Shifts in Transport Pathways Before, During, and After Drought

The transport of water through catchments has changed across Victoria, Australia, during a multi-year, pro-longed, meteorological drought known as the Millennium Drought. During the drought, streamflow was lower than expected, even after considering the decline in rainfall, and many streams still have lower flows today, 15 years after the drought ended. The reason for this shift in the water balance remains a scientific challenge. This thesis investigates the cause of this phenomena by studying how the salinity of streams changes over time, and the findings suggest long-term shifts in the vertical groundwater gradient are reducing the transport of water and salt toward the stream.