The La Grange Groundwater-Dependent Ecosystem Investigation is a multifaceted project to improve our understanding of how the Broome Sandstone aquifer supports culturally and ecologically significant sites such as wetlands, springs, and nearshore marine habitat. The project area extends 250 km south-west of Broome between Roebuck Plains and 80 Mile Beach.
As groundwater use and demand has increased, so has the need to better understand the ecological and cultural values supported by groundwater in the La Grange area. Traditional Owners and the community are also interested in gaining more insight into the potential impacts on these values.
In a first for the State Groundwater Investigation Program, formalised Collaboration Agreements lay out how Department of Water and Environmental Regulation (the department) ecologists, hydrogeologists and marine scientists will work together with Aboriginal rangers to better understand ecological and cultural values supported by groundwater in the area.
Areas for investigation
Four areas were identified for investigation:
- Coastal plain wetlands associated with Coastal Clays and Roebuck Plains
- An Inland wetland
- Nearshore marine habitat
- Walyarta – this location is not in the current round of work.
We are collecting baseline data and establishing monitoring to understand how the distribution and health of these values may change due to changes in groundwater levels and to support future water management.
For more information on how we manage groundwater in La Grange see La Grange groundwater allocation plan.
Project partners
Karajarri Traditional Lands Association
More information
From July to October 2024, we are installing monitoring bores in the La Grange area to study how groundwater supports ecologically significant sites. Please read our fact sheet for more information.
For more on the La Grange groundwater-dependent ecosystems investigation, email groundwater.info@dwer.wa.gov.au
Find out about our groundwater investigations by region across Western Australia.
