Water Events

The Ground Water Division was established in 1978 as a division of the Geological Society of South Africa with the objective of advancing the science and technology of groundwater. Our biennial groundwater conference has been pivotal in sharing knowledge about groundwater in South Africa, with this being our 16th three-day event. Our conferences have always centered around the science of groundwater, new technologies, networking, and meeting people who are passionate about groundwater, but this year we also want to focus on Water Use and Conservation, with an emphasis on groundwater.

Parts of Sub Saharan Africa makes little use of its groundwater resources, which contributes only 1% of total renewable water resource withdrawals for agriculture. Projected and continuing changes to the amount, intensity and predictability of rainfall in much of Southern Africa will lead to changes in the way the region views its groundwater resources.

The vadose zone stretches from the land surface to the groundwater table, where moisture in intergranular pore space and rock defects occurs at variable water saturation and at negative pore-water pressures.