Alice Springs town basin, review 2003
Read, R. E.
E-Publications; E-Books; PublicationNT; Report ; no. 42/2003
2003-12-01
Made available via the Publications (Legal Deposit) Act 2004 (NT).
Date:2003-12
English
Department of Infrastructure, Planning and Environment
Alice Springs
Report ; no. 42/2003
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https://hdl.handle.net/10070/229443
https://hdl.handle.net/10070/672980
6.4.5 Gillen Zone There are two long term hydrographs and one long term set of chemical records for this area. These are shown in Figure 37 below. Additional hydrographs are in Appendix H. The large rise in water levels in the late 1970s is clearly a result of the very wet years at that time. However the continued high water levels seem to indicate a change due to urbanisation. Likewise the continuing upward trend in salinity postdates the rise in water levels and is probably a result of mobilisation of salt from the unsaturated zone following urbanisation. The western side of Gillen includes areas of shallow crystalline rock. Groundwater discharges at Morris Soak, west of Lovegrove Drive, after good rains. This shows the presence of shallow water tables in the metamorphic rock aquifers. It can be inferred that there is saline water in this area, and that there is a potential for problems if the area is developed. Any developments in this area should be designed so as to minimise additional recharge so as to avoid rising saline water tables. 1960 1970 1980 1990 2000 Year 12 10 8 6 4 2 W at er le ve l b el ow g ro un d, m 0 2000 4000 6000 8000 10000 TD S in m g/ L RN 5826, Water level RN 5825 Water level RN 5826 TDS Figure 37 Gillen Zone, hydrographs and salinity trends 6.4.6 Larapinta Zone Little is known about the hydrogeology of this area. No bores have been drilled in the subdivision, but four bores were drilled in the area to the south of it in 1978 (Figure 60