Hydrogeologist Mark Hocking from Victoria and I have teamed up on various hydrogeological projects in the past few years – including surface and groundwater management for Venture Minerals Ltd’s tin, tungsten and iron ore prospects in western Tasmania. Mark’s expertise is computer groundwater modelling.

The successful presentation/discussion on 23 May at Kingborough Council south of Hobart attracted a diverse audience of 35 researchers, planners, engineers and others with an interest in how climate change will affect coasts.

Our main message was that shallow water tables in coastal areas have been neglected when predicting flood scenarios under rising sea levels and high rainfall events. Both combine to exacerbate water table rise, so that coastal inundation maps predicting the extent of flood events may need to be revised for some areas. Mark presented a predictive numeric computer model (a Tasmanian first for soft coasts) of various water table scenarios affecting the coastal aquifer at Seven Mile Beach.  See Mark’s groundwater modelling report, and my groundwater monitoring report, produced for Clarence City Council. The modelling approach can be extended to other vulnerable coasts.

Email me for a pdf of the presentation.