Using local producer knowledge as ‘soft data’ to estimate groundwater use in modelling is a helpful tool in mapping sustainable use of scarce resources, Flinders University experts say.
Environmental and water researchers from Flinders University have described the technique in a new paper published online in the Journal of Hydrology: Regional Studies.
The heavily agricultural La Vi River Basin in Vietnam was the focus of the study, forming part of a five-year project funded by the Australian Centre for International Agricultural Research.
“Groundwater use for food and industrial production is increasing globally, putting pressure on groundwater resources and associated ecosystems,” Flinders University Professor Okke Batelaan said.
“In many countries, particularly in developing regions, as well as Australia's Murray-Darling Basin, this abstraction may be poorly organised and not regularly gauged for data.”
The researchers interviewed local farmers about their land use, agricultural practices and water use and found the approach was very helpful in collecting base line information for future use, particularly when climate change or variable rainfall pose a threat to future water management.“Although often thought of as a wet, tropical climate, Vietnam's south-central coast has long dry seasons, and hence suffers from surface water shortages, similar to many parts of Australia,” Flinders University researcher Dr Margaret Shanafield said.
“Groundwater use provides a significant solution to local farmers for producing cash crops and improving livelihood.”
The researchers said the system could also be used in Australia in areas such as the northern basin where groundwater is largely unmonitored.
The study developed cost-effective simple solutions for estimating groundwater abstraction in data-poor agricultural regions.