TIEPARTM.EN. D;: NORTt-IEKN IERK\To~,(

\JAlEO"'- 'K.E5DLll'.LES ~R."NCH

IlECLlNE. IN WAtE.R L EVEL

IN \HE.

A LICE. SPi2.INGS MER..EENIE

AB.u,t=E12...

Auc.E SrR IN6.S

FEB£ uA£.'< 1'11~

DBI.'AA'IMfN'r OF NOR'lliEHlI TERl1I1ORY

WAT'~ RESOURCES BRAll Cl!

DECLINE IN WATillR LEVEL III 'lliE

ALICE SPRnl GS l~IE A"UIFillR

by

K.P. ROBERTS

,------_._ -£;7:\,

.' \'" ;,:;." '\..:.:J

, <' •. _ - .... . . . , . . . ,._ . ,

l ' ,. . . " '{ , . , ... ' ... ' .,'\ " . - '"I 1.. . '" .. _ .

- --- ---'

Alice Springs February 1974

CONTENTS

1. Population

2. Water Consumption

2.1 Per capi ta consumption

2.2 Future water demand

3. Extraction Rate from the Mereenie Aquifer

4. Water Level Trends in Vicini ty of Mereenie Production Bores 4.1

4.2

4.3 4.3.1

Distance drawdown analysis

4.3.2

Predicted distance - drawdown behavious

Time-drawdown analysis Time-drawdown analysis of ZC ( RN 3600)

Time-drawdown analysis of ZO (RN 3537)

5. Future Drawdowns in the Production Field

6. Conclusions and Recommendations

LIST OF FIGURES .AIm TABLES

FIGURES

1. iUice Springs population

2. Drawdown record for observation bores

3. Drawdown record for observation bores

4. DrawdolID record for observation bores

5. Drawdown record for observation bores

6. Plot of drawdom versus distance from ZC for observation bores

7. Predicted distance_drawdown trend for Mereenie area

8. Time-drawdown plot for bore ZC

9. Predicted drawdowns for observation bores ZC and ZO

10 Time-drawdown plot for bore ZO

TABLES

I Past consumption statistics

II Predicted future consumption statistics

III Annual extraction rates from the Mereenie Sandstone

IV 'I'ransmi s si vi ti es cal cul a ted for bore ZC

V Transmissivities calculated for bore ZO

VI Expected life of present production bores

'lb. pn8.,. t po)l&l.aUon of Alice Sprint:;8 .i~; in :;lIe ':1 oint ty of 1:J)OO ald 18

expected to 1ncrebae in the future at a rate of 6\bOllt e per oen~ per cnum.

data to be 1\:11.4 1n Reter.,. ... 1, 2, .., and 4.

'lb. finaneial J9lU' hu been used as tl-te b~eio period 1nthe Jila.1.yai8 ot

w. tel' demand in order to k lJep the hi t4l-dernand SUliiiOler Illon the in one tIl1 ~

i'ast t;onsumption ;)t'-ltietics

y~~~ POPUL"ilU: co~ J];'PI'I ON

~ " I ' '"

(million ~allons) (milliotl ;sallons) I (millioll .::::J.lons)

1960/61 4:.co 102 ).5 4.8 111 1961/62 4t300 209 4.0 5.7 11' 196~63 5100 217 4.2 ().4 116

196-V64 :>400 217 4.2 6.3 110

1964/65 ')700 276. 5.3 7.2 131 1965/66 5900 310 G.O G.6 144 1966/67 6 ';iD0 29<' 507 B.7 124 1967/68 7 }OO )81 7.4 11.4 145 1968/69 820:: 410 7.7 11.9 114 1969/70 ?.!oo 564 10.8 15.0 16)

1970/11 106()l) 6~) 13.4 11.1 179 1971/72 12000 * 004 15.5 22.3 184 -1912/73 13500 * 1010 1:1.4 n.1 204-

* ~s tim" ted _ l"1gul't!t8 not available

YlWl

197-5 1900 1965 1990

1995

•• 2 ••

/ /

'l."able 1 have been oalculated. bl dhld1ng lb. to..,. ntltr oon$UIlt~tion 07

the total. oopulation. no 4111.101'." bu b.en 1184. tor the ooaaft'Ollal. or

in cr .... r.1rly rap1dll up to a ftt'tlidn point at which ~. r .. te of

'taOh II.

shown 1n 't.~hl. II.

15.000 121>0 37 2)0 ,

22.000 :!J10 )9 250

32.000 J)40 90 260,

47,000 4600 140 270

60,000 G100 180 :;,1£0

1960/61 1961/62

1962/63

1963/64

1964/" .965/66 1966/67 1961/68 1968/69

•• 3 ••

1.68.

'labl. IU aLowo tile past, 1IIrld, hl.Bed 011 tb} <,,"'}::U:1lP tJ.on of all wat.er for

,.11 Cit; Zpr1nl;.s Oi.JlllinS t:rolJ the Uereen1e>l'ca, the future water requ1r4hGn U

l' . ':ll .. ::: III

\. ':::", ,." ,.l~ I:~ Ci,bii t }tt;il~ ·'ur i~ O~!,~, , • ~

IS 182 ;j 1')£/70 496 68

0 ro9 1970/71 694 0

0 217 1')71/72 804 c 0 217 , 1972/'/3 i 10tO 0

0 222 57 1n5/7(,~ 1260 0

295 15 1960/81 2010 0

295 1 " 1985/86 3040 0

3H 14 1')90/91 4600 ()

3;'5 8; 199;;/96 6100 0

W~~ fi l"it .~

I}OC: ).-

f<t.~

29- -,3

3'7 orr ~,

117

...• 4/

•• 4 ••

4. WATJill LEVEL TR~DS rn VICINITY OF

!.1li:RSEtfIE PRODUCTION BOm:::;

4.1 Di.tBl\c!:4rawdo!P analYs,

Water levels in Q'bs~a.tion 'bores have been measured sinoe pumping began

from the Mereen1e ~uifer on 30 July 1964. Th. records tor SOllIe ot the

borea are ah01ll in Figures 2. 3. 4 ."d 5.

Bore ZC, Registered Number (l:lN) 3600,haa been tQken as being the oentre

ot the produotion field and using this assumption the diatanoes to all the

other bores can be measured. F.l.gure 6 shows the drawdome in the

obBenation bores at the end of 1912 plotted, on sem1-logari thud.c paper,

against distance froll! ZC.

A.t!1rst Blanoe 1 t would appear that what has taken place over the time

since pumpint; beean in 1964 ta simply a very long tem pUIAping test whioh

/) J-. fi.. . 1~1J,....I'- I oould b. analysed by conventional methods. However the matter 1 • .,..! ' • etJ''''C,-

l\.ft j ~. 11: .. OOIIPl1oated by the tact that the pumping rate h .. not remained conatant

1~ r v"! .. ,,jbut haa increasad !1ve..Aold boll 1964/65 to 1912/73-

t;:yJ( Because of the jointed nature of the aquifer,.. (espeoially to the west ct

PlO) it would reasonably 'be assumed that observation bores olos. to the ,.., production field 1IOuld show en almo,) t imm.ediate reaponse to ch1lZl.7:t:n

the pumpinc rate and henoe the e!feots of previous pumpin$ 1IOuld be soon

d1a1~ted. t1t..~ti~) -tft. ,'1'V"'~ f'cJic .'l~"M /)",(:".

Henoe my analysis cf the distanoe-drawdown plot (l'1g 6) should take

aocoUllt of the variations ot both aquifer characteristics and pumping

rate. This is not possible using any of the aVailable methods ot

pumping-test an.u.ys1s. However to get some idea cf future trends in

the water level BOllIe bas1c assumption have had. to be made. It shoUld 'be

bome in mind that future evente may prove these !l.'i\·)um,tions to be invalid.

It can be seen on Fig 6 that Ii reaoonable stra;\.c1lt line o:JZl be drawn

throush the points. 'lhere are a few bores which lie off the line but

this tact oan be, at least in part, expla;\.ned.

• .. 5/

)<

•• 5 ••

'!he oloser borea are very dependen t OIl dis tUllOS from the centre or

tb.e produotion field, whiall has b'3en choaen as bore ~C. I.l.' the.:'Q i3

an error of 2000 teet itl tllis distai:1Cl) thia could flakO the di,Cre,l'Eillce

of B. bore at 300'> feet baine plot on biG G as 1000 teet.

5 • ~-~

)~ J S . \\4. ~~4

'~ ~ .lot the ot.h<}r end of the scale the bores .at a dint.e.noe gra":ter t.han 20,000 ~~ t. ~ '}

, we~ ~~.'\ feet ~ (,OeIlerally not drilled 1Jrltil after pu:l!pine of the produotion \:. '''''

field com"!leIlced Slid it hus been n~COa8li\X"J to estimate the orii.l1nal .]\){~

N ;~ probahl.v correct to say 10:~ and sLo old not unduly affeot the posi tion oJ: the >t'

{ ... ~ ti

line •. There are :towever vttiitl reasons for neclecting these bores.

~~1' 'l~'

fI",..pl ZT has suown

.. 1-.~(' period,

anOlllOlous readin:::s OVer reoent times and in thO! two-month

~11 l~4 ~,~ 1\ Novumber 1973 to JilIlUaI",r 1974, dlOI'lod a recovery of about twenty

i~ ~ ~~

.-{. ... ' feet. Jl;1z" i f'r been nee;lOloted •. ''/

'lhis 1e obviously inOO"'L'COt tltld 30 reudilicB from this 'nora h"Ve

lhe orin;l.nal J>iL in llrounWla bore i~; unknov;n "inca tha llore wus n01;

completod until M~ 1966, about 2 :/OiJX13 ufter pu:apin", ~m tho aqUif'4r ,~ ~JJt oollllllerlocd. 'iha JraWlio'lltl of Z7 r~ct "ho~m in Fit> 6 has been estimated ~,,~ l;;J, .... i ~ 1,\ by extrapolation back in time. tlowovor a dr>l.wdown of anything from 21 teet tel ~ ~ ~, to i!l feot 1lIa,y be correct. ~or thi 0 Deason .lJrerUll.illS bore haa been negleoted~ ,1

~~'" dra"' .... , ,"'''' '" t 11n, 00 l'iu 6. ~~ "./ 1

:I. (t(/ UBine the 3vere.,;e 111 thdrawal ral,ei'ro!u t:le "''lu:i.i'or since 1964 o~ '\~ do aW./ X

~~ million eallons per WoIiIilk the di5t~ce-drawdo\'Jll plot on -"1;:; 6 c:;i'les a ... tranam:l.saivi t;y of 24,000 gallons per da,y per foot an,1 a st.o·t"~se ooecfiaiant

, Eggington (Reterence 6), using a. ninet;y-week record, bas

oaloulated a transmisai Vi ty oJ: 20,000 gaJ.lons per dfIiY per toot an.! a

atoraee ooe!ficiElll t 01' 2.7 x 10-3•

. ... ~)/

If·).. yr Predicted

.'

drawdoWllS 1'I0UU if, fact tend f.O di;') L<JI1cclJ ,;Teater than 130,000 feot

aJ. thOu.)l ~.J. ttedly ouo.'1 d.ca .. -do·o'.ns wuuld bo .:>1"[111 (say of the ordor of

one or two fee t). ~."l

In tho 3t1:uysis described above it wa:" a,;~l\:;'1ed t!!at the drawdoms ill the

observati·n boros ware related to the Ilvcrllg(l :,wilping rate. In fact the

closer bor~s would not depend on the ayeL'ace pu:n)line rate but rather the

boroe arc tho ouly ones to which t.he

In order to ~certai.n tot) effects of :>U1;pine on tho tU'ea. nt.'ll' the

produotion bON:! tho deoline in water level 1;. bores .:.C (illl )600) SlId

zo (rm 353'7) has been analysed in more det~l. iJuoh '-II1.~ya1s hu taken

Eggl.neton (Reference 6) sa,ys toat when 1'3 and ?5 were broUjjlt ,lnto

product.1on the wa~er level in ZC " •••• fell rw.?idl,y .:II,d thon tondodt.i

pumpinG all &lan,;". This llIe;ons that the sffecto 011 the w}ilter level , ,..."" "-' !

in the production field of Ilrev.i(>us pll!rlpinJ are ;;';'vll di)Si-P'llt$d. Hecause

of this oharaote:ristic of the '''lui:",r it has bQOlI a,::sUIlIod that .. th~ .

• •• J/

•• 7 ••

at that l.im •• ,

2ran3fJissi vi ti,;s C,:uculatcd .cor Dora ::'C

1963/64

1964/65

1965/66

1966/67

1967/68

1968/69 1969/70

1970/71

1971/72

1972/73

Aifl;;,U~GB \t,~:~J.:f ;i:X'fi.U .. ;"; . .;.'1~l'I (million Gallon,)

5.6'(

7.19

6.14

9.53 13.35

15.4'(

19/4,3

IrUJJI ~;-:.r3;;';'''IVITY ( thOU:l ;nd ",cllons per .lay par foo t)

22.4

21.2

24.1

20.1

28.3

33.6

V.7 ?6.2

..

•• a •.

8&11009 per da,y per foot. Tald.n.'r this villue all beinz representative

galloos p",r d"", pllr foot, a disch&r~'l! rate f:rm~ Table II and a zero

'liJ for vlrl oil the zero in tercep t WWJ r;

Table V shows the various 'lralueo of tranSt:'.i::;::;:\ vi ty of '<l.hiall the median

value used for prodiotine futuro drxlldo,ms WIlS 2(;,000 gallons par da,y

per foot.

t.963/64 1964/65 1965/66

1966/67 1967/68 1968/ 69 1969/70 1970/71

1971/72

Tra."leJr.isoivi ties CalotJ.ate<l for :!)ore :':0

AV'~RdJ.}b: W ;::,XL Y J.A'~1; .. :LJ7IOl~ (Uil11on €allmls)

o 4.24 5.67

5.67

7.19 6.14 9. )3

13.35

'lbe predioted future drawdowns for :w are aho'Ml in lit,<; 9

J8.S

y..7

~ I" t ~ ~ ~,

•• 9 ••

to ),.00 fo\:!t or to put i t ~othor way an aJdi tionaJ. dra.wdo\l1l1 of

200 to 250 foet frOil tho pre<lcn t \'(,ltcr level.

however unloss they are put below the

pUll111S can be lowor,~d. 'l'ablo VI GiwhJ tJ:10 oxpected lifQ of the preoent

production bores at :';oreenie, a'suminc Ilnt the pW;lS /lro plaaed dt the

bottom of tho a,ising.

l';xpectod Li fo of Preser. t ,'I'oduction Bores

BORE ">;';.;PT:: OF DOH~~ (reet)

)i~tm 0_,1 :~.wllrG

(feet)

~ ~ ~

~ I/.J

~ a \l \I

.~ ~ ~

~~ ~ ~. ((' ~

~

-------------------------------------------------- f ~ Pl

Pl. 1 P2

P3

'r P4

l ;: , . P7

:t:3 1'10

P11

P12

PH

",-,. , 971

987 663

1911 600

600

450 492 623

11G1

500

170 1210 ~ , ."....

4 674 'f;;0

'. til, 771 396 -; '"" ' ( .. 635 ,00 ( J701 395j \

1995

1987.

1987

1990

1995 2000 +,

1990

1990 1988

19B7 ' 1''''-'1976 ''I.~. .

/'/ 1978 , '" '1978

r

t&eO ~

't4-n '11 r(

7( 74 7i

•• 10 ••

:;a1nly to the watar dec;,and inoraaainu at a hi;p.eX'

/ rate than 'lidS for;;"een.

/ pred1ct.lble r,;;mner.

6.3 'lhe~hro,; l.test bor',;s, 1'11, .1:'12 and 1'13.

6.5 :ltIy new production bore:'3 drilled tn the a£(~n. s;.oull be c,.I.sed to at

1ea'lt 5) feet c";1vinc: them II life up to a.bout 1995).

6.6 ;>.rea!J

"" bores.

"t.~l~t should be loofed a;,.u au/illar;; or future 81 tea for ,ro lUc t10n

6.7 llei.lrin in ;;dnd that the oone of dopra~)sion \u11. by 1)95, extend for a

dillltmce or so':e 130,000 feet (25 nile:) naw Clites sliould onlt IIG looked at

/

b<a!,ond thls lind. t unless mutual in ter l'erOI: 0<1 '),.:tw,!';ll the ~('eaJ if) conaiclered.

/

i '

..... 'lIt~ • • • •

~ '-'-'-~-' ~

() .,. : !it.j,:::llIj; I :~I! "~·_.tl1'n, :'K: ~, I!!l; llj ·· J J !I ' II '.l TI , j I ~ I - ! 11 1111" HI ! ""., 'I"' . . " I' "',- "I II " ',' . mm cz. ;" ,, ;0 :, •...•. '."'._;,,.' . ,,: • • • ; '- " " " t-H- '

~ <t •. '10 • , , • " I:. .. • • <

NOI.Lt1' Odod

..-Y <Wd ;'>'jo''''''~ JO ~ ~

, • • •

l-..;.+ , __ ,

51 .,. -

0 r-.,. -

, • 3 • d > u • ~ o Z

~ Z S

- J

~~ -2:

~

() -

ct II ...

2: 0 -~ -l => CL 0 ~

I.Jl 0 z -IX 1l. \Jl

W V -....J «

... u -u.

1. Statistical Data _ Town Water Supply, Alice Springs. Updated version originally assembled by R. C. Hamil ton, Water Resources Branch, July 1969.

2. Northern 'rerri tory Statistical Summaries (various years)

3. Northern Terri tory Report 1~69-70

4. Northern Terri tory Report 1971-72

5. Alice SprinGs Town Water Supply - Predicted Requirements 1967-1977, by I. Binch, Water Resources Branch Report No. 67/2 November 1967.

6. Pumping Capaci ty of the Alice Springs Mereenie Aquifer by H.F. Eggine;ton, Technical Report 1966/RI, Water Resources Branch, Northern Terri tory Admini s tra tion •

~ > z n n z , ~ ~ • n -;:; r • r o • • 040 I •

~ cr -~

20

0 z w

~ .5

Z 3 E

~ 10

£:. 0 '

r • " , , • x 5 , " , • l 0 ., • • • " •

0

o

•

I

, ,

I ,

.. • • • DISTANCE

AG 6 PLOT OF

.,

, .

, , . ,

• •

T

. ' "

I

• • • • • • • • FRoM ~c. (FEET) I

)~ It lC-'-

DRAWPoWf'I VER<5V5 PI'ioTANCE FRoM zc. FOR Oe.SERIII\ TIOi'l 1il 01'/. E ,<,

. -> 0 r r > z n

" z , • r • n < 0 r

" r 0 n

" -~ , ,.

Z '3 8 ;. <t: Ot Cl

,

DISTI\.NCE

•

' .

,

i . , ,

I

FIG 7 •

l=ROM z<- (FEET

• , . •

, I ,

• •• •

PREDICTED DIS1ANCE -DRAWDOWN

FDR MEREENIE AREA

• -TREND

i

-,

• ,

"

•

( • \ , \

~ .. , , , "

•

, '\

. -,

i ,

~

•

" ".

•

.... \~ .... , ....... - , ..... ,'" , .. ~ '0 ......... ' , . . .. • ~-- .... ~) . 10 100 '000

zqo- • ZSI " , -, •

,

. " • r ,. . ' .. - ,

• " >00-

, , - • - • ,

,

'" , ( . . , -. -, , ; , •

- ,' , ;\0;" ,"-' 1 •

•

• • .. ' l)" ., 1- - -, • --~ • • , .

, -.

\) • '3ZD.

. -, " < - • -, '5 ' ,' ..

• , , " •

5 • • • r ~

•

l: • '3'30. 0 IX u. "

III IX

~ 340 . 0

• - -2 - •

:t ~ :,so.

'" A

~ i1 !.-0 t

Iqb'l- ,q" S ,qt.(, 67 ,

360 •

FIG 10 TIME' - PRAWOOWN PLOT FOR 130RE zo