Groundwater recharge studies in the Kalgoorlie region

Summary

Results obtained from research into rates of groundwater recharge to hypersaline palaeochannel aquifers in the eastern goldfields region of Western Australia are described.

Techniques used in the investigation included measurement of the natural abundance of environmental isotopes such as oxygen – 18, deuterium, carbon – 13, carbon – 14, chlorine – 36, sulphur – 34, uranium 234/238 and strontium 87/86 in the groundwaters.

The measurements were used to estimate groundwater residence times and to determine the interrelation of groundwaters in the palaeochannel aquifers with those in fractured rock aquifers and salt lake environments.

Numerical modelling was used to evaluate the groundwater resource potential of various palaeochannel systems.

Keywords: groundwater, hypersaline, abstraction, discharge, recharge, resource management, isotopic ratios