Jeff Lawson

University of South Australia

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Nara Somaratne

South Australian Water Corporation

Saad Mustafa

Petronas (Malaysia)

Tanya M. Doody

Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation

Keith Smettem

Murdoch University

Jacqueline Frizenschaf

Water Research Australia

Glyn Ashman

South Australian Water Corporation

Richard G. Benyon

University of Melbourne

Khoa D. Nguyen

University of South Australia

Baden Myers

University of South Australia

Kien T. Nguyen

Le Quy Don Technical University

Cooperative Institutions

South Australian Water Corporation

Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation

University of South Australia

University of Missouri

Ministry of Agriculture and Fisheries

CSIRO Land and Water

University of Adelaide

University of Canberra

Murdoch University

University of Western Australia

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Effects of climate variability and change on groundwater impacts of forestry plantations

Hydrological Processes (2024)

Richard G. Benyon Tanya M. Doody Jeff Lawson Anthony G. Hay Baden Myers

Abstract Quantifying water use of various water consumers is an essential part of sustainable water management. Annual evapotranspiration (ET) of plantation forests often exceeds that of dryland agriculture, which in South Africa and South Australia has resulted in restrictions on plantation development. In the latter case, water licences are issued to commercial forestry plantations to account for higher ET compared to dryland pasture. Unlike irrigated crops, it is not practicable to measure water use of plantations directly and so in South Australia a set of ‘deemed’ average water use rates has been applied since 2013, based on species and depth to groundwater. Since South Australia's ‘deemed’ rates were calculated, additional plot‐scale measurements of annual ET from plantations <2 years old and post‐canopy closure have been used to quantify various components of ET. This has enabled development of two empirical ET models for plantations in South Australia's Lower Limestone Coast, and facilitated an advanced understanding of the effect of plantations on hydrological processes, particularly in relation to groundwater use. In this study, we applied these models to estimate rotation‐averaged annual ET and net groundwater impacts (net groundwater extraction plus recharge reduction compared to pasture) of plantations, driven by climate and groundwater depth, for comparison with the deemed rates. The modelling suggests that the groundwater impacts of plantations vary in space and time and that the deemed rates over‐estimate these impacts, on average. Accounting for variation in the effects of climate on the various components of ET, both spatially and temporally, may allow for more flexible rules for water resource allocation than using any simple, rule‐of‐thumb approach.

Water use

Water balance

10.1002/hyp.15213

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Hydrological functions of sinkholes and characteristics of point recharge in groundwater basins

Nara Somaratne Keith Smettem Jeff Lawson Khoa D. Nguyen Jacqueline Frizenschaf

Abstract. Karstic limestone aquifers are hydrologically and hydrochemically extremely heterogeneous and point source recharge via sinkholes and fissures is a common feature. We studied three groundwater systems in karstic settings dominated by point source recharge in order to assess the relative contributions to total recharge from point sources using chloride and δ18O relations. Preferential groundwater flows were observed through an inter-connected network of highly conductive zones with groundwater mixing along flow paths. Measurements of salinity and chloride indicated that fresh water pockets exist at point recharge locations. A measurable fresh water plume develops only when a large quantity of surface water enters the aquifer as a point recharge source. The difference in chloride concentrations in diffuse and point recharge zones decreases as aquifer saturated thickness increases and the plumes become diluted through mixing. The chloride concentration in point recharge fluxes crossing the watertable plane can remain at or near surface runoff chloride concentrations, rather than in equilibrium with groundwater chloride. In such circumstances the conventional chloride mass balance method that assumes equilibrium of recharge water chloride with groundwater requires modification to include both point and diffuse recharge mechanisms.

Depression-focused recharge

Sinkhole

Groundwater model

10.5194/hessd-10-11423-2013

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Review of Tertiary Gambier Limestone aquifer properties, lower South-East, South Australia

Saad Mustafa Jeff Lawson

10.23689/fidgeo-661

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Citations (2)

Use of Hydrochemistry, Stable Isotope, Radiocarbon, 222Rn and Terrigenic 4He to Study the Geochemical Processes and the Mode of Vertical Leakage to the Gambier Basin Tertiary Confined Sand Aquifer, South Australia

Water (2016)

Nara Somaratne Saad Mustafa Jeff Lawson

The mode of vertical recharge to aquifers is important to the application of appropriate recharge estimation methods. This study identifies the origin, geochemical evolution and mode of vertical leakage to the Gambier Basin confined aquifer, south east of South Australia. The recharge zone spans areas of the Glencoe-Nangwarry-Nagwarry (GNN). The Hundreds of Glencoe and Nangwarry are in South Australia, and the Parish of Nagwarry adjoins Nangwarry in western Victoria. The plot of stable isotopes of water molecules, δ2H versus δ18O, indicates that local rainfall with minor surface evaporation is the source of recharge. The results of hydrochemical analysis indicate that the sources of ions in the recharge zone groundwater are derived from carbonate and silicate weathering with cation exchange. The majority of water types (66% of samples) within the South Australian part of the recharge zone show Ca-Na-HCO3-Cl due to carbonate dissolution processes, and about 83% of samples within the Victorian part of the recharge zone show Na-Ca-HCO3-Cl water types, indicating cation exchange or mixing with other waters. The influence of faults on vertical leakage was studied at eight sites located in the Nangwarry and Nagwarry area using electrical conductivity logging, measuring the concentration of radiocarbon activity, δ18O, 222Rn and terrigenic 4He in the vertical profiles. Results show that regardless of land use in the study area, the interconnection of the unconfined Tertiary limestone aquifer with the Tertiary confined sand aquifer occurs, via both diffuse and preferential flows. Thus, the application of conventional vertical leakage estimation methods using Darcy’s equation or the application of tracer techniques may be inappropriate unless the duality of the flow system is considered.

δ18O

10.3390/w8050180

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Recharge to Blue Lake and Strategies for Water Security Planning, Mount Gambier, South Australia

Journal of Water Resource and Protection (2014)

Nara Somaratne Jeff Lawson Glyn Ashman Kien T. Nguyen

Blue Lake, a volcanic crater provides municipal water supply to the city of Mount Gambier, population of 26,000. Current average annual pumping from the lake is 3.6 × 106 m3. The lake is fed by karstic unconfined Gambier Limestone aquifer. Storm water of the city discharges to the aquifer via about 400 drainage wells and three large sinkholes. Average annual storm water discharge is estimated at approximately 6.6 × 106 m3 through drainage wells and sinkholes within 16.8 km2 of the central part of the city. Chemical mass balance for calcium was used to estimate groundwater inflow to the lake at 6.3 × 106 m3, almost equal to the volume of storm water discharge and slightly higher than the previous estimates using environmental isotopes (4.8 - 6.0 × 106 m3). Considering the lake outflow volume of 2.7 × 106 m3, the net inflow to the lake equates to the current annual pumping and therefore it is considered that the current pumping rate is at the upper limit. For meeting the short-term future demand, confined aquifer water may be used and in the longerterm, an additional well field is required outside the Blue Lake capture zone, preferably to the north-east of the city. For water supply security, inflow to the lake along with water quality has to be maintained within the city. Current annual private abstraction within the capture zone is about 4.4 × 106 m3 and in order to maintain aquifer water levels, no additional allocation should be allowed.

Sinkhole

Inflow

Rainwater Harvesting

Water balance

10.4236/jwarp.2014.68073

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Citations (2)