Australian Natural Resources Atlas

Natural Resource Topics

Water resources - Management and Development - Queensland

Location map of Townsville / Thuringowa

Groundwater Management Unit: Townsville / Thuringowa

Introduction

Management Context:

The protection of both the quantity and quality of the groundwater resource in the Townsville/Thuringowa groundwater management unit is important from an economic as well as environmental perspective. Increased land development and urbanisation within the GMU is likely to result in increased demand placed upon water resources, with potential point source pollution from industrial activities, eg chemical spills, introduction of excess nutirents from the irrigation and fertilization of recreational facilities, resulting in contamination of the aquifer.

Management policies are currently being developed by the local authority due to the high levels of groundwater usage within the groundwater management unit. There is no potential for increased usage in the more urbanised areas in the northern section of the GMU due to the threat of salt water intrusion. The provision of a reticulated water supply, supplied and regulated by the local authority, reduces the demand placed upon groundwater in this area. However, during drought period, use restrictions are placed upon the reticulated supply, and consequently, the demand placed on the groundwater resource increases. Protection of this resource is important to the local authority as groundwater is often used in preference to the treated reticulated water supply, and any deterioration in quality of the groundwater will impact on, and increase the demand for, the treated water supply.

Priority issues

Declining Water Levels

 NO

Salt Water Intrusion

 NO

SALINISATION

 

Dryland

 NO

Irrigation

 NO

Groundwater

 NO

Surface Water

 NO

Urban

 NO

Point Source Pollution

 YES

Diffuse Source Pollution

 NO

Subsidence

 NO

Artificial Recharge (ML/yr)

 no data

Ecosystems Protection

 NO

Surface Water Interaction

 NO

Management Plans

 NO

Defined Minimum Water Level

 NO

Comment: Absence of a monitoring network and monitoring program.

Comments on Management Responses

2020 Management Response:

The estimate of 12500 Ml/yr for the forecast use for the year 2020 is based upon the GMU's assessed sustainable yield, development potential and the desired level of resource management. Aquifer assessment and quantification of the groundwater resource through the installation of a monitoring network and program, will support or enhance the accuracy of the forecast use estimate.

2050 Management Response:

The estimate of 12500 Ml/yr for the forecast use for the year 2050 is based upon the GMU's assessed sustainable yield, development potential and the desired level of resource management. Aquifer assessment and quantification of the groundwater resource through the installation of a monitoring network and program, will support or enhance the accuracy of the forecast use estimate.

See QLD Water Resources Assessment 2000 Technical Report for a review of management responses.

Assessment of monitoring in Townsville / Thuringowa

Efficacy of the network:

There is presently no monitoring network within the Thuringowa groundwater management area.

Continous monitoring of water levels occurred briefly during the period from 1979 to 1983. However, the available water level data is not reflective of the regional groundwater level as monitoring was restricted to those observation bores located at the base of the Ross River Dam wall with the purpose of monitoring leakage. To assist in the resource management of the Thuringowa GMU it is recommended that a monitoring system and monitoring program, both water level and quality, be installed.

Installation of a monitoring network, in conjunction with a comprehensive water level and water quality monitoring program would enhance the resource management of the Townsville/Thuringowa groundwater management unit. The establishment of an adequate information system would allow for the assessment and detection of water level and water quality trends within the Townsville/Thuringowa groundwater management unit.

Data management requirements:

Queensland groundwater monitoring data, both water level and water quality, is stored within the Groundwater Database (GWDB) system. The new system is based on web technology and is available through the Department's intranet. Allocation and use data is obtained through the Water Entitlements Registration Database (WERD) which is an electronic database for water licence details. Both databases are managed locally at district level, with respect to the collection and entering of water monitoring, allocation and use data; and are accessed statewide.

Protective management:

Management of the groundwater resource of the Townsville/Thuringowa groundwater management unit aims at maintaining a longterm, sustainable resource and therefore, requires the accurate monitoring of water level and water quality fluctuations.

Protective managment requirements for the Townsville/Thuringowa GMU include:

Installation of a monitoring network and establishing an adequate information system in an effort to identify and appropriately manage the threat of salt water intrusion and facilitate aquifer assessment and quantification of the groundwater resource through the assessment of both water level and water quality fluctuations, and the detection of both water level and water quality trends from collected data. Monitoring within the GMU will also assist in the assessment of local activities and their impact on the groundwater resource of the GMU, such as the potential for point source pollution from industrial activities or introduction of increased nutrients and increased demand placed upon groundwater resources from the maintenance of recreational facilities, such as sporting grounds and golf courses.

Monitoring of the increasing demand placed upon water resources, due to the increase in land development and urbanisation, will assist in the prevention of potential overdevelopment of groundwater supplies. Management policies are currently being developed by the local authority due to the high levels of groundwater usage within the groundwater management unit.

Options for monitoring:

The establishment of an adequate information system is required for the assessment and the detection of water level and water quality trends in the Townsville/Thuringowa GMU. Installation of a monitoring network is required, inconjunction with a comprehensive water level and water quality monitoring program, to enhance the resource management of the Townsville/Thuringowa groundwater management unit. Aquifer assessment and quantification of the groundwater resource through the installation of a monitoring network and program, will support or enhance the accuracy of the forecast use estimate.

See QLD Water Resources Assessment 2000 Technical Report for a review of monitoring.

What is the estimated demand for groundwater?

Sustainable Yield

Comment about sustainable yield figure: 

An assessment of 12500 Ml/yr for sustainable yield of the Townsville/Thuringowa GMU was made in 2000 based upon local knowledge of bore yields, strata details and water level response within the GMU.

The previous assessment of 9600 Ml/yr for sustainable yield made in 1973 was based upon comparison with the adjacent Black River Wellfield, with the assumption of direct correlation of hydraulic parameters between these two adjacent areas. Local knowledge of the Townsville/Thuringowa GMU has increased since this last estimate, with bore yields of the Townsville/Thuringowa GMU ranging between 5 l/s to 25 l/s and exceeding those of the Black River Alluvium GMU.

Sustainable yield:

ML/yr

Threshold year for sustainable year:

2,000 

Abstraction Volume 1996/1997:

12,500 ML 

Current Resource development categorisation:

 

Estimated Use in 2020

Comment:

 

Estimated use in 2020:

12,500 ML 

% change from 1996/1997:

0 

Resource development categorisation:

 

Estimated in 2050

Comment:

 

Estimated use in 2050:

12,500 ML 

% change from 1996/1997:

0 

Resource development categorisation:

 

What assumptions were used in this assessment

Development Potential:

In 1973, it was noted that the Bohle River basin offered excellent potential as a major groundwater resource and that the Bohle and Upper Ross River area contained a significant reservoir of groundwater which could support a natural long-term yield in the order of 9600 ML/yr. A more recent assessment of 12500 ML/yr for sustainable yield was made in 2000 based on increased local knowledge of bore yields and water level response.

There is no potential for increased usage in the more urbanised areas in the northern section of the GMU due to the threat of salt water intrusion. The provision of a reticulated water supply, supplied and regulated by the local authority, reduces the demand placed upon groundwater in this area. However, during drought period, use restrictions are placed upon the reticulated supply, and consequently, the demand placed on the groundwater resource increases. Protection of this resource is important to the local authority as groundwater is often used in preference to the treated reticulated water supply, and any deterioration in quality of the groundwater will impact on, and increase the demand for, the treated water supply.

Increased land development and urbanisation within the GMU is likely to result in increased demand placed upon water resources, with potential for point source pollution from industrial activities, or introduction of increased nutrients and increased demand placed upon groundwater resources from the maintenance of recreational facilities, such as sporting grounds and golf courses. Aquifer intake areas should therefore, be protected against adverse development. Management policies are currently being developed by the local authority due to the high levels of groundwater usage within the groundwater management unit.

Estimate of Use:

The estimate of 12500 Ml/yr for the forecast use for the years 2020 and 2050 is based upon the GMU's assessed sustainable yield, development potential and the desired level of resource management. Aquifer assessment and quantification of the groundwater resource through the installation of a monitoring network and program, will support or enhance the accuracy of the forecast use estimate.

Data Availability,Gaps and Recommendations

Data Availablility:

The availability of water level data is low, with continuous water level monitoring restricted to the period of 1979 through to 1983. However, there is insufficienct water level data to allow for comment on regional groundwater levels as the only available observation bores are located at the base of the Ross River Dam wall with the purpose of monitoring leakage from the dam.

Water quality data only exists for three bores within the GMU that have recent analyses for the year 1990. Stratigraphic information on the alluvial aquifer is available from contributed drillers logs.

Current Gaps and Recommendations:

Data Gaps: Continuous water level and water quality data is not available for the Townsville/Thuringowa GMU, with available water level data restricted to a four year period between 1979 and 1983, collected form observation bores located at the base of the Ross River Dam wall with the purpose of monitoring leakage. Formal use and allocation data is not available.

Recommendations: Installation of a monitoring network, inconjunction with a comprehensive water level and water quality monitoring program, will enhance the resource management of the Townsville/Thuringowa GMU by establishing an information system to allow for the assessment of both water level and water quality trends in the GMU.

Future Gaps:

Installation of a monitoring network, in conjunction with a comprehensive water level and water quality monitoring program would enhance the resource management of the Townsville/Thuringowa groundwater management unit. The establishment of an adequate information system would allow for the assessment of both water level and water quality fluctuations, and the detection of both water level and water quality trends, and location of the saltwater interface within the Townsville/Thuringowa groundwater management unit. Comprehensive aquifer assessment and quantification of the groundwater resource will allow for a more accurate assessment of sustainable yield and development potential.

Further information

Key

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