completion expected towards the end of 2024.
Groundwater models will be used to inform the revision of sustainable allocation and acceptable impact. Groundwater models are able to predict groundwater level declines based on different levels of consumptive use. They will be used to inform allocations that do not cause impacts that we don’t accept.
Other new knowledge includes but is not limited to:
Extraction from bores has now been metered for 10 years with water licence holders reporting their water use annually. Forestry also report water use annually.
We have access to the dynamically downscaled projections for South Australia from the NARCliM 1.5 regional climate modelling project to apply to groundwater models. The extensive coverage of the NARCliM 1.5 modelling of South Australia enables state wide mapping of projected changes in average temperature, rainfall and extreme heat. In addition, a range of other updates have been made where new information has become available since 2020.
- In 2021 LiDAR was captured around the Naracoorte area
- In 2018 LiDAR was captured along the south east coastline
- 2007-2008 LiDAR for all of the Limestone Coast and western portion of Victoria is also available.
More information on groundwater dependent ecosystems, particularly wetlands, including:
- Reinstatement of the wetland groundwater dependent ecosystem monitoring network.
- Long term mapping of wetland inundation using Water Observations from Space (WOfS).
- Development of the Wetlands Insight Tool by Geoscience Australia to characterise wetland vegetation cover and surface water.
- South Australian Wetland Inventory Database (SAWID) updates.
- Changes in level of groundwater dependency of wetland groundwater dependent ecosystems.
- Improved understanding of water requirements for wetlands.
The Green Triangle Forest Industries Hub, funded by the Federal Government, has been undertaking research (independent of the Department for Environment and Water and the Limestone Coast Landscape Board) to improve the data that underpins the deemed rate. The research builds on work that was used to develop and underpin the current deemed rate. The Department for Environment and Water and the Limestone Coast Landscape Board is in an ongoing conversation with the Green Triangle Forest Industries Hub in regards to the research.
