Galilee Basin hydrogeological inventory

This Galilee Basin dataset contains descriptive attribute information for the areas bounded by the relevant spatial groundwater feature in the associated Hydrogeology Index map. Descriptive topics are grouped into the following themes: Location and administration; Demographics; Physical geography; Surface water; Geology; Hydrogeology; Groundwater; Groundwater management and use; Environment; Land use and industry types; and Scientific stimulus.

This Galilee Basin dataset contains descriptive attribute information for the areas bounded by the relevant spatial groundwater feature in the associated Hydrogeology Index map. Descriptive topics are grouped into the following themes: Location and administration; Demographics; Physical geography; Surface water; Geology; Hydrogeology; Groundwater; Groundwater management and use; Environment; Land use and industry types; and Scientific stimulus.

The Galilee Basin is a large intracratonic sedimentary basin in central Queensland. The basin contains a variably thick sequence of Late Carboniferous to Middle Triassic clastic sedimentary rocks dominated by laterally extensive sandstone, mudstone and coal. These rocks were mostly deposited in non-marine environments (rivers, swamps and lakes), although there is minor evidence for marginal marine settings such as deltas and estuaries. Sedimentation did not occur continuously across the approximately 90 million year history of basin development, and intervals of episodic compression, uplift and erosion were marked by distinct depositional breaks. 

Over much of the surface area of the Galilee Basin the main aquifers targeted for groundwater extraction occur in the younger rocks and sediments that overlie the deeper sequence of the Galilee Basin. The primary aquifers that supply groundwater in this region are those of the Eromanga Basin, as well as more localised deposits of Cenozoic alluvium. However, in the central-east and north-east of the Galilee Basin, the Carboniferous to Triassic rocks occur at or close to surface and several aquifer units supply significant volumes of groundwater to support pastoral and town water supplies, as well as being the water source for several spring complexes.

The three main groundwater systems identified in the Galilee Basin occur in the 1. Clematis Group aquifer, 2. partial aquifer of the upper Permian coal measures (including the Betts Creek beds and Colinlea Sandstone), and 3. aquifers of the basal Joe Joe Group. The main hydrogeological units that confine regional groundwater flow in the Galilee Basin are (from upper- to lower-most) the Moolayember Formation, Rewan Formation, Jochmus Formation and Jericho Formation. However, some bores may tap local groundwater resources within these regional aquitards in areas where they outcrop or occur close to surface. Such areas of localised partial aquifer potential may be due in part to enhanced groundwater storage due to weathering and fracturing.

Tags: Basin Analysis, EARTH SCIENCES, ECOLOGY, ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES, Environmental Management, Exploring for the Future, GEOLOGY, Groundwater, Hydrogeology, Land Use and Environmental Planning, National Groundwater Sytems, National Hydrogeological Inventory, PHYSICAL GEOGRAPHY AND ENVIRONMENTAL GEOSCIENCE, Published_External, Sedimentology, Stratigraphy (incl. Biostratigraphy and Sequence Stratigraphy)
Organization: Australian Ocean Data Network