Related Experiment Video
Updated: May 7, 2026
07:14
Tracking Infiltration Front Depth Using Time-lapse Multi-offset Gathers Collected with Array Antenna Ground Penetrating Radar
Published on: May 1, 2018
11.0K
Tracking groundwater discharge to a large river using tracers and geophysics
Glenn A Harrington1, W Payton Gardner, Tim J Munday
1Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation, Water for a Healthy Country National Research Flagship, Adelaide, SA 5064, Australia.
Ground Water
|October 16, 2013
Summary
Groundwater sustains river flow from multiple sources, including shallow local and deep regional aquifers. Environmental tracers and geophysical surveys reveal complex groundwater-surface water interactions in large river systems.
Area of Science:
- Hydrogeology
- Environmental Science
- Geochemistry
Background:
- Investigating large river systems with multiple groundwater sources maintaining baseflow is rare.
- This study focuses on the Fitzroy River, a major perennial river in northwestern Australia.
Purpose of the Study:
- To define and quantify groundwater input from at least three distinct sources into a large river system.
- To understand the hydrogeological architecture and groundwater quality influencing river baseflow.
Main Methods:
- Regional-scale synoptic sampling of river and groundwater for environmental tracers (He-4, Sr-87/Sr-86, Rn-222, major ions).
- Modeling tracer behavior in the river to identify and quantify groundwater sources.
- Airborne electromagnetic (AEM) surveys to map aquifer architecture and groundwater conductivity.
Main Results:
- Identified contributions from shallow local and deep regional groundwater sources.
- Hyporheic exchange and bank/parafluvial flow explained anomalous tracer trends.
- AEM data confirmed fresh groundwater discharge from ~300m depth, consistent with tracer-inferred locations.
Conclusions:
- Multiple environmental tracers, combined with geophysical methods, significantly enhance the understanding of groundwater-surface water interactions.
- This integrated approach is crucial for complex hydrogeological settings and managing river baseflow from diverse groundwater inputs.
