Water for Industry

The prosperity of South Australia is linked to the success of water-dependent industries such as mining/energy generation, manufacturing, irrigated agriculture and viticulture, forestry, stock and domestic water supply. Policy development to support equitable and sustainable water allocation to this multitude of users requires a very good understanding of hydro-geological and hydro-ecological relationships and their responses to human activities and land-use changes.

The exploitation of new and existing mineral resources in South Australia will require water for workers and communities, and for the extraction and mining operations. This requires improved knowledge about the character and variability of groundwater resources, the sustainability of this resource and its relationship to environmental and cultural assets, particularly in the priority areas for development in South Australia (Musgraves and the north eastern and north western Gawler).

The Water for Industry Theme aims to deliver outcomes that will scientifically underpin government water strategies to ensure the continued development of ecologically sustainable, competitive productive industries in South Australia.

Water for Industry Roadmaps

I.1 Water Allocation Planning & Water Quality Improvement

Objective: Equitable water sharing in multi-use catchments ROADMAP I1 (A3 Format) (PDF 111.18 KB)

I.2 Mining and Outback Water

Objective: Water supplies for mining, industry development and communities ROADMAP I2 (A3 Format) (PDF 102.17 KB)

The indicative outcomes of the Goyder Institute’s Water for Industry Theme are as follows:

• Integrated water resources development in South Australia to support industry, indigenous and outback communities, and the environment
• A viable irrigation industry that optimises the economic and social outcomes from water use and minimises environmental impacts
• Industry and communities that are resilient to water resource impacts of climate change, variability and extreme events
• Successful implementation of water allocation planning to protect watersheds from inappropriate developments and to maintain prescribed water resources
• Water resource implications associated with industry driven land-use change are understood and management strategies developed

Photo: www.sxc.hu (Timo Balk – Vineyard)