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| Wharepapa Arthur Marble Aquifer | |
|---|---|
| Location | Golden Bay / Mohua |
| Coordinates | 41°09′45″S 172°40′52″E / 41.16250°S 172.68111°E |
| Type | Aquifer |
| Primary inflows | Tākaka River |
| Catchment area | 940 km2 (360 sq mi) |
The Wharepapa Arthur Marble Aquifer is a complex aquifer system beneath the Tākaka River valley in Golden Bay / Mohua in the South Island of New Zealand. The aquifer is the source of the water discharged from the renowned Te Waikoropupū Springs near Tākaka and also provides the drinking water supply for the town and surrounding area.
Description
[edit]The aquifer system is located in the Tākaka River basin which covers an area of 940 km2 (360 sq mi) and rises to an elevation of 1,650 m (5,410 ft) above sea level. The groundwater is contained within Arthur Marble of Ordovician age.[1]
The Tākaka valley has three main aquifers that are associated with differences in geology and lithology in the area. The three aquifers are the Tākaka Unconfined Gravel Aquifer, Tākaka Limestone Aquifer and the Arthur Marble Aquifer. The three aquifers exhibit both unconfined and confined characteristics, and there are complex interactions/connections between them and the surface water in rivers and streams in the area.[2]
The inflows that recharge the aquifer are a mix of autogenic[disambiguation needed] and allogenic sources, including water entering the system from river channels. The discharge points from the aquifer include the Waikoropupūu Springs and submarine springs offshore.[1]
Te Waikoropupū Springs
[edit]Te Waikoropupū Springs have the clearest water ever recorded outside of Antarctica with a median visibility of 62 m (203 ft).[3] The springs have a mean outflow of 13.4 m3/s and are the largest springs in New Zealand and amongst the largest in the Southern Hemisphere. The water discharged from springs flows from a partly artesian aquifer with an estimated volume of 2.85 km3. The average transit time through the aquifer to the springs is 7.9 years.[4]
Water Conservation Order
[edit]In 2022, a Golden Bay resident Andrew Yuill in association with Ngāti Tama Ki Te Waipounamu Trust applied to the Environment Court for a Water Conservation Order to protect the Te Waikoropupū Springs, the aquifer and associated bodies of water.[5]
See also
[edit]References
[edit]- ^ a b Williams 2023, p. 2.
- ^ Thomas & Harvey 2013, p. 19.
- ^ Thomas & Harvey 2013, p. 15.
- ^ Williams 2023, p. 1.
- ^ Sivignon, Cherie (28 May 2022). "Finger of blame firmly pointed in Waikoropupū Springs hearing". Stuff. Retrieved 20 September 2024.
Sources cited
[edit]- Thomas, J.T.; Harvey, M.M. (July 2013). "Water Resources of the Takaka Water Management Area" (PDF). Tasman District Council. Retrieved 20 September 2024 – via Environmental Protection Authority.
- Williams, Paul W. (31 March 2023). "Arthur Marble Aquifer and Te Waikoropupu Springs, New Zealand: flow contributions and nitrate sources". Carbonates and Evaporites. 34. doi:10.1007/s13146-023-00868-8.
Further reading
[edit]- Jane Elizabeth Edgar (1998), Hydrogeology of the Takaka Valley, UC Research Repository, doi:10.26021/7515, hdl:10092/12444, Wikidata Q112851301
External links
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| Related articles | |
Category:Aquifers Category:Bodies of water of New Zealand Category:Golden Bay Category:Landforms of the Tasman District Category:Springs of New Zealand Category:Tākaka Category:Water supply and sanitation in New Zealand