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Review: The evolving understanding of the Great Artesian Basin (Australia), from discovery to current hydrogeological interpretations

Revue: Evolution de la compréhension du Grand Bassin Artésien (Australie), de la découverte aux interprétations hydrogéologiques actuelles

Revisión: La evolución del conocimiento en la Great Artesian Basin (Australia), desde su descubrimiento hasta las interpretaciones hidrogeológicas actuales

综述:澳大利亚大自流盆地从发现到现在的水文地质学解释的不断完善理解

Revisão: A compreensão evolutiva da Grande Bacia Artesiana (Austrália), da descoberta às interpretações hidrogeológicos atuais

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Abstract

The Great Artesian Basin (GAB) in Australia underlies semi-arid and arid regions across 1.7 million km2 or one-fifth of Australia. The basin’s groundwater resources were discovered around 1880 and their development allowed pastoral activities, homestead and town water supplies, and petroleum and mining ventures to exist. The GAB is a multi-layered confined aquifer system, with aquifers in Jurassic and Cretaceous continental sandstones and intervening confining beds of siltstone and mudstone of the constituent Eromanga, Surat and Carpentaria sedimentary basins. The basin is up to 3,000 m thick and forms a large synclinal structure, uplifted and exposed along its eastern margin and tilted southwest. Recharge to the exposed aquifers occurs in the eastern margin, an area of relative high rainfall. The western margin in Australia’s arid centre receives minor recharge. Regional groundwater flow is towards the southern, south-western, western and northern margins. Flowing artesian springs discharge in the southwest margin and have produced carbonate mounds. Although lateral groundwater movement dominates, vertical upwards leakage is considered important. Potentiometric surfaces of the Jurassic and Lower Cretaceous aquifers are still above ground level throughout most of the basin, though pressure drawdowns of up to 100 m have been recorded in recent decades in highly developed areas, and consequently some artesian water boreholes and springs have ceased flowing. Government borehole rehabilitation programs have led to groundwater pressure recovery in some areas. This paper outlines the history of GAB exploration, scientific investigations (hydrogeology, hydrochemistry, isotope hydrology, groundwater modelling) and management, summarising the recent knowledge on the GAB.

Résumé

Le Grand Bassin Artésien (GBA) est à l’origine de régions semi-arides et arides portant sur 1.7 million de km2, soit un cinquième de l’Australie. Les ressources en eaux souterraines du Bassin ont été découvertes vers 1880 et leur exploitation a permis l’existence d’activités pastorales, d’approvisionnement en eau en zones rurales et urbaines, ainsi que d’entreprises pétrolières et minières. Le GBA est un système aquifère captif multi-couches, avec des aquifères dans les grès continentaux du Jurassique et du Crétacé et des niveaux interstratifiés confinant de siltites et mudstone des bassins sédiemtnaires d’Eromanga, Surat et Carpentaria. Le Bassin a une épaisseur atteignant jusqu’à 3000 m et forme une grande structure synclinale, soulevée et exposée le long de sa marge orientale et inclinée vers le sud-ouest. La recharge des aquifères exposés prend place dans la marge orientale, une région de précipitations relativement élevées. La marge occidentale dans le centre aride de l’Australie reçoit une recharge plus faible. Les écoulements régionaux des eaux souterraines se dirigent vers les marges sud, sud-ouest, ouest et nord. Les sources artésiennes se déchargent vers la marge du sud-ouest et qui ont produit des monticules de carbonate. Bien que l’écoulement latéral des eaux souterraines domine, un drainage vertical ascendant est considéré comme important. Les surfaces piézométriques des aquifères du Jurassique et du Crétacé inférieur sont toujours supérieures au niveau du sol dans la majeure partie du bassin, bien que des rabattements allant jusqu’à 100 m aient été enregistrés au cours des dernières décennies dans des zones très développées, et par conséquent l’écoulement artésien a cessé au niveau de certains forages et sources. Des programmes gouvernementaux de réhabilitation de forages ont mené à la récupération de la pression des eaux souterraines dans certaines régions. Cet article décrit l’histoire de l’exploration du GBA, des études scientifiques (hydrogéologie, hydrochimie, hydrologie des isotopes, modélisation des eaux souterraines) et de la gestion, résumant les connaissances récentes sur le GBA.

Resumen

La Great Artesian Basin (GAB) subyace las regiones semiáridas y áridas a lo largo de 1.7 millones de km2 o una quinta parte de Australia. Los recursos de agua subterránea de la cuenca fueron descubiertos alrededor de 1880 y su desarrollo permitió que existieran actividades pastoriles, abastecimiento de agua a los hogares y a las ciudades, y a empresas petroleras y mineras. El GAB es un sistema acuífero confinado de múltiples capas, con acuíferos en areniscas continentales del Jurásico y el Cretácico y capas confinantes intermedias de limolitas y arcilitas de las cuencas sedimentarias constitutivas de Eromanga, Surat y Carpentaria. La cuenca tiene un espesor de hasta 3000 m y forma una gran estructura sinclinal, elevada y expuesta a lo largo de su margen oriental e inclinada hacia el suroeste. La recarga de los acuíferos expuestos se produce en el margen oriental, una zona de precipitaciones relativamente altas. El margen occidental en el centro árido de Australia recibe una pequeña recarga. El flujo regional de aguas subterráneas se dirige hacia los márgenes sur, suroeste, oeste y norte. El flujo de los manantiales artesianos descarga en el margen suroeste y han producido colinas de carbonato. Aunque predomina el movimiento lateral del agua subterránea, se considera importante la filtración vertical hacia arriba. Las superficies potenciométricas de los acuíferos del Jurásico y del Cretácico Inferior siguen estando por encima del nivel del suelo en la mayor parte de la cuenca, aunque en los últimos decenios se han registrado descensos de presión de hasta 100 m en zonas muy desarrolladas y, en consecuencia, algunos pozos de agua y manantiales artesanales han dejado de fluir. Los programas gubernamentales de rehabilitación de pozos han llevado a la recuperación de la presión del agua subterránea en algunas áreas. Este documento describe la historia de la exploración del GAB, las investigaciones científicas (hidrogeología, hidroquímica, hidrología de isótopos, modelización de aguas subterráneas) y la gestión, resumiendo los conocimientos recientes sobre el GAB.

摘要

大自流盆地(GAB)位于半干旱和干旱区,面积170万km2,是澳大利亚的五分之一。该盆地的地下水资源在1880年左右被发现,其开发使得牧民活动,宅基地和城镇供水以及石油和采矿企业得以保障。 GAB盆地是多层承压含水层系统,包括侏罗系和白垩系大陆砂岩含水层,以及Eromanga,Surat和Carpentaria沉积盆地粉砂岩和泥岩的中间隔水层。该盆地厚达3000米,形成一个大的向斜构造,沿其东缘抬升并出露,向西南方向倾斜。在东部边缘有裸露含水层的补给,该区降雨量相对较高。澳大利亚干旱中心的西缘受到轻微补给。区域地下水流向南部,西南部,西部和北部边缘。流动的自流泉在西南边缘排泄并产生碳酸盐丘。虽然侧向地下水运动占主导地位,但垂直向上排泄也很重要。尽管高度开采区在最近几十年已经有高达100米的压力下降,导致了一些自流水井和泉水已经停止流动,但侏罗纪和下白垩统含水层的压力面在盆地大部分地区仍然高于地面。政府的钻孔修复计划使一些地区地下水位恢复。本文概述了GAB勘探,科学研究(水文地质学,水化学,同位素水文学,地下水模拟)和管理的历史,总结了最近关于GAB盆地的认识。

Resumo

A Grande Bacia Artesiana (GBA) está subjacente a regiões semiáridas e áridas em 1.7 milhões km2 ou um quinto da Austrália. Os recursos hídricos subterrâneos da bacia foram descobertos em torno de 1880 e seu desenvolvimento permitiu atividades pastorais, abastecimento de água em cidades e distritos, e empreendimentos de petróleo e mineração existirem. A GBA é um sistema aquífero multicamadas confinado, com aquíferos em arenitos continentais Jurássico e Cretáceo e interferências de leitos confinantes de siltito e argilito das bacias sedimentares constituintes Eromanga, Surat e Carpentaria. A bacia tem mais de 3000 m de espessura e forma uma grande estrutura sinclinal, erguida e exposta ao longo de sua margem oriental e sudoeste inclinado. A recarga para os aquíferos aflorantes ocorre na margem oriental, uma área de relativa alta pluviosidade. A margem ocidental no centro árido da Austrália recebe pequenas recargas. O fluxo regional das águas subterrâneas é voltado para as margens sul, sudoeste, oeste e norte. Fontes artesianas de descarga fluem na margem sudoeste e tem produzido montes carbonatados. Embora o movimento lateral da água subterrânea domine, a dispersão vertical ascendente é considerada importante. As superfícies potenciométricas dos aquíferos Jurássico e Cretáceo inferior ainda estão acima do nível do solo ao longo da maior parte da bacia, embora as quedas de pressão de até 100 m tenham sido registradas nas últimas décadas em áreas altamente desenvolvidas e, consequentemente, alguns poços artesianos e nascentes cessaram o fluxo. Programas de reabilitação de poços do governo levaram à recuperação da pressão das águas subterrâneas em algumas áreas. Este artigo descreve a história da exploração de GBA, investigações científicas (hidrogeologia, hidroquímica, hidrologia isotópica, modelagem de águas subterrâneas) e gestão, resumindo os conhecimentos recentes sobre o GBA.

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Acknowledgements

This paper draws on many of the studies and papers listed in the text and references, and the author’s studies of the hydrogeology of the Great Artesian Basin since 1971 within: the Bureau of Mineral Resources, Geology and Geophysics; Australian Geological Survey Organisation; Bureau of Rural Sciences and Geoscience Australia, Canberra, ACT, Australia. Some repetition and overlap of these studies, their results and published texts quoted in this compilation are inevitable and is acknowledged.

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    M. A. Habermehl

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Published in the special issue “Advances in hydrogeologic understanding of Australia’s Great Artesian Basin”

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Habermehl, M.A. Review: The evolving understanding of the Great Artesian Basin (Australia), from discovery to current hydrogeological interpretations. Hydrogeol J 28, 13–36 (2020). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10040-019-02036-6

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