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Hydrogeology of the Australian Capital Territory and environs

Created 16/10/2025

Updated 16/10/2025

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The report and map synthesise groundwater studies made since 1954. Analysis of hydrogeological data defines the distribution of bore yield and groundwater chemistry for the regional aquifers of the ACT and environs. The aquifers are composed of fractured sedimentary, volcanic, and igneous rocks, and limited unconsolidated sediments in several different physiographic settings. Analysis of data, based on a three-way geological, 'broad-physiographic', and 'local-landform' subdivision scheme, shows that for bore yield, only the 'local-landform' parameter shows consistent relationships: in a given geomorphic unit, hill-crest bores always have lower yields than valley-floor or hill-slope bores. The highest mean yields are obtained from valley-floor bores tapping fractured aquifers in Ordovician to Early Silurian sedimentary rocks on the Cullarin Tableland. Groundwater yield is mostly obtained from the top 40 m of bores, and boreholes deeper than 100 m failed to improve yields. Groundwaters are generally dilute - less than 1200 mglL total dissolved salts. The variation in solute concentration is attributable to the geochemistry of the aquifer, the dissolution of soluble salts in the unsaturated zone of recharge areas, and the residence time of water in the aquifer. The better-quality water is found in aquifers that are geochemically stable, under high hydraulic gradients, close to recharge zones.

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Additional Info

Field Value
Title Hydrogeology of the Australian Capital Territory and environs
Language eng
Licence Not Specified
Landing Page https://data.gov.au/data/dataset/c5354870-c9c6-4ece-b8a5-73f956e69004
Contact Point
Geoscience Australia Data
clientservices@ga.gov.au
Reference Period 20/04/2018
Geospatial Coverage
Map data © OpenStreetMap contributors
{
  "coordinates": [
    [
      [
        148.5,
        -36.0
      ],
      [
        149.5,
        -36.0
      ],
      [
        149.5,
        -35.0
      ],
      [
        148.5,
        -35.0
      ],
      [
        148.5,
        -36.0
      ]
    ]
  ],
  "type": "Polygon"
}
Data Portal Geoscience Australia

Data Source

This dataset was originally found on Geoscience Australia "Hydrogeology of the Australian Capital Territory and environs". Please visit the source to access the original metadata of the dataset:
https://ecat.ga.gov.au/geonetwork/srv/eng/csw/dataset/hydrogeology-of-the-australian-capital-territory-and-environs