Groundwater Dependent Ecosystems, or GDEs, are natural systems that need groundwater for their health.
[Animated graphic of GDEs in the landscape, showing groundwater entering waterways, wetlands and areas of vegetation]

They include rivers, wetlands and springs, as well as vegetation and caves.

GDEs play an essential role in our country's biodiversity.
[Presenter: Lacey Elsum, Hydrogeologist, Bureau of Meteorology]

They are important for recreation, supporting fish and plant production, and supporting water storage and purification.

Many rivers depend on inflows from groundwater, to support river health during dry periods.

Development activities like construction, mining and pumping, can threaten these ecosystems.

For example, pollution of groundwater and increasing sailinty can degrade GDEs, and groundwater pumping can reduce water table levels and limit water supply to these ecosystems.
[Animated graphic showing 3D representation of GDEs in the landscape: a truck empties pollution into landscape which seeps into the groundwater; a water pump lowers the groundwater level and causes drying of the stream and wetlands]

So potential impacts on GDEs need to be considered in water management plans and environmental impact assessments.

In our role as Waterway Manager, it's important to understand where our groundwater dependent ecosystems exist in the landscape. 
[Presenter: Sarah Gaskill, Melbourne Water]

We value the role that groundwater plays to support our wetlands and waterways. For example providing refuge in drier times for our plants and animals, such as the wonderful deep pools here at the Werribee Gorge.

We've mapped our ecosystems, and are trying to understand the role that groundwater plays to support them. So that we can build management actions going forward to help build resilience for these sites.


The Groundwater Dependent Ecosystems Atlas, or GDE Atlas, has been developed to meet these information needs.
[Presenter: Lacey Elsum, Bureau of Meteorology]

The Atlas is a national inventory of groundwater dependent ecosystems across Australia.
[Graphic showing 3D block diagram of GDEs in the landscape—as used at start of video]

It maps the location of these ecosystems, and provides information about their ecology and hydrogeology.
[Shot of GDE Atlas web mapping application interface, containing map of Australia with aquatic GDEs showing; mouse-cursor points to layers available in the 'Layers' menu panel]

It is part of the Bureau's online Groundwater Information Suite.
[Graphic showing the four products in the Groundwater Information Suite (Insight, Explorer, Information System, Ecosystems Atlas)]

The GDE Atlas has information about three GDE types.

Aquatic, such as wetlands, rivers and springs,
[Shot of the GDE Atlas wep mapping application interface, containing map of Australia with aquatic GDEs showing, cursor points to 'Aquatic' in the 'Layers' menu panel]

Terrestrial, including trees, shrubs and forests,
[Shot of the GDE Atlas wep mapping application interface, cursor clicks on 'Terrestrial' in the 'Layers' menu panel to show terrestrial GDEs on the map]

and Subterranean GDEs, such as caves.
[Shot of the GDE Atlas wep mapping application interface, cursor clicks on 'Subterranean' in the 'Layers' menu panel to show subterranean GDEs on the map]

You can zoom into your area of interest, and select specific GDEs to discover more detailed information.
[Shot of the GDE Atlas web mapping application interface. Cursor uses 'zoom' tool to zoom into an area in Queensland; cursor then uses 'circle-select' tool to click on a GDE and the 'Search Results' panel appears with detailed information about that GDE]

Use the Bureau's GDE Atlas to inform your decision making, and protect these sensitive ecosystems.
[GDE Atlas website address:  www.bom.gov.au/water/groundwater/gde]

[Australian Government—Bureau of Meteorology logo]