HYDROGEOLOGICAL ATLAS: AN INNOVATIVE TOOL FOR WATER RESOURCES IN NEW CALEDONIA
The government of New Caledonia and the Pacific Community are carrying out the first hydrogeological atlas of New Caledonia, in collaboration with BRGM, a French public establishment of reference in the field of earth sciences, promoter of the database of limits of aquifer systems (BDLISA)
This action is part of the first strategic objective of New Caledonia's political governance of shared water (PEP), which consists in protecting catchment areas, strategic resources and preserving the environment.
Supported by the Department of Industry, Mines and Energy of New Caledonia (DIMENC), this tool is innovative because:
- It will allow the mapping of groundwater bodies, water tables and hydrogeological resources throughout New Caledonia,
- It is essential for a better understanding of groundwater resources, potential and vulnerability, within a sustainable management context.
To implement this action, DIMENC has recruited a geometrician hydrogeologist through the existing Civic Service system with the financial support of The European Union through PROTEGE and the state.
Since October 2020, all groundwater resources have been digitized in a geographic database. This repository, called BDLISA-Nc, is a quasi-3d repository, allowing to display the stacking of different hydrogeological entities.
It is built on the same structure as the BDLISA created in France, to promote interoperability between the tools, but with automated identification sheets that have been adapted to New Caledonia’s environment.
This repository will soon be available online for the general public on the digital water observatories: Géorep.nc and eau.nc. It will also be presented at the water forum, March 2022.
Photo credit: government of New Caledonia - Davar Nc
