BRIEFING: Great Artesian Basin - the next water crisis?

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Posted: Monday 1 December 2008 (Updated Wed 3 December at 1pm AEDT)

BACKGROUND BRIEFING: The Great Artesian Basin - the next water crisis?

BRIEFING DETAILS:
DATE: Wednesday 3 December 2008
START TIME: 11am AEDT
DURATION: 40 min
VENUE: Online

As concern grows about how to share around Australia’s dwindling water supply, and how much to invest in engineering solutions like recycling and desalination, are we paying enough attention to the water we can't see?

The Great Artesian Basin (GAB) is the only source of water for inland mining, tourism and grazing in four states. It’s already heavily used, and as water sources elsewhere dry up it’s bound to become more in demand. Recently after rejecting the recycled water option, Toowoomba became the first Australian city to draw water from the GAB and experts foresee increasing pressure on the Basin.

How much do we know about the vast body of water that underlies 23% of the country? What is being done to stop it being overused and wasted? Are the competing interests of the states that share the Basin being managed properly? Should underground water be valued and included in a water market?

Join an Australian Science Media Centre background briefing online and hear three experts discuss the issue.

SPEAKERS:

	John Hillier, a consultant hydrogeologist who has just finished rewriting the Great Artesian Basin Resource Study Bio note (pdf) \| Listen to John (mp3) \| John's presentation (pdf)
	Angus Emmott, pastoralist and natural resource management expert, independent chair of the Lake Eyre Basin Community Advisory Committee Bio note (pdf) \| Listen to Angus (mp3)
	Lynn Brake, Adjunct Senior Lecturer at the School of Natural and Built Environments, University of South Australia and member of the Great Artesian Basin Coordinating Committee Listen to Lynn (mp3) \| Lynn's presentation (pdf)
	Listen to audio from the Q and A session (mp3)

Follow a recording of the full presentation by clicking here

For further information, please contact the AusSMC on 08 8207 7415 or email us.

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