Northern Territory coastal plain
Project details
| Objective: |
To assess the occurrence and potential risk of seawater intrusion into coastal aquifers in the Darwin peri-urban area. |
| Funding: |
$790 000 plus applicable GST |
| Jurisdiction: |
ACT |
| Commenced: |
July 2008 |
| Completion: | September 2011 |
About the project
The National Groundwater Action Plan addresses the serious knowledge and resource impediments that hinder better management of Australia's groundwater resources. This project will use airborne electromagnetic data (AEM) combined with additional geophysical, geologic and hydrogeologic datasets to assess the occurrence and potential risk of seawater intrusion into coastal aquifers in the Darwin peri-urban area. The objectives of the project are to:
- Provide relevant baseline AEM data to support decision making relating to water and natural resource management, in addition to the Onshore Energy Security Program (OESP) objectives relating to mineral resources
- Combine the AEM with other key datasets to interpret aquifer characteristics and the distribution of salt water intrusion, and/or the landward extent of the seawater wedge (whether anthropogenically disturbed or not), as inputs into sustainable groundwater development in priority areas and to guide groundwater management and monitoring for the future
- Act as a test bed in terms of guiding the planning of future AEM surveys of coastal groundwater systems in Australia, particularly where urban or community drinking water supplies are drawn from freshwater coastal aquifers and/or where irrigation is drawing on such resources
- The project is being undertaken by Geoscience Australia and the Northern Territory Government Department of Natural Resources, Environment, The Arts and Sport (NRETAS).
Project benefits
- Field data available for calibrating AEM data and interpretation of hydrogeology (e.g. downhole conductivity logging).
- Hydrogeological interpretation of AEM data and assessment relevant to groundwater management issues.
- Final interpretation of includes value-added products with the AEM data release.
Progress
January 2011
A project implementation plan has been developed and approved by the Steering Committee. To date, the project has successfully flown the AEM survey and provided the AEM dataset to project stakeholders. A program of downhole conductivity logging, groundwater sampling and analysis of existing boreholes has also been completed. Work has commenced on the hydrogeological interpretation of AEM data.