Water Resources of the Victoria River District
Tickell, S. J. (Steven); Rajaratnam, L. R. (Lakshman)
Northern Territory. Department of Lands, Planning and Enviroment. Water Resources Division
E-Publications; E-Books; PublicationNT; Report no. 11/1998
1998-08-01
Victoria River Region
The aim of this study is to map, describe and evaluate the region's water resources. The project was started in 1993 at the request of the Victoria River District Conservation Association (YRDCA) and it was funded jointly by Landcare, the NT Government and the purpose is to provide pastoralists and communities with water resource information that will assist with property planning. VRDCA.
English
Groundwater -- Northern Territory -- Victoria River; Water-supply -- Northern Territory -- Victoria River; Water resources development -- Northern Territory -- Victoria River
Northern Territory Government
Darwin
Report no. 11/1998
33 pages : illustrations and maps ; 30 cm.
application/pdf
Attribution International 4.0 (CC BY 4.0)
Northern Territory Government
https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/; https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0
https://hdl.handle.net/10070/672982 [Water Resources Survey of the Western Victoria River District - Water Resources of the Victoria River District_WRD98011.pdf]; https://hdl.handle.net/10070/672981 [Water Resources Survey of the Western Victoria River District - Water Resources of the Victoria River District_WRD98011.pdf]
https://hdl.handle.net/10070/229442
https://hdl.handle.net/10070/672981
https://hdl.handle.net/10070/672982
Technical Report WRD98011 Viewed at 15:07:47 on 29/07/2010 Page 11 of 37. CURRENT WATER USAGE Stock watering is the main water use in the VRD. Groundwatcr is the primary source but surfaccwaters arc used particularly during the wet season and the early part of the Dry season. There are some 600 stock bores currently utilised (Figure Sa) with a typical spacing of about 12 kilometres and an average pumping rate of 2 lis. The total volume of groundwater extracted is of the order of 3600 million litres/year. Considering the large area involved this is only a minor volume, amounting to only 0.005% ofthc annual rainfalL Surfacewaters used for stock are mainly from waterholes. Excavated tanks and dams are relatively uncommon \vith about only 90 throughout the VRD (Figure Sb). Stations such as Bradshaw and Amanbidji. have opted for dams because they overlie rocks which are unfavourable for ground water. Homestead water supplies are predominantly grOlUldwatcr and the volumes extracted are minor in comparison to stock usage. WATER RESOURCE MAPS The map accompanying this report was compiled from water resource maps of twenty one individual properties in the western VRD, mostly at 1: 1 00,000 scale and from three broad scale groundwater maps covering the Delamere. VRD and \Vave Hill 1 :250,000 mapsheets (Figure 1). The basic infornlution used to make it includes geology, topography, land unit and land system mapping, bore data., climate records, aerial photography and satenite imagery. Field surveys were carried out to check locations of water sources, to sample ,vater and to confirm soil and ro<.:k types. The main !catufes shown on the main map and the two side maps are now described: WATER SUPPLY OPTIONS /VUP This is a guide to the most likely options for developing water supplies. Seven categories are shown: unsuitable for bores or surfacewater storages due to rugged terrain. unsuitable for bores or surtacewater storages due to poor ground water prospects and unsuitable soils. suitable for bores only suitable for surfacewater storages but not for bores locally suitable for surfacewater storages but no! fOf bores suitable for bores and surtacewater storages suitable for bores and locally for surfacewater storages Note that the map does not show' any options relating to individual natural waterholes or spnngs. GROU.VDWATER j1,.fAP The ground water map shows generalised yield and water quality characteristics. The distribution of the main aquifer types can be seen on the smaller side map. The overall patiem indicates that stock supplies can be obtained from selected siies in most areas. Notable exceptions are those underlain by siltstone, such as the Angalarri and Baines Valleys on Bradshaw and Auvergne. Yield Three classes of bore yield have been mapped; less than 0.5 1/s, 0.5 to S.O Lis and more than 5.0 Lis. These represent typical sustainable yields which could be expected from bores sited using geological and local knmvledge. Standard bore construction with 152 mm slotted casing is assumed. 7