This DVD product contains relevant material from Milestone 5 and Milestone 6 of the Palaeovalley Groundwater Project. It has been produced for distribution to the key Project Stakeholders such as the Steering Committee and Technical Advisory Group

Legacy product - no abstract available

Legacy product - no abstract available

Legacy product - no abstract available

This Record was originally issued as a BMR Engineering Geology Technical Note dated 11 March 1977. The original document was admitted as evidence in the Canberra Coroner's Enquiry into the explosion and fire at the Center Cinema, at hearings in August 1977. Minor amendments have been made to the original. Following an explosion at the Center Cinema in Canberra City on 10 February 1978, groundwater seepage into the building was found to be contaminated with hydrocarbons. This report discussess hydrocarbon pollution of groundwater in general and the hydrogeology of Canberra City. Hydrocarbon pollution makes groundwater unfit for drinking, and gas may accumulate in buildings and constitute a fire hazard.

Surface and groundwater resources in Australia face intensifying pressures from significant population growth in the coastal fringe, and prolonged droughts in the southern half of the continent. Recently, and most significantly, new additional pressures on groundwater systems have emerged through the rapid expansion of new energy sources (coal seam gas, uranium, geothermal and carbon geo-sequestration) and existing mineral resources (including iron ore). These pressures are likely to be exacerbated by projected climate changes. The complexity and conflicts in the nexus between water, new energy, minerals, and food and fibre security require innovative approaches in science, management and policy. This is particularly the case in the context of Australia's inherent vulnerability to climate change and the likely emergence of a carbon economy. Quantification of the hydrological cycle and catchment water balances in Australia is limited by a lack of spatial and temporal data. This results in high uncertainties in model predictions. In surface hydrology and processes, recent advances have been made in attempts to quantify evapotranspiration and soil moisture, however significant uncertainties still exist and most water balance studies rely on 'estimates'. Likewise, while nationally consistent approaches to recharge and discharge mapping have been developed, large-scale mapping programs have yet to be implemented. Significant uncertainty also remains in the quantification of surface-groundwater interactions, particularly over the cycles of drought and flood. Climate predictions also still largely rely upon northern hemisphere-derived GCMs, with large uncertainties in down-scaling within the Australian landscape context.

Under the Community Stream Sampling and Salinity Mapping Project, the Australian Government through the Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry and the Department of Environment and Heritage, acting through Bureau of Rural Sciences, funded an airborne electromagnetic (AEM) survey to provide information in relation to land use questions in selected areas along the River Murray Corridor (RMC). The proposed study areas and major land use issues were identified by the RMC Reference Group at its inception meeting on 26th July, 2006. This report has been prepared to facilitate recommendations on the Barr Creek - Gunbower study area. The work was developed in consultation with the RMC Technical Working Group (TWG) to provide a basis for the RMC Reference Group and other stake holders to understand the value and application of AEM data to the study area. This understanding, combined with the Reference Groups assessment of the final results and taking in account policy and land management issues, will enable the Reference Group to make recommendations to the Australian Government.

Development of coal mines and coal seam gas (CSG) resources can significantly impact groundwater systems, hydrogeological processes and the surface environment. Consequently, a sound understanding of basin-scale hydrogeology Is critical to developing effective water management strategies. The Australian Government Department of Sustainability, Environment, Water, Population and Communities recently funded investigation of the potential impacts of the development of coal mining and CSG production in several Australian coal basins. The Laura Basin was investigated as part of this program due to the significant environmental and cultural heritage values of the region which include several National Parks and the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park. The Laura Basin is a geological basin on Cape York Peninsula, QLD. There has been relatively limited development of the groundwater resources of the basin to date, which predominantly occur in Mesozoic sandstone units, the Dalrymple Sandstone and the Gilbert River Formation, which are contiguous with the Great Artesian Basin rocks of the Carpentaria Basin.

Under the Community Stream Sampling and Salinity Mapping Project, the Australian Government through the Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry and the Department of Environment and Heritage, acting through Bureau of Rural Sciences, funded an airborne electromagnetic (AEM) survey to provide information in relation to land use questions in selected areas along the River Murray Corridor (RMC). The proposed study areas and major land use issues were identified by the RMC Reference Group at its inception meeting on 26th July, 2006. This report has been prepared to facilitate recommendations on the Liparoo - Robinvale study area. The work was developed in consultation with the RMC Technical Working Group (TWG) to provide a basis for the RMC Reference Group and other stake holders to understand the value and application of AEM data to the study area. This understanding, combined with the Reference Groups assessment of the final results and taking in account policy and land management issues, will enable the Reference Group to make recommendations to the Australian Government.

Legacy product - no abstract available