Caves: observatories of Australia’s diffuse groundwater recharge history

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dc.contributor.authorBaker, AAen_AU
dc.contributor.authorTreble, PCen_AU
dc.contributor.authorAndersen, MSen_AU
dc.contributor.authorMarkowska, Men_AU
dc.contributor.authorColeborn, Ken_AU
dc.contributor.authorFlemons, Ien_AU
dc.contributor.authorKempsey Speleological Societyen_AU
dc.date.accessioned2022-08-30T22:08:10Zen_AU
dc.date.available2022-08-30T22:08:10Zen_AU
dc.date.issued2015-11-03en_AU
dc.date.statistics2021-11-04en_AU
dc.description.abstractQuantifying the timing and extent of diffuse groundwater recharge is crucial for our understanding of groundwater recharge processes. However, diffuse recharge is notably difficult to quantify. Our novel approach is to use caves as natural observatories of the diffuse recharge process, with the aim of improving our understanding of diffuse recharge in the context of climate change and climate variability. Since 2010, funded by the NCRIS Groundwater Infrastructure project, researchers from UNSW and ANSTO have established a long-term, national monitoring program of infiltration into caves using automated loggers. Five karst regions, in semi-arid, temperate, subtropical and montane climates from southwest WA to the mid- north coast of NSW, have been instrumented with automatic infiltration loggers. Over 200 loggers (between 10 and 40 per cave) have collected data on the timing and amount of diffuse recharge, from sites of contrasting limestone geology, starting in 2010. We present empirical data on the timing and relative amounts of diffuse recharge from 2010 to present. Caves with a range of depths from 0-40m show decreasing frequency of diffuse recharge events with depth below ground surface. Event-based rainfall intensity is confirmed to be the primary driver of diffuse groundwater recharge at all fractured rock sites, whereas annual rainfall amount is the primary driver at a site with high primary porosity. Inter-annual variability in the frequency and relative amount of recharge is compared to climate forcing variables such as the ENSO and surface temperature. Groundwater recharge is via both direct (river recharge) and diffuse processes. With anthropogenic global warming, increased temperatures will increase evaporation, and will likely change ENSO patterns, both of which will affect diffuse groundwater recharge. Our cave observatory system helps improve our understanding of the diffuse recharge process and provides a baseline monitoring network during a period of climate change.en_AU
dc.identifier.citationBaker, A., Treble, P., Andersen, M., Markowska, M., Coleborn, C., Flemons, I., & Kempsey Speleological Society. (2015). Caves: observatories of Australia’s diffuse groundwater recharge history. Paper presented to the Australian Groundwater Conference, The Shine Dome Canberra, 3-5 November 2015. Retrieved from: http://groundwater.com.au/documents/conference-program_2015.pdfen_AU
dc.identifier.conferenceenddate5 November 2015en_AU
dc.identifier.conferencenameAustralian Groundwater Conferenceen_AU
dc.identifier.conferenceplaceCanberra, Australiaen_AU
dc.identifier.conferencestartdate3 November 2015en_AU
dc.identifier.urihttp://groundwater.com.au/documents/conference-program_2015.pdfen_AU
dc.identifier.urihttps://apo.ansto.gov.au/dspace/handle/10238/13685en_AU
dc.language.isoenen_AU
dc.publisherNational Centre for Groundwater Research And Trainingen_AU
dc.subjectCavesen_AU
dc.subjectAustraliaen_AU
dc.subjectWestern Australiaen_AU
dc.subjectNew South Walesen_AU
dc.subjectGroundwater rechargeen_AU
dc.subjectClimatesen_AU
dc.subjectClimatic changeen_AU
dc.subjectRain wateren_AU
dc.subjectRiversen_AU
dc.subjectGreenhouse effecten_AU
dc.titleCaves: observatories of Australia’s diffuse groundwater recharge historyen_AU
dc.typeConference Abstracten_AU
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