National datasets support natural resource management

An understanding of hydrological processes is vital when addressing issues such as water availability, water quality and ecological management, particularly when groundwater-dependent ecosystems are involved. Consideration of water sustainability within the context of climate change, population growth and socioeconomic development requires holistic and more sophisticated water management approaches. It is against this background that a Hydrogeological-Landscape framework for more effective management of natural resources has been developed. The framework is used to divide the landscape into areas that have similar hydrological characteristics. The use of the term Hydrogeological highlights the importance of geology to hydrologic processes, whereas the use of the term Landscape highlights the importance of landforms and regolith (or the weathered material above bedrock).