Data elevates water understanding

NEW data relating to groundwater resources in the Upper Burdekin basalt country north of Charters Towers is set to benefit farmers, businesses and communities.

Resources and Northern Australia Minister Matt Canavan said councils, landholders and pastoralists would be able to tap into Geoscience Australia’s airborne LIDAR elevation survey data to help them manage water resources and make decisions on future developments.

“This three-dimensional elevation data helps us understand how rainfall and surface water feed into the groundwater system, and how this valuable groundwater makes its way back to the surface through natural springs and into the Upper Burdekin River,” Senator Canavan said.

“Water security is the key to opening up new agricultural and business opportunities in regional Australia.

“This new data will put the Upper Burdekin at the forefront of using groundwater resources to support development in a sustainable and profitable way.”

Townsville-based LNP senator Susan Mcdonald said North Queensland had huge potential for future agricultural development which would benefit all Australians.

“This new high-resolution elevation survey maps a total area of 3400sq km near Charters Towers and brings benefits to the community over and above just looking for new sources of groundwater,” she said.

The new data collection was funded through the $100 million Exploring for the Future Program, which aims to identify regions in Northern Australia with the potential for new mineral, energy and groundwater resources.

A comprehensive analysis of this new elevation data will be released in 2020.

The airborne LIDAR elevation survey data is publicly available through Geoscience Australia’s ELVIS website at: elevation.fsdf.org.au.