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In this section you will find detailed information, including national overviews and state and regional level assessments, from the 2000-2002 National Land and Water Resources Audit theme assessments.
Water resources - Overview - New South Wales
Groundwater Management Unit: Richmond River Alluvium
Introduction
Delineation of this area as a GMU arose from a NSW state-wide review of all aquifers as part of the NSW Water Reform process. The objective of the review was to identify aquifers which there was some risk that abstraction of groundwater could not be maintained in a sustainable way. The risk assessment was based on a set of weighted criteria which included current usage patterns, size, land use, apparent threats to groundwater quality and dependent ecosystems. Aquifers not included in existing GMUs, but which were deemed to be at high risk and for which there were data indicating a history of groundwater abstraction, have been incorporated as GMUs for the purpose of the NLWRA. In some cases the rate of groundwater abstraction is as yet only very small, and in all cases the degree of management effort applied is at a relatively low level pending implementation of appropriate procedures. In some cases these procedures will include the establishment of a local groundwater management committee with which DLWC will cooperate in the development of a groundwater management policy appropriate for that area This GMU has been defined to contain the coastal sand dune areas adjacent to the Richmond River Alluvium GMU. It extends in a narrow strip from just south of Evans Head at the southern end to about 10 km north of Ballina. There is very little , if any, developoment within the area, but some of it has been mined for the heavy mineral content. There is almost no groundwater use recorded. By analogy with other coastal dune areas, however, it is clear that useful groundwater supplies could be developed from the aquifers in this GMU.
Vital Statistics:
| Area: | 32 Km2 |
|---|---|
| Total water allocated: | no data |
| Total water consumed: | 12 ML/yr |
| Average salinity: | 200 mg/l |
| Sustainable yield: | 13,000 ML/yr |
| Depth to top of aquifier: | 5 m |
Further Information
- The following groundwater management units also occur in Clarence-Morton Province
- Alstonville Basalt (NSW)
- Central Lockyer Valley (QLD)
- Condamine - Condamine Groundwater Management Area Sub-Area 4 (QLD)
- Condamine River Alluvium (Cunningham to Ellangowan) (QLD)
- Condamine River Alluvium (Killarney to Murrays Bridge) (QLD)
- Condamine River Alluvium (Murrays Bridge to Cunningham) (QLD)
- Dalrymple Creek Alluvium (QLD)
- Flagstone Creek (QLD)
- Glengallan Creek (QLD)
- Kings Creek Alluvium (QLD)
- Laidley Creek (Upper Reach) (QLD)
- Lockyer - Helidon (QLD)
- Logan / Albert Rivers (QLD)
- Lower Lockyer Creek (QLD)
- Lower Oakey Creek Alluvium (QLD)
- Ma Ma Creek (QLD)
- Myall / Moola Creek North (QLD)
- Myall Creek (QLD)
- Nobby Basalts (QLD)
- North Coast Fractured Rocks (NSW)
- Oakey Creek Management Area (QLD)
- Richmond Coastal Sands (NSW)
- Sandy Creek (QLD)
- Swan Creek Alluvium (QLD)
- Tenthill Creek (QLD)
- Toowoomba City Basalt (QLD)
- Unincorporated Area - Clarence Moreton (QLD)
- Unincorporated Area - Clarence-Morton Basin (NSW)
- Upper Hodgson Creek (QLD)
- Upper Lockyer Creek (QLD)
- View the New South Wales Water Resources Assessment 2000 Report
- View the New South Wales Water Resources Assessment 2000 Technical Report
- For more information about water and other natural resource issues link to www.dlwc.nsw.gov.au.
- Link to data available for download on the Groundwater management units and provinces - ARC/INFO export
- Link to the Map Maker to make a map using this information.
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