Morris Wines were applying for a take and use groundwater licence from two productions bores, with a proposed combined extraction volume of greater than 100ML/yr, to support irrigation, winery and distilling operations. EHS Support were engaged to evaluate the risks of potential adverse impacts to the environment due to the proximity of the two production bores to waterways. EHS Support delivered a Groundwater Pumping Impact Assessment that demonstrated to a high degree of confidence that the likely impacts of groundwater extraction on surrounding groundwater users, the environment and groundwater dependent ecosystems was acceptable in consideration of the matters outlined in Sections 53 and 40(1)(b)-(m) of the Water Act 1989 (the Act).
EHS Support drilled a number of lithological boreholes to refine the conceptual geological model, constructed groundwater monitoring wells to evaluate the interconnectivity between the groundwater system and surface water system, completed two 96-hour constant rate groundwater pumping tests, used different water chemistry tools including stable isotopes to evaluate groundwater mixing and used streamflow depletion analytical models to evaluate leakage from the surface water systems during pumping.