Potential Groundwater Dependent Ecosystem Mapping for North East Victoria

Potential Groundwater Dependent Ecosystems (GDEs) are identified for the North East Catchment Management Authority area in Victoria. The mapping was developed by the Department of Energy, Environment and Climate Action using satellite remote sensing, geological, and groundwater data in a GIS overlay model. The core data used in the modelling is largely from circa 1995 to 2005.

Use Cases

• Identify ecosystems potentially at risk from groundwater extraction or drainage based on modelled GDE locations.
• Prioritize areas for field validation of groundwater dependence based on the screening analysis.
• Inform regional land-use planning and environmental impact assessments using the potential GDE layer.
• Study vegetation growth patterns in relation to groundwater access using the remote sensing and ET data methodology.

Strengths

• Covers the entire North East Catchment Management Authority (CMA) area.
• Integrates multiple data sources: satellite remote sensing, geological data, and groundwater monitoring data.
• Method has been applied state-wide for all of Victoria, suggesting a consistent approach.
• Available in multiple geospatial file formats including SHP, GDB, WMS, and WFS.

Limitations

• Validation of the model through field assessment has not been performed.
• The methodology is expected to overestimate the extent of terrestrial GDEs.
• Does not indicate the degree of groundwater dependence or the amount of groundwater used.
• Column-level documentation is absent; field semantics must be inferred after download.

Provenance

Source

Department of Energy, Environment and Climate Action

Collection Method

GIS overlay model utilizing satellite remote sensing data, geological data and groundwater monitoring data.

Time Range

Core modelling data is largely circa 1995 to 2005.

Freshness

Last updated 2026-04 08 22:06:28.582176; freshness should be verified as core data is from circa 1995-2005.

Geography

North East Catchment Management Authority (CMA) area, Victoria, Australia.