Experiencing Waterholes in an Arid Environment, with Particular Reference to the Lake Eyre Basin, Australia: a Review

Silcock, Jennifer

doi:10.1111/j.1745-5871.2010.00642.x

Cited by 6 publications

(5 citation statements)

References 15 publications

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“…The last process predominates in rainfall-limited climates. In contrast to the more widely studied surface oases that are also mostly groundwater-derived [Fitzsimmons et al, 2005;Silcock, 2010], TFLs are less detectable subterranean oases that are at least partially shielded from evaporative losses, and that coexist with saline groundwater. Figure 1 identifies large bodies (>10 9 m 3 ) of known terrestrial saline (>1000 mg/L) groundwater at depths of <500 m, as identified by the UNESCO International Groundwater Resources Assessment Centre [Van Weert et al, 2009].…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 67%

Terrestrial freshwater lenses: Unexplored subterranean oases

Laattoe

Werner

Woods

et al. 2017

Journal of Hydrology

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Freshwater lenses are lenticular bodies of fresh groundwater that develop above more saline groundwater within the same host aquifer due in part to buoyancy. In contrast to the widely studied situation of freshwater lenses in coastal aquifers, the formation, location and persistence of freshwater lenses in terrestrial settings are poorly understood. This is despite inland aquifers commonly containing saline groundwater, particularly in arid and semi-arid climates, and the local occurrences of freshwater being critical for ecosystems and human endeavour. We identify and classify known terrestrial freshwater lenses (TFLs) using four formation categories, namely topography, geology, groundwater-surface water interaction and recharge mechanisms. The resulting typology highlights the importance of buoyancy in the formation of TFLs in otherwise unlikely situations, implying that TFLs may be more prevalent than previously thought. TFLs represent some of the most vulnerable and precious freshwater resources on Earth that require considerably more research into mechanisms of formation and threats to their existence.

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Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 67%

Terrestrial freshwater lenses: Unexplored subterranean oases

Laattoe

Werner

Woods

et al. 2017

Journal of Hydrology

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“…These waterholes and channels are an important part of Aboriginal culture, having formed the center of trade and culture for millennia (Constable et al, 2015). The last 100 years have been dominated by extensive pastoralism and tourism enterprises centered on the regions' unique natural and wilderness values, in which water points still hold significant cultural value (Silcock, 2010). The capacity for these ecosystems to continue to provide these services is contingent on the maintenance of ecosystem health.…”

Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Identifying management‐driven dynamics in vegetation cover: Applying the Compere framework to Cooper Creek, Australia

et al. 2022

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The observed spatial and temporal dynamics in landscape and ecosystem resources are the net effects of natural processes and management activities. Monitoring the impact that humans have on these resources requires that these two sources of variability be partitioned, removing the natural variability to reveal variability due to management activities. Here, we present Compere, a relative benchmarking framework for monitoring the management‐driven impacts on ecosystem resources. The framework identifies locations in a region that share similar biophysical properties to a target location. Taking an attribute of interest, it then compares the value of the target location with those of all its biophysically equivalent locations, with any differences being attributed to variations in management. We provide an example application of Compere, using satellite‐derived vegetation cover data to examine the impact of hydrocarbon extraction activities on land condition (as described by vegetation cover) across the 490,000‐km2 Cooper Creek region in arid central Australia. Validation was performed by comparing land condition estimates to known disturbance patterns across the region. We found that the establishment of well sites was associated with between 12% and 41% decreases in land condition but that condition recovered to original levels by 6 years after establishment. We also found that fires had much larger and longer lasting effects on land condition across these landscapes, indicating that mining‐related activities that change fire patterns are likely to affect land condition most. Compere is a generic, flexible framework, providing a new capability for monitoring management impacts on multiple types of ecosystem resources.

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“…Ubiquitous waterholes along the main rivers ( Fig. 1.6), some permanent, are the most reliable (and iconic) natural aquatic habitats in this system, despite varying considerably in their ephemerality (Silcock 2010). They are usually 4-6 m deep, although some can be up to 25 m deep (McMahon et al 2008;.…”

Section: Booms and Busts And 'In Between' Flows Drive This 'Water Envmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…People have a strong connection to waterholes (Silcock 2010), which is manifested in increasing tourist visitation leading to pollution around waterholes and damage to vegetation through the felling of logs for camp fires and trampling of sensitive riparian groundcover plants. Livestock grazing may also contribute to some loss of plant cover, as well as increased sedimentation of waterholes, although there remains relatively little evidence of widespread change in over more than a century (Silcock et al 2013).…”

Section: Development and Other Threats To The Riversmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Lake Eyre Basin Rivers

Kingsford¹

2017

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Water is scarce in the Lake Eyre Basin in the heart of Australia. The region goes through natural cycles of boom and bust, and the flooding of the basin rivers is accompanied by spectacular responses from wildlife and vegetation. However, the Lake Eyre Basin faces the threat of diversion of water from rivers and wetlands and development of floodplains for irrigation and mining. Around the world, such water resource developments have caused widespread degradation of rivers and loss of habitats. Lake Eyre Basin Rivers outlines the environmental, social and economic values of the rivers from a diverse range of perspectives, including science, tourism, economy, engineering, policy, Traditional Owners and pastoralists. It describes the current state of the environment and the past and ongoing threats to the river systems, drawing on stories from the Murray-Darling Basin. It also provides direction for ensuring that the rivers remain free-flowing to service the environment and future generations. This book is a valuable reference for environment and government agencies, industries and policy-makers concerned with the region and will be of interest to the communities of the Lake Eyre Basin.

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Experiencing Waterholes in an Arid Environment, with Particular Reference to the Lake Eyre Basin, Australia: a Review

Cited by 6 publications

References 15 publications

Terrestrial freshwater lenses: Unexplored subterranean oases

Terrestrial freshwater lenses: Unexplored subterranean oases

Identifying management‐driven dynamics in vegetation cover: Applying the Compere framework to Cooper Creek, Australia

Lake Eyre Basin Rivers

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