Andy Baker

This week was groundwater week, and Sydney turned on the fine weather. The UNSW students had previously investigated the local geology and the soil hydrology. Now to tie it all together with an investigation of the local aquifer and groundwater hydrology.

Sydney’s Centennial Parklands is a wonderful place to do this. An old tube well was discovered when the light rail line was constructed. This was part of Sydney’s early water supply, with water sourced from groundwater fed springs and swamps.

Today’s ponds mark the location of the former swamps, and the class could also walk over ancient dunes, all part of the ancient dune and swamp system that was present.

And a permanent groundwater spring in the parklands allows the students to visualize the groundwater table reaching the land surface, and to work out why this occurs.

#earthscience #environmentalscience #groundwater #water #UNSW #GEOS1211