Research Projects
The NCGRT enhances Australia's environmental, economic and social wellbeing by undertaking scientific research and training to improve our understanding of Australia's groundwater systems.
We are committed to delivering high-quality, interdisciplinary research that provides quantifiable results for Australia's scientific, industry and government communities.
Through our linkages with world-leading groundwater researchers and their organisations, we have built unsurpassed project teams to respond quickly to the most challenging groundwater research priorities.
We are currently directing collaborative interdisciplinary research that addresses some of Australia's most pressing groundwater challenges including;
Understanding the impacts of mining, unconventional gas and hydraulic fracturing on groundwater resources;
Supporting the successful implementation of the Murray-Darling Basin Plan;
Assessing the potential role that groundwater can play in underpinning the sustainable development of Northern Australia; and
Maintaining Australia's water security with a focus on tackling the challenges associated with urbanisation and climate variability.
More information on our individual research projects can be found below.
ARC Linkage: Ecohydrologic functioning of ephemeral streams
This project aims to increase understanding of how surface-groundwater interactions sustain vegetation associated with ephemeral streams.
ARC Linkage: Effects of faults and barriers on groundwater flow and solute transport
This project will address the role of faults and dykes on groundwater flow and solute transport.
Hydrogeological Assessment of the Mereenie Aquifer System in the Rocky Hill Region, Alice Springs
CRC TiME
The Cooperative Research Centre for Transformations in Mining Economies (CRC TiME) brings together over 70 leading mining and mining service companies, regional development organisations, State and Commonwealth governments and research partners.
One Basin CRC
The One Basin CRC is a focused collaboration developing policy, technical and financial solutions to support and reduce exposure to climate, water and environmental threats in the Murray-Darling Basin.
Groundwater Modelling Decision Support Initiative (GMDSI)
BHP, Rio Tinto and NCGRT are collaborating on a 3-year $3.7m project to increase industry proficiency in decision-support modelling.
Goyder Institute - Independent review of science underpinning water allocation reductions in the South East Region, South Australia
Commissioned by the South East Natural Resources Management (NRM) Board and the Institute in order to inform the implementation of the 2013 Lower Limestone Coast Water Allocation Plan (LLC WAP).
Coastal Hydrogeology - Groundwater Resources Tarawa Atoll - Kiribati
NCGRT/Flinders University Researchers are collaborating with Pacific Community (Fiji) to study the groundwater resources of Tarawa Atoll (Kiribati), including water quality issues in urban areas and the sustainability of freshwater lenses.
ARC Linkage - River Murray Freshwater Lenses
Groundwater researchers from Flinders University, Monash University and the Department for Environment and Water are investigating fresh groundwater in otherwise salty aquifers within the floodplains of the River Murray.
MDBA/NCGRT Strategic Groundwater Research Partnership
The MDBA-NCGRT Strategic Groundwater Research Partnership research program was a $2M 3 year research initiative designed to deliver important technical and scientific support for decision-making in the Murray- Darling Basin.
ARC Linkage - Milingimbi Island
This industry focused, inter-disciplinary research project aims to develop a methodology for community-led adaptive water management on resource constrained islands. It involves Indigenous communities in the development of predictive numerical groundwater
ARC Linkage - Regional hydrogeology of the Pilbara, WA
NCGRT and Rio Tinto combined their expertise in a major ARC project to understand groundwater flow and groundwater mixing processes within the Pilbara region of northwestern Australia.
Goyder Institute - G-FLOWS
Finding Long-term Outback Water Solutions. Improving our understanding of groundwater resource potential in remote, data-poor areas to support communities, industry and the environment.
Goyder Institute - Assessment of Adelaide Plains Groundwater Resources
Working to improving the quantitative characterisation of flow processes; modelling platforms; and, updating the description of groundwater flow mechanisms and current and future responses.
Unlocking the Potential for Groundwater for the Poor (UpGro)
Hidden Crisis: Unlocking the Potential for Groundwater for the Poor (UpGro) Hidden Crisis: Unravelling current failures for future success in rural groundwater supply