Product catalogue
Exploring for the Future-Hydrogeological investigations in the Tennant Creek region, Northern Territory
This report presents key results from hydrogeological investigations in the Tennant Creek region, completed as part of Exploring for the Future (EFTF)—an eight year, $225 million Australian Government funded geoscience data and information acquisition program focused on better understanding the potential mineral, energy and groundwater resources across Australia.
The EFTF Southern Stuart Corridor (SSC) Project area is located in the Northern Territory and extends in a north–south corridor from Tennant Creek to Alice Springs, encompassing four water control districts and a number of remote communities. Water allocation planning and agricultural expansion in the SSC is limited by a paucity of data and information regarding the volume and extent of groundwater resources and groundwater systems more generally.
Geoscience Australia, in partnership with the Northern Territory Department of Environment and Natural Resources and Power and Water Corporation, undertook an extensive program of hydrogeological investigations in the SSC Project area between 2017 and 2019. Data acquisition included; helicopter airborne electromagnetic (AEM) and magnetic data; water bore drilling; ground-based and downhole geophysical data for mapping water content and defining geological formations; hydrochemistry for characterising groundwater systems; and landscape assessment to identify potential managed aquifer recharge (MAR) targets.
This report focuses on the Tennant Creek region—part of the Barkly region of the Northern Territory. Investigations in this region utilised existing geological and geophysical data and information, which were applied in the interpretation and integration of AEM and ground-based geophysical data, as well as existing and newly acquired groundwater hydrochemical and isotope data. The AEM and borehole lithological data reveal the highly weathered (decomposed) nature of the geology, which is reflected in the hydrochemistry. These data offer revised parameters, such as lower bulk electrical conductivity values and increased potential aquifer volumes, for improved modelling of local groundwater systems. In many instances the groundwater is shown to be young and of relatively good quality (salinity generally <1000 mg/L total dissolved solids), with evidence that parts of the system are rapidly recharged by large rainfall events. The exception to this is in the Wiso Basin to the west of Tennant Creek. Here lower quality groundwater occurs extensively in the upper 100 m below ground level, but this may sit above potentially potable groundwater and that possibility should be investigated further.
Faults are demonstrated to have significantly influenced the occurrence and distribution of weathered rocks and of groundwater, with implications for groundwater storage and movement. Previously unrecognised faults in the existing borefield areas should be investigated for their potential role in compartmentalising groundwater. Additionally a previously unrecognised sub-basin proximal to Tennant Creek may have potential as a groundwater resource or a target for MAR.
This study has improved understanding of the quantity and character of existing groundwater resources in the region and identified a managed aquifer recharge target and potential new groundwater resources. The outcomes of the study support informed water management decisions and improved water security for communities; providing a basis for future economic investment and protection of environmental and cultural values in the Tennant Creek and broader Barkly region.
Data and information related to the project are summarised in the conclusions of this report and are accessible via the EFTF portal ( https://portal.ga.gov.au/).
Simple
Identification info
- Date (Creation)
- 2020-01-29
- Date (Publication)
- 2020-11-13T01:54:37
- Citation identifier
- Geoscience Australia Persistent Identifier/https://pid.geoscience.gov.au/dataset/ga/133793
- Citation identifier
- Digital Object Identifier/http://dx.doi.org/10.11636/Record.2020.033
- Cited responsible party
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Role Organisation / Individual Name Details Author McPherson, A.A.
Author Brodie, R.S.
Author Hostetler, S.D.
Author Parige, R.H.
Author Symington, N.J.
Author Ray, A.
Author Halas, V.
- Name
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Record
- Issue identification
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RECORD 2020/033
- Purpose
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reporting
- Status
- Completed
- Point of contact
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Role Organisation / Individual Name Details Point of contact Commonwealth of Australia (Geoscience Australia)
Voice Point of contact McPherson, A.A.
Resource provider Minerals, Energy and Groundwater Division
- Spatial representation type
- Topic category
-
- Geoscientific information
Extent
Extent
))
- Maintenance and update frequency
- Not planned
Resource format
- Title
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Product data repository: Various Formats
- Website
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Data Store directory containing the digital product files
Data Store directory containing one or more files, possibly in a variety of formats, accessible to Geoscience Australia staff only for internal purposes
- theme.ANZRC Fields of Research.rdf
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ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES
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Electrical and Electromagnetic Methods in Geophysics
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Hydrogeology
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Geomorphology and Regolith and Landscape Evolution
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GEOLOGY
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Isotope Geochemistry
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EARTH SCIENCES
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GEOCHEMISTRY
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- Project
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EFTF
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- Project
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Exploring for the Future
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- Feature type
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groundwater
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- Discipline
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hydrogeology
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- Discipline
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hydrochemistry
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- Keywords
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Published_External
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Resource constraints
- Title
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Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International Licence
- Alternate title
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CC-BY
- Edition
-
4.0
- Access constraints
- License
- Use constraints
- License
Resource constraints
- Title
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Australian Government Security ClassificationSystem
- Edition date
- 2018-11-01T00:00:00
- Classification
- Unclassified
- Language
- English
- Character encoding
- UTF8
Distribution Information
- Distributor contact
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Role Organisation / Individual Name Details Distributor Commonwealth of Australia (Geoscience Australia)
Voice
- OnLine resource
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Download the Record (pdf) [44 MB]
Download the Record (pdf) [44 MB]
- Distribution format
-
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pdf
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Resource lineage
- Statement
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Not supplied.
Metadata constraints
- Title
-
Australian Government Security Classification System
- Edition date
- 2018-11-01T00:00:00
- Classification
- Unclassified
Metadata
- Metadata identifier
-
urn:uuid/2f5151c7-b917-42e0-a718-c851e8ead68c
- Title
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GeoNetwork UUID
- Language
- English
- Character encoding
- UTF8
- Contact
-
Role Organisation / Individual Name Details Point of contact Commonwealth of Australia (Geoscience Australia)
Voice Point of contact McPherson, A.A.
Type of resource
- Resource scope
- Document
- Name
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GA publication: GA Record
Alternative metadata reference
- Title
-
Geoscience Australia - short identifier for metadata record with
uuid
- Citation identifier
- eCatId/133793
- Date info (Creation)
- 2019-04-08T01:55:29
- Date info (Revision)
- 2019-04-08T01:55:29
Metadata standard
- Title
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AU/NZS ISO 19115-1:2014
Metadata standard
- Title
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ISO 19115-1:2014
Metadata standard
- Title
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ISO 19115-3
- Title
-
Geoscience Australia Community Metadata Profile of ISO 19115-1:2014
- Edition
-
Version 2.0, September 2018
- Citation identifier
- https://pid.geoscience.gov.au/dataset/ga/122551