The Surface Hydrology Points (Regional) dataset provides a set of related features classes to be used as the basis of the production of consistent hydrological information. This dataset contains a geometric representation of major hydrographic point elements - both natural and artificial. This dataset is the best available data supplied by Jurisdictions and aggregated by Geoscience Australia it is intended for defining hydrological features.

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Detailed geological investigations were made of two previously selected dam sites, B and A, in the Upper Cotter Valley. Site B1 is geologically suitable for the construction of a dam, but subsequent to the investigation it was found that the storage capacity of this site would be insufficient for Canberra's estimated requirements; hence the site is unlikely to receive further consideration. Site A appears suitable for the construction of a stable dam, though less suitable geologically than site B1. Five recommendations are submitted for consideration.

This study explores how differences in ionic composition of south-eastern Australian saline lake waters, caused by path differentiation according to the Eugster-Jones-Hardie models of solute evolution and halite recycling, influence species composition of ostracod faunas. Ostracod occurrences are reported as physiologically important ionic ratios set in a marine-meteoric framework, with chemical boundaries determined by mixing and evaporation models. The occurrence of halophilous ostracods coincides with changes in the ionic structure of lake waters. Chemical diversity is found to be biologically important, with most ostracods preferring a specific pathway of the Eugster-Jones-Hardie models. Path preference predominantly reflects the different tolerance ranges of species to a combination of Na⁺/H⁺, Na⁺/Ca²⁺ and alkalinity/Cl^- activity ratios, which probably govern acid-base balance and Na⁺ and CA²⁺ regulation. An Alkalinity/Cl^- activity ratio of ~-2.3 corresponds to the main division in the ostracod data and reflects the abrupt change in alkalinity/Cl^- ratios that occurs when a seawater-like solute matrix is diluted with a large amount of meteoric water (95%). Most halobiont ostracods occur in waters enriched with Na-Cl as a result of halite recycling. Evidence is presented that the same geochemical processes are relevant to other aquatic organisms (e.g. zooplankton, diatoms, insects) found in salt water.

This project was conducted by Geoscience Australia in collaboration with the Water Science Branch of the Department of Water, Western Australia, to acquire baseline information supporting the condition assessment for Hardy Inlet. The project contributes to the Estuarine Resource Condition Indicators project funded by the Strategic Reserve of the National Action Plan for Salinity and Water Quality / National Heritage Trust and forms part of the Resource Condition Monitoring endorsed under the State (Western Australia) Natural Resource Management framework. Two surveys were undertaken in Hardy Inlet in September 2007 and April 2008 with the aim to develop an understanding of the historical environmental changes and current nutrient and sediment conditions for the purpose of developing sediment indicators to characterise estuary condition.

Petascale archives of Earth observations from space (EOS) have the potential to characterise water resources at continental scales. For this data to be useful, it needs to be organised, converted from individual scenes as acquired by multiple sensors, converted into ‘analysis ready data’ and made available through high performance computing platforms. Moreover, converting this data into insights requires integration of non-EOS datasets that can provide biophysical and climatic context for EOS. Digital Earth Australia has demonstrated its ability to link EOS to rainfall and stream gauge data to provide insight into surface water dynamics during the hydrological extremes of flood and drought. This information is supporting the characterisation of groundwater resources across Australia’s north and could potentially be used to gain an understanding of the vulnerability of transport infrastructure to floods in remote, sparsely gauged regions of northern and central Australia.

We examine surface sediment and water column total nutrient and chlorophyll a concentrations for 12 estuaries with average water depths <4 m, and calculated sediment loads ranging from 0.2 to 10.8 kg m-2 year-1. Sediment total nitrogen, phosphorus and organic carbon concentrations vary inversely with sediment loads due to: (i) the influx of more mineral-rich sediment into the estuaries; and (ii) increasing sediment sulfidation. Sediment total organic carbon (TOC) : total sulfur (TS) and TS : Fe(II) ratios correlated to sediment loads because enhanced sedimentation increases burial, hence the importance of sulfate reduction in organic matter degradation. Curvilinear relationships were found between a weathering index and organic matter 13C in sediment, and sediment load. The rising phase of the curve (increasing weathering, lighter isotopic values) at low to intermediate loads relates to soil erosion, whereas regolith or bedrock erosion probably explains the declining phase of the curve (decreasing weathering, heavier isotopic values) at higher sediment loads. The pattern of change for water column total nutrients (nitrogen and phosphorus) with sediment loads is similar to that of the weathering index. Most water quality problems occur in association with soil erosion, and at sediment loads that are intermediate for the estuaries studied. Limited evidence is presented that flushing can moderate the impact of sediment loads upon the estuaries.

The Great Artesian Basin Water Resource Assessment involves a basin-scale investigation of water resources to fill knowledge gaps about the status of water resources in the basin and the potential impacts of climate change and resource development. Citation: Ransley TR and Smerdon BD (eds) (2012) Hydrostratigraphy, hydrogeology and system conceptualisation of the Great Artesian Basin. A technical report to the Australian Government from the CSIRO Great Artesian Basin Water Resource Assessment. CSIRO Water for a Healthy Country Flagship, Australia.

Fresh groundwater stored in Australian coastal aquifers constitutes an important resource for humans and the natural environment. However, many Australian coastal aquifers are vulnerable to seawater intrusion the landward encroachment of seawater into coastal aquifers. This report is one technical assessment of the National Seawater Intrusion Project, aimed at characterising current and future seawater intrusion vulnerability of Australian coastal aquifers. This report outlines the development of a typological framework to categorise coastal aquifers and assist in their assessment of vulnerability. The report includes a characterisation of the different hydrogeological and climatic settings of Australia's coastal aquifer. Using public and confidential information, simplified cross-sectional conceptual models of case study areas were developed and aquifer parameters were tabulated for 28 case study areas (CSAs). Key hydrogeological characteristics are analysed and tabulated for use in other aspects of the overall vulnerability assessment.

The AusHydro database provides a seamless surface hydrography layer for Australia at a nominal scale of 1:250,000. It consists of lines, points and polygons representing natural and man-made features such as water courses, lakes, dams and other water bodies. The natural water course layer consists of a linear network with a consistent topology of links and nodes that provide directional flow paths through the network for hydrological analysis. This network was used to produce the National 9 second Digital Elevation Model (DEM) of Australia (http://www.ga.gov.au/nmd/products/digidat/dem_9s.jsp). Surface Hydrology Dataset is an amalgamation of two primary datasets. The first is the hydrographic component of the GEODATA TOPO 250K Series 3 product released by Geoscience Australia in 2006 . The Series 3 dataset contains the following hydrographic features: canal lines, locks, rapid lines, spillways, waterfall points, bores, canal areas, flats, lakes, pondage areas, rapid areas, reservoirs, springs, watercourse areas, waterholes, water points, marine hazard areas, marine hazard points and foreshore flats.It also provides information on naming, hierarchy and perenniality. The dataset also contains Cultural and Transport features that may intersect with hydrography features. These include: Railway Tunnels, Rail Crossings, Railway Bridges, Road Tunnels, Road Bridges, Road Crossings, Water Pipelines. Refer to the GEODATA TOPO 250K Series 3 User Guide http://www.ga.gov.au/image_cache/GA8349.pdf for additonal information The second primary dataset is based on the GEODATA TOPO-250K Series 1 water course lines completed by Geoscience Australia in 1994, which has been supplemented by additional line work captured by the Australian National University during the production of the 9 second DEM to improve the representation of surface water flow. This natural watercourse dataset consists of directional flow paths and provides a direct link to the flow paths derived from the DEM. There are approximately 700,000 more line segments in this version of the data. AusHydro 1.0 uses the natural watercourse geometry from the ANU-enhanced Series 1 data, and the attributes (names, perenniality and hierarchy) associated with Series 3 to produce a fully attributed data set with topologically correct flow paths. The attributes from Series 3 were attached using spatial queries to identify common features between the 2 datasets. Additional semi-automated and manual editing was then undertaken to ensure consistent attribution along the entire network. WatercourseLines includes a unique identifier for each line segment (AusHydro-ID) which will be used to maintain the dataset, and to incorporate higher resolution datasets in the future. The AusHydro-ID will be linked to the ANUDEM-Derived (raster) streams through a common segment identifier, and ultimately to a set of National Catchments and Reporting Units (NCRU). Purpose Surface Hydrology Dataset is the reconciliation of the hydrological features in the two data sets to produce a single authoritative national stream network and water body data set suitable for hydrological analysis at national scales. It uses the natural watercourse geometry from the ANU-enhanced Series 1 data, and the attributes (names, perenniality and hierarchy) associated with Series 3 to produce a fully attributed data set with topologically correct flow paths.