Temporal trends of groundwater levels in the border rivers alluvia

Temporal trends of groundwater levels in the border rivers alluvia

This report analyses the groundwater levels trends in the Queensland section of the Border Rivers alluvia (Macintyre and Weir Rivers), downstream of Goondiwindi to Mungindi. The aquifer in this area is rather thin and contains relatively salty water. Large portion of this area is currently utilized for irrigated and dryland cropping; storages and channels were erected to support the agriculture development. Deep-drainage and rising groundwater levels, which were identified in previous studies and were attributed to the agricultural activities, were re-investigated and constrained.
Major findings are:
• Stable groundwater levels at the outskirts of the floodplain;
• On-going decrease in groundwater levels near Goondiwindi;
• Induced streambed recharge during the 2010-2013 high flow period along several stream sections (but not in others);
• Rising groundwater levels near many irrigated lands which were consistently associated with deep-drainage, in the order of 10-40 mm/yr;
• Induced deep-drainage and leakiness under red-soils in two localities near South Talwood.
It is recommended to increase monitoring frequency at those bores where dynamic changes were identified, especially where the groundwater level is very shallow.

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