70 years of water resources recognised
For 70 years, the Northern Territory has been studying, managing and protecting its water resources.
From the first monitoring bores drilled in the 1950s to today’s satellite mapping and climate analysis, every decade has built on the last to better understand how water supports life, culture and growth across the Territory. This 70-year milestone the Department of Lands Planning and Environment has celebrated the people, projects and partnerships that have shaped our knowledge of Territory water - past, present and future.
Over the course of this year, we have reflected on each decade through our Finding the Balance newsletter.
As a grand finale, Water Resources and the NT Minister for Water Resources shared our work and celebrated our achievements with colleagues at the Australian Water Association Water in the Bush Conference in October.
The Minister for Water Resources spoke at the conference, highlighting progression of Water Resources over the years from an exploration focused team in the 1950s through to the planning and strategy focused division of today. The minister highlighted the importance of the scientific investigations undertaken by the Water Resource division to support his decision making.
Seven water resources staff presented at the 2-day conference. Our presentations showcased the diverse spectrum of work being undertaken across the Territory this year including the Adelaide River water plan, community engagement, hydro stratigraphy of the Western Davenport region, wet season flows in the Daly basin, Aboriginal water reserves and mapping groundwater dependent vegetation. Presenters also had the opportunity to answer questions - including some tricky ones in Q&A panels throughout the conference – allowing them to dive deeper into their projects.
As a sponsor of the conference, Jo Townsend, CEO DLPE spoke at the Australian Water Association awards dinner highlighting more of our history for those present. The significant expertise of current staff members, many with 10, 20 or even more than 30 years in the division was applauded. Jo also recognised many of the important past staff that made significant contributions to water in the Territory.
As we mark 70 years of Territory water science, we’re not just celebrating the past - we’re looking ahead to the next generation of discoveries that will keep our water resources healthy for the future.
Learn more about water resources over the years.
