Recharging Perth’s water supply

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Water is a precious commodity in Western Australia and whilst desalination is important, groundwater continues to be a critical resource for Perth city.

A team from UWA are working with government to implement new systems to accurately measure how much water is entering Perth’s aquifers. As the climate continues to heat and dry, there is information that these so-called “recharge” fluxes are dropping too.

The team are advocating that future water supplies for Perth should include aquifer replenishment and use of treated wastewater, to rehydrate and support the biodiversity of urban ecosystems.

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Help for Kelp

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Kelp forests play an important role in the health of our temperate marine environment and in the economy. A team led by Professor Thomas Wernberg, The University of Western Australia, has been instrumental in building recognition of The Great Southern Reef of Australia, an ecosystem of interconnected temperate rocky reefs dominated by kelp forests. Their research has shown how 40-60% of the world’s kelp forests have declined over the past 50 years due to human activity and climatic events such as extreme marine heatwaves. They are now providing novel solutions such as green gravel, helping to rebuild damaged kelp forests around the globe.

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