Planning to Manage Sustainably — Natural Resource Geophysics as Part of Resource Assessment

Gary Humphreys; Desmond Yin Foo; Steven Tickell; Peter Jolly; Daryl Chin

doi:10.1071/EG02103

ISSN: 0812-3985
E-ISSN: 1834-7533

Planning to Manage Sustainably — Natural Resource Geophysics as Part of Resource Assessment
Authors Gary Humphreys^a, Desmond Yin Foo^b, Steven Tickell^c, Peter Jolly^d and Daryl Chin^e
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^a Natural Resources Division Department of Infrastructure Planning and Environment, P O Box 30 PALMERSTON NT 0831, Phone: (08) 8999 3618, Facsimile: (08) 8999 3666, Email: [email protected] ^b Natural Resources Division Department of Infrastructure Planning and Environment, P O Box 30 PALMERSTON NT 0831, Facsimile: (08) 8999 3666 ^c Natural Resources Division Department of Infrastructure Planning and Environment, P O Box 30 PALMERSTON NT 0831, Facsimile: (08) 8999 3666 ^d Natural Resources Division Department of Infrastructure Planning and Environment, P O Box 30 PALMERSTON NT 0831, Facsimile: (08) 8999 3666 ^e Natural Resources Division Department of Infrastructure Planning and Environment, P O Box 30 PALMERSTON NT 0831, Facsimile: (08) 8999 3666
Publisher: Australian Society of Exploration Geophysicists
Source: Exploration Geophysics, Volume 33, Issue 2, Jun 2002, p. 103 - 109
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1071/EG02103
- Published online: 01 Jun 2002

Abstract

The Western Australia (WA) and Northern Territory (NT) Governments proposed an area adjacent to the Ord River Irrigation Area for irrigation development. The Natural Resource Agencies of the two Governments determined that development would only be authorised once the existing water resource conditions were known, and when the proponent had shown that irrigation could be managed to preserve natural streamflows and operate sustainably. To enable the hydrogeological conditions to be determined and modelled, an airborne electromagnetic survey was commissioned. Each of the hydrogeological environments was evaluated to determine the effects of irrigation and land-use changes on groundwater levels, groundwater quality, and on flows in seasonal watercourses.

The results of two generations of groundwater modelling were integrated in the environmental management plan for the irrigation project, with requirements for continuous monitoring and interactive groundwater modelling to be specified throughout the life of the irrigation project. This is an innovative application of geophysics, where the full life cycle of irrigation could be planned and water use managed, based on environments identified in an airborne survey.

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References

Chiang, W. and Kinzelbach, W., 1992, Processing Modflow (Version 3.0): Hamburg, Heidelberg.
Humphreys, G., Tickell, S., Yin Foo, D. and Jolly, P., 1995, Sub-surface hydrology of the Keep River Plains: Power and Water Authority, Darwin NT, Report 25/95D.
Kinhill, 1995, Ord River Irrigation Scheme Stage 2 Development - Conceptual Study: Kinhill Engineers Pty Ltd.
Mah, A. and Street, G., 2002, Hydrogeological study of the Keep River, Weaber and Knox Creek Plains using remote sensing techniques: in balancing the groundwater budget: papers from International Association of Hydrogeologists Groundwater Conference, International Association of Hydrogeologists, Northern Territory Branch.
McDonald, M.G. and Harbaugh, A.W., 1984 A modular three-dimensional finite difference groundwater flow model: US Geological Survey, Virginia.
McGowan, R., 1983, Ord River Irrigation, analysis and interpretation of drilling and hydraulic testing program - Ivanhoe Plains 1983: Geological Survey of Western Australia Hydrogeological Report 2513 (unpublished).
George, R.J., Beasley, R., Gordon, I., Heislers, D., Speed, R., Brodie, R., McConnell, C. and Woodgate, P., 1998, The national airborne geophysics project - national report. Evaluation of airborne geophysics for catchment management, (http://www.ndsp.gov.au/NAGP/nagp_sr.htm), (unpublished).
O'Boy, C.A., Tickell, S.J., Yesertener, C., Commander, D.P., Jolly, P. and Laws, A.T., 2001, Hydrogeology of the Ord River Irrigation Area, Western Australia and Northern Territory: Waters and Rivers Commission Hydrogeological Record Series HG 7.
SMEC, 1996, Conceptual Report for Ord Irrigation Scheme Stage Two: SMEC Australia Pty Ltd.
Wesfarmers Sugar Company Pty Ltd, Marubeni Corporation and Water Corporation, 2000, Environmental Review and Management Program / Environmental Impact Statement.

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Article Type: Research Article

Keyword(s): electromagnetics; groundwater; hydrogeology; modelling; salinity

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Planning to Manage Sustainably — Natural Resource Geophysics as Part of Resource Assessment

Abstract

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