evidence suggests that groundwater is likely to Hydrology make important contributions to the hydrology of some basin waterholes. Rivers in the Lake Eyre are among the most hydrologically variable in the world and are, on average, about twice as variable as in other arid zones of other continents. Streamflow is also likely to be an important source Hydrology of the Lake Eyre between 2008 and of recharge for both deep (Great Artesian Basin) 2016 was shaped by two contrasting periods: a and shallow ground waters which are ecologically mostly wet period between 2009 and 2012 and a significant because they sustain spring ecosystems predominantly dry period from 20122015. Wetter and riparian trees respectively. conditions returned to much of the Basin in 2016, and earlier (January 2015) in the Georgina, Considerable advances in understanding waterhole Macumba, Finke and Warburton catchments. hydrology have been made as a result of monitoring by the Lake Eyre Basin Rivers Assessment program Streamflow records are too short and too variable and through previous natural resource to detect any long-term changes in surface water management studies such as ARIDFLO. Patterns in hydrology (Figure 2); although given the current aquatic habitat availability can now be more relatively low level of water resource development accurately mapped in space and time due to it is considered that, for much of the Basin, the identification of relationships between waterhole surface water flow regime is in near natural surface area and volume, and their persistence condition. when flow ceases (Figure 2). Interactions between surface water and groundwater remain poorly understood. However,
Hydrology Rivers in the Lake Eyre are among the most hydrologically variable in the world and are, on average, about twice as variable as in other arid zones of other continents. Hydrology of the Lake Eyre between 2008 and 2016 was shaped by two contrasting periods: a mostly wet period between 2009 and 2012 and a predominantly dry period from 20122015. Wetter conditions returned to much of the Basin in 2016, and earlier (January 2015) in the Georgina, Macumba, Finke and Warburton catchments. Streamflow records are too short and too variable to detect any long-term changes in surface water hydrology (Figure 2); although given the current relatively low level of water resource development it is considered that, for much of the Basin, the surface water flow regime is in near natural condition. Interactions between surface water and groundwater remain poorly understood. However, evidence suggests that groundwater is likely to make important contributions to the hydrology of some basin waterholes. Streamflow is also likely to be an important source of recharge for both deep (Great Artesian Basin) and shallow ground waters which are ecologically significant because they sustain spring ecosystems and riparian trees respectively. Considerable advances in understanding waterhole hydrology have been made as a result of monitoring by the Lake Eyre Basin Rivers Assessment program and through previous natural resource management studies such as ARIDFLO. Patterns in aquatic habitat availability can now be more accurately mapped in space and time due to identification of relationships between waterhole surface area and volume, and their persistence when flow ceases (Figure 2).
state-basin-condition-assessment-2016-summary.docx