Environmental baseline characterisation of the springs in Hot Springs Valley, NT

This project will conduct a field campaign to collect detailed data on the geology, hydrogeology and ecology of the Hot Springs Valley to augment data collected in previous surveys.

The Hot Springs Valley is located on Tanumbirini Station and lies to the Northeast of the Beetaloo Sub-basin. It is within the headwaters of the Cox River catchment and includes several spring complexes.

The Hot Springs Valley is a relatively understudied area that holds significant environmental and cultural value. Environmentally, this natural phenomenon may sustain unique ecosystems, and culturally these springs are connected to Traditional Owners with many potentially important cultural sites surrounding these springs.

Collecting baseline environmental data to comprehensively characterise the springs will provide an important evidence base for protection and management of this environmentally and culturally significant area.

This information will provide an important evidence base for protection and management of this environmentally and culturally significant area, extend the existing knowledge of this unique system, and provide a baseline prior to any potential development of gas resources in the nearby Beetaloo Sub-basin.

These data will be used to develop a model for the likely sources of water and gas in the springs, the spatio-temporal evolution of the seepage and the discharge pathways. The model will allow a better understanding of how the springs may be impacted by development. The data and model will inform future water planning and management and to inform industry and government on future groundwater and emissions monitoring programs.