THE Limestone Coast Landscape Board (LC Landscape Board) will be launching a new project aimed to increase its understanding of where and how resilience can be built into Limestone Coast water resources to support primary production.
In partnership with the Goyder Institute for Water Research, the project will explore whether there are opportunities to manage water from the extensive drainage network in the region to address risks to primary industries and groundwater dependent ecosystems.
The collaborative approach will be led by research teams from the CSIRO, Flinders University and, the University of South Australia.
As the launch of the collaborative partnership begins, the CSIRO will be undertaking a geophysical airborne electromagnetic (AEM) survey over the region’s southern coast line, with the data collected being used to understand the extent of inland seawater intrusion.
CSIRO deep earth imaging lead Dr Tim Munday said while the helicopter would be flying as low as 60m above these areas during the survey, the pilots would not fly over farmhouses, sheds, and dwellings, keeping a distance of up to 300m away.
“The signals generated by the helicopter AEM system are weaker than those emitted from mobile phones and TV antennas,” Mr Munday said.
LC Landscape Board general manager Steve Bourne said Groundwater resources in the area supported support extensive irrigated primary production, social assets and iconic wetlands of regional, national and international significance.
Commencing early October 2022, the geophysical airborne electromagnetic (AEM) survey is expected to take at least 7 days and will utilise a low flying helicopter which will tow a frame slung beneath it in order to conduct the survey.
The circular frame carries the AEM equipment which measures changes in conductivity of the ground which will indicate the depth of the water and its salinity.
The survey will run over 1,300 parallel flight lines across the lower Limestone Coast over the localities of Kongorong, Carpenters Rocks, Nene Valley, Blackfellows Cave, Eight Mile Creek, Port MacDonnell, Donovans Landing, Wye and the Glenelg National Park.
The aerial monitoring is also a part of the LC Landscape Board’s broader water resource management approach of ‘Making Every Drop Count’.
