The North-East Corridor is a priority urban growth area where groundwater resources are at, or near full allocation. Alternative water sources may be required to meet the local water needs of the corridor. The Swan Valley is one of Australia’s oldest wine-producing regions and is a popular tourist destination for local, interstate and international visitors. Swan Valley horticulture, viticulture and agritourism all rely on groundwater. Declining groundwater levels and increasing salinity is threatening the sustainability of these industries.
The North-East Corridor and Swan Valley investigation aims to refine our understanding of the groundwater system. Its results will help us with allocation planning and water licensing. It will also show us where alternative water supplies, such as managed aquifer recharge, could be located.
This investigation began in 2019 and is due to finish in 2025. It is part of our State Groundwater Investigation Program.
What we are doing for the investigation
So far we have:
- completed an airborne electromagnetic (AEM) survey across more than 3,000 kilometres
- collected groundwater and surface water samples from nearly 200 locations for analysis
- installed groundwater monitoring bores in the Leederville aquifer (11 bores) and Superficial aquifer (9 bores) to expand the monitoring network and collect groundwater levels
- collected chemistry and isotope data across the area to help quantify recharge and aquifer connectivity
Next we will:
- interpret the data collected to date to conceptualise the area’s hydrogeology, including assessing the presence and/or influence of the Wanneroo and Serpentine faults on groundwater level change and groundwater flow
- use the data from this project to develop a map of potential areas for managed aquifer recharge and produce a hydrogeological assessment report
We will use the data from this project to develop a map of potential areas for managed aquifer recharge.
Where to get more details
You can ask for a copy of the Bore Completion Report for the North-East Corridor and Swan Valley project by emailing groundwater.info@dwer.wa.gov.au
You can access all government-commissioned airborne geophysical surveys via the Department of Mines, Industry Regulation and Safety website and download them free of charge from ‘Geophysical Surveys’ in GeoVIEW.WA or from the Geophysical Archive Data Delivery System (GADDS).
Read more about our groundwater investigations by region across Western Australia.
