Aquaculture Groundwater Resource Atlas - Central

The Central Region includes the Musgrave, Amadeus, Arunta, Birrindudu and Victoria River, Tanami and Ord Groundwater provinces.

The Ord is a distinct sedimentary basin, located east of Halls Creek, containing Cambrian volcanic and sedimentary rocks, and Devonian sandstones. Groundwater is likely to be fresh, but there is little information about bore yields. The Devonian sandstone, part of which forms the Bungle Bungle Range, is a potential groundwater resource. The only current usage is for pastoral purposes.

The remainder of the region comprises a variety of Precambrian fractured rock aquifers, which are not considered to contain significant groundwater resources. They have been investigated and utilised only for remote communities, such as Giles, and between Warburton and Wingelina. Bore yields are generally low, and groundwater fresh to brackish. Groundwater also has high nitrate concentrations.

Reference: Sofoulis (1962); Wharton (1984)