The water down under
Further reading
April 2007, pages 32-34
Groundwater dreaming (by Brad Moggridge)
Explores the management of groundwater by the Australian Aborigines.
November–December 2006, page 10
Sponge offers arsenic solution
Reports on a method to remove arsenic from groundwater using iron-coated sponges.
June 2006, pages 39-41
Groundwater isn't a get out of jail free card (by Derek Eamus)
Argues that plans to extract groundwater to 'drought proof' Sydney will have widespread ecological and economic consequences.
March 2006, pages 38-41
Stormwater pollution: Is it damaging urban waterways? (by Michael Barry)
Suggests that stormwater run-off from roads could be damaging urban waterways.
August 2005, pages 22-24
New life for urban streams (by Chris Walsh)
Looks at engineering approaches to stormwater drainage and how they may benefit urban streams.
June 2006, pages 66-73
Unquenchable (by Sara Philips)
Looks at the 'water crisis' across Australia.
No. 151, 2009, pages 14-15
Addressing our groundwater crisis(by Rachel Sullivan)
Covers research into groundwater for more sustainable use.
No. 145, 2008, page 34
The underground conservation frontier (by Emily Quillinan)
Explores the need to protect biodiversity of groundwater systems.
No. 137, 2007, pages 28-30
A call for tougher groundwater management (by Max Berry)
Looks at the need for strong policy action for groundwater management.
No. 134, 2007 page 34
Seaweed trial promises inland aquaculture (by Max Berry)
Looks at the use of saline groundwater to grow seaweed.
No. 130, 2006, page 15
Rain gardens buffer Melbourne's waterways
Reports on research on 'rain gardens' that filter stormwater before it is collected for re-use.
No. 117, 2003, page 35
Enticing mat cleans up – fast (by Steve Davidson)
Describes a polymer-mat system which can be used to remove fertilisers, pesticides, industrial waste and other pollutants
from groundwater.
No. 110, 2002, pages 28-30
Water alchemy (by Steve Davidson)
Discusses the use of aquifers to store and recover urban stormwater and treated sewage effluent.
No. 107, 2001, pages 12-15
Taking water out of range (by Steve Davidson)
Looks at the benefits and problems for native plants and animals caused by the availability of water from bores.
No. 106, 2001, pages 28-31
Bubble, bubble... (by Wendy Pyper and Steve Davidson)
Discusses the threats of acid sulphate soils and soil acidification in Australia as a result of rising groundwater.
17 January 2008, page 24
‘Pac-man’ molecule chews up uranium contamination (by Paul Marks)
Investigates a molecule which could clean up groundwater contaminated with uranium.
5 August 2006, page 23
Electro-map spies salty aquifers
Looks at the use of electric currents passing through the Earth to map salt contamination in groundwater supplies.
1 July 2006, pages 30-31
Water, water everywhere, but not a drop to drink (by Julie Rehmeyer)
Looks at the use of desalination of seawater to provide freshwater.
12 May 2006, page 5
Tsunami still pollutes Sri Lankan wells
Reports that the drinking water in Sri Lanka is still contaminated with seawater, long after the tsunami.
17 December 2005, page 5
Bangladesh's arsenic woes are here to stay
Suggests that the arsenic in the wells of Bangladesh will be topped-up every rainy season.
6 August 2005, pages 28-33
Life underground, down under (by Stephanie Pain)
Reveals the creatures that live in underground water in the Australian outback.
16 April 2005, page 9
Cities may be abandoned as salt water invades (by Fred Pearce)
Describes the threat to the groundwater supplies of major cities by rising sea levels due to global warming.
5 March 2005, page 26
Gold cure for heavy industry's hangover (by Kurt Kleiner)
Reports on a cheap method to clean up a persistent pollutant in groundwater.
18 December 2004, page 17
Bug 'batteries' send out pollution alert (by Anna Gosline)
Bacterial films growing in polluted aquifers generate signals that can be used to pinpoint the source of pollution.
28 August 2004
Asian farmers sucking the continent dry (by Fred Pearce)
Warns of the potentially disastrous consequences of farmers using electric pumps to draw ever more water from underground sources.
13 March 2004, page 16
World's oldest fresh water flows beneath the Sahara's sands
Reports that the aquifer under the Sahara contains water between 200,000 and 1 million years old.
29 October 2004
Optical trap dates Egyptian water
Describes a method to date samples of water up to 1 million years old using isotopes of krypton.
September 2008, pages 24-26
Invisible water of life (by Julie Van Rossom)
Explains that a better understanding of groundwater is required to enable its sustainable use.
23 July 2008, pages 28-35
Facing the freshwater crisis (by Peter Rogers)
Discusses the increasing demands for freshwater and possible solutions.
9 November 2006
Rust could be the key to arsenic-free water
Reports on a method to remove arsenic from groundwater using nanoparticles and magnets.
August 2004, pages 70-75
Arsenic crisis in Bangladesh (by A Mushtaque and R Chowdhury)
Discusses strategies being tested in Bangladesh to prevent arsenic poisoning from contaminated groundwater supplies.
December 2005
Search for water goes underground
Reports on the use of nuclear techniques to investigate groundwater trapped beneath the Sydney basin.
Page updated January 2010.