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Hydrogeologists have in the past made comparisons and identified possible similarities between salinisation processes operating in different catchments. However this was never done in a systematic way nor has it been well documented. The Catchment Classification project is addressing the latter by looking at similarities and differences between groundwater processes in a wide array of catchments and looking at their distribution across Australian landscapes. Catchment Classification - a two-stage approach 1. Understanding catchment groundwater and salinisation processes This understanding is generated by compilating available data to create a conceptual model of the processes. A conceptual model provides a descriptive understanding of the physical processes on which to base a numerical model. The subsequent numerical modelling informs about the response of the groundwater system to different land use scenarios. Conceptual and numerical models were developed for a number of catchments and groundwater flow systems, and provide a "salinity risk factor" for representative groundwater flow systems. 2. Transferability of understanding from well to poorly documented catchments As described in step one, an array of catchments were subjected to conceptual and numerical modelling (see the case studies section). The next step is to understand to what extent the lessons learnt about the specificities of these well documented and understood groundwater flow systems can be ported to other systems of the same type with little or no information available for modelling. Placing other catchments in the context of the case studies available, using appropriate measures or parameters, will greatly assist planning for the future care and treatment of Australia's land resources. Next Pages: Framework Products Using the Framework The Research Team Research Partnerships |
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