Future water hope buoyed

Probe into underground supplies looks good for Wangaratta security

Written by Philip Nolan. - source: Wangaratta Chronicle

THE on-going concern about Wangaratta’s long term water security could soon be over.

This follows very positive early findings from a major study being conducted on the giant Murmungee aquifer, which runs through the Ovens Valley.

The first two stages of a major $350,000 study into the aquifer have produced results which have delighted Rural City of Wangaratta chief executive officer, Doug Sharp.

"It really has been very exciting," Mr Sharp said.

"There is still a lot more work to be done, but from what we are seeing so far, it would appear that the aquifer could provide us with the opportunity to secure the city’s water supply well into the future."

The study, which has received substantial funding support from both the state and federal governments, is being done in four stages.

The first stage of conceptual modelling was to map the aquifer and also to study its relationship to the Ovens River and other water courses.

This revealed that the aquifer was very large in size and had a high interaction with river levels, Mr Sharp said.

"In other words, it rises and falls at very much the same levels as the river," he said.

"There is a strong connection, and it is good news in that it is not just like a well, being continually drained."

The next stage of the study was focussed on water quality, and again the outcome was positive.

"The water quality if excellent, making it ideal for a verity of purposes, including food production," Mr Sharp said.

"The next two stages will include numerical modelling and scenario modelling, and then the whole project will be checked against climate change levels of high, moderate and low.

"It is hoped to have the complete study wrapped up by August this year, and I have to say that at this stage, it looks very promising.

"It is potentially another source of water available to Wangaratta and the region, providing us with the water security we need.

"It would prove very valuable in promoting the food bowl concept we are putting forward, as you do not have the evaporation, seepage and contamination that is part of a river system.

"It would enable us to make very efficient use of the water that is available.

"We originally looked at this as an alternative to Big Buffalo.

"It could well be that we have the solution to our water security concerns right underneath us."