Assessing Changes in Terrestrial Water Storage Components over the Great Artesian Basin Using Satellite Observations

The influence of climate change and anthropogenic activities (e.g., water withdrawals) on groundwater basins has gained attention recently across the globe. However, the understanding of hydrological stores (e.g., groundwater storage) in one of the largest and deepest artesian basins, the Great Artesian Basin (GAB) is limited due to the poor distribution of groundwater monitoring bores. In this study, Gravity Recovery and Climate Experiment (GRACE) satellite and ancillary data from observations and models (soil moisture, rainfall, and evapotranspiration (ET)) were used to assess changes in terrestrial water storage and groundwater storage (GWS) variations across the GAB and its sub-basins (Carpentaria, Surat, Western Eromanga, and Central Eromanga). Results show that there is strong relationship of GWS variation with rainfall (r = 0.9) and ET (r = 0.9 to 1) in the Surat and some parts of the Carpentaria sub-basin in the GAB (2002–2017). Using multi-variate methods, we found that variation in GWS is primarily driven by rainfall in the Carpentaria sub-basin. While changes in rainfall account for much of the observed spatio-temporal distribution of water storage changes in Carpentaria and some parts of the Surat sub-basin (r = 0.90 at 0–2 months lag), the relationship of GWS with rainfall and ET in Central Eromanga sub-basin (r = 0.10–0.30 at more than 12 months lag) suggest the effects of human water extraction in the GAB.

Cumulative Groundwater Impact Assessment and Management – An Example in Practice

Production of coal seam gas (CSG), or coal bed methane, requires large-scale depressurisation of a target formation by extracting groundwater, which, in turn, has the potential to affect overlying and underlying aquifers. This leads to wide-ranging stakeholder concerns around the impacts on groundwater assets such as water supply bores, groundwater-dependent ecosystems and connected watercourses. Around 2010, the CSG industry in Queensland, Australia grew rapidly with the expansion of operations in the Surat and Bowen basins by multiple operators. This particularly raised concerns about the cumulative effects, because the target coal seams are part of the Great Artesian Basin – one of the world’s largest aquifers. To respond to this challenge, an innovative framework was developed to provide for an independent cumulative impact assessment and to set up arrangements for managing those impacts. This chapter describes the main thrust of that framework.

Environmental isotopes and noble gas ages of the deep groundwater with coupled flow modelling in the Baltic artesian basin

In this study, modelled groundwater actual flow times in intermediate and deep aquifers, covered by regional scale impermeable aquitards, were compared with 4He and 81Kr age dating results. To improve the reliability of the steady state 3D groundwater flow model, the isotopic ages of deep groundwater were compared to the MODPATH modelled travel times. The highest helium values in groundwater reservoirs coincide with fault zones in the crystalline basement and sedimentary cover near Rapakivi granite massifs. Insights into isotope-geochemical anomalies of the Baltic Artesian Basin intermediate and deep groundwater support their main distribution peculiarities in the flow path towards the Baltic Sea coast lowland and seabed depression as the regional groundwater discharge area.

Groundwater Resources of Mukhrani Artesian Basin

The Mukhrani artesian basin is a reservoir containing high quality groundwater. Well-known aquifers and galleries are located within the artesian basin, which are one of the main sources of drinking and household water supply for the city of Tbilisi. The article summarizes the hydrogeological conditions of the Mukhrani artesian basin. The hydrogeological parameters of the productive aquifer were determined based on the results of studies carried out at the existing water intakes. A hydrodynamic map of the artesian basin was compiled. The spatial and quantitative distribution of groundwater resources in the basin has been estimated. Established dynamic (natural) resources and static (natural) reserves of groundwater.

Hydrodynamic Features of Mukhrani Artesian Basin

The article contains a description of the hydrodynamic features of the Mukhran artesian basin and a generalization of the hydrogeological conditions. Based on the results of experimental filtration studies carried out in the wells of existing water intakes, the hydrodynamic parameters of pressure aquifers were determined, according to which a map of the permeability of aquifers of the Quaternary period was compiled. The peculiarities of changes in water conductivity indicators formed the basis of isolated hydrodynamic zones, which is a clear expression of the filtration structure of the Mukhran artesian basin, in terms of the distribution of pressurized groundwater resources.