Northern Adelaide Plains Prescribed Wells Area groundwater monitoring status report 2002

Prescribed Wells Area (PWA) was established in the early 1960s, in order to monitor groundwater levels and salinity (Fig. 1). The number of wells monitoring water levels, particularly in the Tertiary Aquifers (T1 and T2) has been increasing in response to groundwater extraction for irrigation purposes. In the last two years the observation network was upgraded with 20 new and two replacement observation wells completed into T1 and T2 Aquifers. The purpose of a successful network is to identify areas that may be under stress because of over-pumping of groundwater or areas that may be at risk from salinisation. The introduction of the reclaimed water through the Virginia pipeline scheme required establishment of an observation network (1999), which targeted the area in which the bulk of the recycled water is to be applied and therefore should provide sufficient early warning should there be any unacceptable accessions to the perched watertable and Q1 Aquifer. During OctoberNovember 2001, this network was upgraded by thirteen shallow monitoring wells (perched watertable and Q1 Aquifer), which were installed as a part of a hydrogeological investigation in response to reports of rising shallow watertables in the area northwest of Virginia. These wells were included in the existing network and are monitored every three months. Four wells from this network are equipped with data loggers. Currently, a total of 165 wells throughout the NAP PWA and Kangaroo Flat Restricted Area are monitoring groundwater levels ...repor