Managed Aquifer Recharge as a Strategic Storage and Urban Water Management Tool in Darwin, Northern Territory, Australia
Population growth and increased irrigation demand have caused a decline in groundwater levels that limit water supply in the Darwin rural area. Managed Aquifer Recharge (MAR) is a practical solution that can be adopted to augment stressed groundwater systems and subsequently increase the security of...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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MDPI AG
2019-09-01
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| Series: | Water |
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| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/2073-4441/11/9/1869 |
| _version_ | 1811206269538664448 |
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| author | Anthony Knapton Declan Page Joanne Vanderzalm Dennis Gonzalez Karen Barry Andrew Taylor Nerida Horner Chris Chilcott Cuan Petherem |
| author_facet | Anthony Knapton Declan Page Joanne Vanderzalm Dennis Gonzalez Karen Barry Andrew Taylor Nerida Horner Chris Chilcott Cuan Petherem |
| author_sort | Anthony Knapton |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Population growth and increased irrigation demand have caused a decline in groundwater levels that limit water supply in the Darwin rural area. Managed Aquifer Recharge (MAR) is a practical solution that can be adopted to augment stressed groundwater systems and subsequently increase the security of water supply. Aquifer storage capacity is considered to be the primary constraint to MAR where unconfined dolostone aquifers rapidly recharge during the tropical, wet season and drain again in the dry season. As a result, there is a general understanding that aquifers of this nature recharge to full capacity each wet season. However, the aquifer storage capacity and the potential for niche opportunities for MAR to alleviate declining groundwater levels has not previously been examined. This paper uses the Darwin rural area’s Proterozoic Koolpinyah Dolostone aquifer and the existing Koolpinyah Groundwater System to evaluate the prospects of MAR using both infiltration and injection techniques. Direct injection wells in an aquifer storage transfer and recovery (ASTR) scheme were favoured in this area, as injection wells occupy a smaller surface footprint than infiltration basins. This assessment suggested MAR during the early to mid-dry season could alleviate the impact of the dry season decline in groundwater levels in the Darwin rural area. The use of a larger aquifer storage and recovery (ASR) system (5,000,000 m<sup>3</sup>/year) was also assessed as a potentially viable technical solution in the northern part of the aquifer where it is understood to be confined. The ASR scheme could potentially be scaleable to augment the urban water system and provide strategic long-term storage. Consideration must also be given not only to the strategic positioning of the ASR water bank, but also to the hydrogeology of the aquifers in which the systems would be developed. Not all locations or aquifer systems can successfully support a strategic storage ASR system. Scheme-scale feasibility assessment of an ASR water bank is required. The study reported here is an early phase of a series of investigations that would typically be required to demonstrate the viability of any proposal to apply MAR to increase the reliability of conjunctive groundwater and surface water supplies in stressed water resources systems. It focusses on assessing suitable storage areas in a lateritic aquifer. |
| first_indexed | 2024-04-12T03:44:52Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-02ff71ca1b3c4773b8d5642f195cf7d3 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2073-4441 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-04-12T03:44:52Z |
| publishDate | 2019-09-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Water |
| spelling | doaj.art-02ff71ca1b3c4773b8d5642f195cf7d32022-12-22T03:49:10ZengMDPI AGWater2073-44412019-09-01119186910.3390/w11091869w11091869Managed Aquifer Recharge as a Strategic Storage and Urban Water Management Tool in Darwin, Northern Territory, AustraliaAnthony Knapton0Declan Page1Joanne Vanderzalm2Dennis Gonzalez3Karen Barry4Andrew Taylor5Nerida Horner6Chris Chilcott7Cuan Petherem8CloudGMS Pty Ltd. 3 Wright Street, Edwardstown, Adelaide SA 5039, AustraliaCSIRO Land and Water Waite Laboratories, Waite Rd, Urrbrae, Adelaide SA 5064, AustraliaCSIRO Land and Water Waite Laboratories, Waite Rd, Urrbrae, Adelaide SA 5064, AustraliaCSIRO Land and Water Waite Laboratories, Waite Rd, Urrbrae, Adelaide SA 5064, AustraliaCSIRO Land and Water Waite Laboratories, Waite Rd, Urrbrae, Adelaide SA 5064, AustraliaCSIRO Land and Water Waite Laboratories, Waite Rd, Urrbrae, Adelaide SA 5064, AustraliaCSIRO Land and Water, Private Mail Bag 44, Winnellie, Darwin, NT 0822, AustraliaCSIRO Land and Water, Private Mail Bag 44, Winnellie, Darwin, NT 0822, AustraliaCSIRO Land and Water, College Road, University of Tasmania, Sandy Bay, Hobart 7005, AustraliaPopulation growth and increased irrigation demand have caused a decline in groundwater levels that limit water supply in the Darwin rural area. Managed Aquifer Recharge (MAR) is a practical solution that can be adopted to augment stressed groundwater systems and subsequently increase the security of water supply. Aquifer storage capacity is considered to be the primary constraint to MAR where unconfined dolostone aquifers rapidly recharge during the tropical, wet season and drain again in the dry season. As a result, there is a general understanding that aquifers of this nature recharge to full capacity each wet season. However, the aquifer storage capacity and the potential for niche opportunities for MAR to alleviate declining groundwater levels has not previously been examined. This paper uses the Darwin rural area’s Proterozoic Koolpinyah Dolostone aquifer and the existing Koolpinyah Groundwater System to evaluate the prospects of MAR using both infiltration and injection techniques. Direct injection wells in an aquifer storage transfer and recovery (ASTR) scheme were favoured in this area, as injection wells occupy a smaller surface footprint than infiltration basins. This assessment suggested MAR during the early to mid-dry season could alleviate the impact of the dry season decline in groundwater levels in the Darwin rural area. The use of a larger aquifer storage and recovery (ASR) system (5,000,000 m<sup>3</sup>/year) was also assessed as a potentially viable technical solution in the northern part of the aquifer where it is understood to be confined. The ASR scheme could potentially be scaleable to augment the urban water system and provide strategic long-term storage. Consideration must also be given not only to the strategic positioning of the ASR water bank, but also to the hydrogeology of the aquifers in which the systems would be developed. Not all locations or aquifer systems can successfully support a strategic storage ASR system. Scheme-scale feasibility assessment of an ASR water bank is required. The study reported here is an early phase of a series of investigations that would typically be required to demonstrate the viability of any proposal to apply MAR to increase the reliability of conjunctive groundwater and surface water supplies in stressed water resources systems. It focusses on assessing suitable storage areas in a lateritic aquifer.https://www.mdpi.com/2073-4441/11/9/1869Managed Aquifer Recharge (MAR)aquifer storage and recovery (ASR)strategic storageNorthern Australia |
| spellingShingle | Anthony Knapton Declan Page Joanne Vanderzalm Dennis Gonzalez Karen Barry Andrew Taylor Nerida Horner Chris Chilcott Cuan Petherem Managed Aquifer Recharge as a Strategic Storage and Urban Water Management Tool in Darwin, Northern Territory, Australia Water Managed Aquifer Recharge (MAR) aquifer storage and recovery (ASR) strategic storage Northern Australia |
| title | Managed Aquifer Recharge as a Strategic Storage and Urban Water Management Tool in Darwin, Northern Territory, Australia |
| title_full | Managed Aquifer Recharge as a Strategic Storage and Urban Water Management Tool in Darwin, Northern Territory, Australia |
| title_fullStr | Managed Aquifer Recharge as a Strategic Storage and Urban Water Management Tool in Darwin, Northern Territory, Australia |
| title_full_unstemmed | Managed Aquifer Recharge as a Strategic Storage and Urban Water Management Tool in Darwin, Northern Territory, Australia |
| title_short | Managed Aquifer Recharge as a Strategic Storage and Urban Water Management Tool in Darwin, Northern Territory, Australia |
| title_sort | managed aquifer recharge as a strategic storage and urban water management tool in darwin northern territory australia |
| topic | Managed Aquifer Recharge (MAR) aquifer storage and recovery (ASR) strategic storage Northern Australia |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2073-4441/11/9/1869 |
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