Resources

Groundwater Resources - Hydrogeology

Assessment and Management of Groundwater Resources

Groundwater is a vital resource, and its importance continues to increase as available surface water resources become fully utilised, and environmental pressures restrain the development of large surface impoundments. In many arid areas groundwater is, and will remain, the only viable resource of fresh water.

Groundwater is also a fragile resource. Water currently stored in aquifers may have been recharged hundreds or even thousands of years ago, and flow rates through the subsurface may be very slow. Thus, damage caused by poorly planned exploitation or by chemical pollution may be difficult or impossible to remedy.

Hydrogeology is the science of water movement through soils and rocks. Practical application of hydrogeology requires both a thorough understanding of the natural processes of groundwater recharge, flow, and chemical evolution, and a good knowledge of the technologies available for groundwater evaluation, exploitation and protection.

Drawing on 26 years of international and Australian experience solving groundwater-related problems, C. M. Jewell & Associates Pty Ltd (CMJA) has expertise which spans the full range of services required to locate, evaluate, monitor, develop and protect groundwater. The services available from CMJA include:

Location of groundwater supplies using geomorphological, geological, photo-geological and geophysical techniques.
Groundwater resources evaluation using well and aquifer testing, groundwater modelling and hydrogeochemical techniques.
Groundwater development using boreholes, spearpoints, dug wells and infiltration galleries.
Groundwater quality monitoring.
Artificial recharge.
Groundwater contamination assessment and remediation.
Mine water management.
Investigation and management of dryland salinity problems.
Design and management of the groundwater aspects of solid and liquid waste disposal, including landfill, wastewater disposal by irrigation or infiltration, and wastewater reinjection.