CSIRO Norfolk Island Water Resource Assessment (NIWRA) update

Upcoming groundwater and surface water sampling

CSIRO scientists Jo Vanderzalm and Sharon Currie are visiting Norfolk Island between 23 and 30 May, to continue CSIRO’s important research on the island’s water resources.

During this time, the CSIRO visitors will be working with the island-based project team to collect samples of groundwater and surface water. This sampling is part of CSIRO’s water quality study, which also includes monthly marine water quality monitoring, undertaken by the island-based project team.

Groundwater samples will be collected from about 19 bores, including the 10 new monitoring bores which were installed in the Kingston area in February to assess groundwater flux and quality in the localised calcarenite aquifer as well as its connectivity to the underlying basaltic bedrock aquifers and the ocean.

Surface water will be sampled from Watermill Creek and Town Creek.

The water samples will be analysed for physical and chemical parameters (pH, temperature, dissolved oxygen, total dissolved solids, turbidity, major ions), nutrients (nitrogen, phosphorus, dissolved organic carbon) and trace metals.

Interested in hearing more about the CSIRO water quality work? You’re invited to a meeting of the Norfolk Island Water Resource Assessment (NIWRA) Steering Committee on Thursday, 25 May at Christian’s Cave, at 5:15 pm for a 5.30 pm start. If you can’t make it, you can read more about the work here: https://www.csiro.au/en/research/natural-environment/water/Water-resource-assessment/Norfolk/Overview

This work forms part of the continuation of the Norfolk Island Water Resource Assessment project, funded by the Department of Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development, Communications, and the Arts