Some parts of Australia are dry because rainwaterseeps quickly through sandy soils and into the rockbelow. In parts of Australia this water which seepsthrough the sandy soil collects underground to formunderground lakes. Water from these subterraneanlakes can be pumped to the surface and tapped andso used for various purposes above the ground. Infact, extensive underground water resources areavailable over more than half of Australia's landarea, but most of the water is too salty to be usedfor human consumption or for the irrigation of crops.However, most inland farmers do rely on this waterfor watering their animals and, where possible, to a lesser extent for irrigation.
Underground water can flow very large distances and can be kept in underground reservoirs fora very long time. Water from these underground reservoirs bubbles to the surface as springs insome parts of the country, and these fare sources of permanent water were vital to earlyexplorers of inland Australia, and to other pioneers last century, who used the springs forsurvival. But in many places levels have fallen drastically through continuous use over theyears. This has necessitated the pumping of the water to the surface. Remarkably, undergroundwater sources in Australia supply about 18% of total water consumption. So you can see it isquite an important source of water in this dry land.
