Authors / CoAuthors
Symington, N. | Ray, A. | HarrisPascal, C. | Tan, K.P. | Ley-Cooper, A.Y. | Brodie, R.C.
Abstract
Salinity of groundwater directly affects its suitability for different uses, including human consumption, stock water, agricultural use, and mineral or energy extraction. Traditionally, direct measurements of groundwater salinity at monitoring bores that intersect an aquifer have been used to map the spatial distribution of groundwater salinity. However, drilling is a logistically and economically challenging task, and we are usually left with a sparse set of measurements from which to infer groundwater salinity over large spatial extents. Airborne electromagnetic (AEM) sounding provides a solution to this problem. This is because AEM can be flown rapidly and cost-effectively over large swathes of land, and high subsurface bulk conductivities inferred from the AEM are well correlated with groundwater salinity in porous aquifers. We present here a methodology and case study from the Keep River Plains in the Northern Territory that provides information for land and watershed managers about the confidence with which salinity can be mapped over large areas using AEM. Extensive pore fluid sampling of the saturated zone, which lies beneath the watertable, enables this workflow to be used effectively. The results provided by our method can feed into decision making while accounting for uncertainty, enabling remote communities to manage their land and water resources effectively. <b>Citation:</b> Symington, N.,Ray, A., Harris-Pascal, C., Tan, K.P., Ley-Cooper, A.Y., and Brodie, R.C., 2020. Groundwater salinity estimation using borehole and AEM data: a framework for uncertainty analysis. In: Czarnota, K., Roach, I., Abbott, S., Haynes, M., Kositcin, N., Ray, A. and Slatter, E. (eds.) Exploring for the Future: Extended Abstracts, Geoscience Australia, Canberra, 1–4.
Product Type
document
eCat Id
135242
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Cnr Jerrabomberra Ave and Hindmarsh Dr GPO Box 378
Canberra
ACT
2601
Australia
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Keywords
- theme.ANZRC Fields of Research.rdf
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- EARTH SCIENCES
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- Groundwater Systems
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- Exploring for the Future
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- EFTF
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- Airborne Electromagnetics
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- salinity mapping
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- geostatistics
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- probabilistic inversion
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- Published_External
Publication Date
2020-06-23T04:41:07
Creation Date
2020-03-30T12:00:00
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Status
completed
Purpose
EftF Extended Abstracts
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asNeeded
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geoscientificInformation
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Lineage
This study was completed under the Exploring for the Future initiative, as part of the East Kimberley groundwater project. Airborne electromagnetics data were acquired using the SkyTEM312-fast system and inverted using probabilistic inversions from the GA-AEM software suite. Boreholes were drilled using sonic drilling, pore fluids were extracted from the recovered material and their electrical conductivity were measured. The standing water level of groundwater within the bore were measured after the boreholes were completed during the dry season.
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[-15.50, -14.50, 129.00, 129.50]
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Spatial Resolution
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