Research program to inform water security in the Lower Limestone Coast

The Limestone Coast (LC) Landscape Board, South Eastern Water Conservation and Drainage Board and Goyder Institute for Water Research are partnering to deliver a research project to support water security in the Lower Limestone Coast.

The Limestone Coast of South Australia is a highly modified landscape with an extensive cross-catchment drainage system converting what was once a wetland dominated landscape into one dominated by agricultural production. The region now has a diverse agricultural sector and extensive forestry plantations which are highly dependent on reliable rainfall and easy access to the region’s substantial groundwater resources. As climatic conditions are predicted to be drier and hotter it’s important to understand the impact on groundwater resources and consequent risks to primary production and the environment.

“As our climate dries and our water resources are increasingly contested, we need new knowledge to understand what is actually possible to build a water secure future,” said Dr Penny Schulz, Chair of the Limestone Coast Landscape Board.

The research project is delivering new knowledge on opportunities to manage water in the region. These include understanding water availability and addressing risks to primary industries and wetlands in a drying climate. Research teams from the CSIRO, Flinders University and the University of South Australia are delivering the work in five separate but inter-connected tasks: