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ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT AND WATERImage: NCGRTChampagne Springs in the Kimberley region of Western Australia: securing Australia’s groundwater future is a complex challengeand territory jurisdictions. It is a collaborative approach which aimsto capitalize on significant advances already made and providesa strategic vision for groundwater security and sustainability forfuture generations.The plan is expected to be finalized by the end of 2013 and focuseson three priority objectives: sustainable extraction and optimal use,providing investment confidence, and planning and managing nowfor the future. Following endorsement of the National GroundwaterStrategic Plan, state and territory jurisdictions will develop actions tobetter coordinate and improve groundwater management in Australia.A key element of any successful strategic planning programmeis knowledge, and that requires extensive research to build a deepunderstanding of the resource and its many variables. Due to theirunderground nature, groundwater systems are highly complex,which makes sustainable extraction regimes challenging to define.Advancing the science of modelling to better understand andpredict intricate groundwater processes is essential. While modellinghas improved considerably in Australia over the past 10years, there are many technical and policy issues still to address inorder to improve reliability and to find the right balance betweensimplicity and complexity. The development of national modellingguidelines has been an integral part of a coordinated effortto achieve leading practice in groundwater modelling. Futurepriority areas highlighted in the strategic plan include integratingmodelling frameworks to use all available data, andestablishing clear links to inform groundwater planning,policy and management.Targeted investigations and sustained monitoringare also key to understanding hydrogeology andgroundwater flow processes, as well as the connectivityof groundwater systems with other water resources.This in turn requires investment in meters, monitoringand compliance regimes which take into accountthe system’s characteristics, the level of use, potentialdemand and associated levels of risk.There is a degree of urgency in having these measuresin place quickly because demand for groundwatercontinues to increase as Australia’s population grows.Intensive mining development in Australia over the pastdecade, together with the development of new energysources and technologies, has also intensified usage andthe impacts on groundwater resources.The mining and energy sectors are heavily dependenton groundwater as a water source, particularly inarid parts of Australia. They are now also using highsalinitygroundwater through desalination, making useof resources previously considered unusable or of lowbeneficial value.[ 261 ]