Water resources of the greater Alice Springs region are managed under the Alice Springs water allocation plan (plan) 2016–2026, which lies within the wider Alice Springs water control district (district). Prior to preparing the next water plan, this report assesses the scientific conceptualisation of surface water and groundwater flow mechanisms through the region using the current information and understanding to inform water planning and decision-making processes.
There are 6 identified water management zone (zones) within the plan area, each with their own average annual water balance, estimated sustainable yield and corresponding allocations for beneficial use. The 6 zones cover the extent of the alluvial basin aquifers within the Town Basin, Inner Farm, Outer Farm and Wanngardi Basin areas, as well as Palaeozoic aquifer units of the greater Amadeus Basin across the Roe Creek and Rocky Hill management zones. These aquifers include the moderate to highly productive Mereenie Aquifer System (Mereenie Sandstone and Hermannsburg Sandstone), the Pacoota Sandstone, Goyder Formation and Shannon Formation. Outside of these zones, water allocations are provisioned under the Water Allocation Planning Framework (NTG, 2020).,
Notes
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Table of contents
1. Executive summary -- 2. Introduction -- 3. Study area -- 3.1 Location -- 3.2 Climate -- 3.3 Climate variation -- 3.4 Vegetation -- 3.5 Actual evapotranspiration -- 3.6 Topography -- 3.7 Geology -- 3.7.1 Regional setting -- 3.7.2 Stratigraphy -- 3.7.3 Groundwater flow regimes -- 3.8 Recharge -- 3.9 Discharge -- 3.9.1 Wetlands and surface features -- 4. Groundwater and soil aquifer treatment model -- 5. Groundwater assessment -- 5.1. Groundwater monitoring programme -- 5.2. Groundwater use -- 5.3. Basin groundwater balances -- 5.4. Primary aquifers -- 5.4.1. Town Basin alluvium -- 5.4.2. Inner Farm Basin alluvium -- 5.4.3. Outer Farm Basin alluvium -- 5.4.4. Wanngardi Basin alluvium -- 5.4.5. Roe Creek -- 5.4.6. Rocky Hill -- 5.4.7. Greater Amadeus Basin -- 5.5. Inter-intra aquifer connectivity -- 5.6. Groundwater quality -- 5.6.1. Groundwater quality in the Town Basin -- 5.6.2. Groundwater quality in Inner Farm Basin -- 5.6.3. Groundwater quality in Outer Farm Basin -- 5.6.4. Groundwater quality in the Wanngardi Basin -- 5.6.5. Groundwater quality in the Mereenie Aquifer System -- 5.6.6. Summary of groundwater quality -- 5.6.7. Groundwater pollution -- 5.7. Recommendations for groundwater quality monitoring -- 6. Surface water resources -- 6.1. Surface drainage system -- 6.2. Surface monitoring network -- 6.3. Surface water flow in the Todd River -- 6.3.1. Baseflow in the Todd River -- 6.4. Surface water flow in Roe Creek -- 6.4.1. Baseflow in Roe Creek -- 6.5. Surface water quality -- 6.5.1. Todd River -- 6.5.2. Roe Creek -- 6.5.3. Summary of surface water quality -- 6.6. Recommendations for surface water quality monitoring -- 7. Groundwater/surface water connectivity -- 8. Recommendations -- 9. Risk assessment -- 9.1. Risk assessment methodology -- 10. References -- Appendix A. Hydrographs Alice Springs plan region -- Appendix B. Groundwater quality -- Appendix B.1. Groundwater quality results in Town Basin -- Appendix B.2. Groundwater quality results in Inner Farm Basin -- Appendix B.3. Groundwater quality results in Outer Farm Basin -- Appendix B.4. Groundwater quality results in the Wanngardi Basin -- Appendix B.5. Groundwater quality results in the Mereenie Aquifer System -- Appendix C. Groundwater salinity -- Appendix D. Surface water quality,