Stream Baseflows in the Daly Basin

S. J. Tickell, S. Cruikshank, E. Kerle and G. Willis
Department of Infrastructure Planning and Environment, Natural Resources Division

This survey took a snapshot of flows in mid-September at various sites in the catchment. The majority of the 34 cumecs measured at Mount Nancar is sourced from groundwater discharge from fractured and karstic aquifers within the Daly Basin. Discharge occurs at various sections along the Daly River and its tributaries where the streams cut into aquifers. The two main aquifers in the basin, the Tindall Limestone and the Oolloo Dolostone were discharging 15.8 and 17.8 cumecs respectively. The largest individual groundwater inflow is 7.7 cumecs, which discharges into the Daly River immediately upstream from Stray Creek.
Dry season stream gaugings were carried out in the Daly River catchment in order to determine the locations and quantities of groundwater inflow (and/or loss) to the river system. The main areas of interest were those stretches of the rivers that cross the Tindall and Oolloo aquifers of the Daly Basin.
The report provides information on the water quality, stream flows, water balance and salt balance within the Daly Basin.

http://www.ntlis.nt.gov.au/hpa-services/techreport?report_id=WRD02036