Predicting the effects of Clearing on Groundwater Discharge to the Daly River

A. Knapton
Department of Natural Resources, Environment and the Arts, Land and Water Division,
In this study the impacts of changes due to clearing and extraction for irrigation on spring flows have been predicted using analytical and numerical models of groundwater flow. The emphasis of this work was to understand the processes occurring and hence guide the development of land and water practices that will prevent adverse impacts on the ecosystems sustained by spring flows into the Daly River. This report presents the extension of a numerical groundwater model developed by NRETA to assess the likely impacts of development, due to clearing, on the groundwater system and the flows in the Daly River.