Groundwater Investigations
The Department of Water is responsible for allocating and licensing groundwater use in Western Australia.
Water monitoring
Information we gather through water monitoring allows us to make better informed decisions by providing answers to these questions:
- Where is the water?
- How much water is there?
- What is the quality of the water?
- How much water is currently being used?
- What is the water being used for?
Collecting groundwater information
The groundwater information that we gather is used by a wide range of organisations and industries including state and federal governments, local councils, agriculture, mining, manufacturing, construction, universities as well as local communities.
By carrying out a coordinated, state-wide approach to collecting information, we are able to balance the state's water use, while also protecting important wetlands and rivers.
Investigation methods
To obtain information about the state's groundwater supplies, we carry out the following:
- Drill bores to identify ground composition.
- Collect and analyse water samples, to determine its quality and age.
- Conduct ecosystems studies, to determine if trees and wetlands are using groundwater or if they are dependent on water from rainfall.
- Commission electromagnetic or seismic surveys.
- Review decades of data contained within the department's database.
- Publish the results.
All information and data gathered is accessible at the Department of Water's Water Information Reporting portal.
Current investigations
Groundwater investigations recently or currently underway include: