Townley, L.R., Turner, J.V., Nield, S.P., Barr, A.D., Wright,
K.D., Harris, C.J., and Gailitis, V. (1990), Interaction between
lakes, wetlands and aquifers: Progress between January 1989 and
February 1990, CSIRO Division of Water Resources, Consultancy
Report, 47pp.
Following approval by AWRAC in late 1988, the project started officially in
January 1989. Good progress has been made in the first year of the study,
particularly in the field, but the coming year will be the most significant
in terms of new modelling capabilities. During 1991, there will be a shift
towards management issues and direct participation in providing information
for decision making within the Water Authority and EPA.
The specific aims of the project, in a brief form, are:
to fully understand the hydrological behaviour of shallow lakes in steady and transient flow situations, by analysing the results of 2D and 3D numerical models;
to experimentally verify predictions using physical, hydrogeological, chemical and stable isotopic measurements in the field;
to calibrate 2D plan models against 3D models and develop methods of using 2D plan models in lake management; and
to investigate and make recommendations on management issues such as solute migration into lakes and artificial water level maintenance by pumping.
The first year of the study has seen the following milestones:
the visit of a Polish scientist, Dr Marek Nawalany, who provided us with a sophisticated three-dimensional modelling capability.
the completion of Simon Nield's MSc thesis at U.W.A., and the preparation of three research papers as part of this project.
significant progress towards all other modelling tasks.
drilling by the GSWA at Nowergup Lake and by CSIRO at Nowergup Lake and Lake Wattleup.
a pump test at Nowergup Lake, and a trial of artificial water level maintenance by the GSWA and the Water Authority.
successful delineation of the boundary between water which has passed through Nowergup Lake and water which has flowed beneath it.
determination of nitrate and phosphate distributions in the unsaturated zone and just below the water table, near irrigated horticnlture at Lake Wattleup.