❓ The Minister for Water provides an update on water investigations in the Murchison region, including aerial electromagnetic surveys to locate and identify water resources in palaeochannels. The response also details broader groundwater investigation projects across WA, highlighting potential water availability in various regions.
AnsweredQoN 128Legislative Assembly
QuestionView source ↗
WATER INVESTIGATIONS — MURCHISON
128. Mr V.A. CATANIA to the Minister for
Water:
Recently, investigations have been
taking place in the Murchison to find new water to support industry. Can the
minister please provide an update on this work?
128. Mr V.A. CATANIA to the Minister for
Water:
Recently, investigations have been
taking place in the Murchison to find new water to support industry. Can the
minister please provide an update on this work?
AnswerView source ↗
I thank the member for North West Central
for his question and his interest in this portfolio. It is very important. The significant
projects underway in the water portfolio are all geared to driving diversity
and economic growth, which is leading to jobs. This program is really exciting.
There has been significant interest in some of the high-tech investigations of
the palaeochannels in the Murchison that are underway to support new
development of water resources. We are undertaking aerial electromagnetic surveys over 57 000 square kilometres in
the east Murchison, which will precisely locate and identify the water quality
and quantity in some of those palaeochannels. For members who are not aware, an
aerial electromagnetic survey involves a helicopter with a magnetic coil
beneath it flying around 90 metres above the ground, measuring and sending
electromagnetic pulses into the ground. We are carrying out these surveys
across the state but the Murchison is one area in particular that we have
identified. It is an exciting project. It is part of a $25 million royalties
for regions investment to investigate groundwater resources across the state,
identify new sources of water, prove up their quality and quantity and maximise
our current resources.
I have spoken previously in this
place about the investigations that we have undertaken down in Albany, the
great southern and the south coast. I can now report that we have sunk up to 16
investigation bores in the Albany hinterland and two long-term monitoring bores
have been constructed. We will prove up that resource by measuring those bores
over a period, which will allow us to better define that work without having to
drill a number of bores, and it minimises our expenses upfront.
We are also assessing the Hamersley
range near Karratha, member for Pilbara. It appears that up to 10 gigalitres a
year might be available for Onslow, member for North West Central, and 20 gigalitres
for the west Pilbara and the west Canning Basin. We know that there are
significant resources. Areas near Port Hedland are showing some very promising
signs. We think there is a potential to find up to 50 gigalitres of water in
this space in addition to what we have already discovered. Investigations are
also occurring in and around Broome and at the Wallal aquifer. We will provide
some more information on that groundwater availability and where to extract the
water, while maintaining important cultural and environmental aspects in that
space. That program is helping us to define those aspects as we move forward.
All of this work will inform the
decisions that we make about investment going forward. It provides information
to the private sector, to government and to local government, and it ensures
that our regions continue to grow, made possible by royalties for regions. Our
water resources are significant and we need to ensure that we continue to
invest in this space.
for his question and his interest in this portfolio. It is very important. The significant
projects underway in the water portfolio are all geared to driving diversity
and economic growth, which is leading to jobs. This program is really exciting.
There has been significant interest in some of the high-tech investigations of
the palaeochannels in the Murchison that are underway to support new
development of water resources. We are undertaking aerial electromagnetic surveys over 57 000 square kilometres in
the east Murchison, which will precisely locate and identify the water quality
and quantity in some of those palaeochannels. For members who are not aware, an
aerial electromagnetic survey involves a helicopter with a magnetic coil
beneath it flying around 90 metres above the ground, measuring and sending
electromagnetic pulses into the ground. We are carrying out these surveys
across the state but the Murchison is one area in particular that we have
identified. It is an exciting project. It is part of a $25 million royalties
for regions investment to investigate groundwater resources across the state,
identify new sources of water, prove up their quality and quantity and maximise
our current resources.
I have spoken previously in this
place about the investigations that we have undertaken down in Albany, the
great southern and the south coast. I can now report that we have sunk up to 16
investigation bores in the Albany hinterland and two long-term monitoring bores
have been constructed. We will prove up that resource by measuring those bores
over a period, which will allow us to better define that work without having to
drill a number of bores, and it minimises our expenses upfront.
We are also assessing the Hamersley
range near Karratha, member for Pilbara. It appears that up to 10 gigalitres a
year might be available for Onslow, member for North West Central, and 20 gigalitres
for the west Pilbara and the west Canning Basin. We know that there are
significant resources. Areas near Port Hedland are showing some very promising
signs. We think there is a potential to find up to 50 gigalitres of water in
this space in addition to what we have already discovered. Investigations are
also occurring in and around Broome and at the Wallal aquifer. We will provide
some more information on that groundwater availability and where to extract the
water, while maintaining important cultural and environmental aspects in that
space. That program is helping us to define those aspects as we move forward.
All of this work will inform the
decisions that we make about investment going forward. It provides information
to the private sector, to government and to local government, and it ensures
that our regions continue to grow, made possible by royalties for regions. Our
water resources are significant and we need to ensure that we continue to
invest in this space.
Explore WA Government Data
Search the full archive in the free dashboard, or query programmatically via API.
Explore more
Government Gazette
Appointments, regulatory notices, planning changes.
Hansard
Debates, questions, speeches and sentiment.
Tabled Papers
Reports and documents tabled in Parliament.
Committees
Committee profiles and recent reports.
Regulations
Subsidiary legislation with filters and summaries.
Bills
Proposed laws and parliamentary progress.
Acts
Current WA legislation and summaries.
Explanatory Memoranda
Bills with EMs (text/PDF) available.
Members
MP profiles, party breakdown and rankings.
Pollie Rankings
Data-driven rankings across 19 categories.
Amendment Chains
Track how schemes and regulations evolve over time.