Authors / CoAuthors
Wischusen, J.D.H. | Lewis, S.J. | Woodgate, M. | Macphail, M. | English, P.E.
Abstract
Assessment of archive and contemporary mineral exploration data has highlighted prospective sand-bearing aquifers >200 metres deep in several Cenozoic Basins in central Australia. Funded by the National Water Commission's Palaeovalley Groundwater Project we conducted initial evaluation of the aquifer potential of these deep fluvial sands by drilling new waterbores. Our borehole data indicates significant groundwater resources (10s-100s of GL), hitherto unknown, exist at depth in the Ti Tree Basin, 200 kilometres north of Alice Springs. Previous groundwater studies here have focussed solely on the upper 100 metre-thick sedimentary sequence, neglecting the significant deeper resources. Based on new drilling and other exploration data, we now conceptualise the Ti Tree Basin as a three-layer hydrostratigraphic system. Our work also demonstrates the potential for deep and previously unidentified groundwater resources elsewhere in central Australia. In the Mount Wedge Basin, located ~220 kilometres west of Alice Springs, we intersected a sand-rich sequence buried >400 metres deep. Here, new drilling data integrated with remote sensing and geophysical mapping has enhanced understanding of the regional groundwater potential of deep Cenozoic aquifers. Hydrostratigraphic correlations with other arid zone palaeovalleys indicate that these relatively thick multi-layer aquifers are unique to central Australia. Importantly, new hydraulic head data also implies that the deep groundwater resources are, at least in part, connected with the shallower groundwater systems. As these near-surface aquifers are commonly exploited in central Australia (e.g., Ti Tree horticulture), recognition of connectivity with deeper groundwater systems has important implications for current and future resource management.
Product Type
nonGeographicDataset
eCat Id
73384
Contact for the resource
Custodian
Owner
Point of contact
Cnr Jerrabomberra Ave and Hindmarsh Dr GPO Box 378
Canberra
ACT
2601
Australia
Keywords
-
- GA PublicationAbstract
-
- AU-NT
- Australian and New Zealand Standard Research Classification (ANZSRC)
-
- Earth Sciences
-
- Published_Internal
Publication Date
2012-01-01T00:00:00
Creation Date
Security Constraints
Legal Constraints
Status
Purpose
Maintenance Information
unknown
Topic Category
geoscientificInformation
Series Information
Lineage
Unknown
Parent Information
Extents
Reference System
Spatial Resolution
Service Information
Associations
Downloads and Links
Source Information
Source data not available.