Table 14 Summary of key aquifer characteristics in different coastal depositional environments Dominant Depositional Coastline physical Aquifer material Aquifer architecture Aquifer characteristics Examples Other environment type processes Classic River Prograding Mud-rich with narrow Narrow, radial sand bodies Unconfined at surface but confined Gilbert (QLD), Influenced by sand bodies surrounded by muddy delta at depth; can contain multiple King (TAS) wave and tide plain & lagoon deposits; stacked aquifers energy some shore-parallel sand bodies Fan delta River Prograding Sand dominant, can Radial channels; some Unconfined to semi-confined; high Burdekin (QLD) Influenced by contain gravel; minor shore-parallel units connectivity; can contain multiple wave and tide mud units stacked aquifers energy Wave Transgressive Barrier consists of well Shore-parallel sand bar Unconfined aquifers associated with Port Sorell (TAS) Higher wave sorted medium to normal to estuarine funnel sand barrier (main) and tributary energy forms a estuary coarse topped by channels intervening lagoon & barrier fine-grained sands beds form aquitards system Coastal lagoon Wave Transgressive Well sorted medium to Sand barrier parallel to coast Unconfined aquifers associated with of River Evolve into coarse sands topped by with lagoon trapped behind barrier complex (main) and sandy Murray (SA), strandplain with fine grained sands channels of lagoon (secondary) Tomakin beach, sufficient (barrier); fine-grained Merimbula (NSW) sediment (lagoon) supply for coastal progradation Strandplain Wave Prograding Well sorted medium to Large shore-parallel strands Unconfined but may be laterally Massacre Inlet coarse sands topped by compartmentalised by inter-strand (QLD), Swan fine-grained sands; fine-grained sediments; high Coastal Plain underlain by permeability along length of strands (WA), Robbins marine and lower between strands; good Island (TAS) sediments permeability in underlying marine aquifer
Table 14 Summary of key aquifer characteristics in different coastal depositional environments Depositional environment Dominant physical processes Coastline type Aquifer material Aquifer architecture Aquifer characteristics Examples Other Classic River Prograding Mud-rich with narrow sand bodies Narrow, radial sand bodies surrounded by muddy delta plain & lagoon deposits; some shore-parallel sand bodies Unconfined at surface but confined at depth; can contain multiple stacked aquifers Gilbert (QLD), King (TAS) Influenced by wave and tide energy Fan delta River Prograding Sand dominant, can contain gravel; minor mud units Radial channels; some shore-parallel units Unconfined to semi-confined; high connectivity; can contain multiple stacked aquifers Burdekin (QLD) Influenced by wave and tide energy estuary Wave Transgressive Barrier consists of well sorted medium to coarse topped by fine-grained sands Shore-parallel sand bar normal to estuarine funnel Unconfined aquifers associated with sand barrier (main) and tributary channels intervening beds form aquitards Port Sorell (TAS) Higher wave energy forms a lagoon & barrier system Coastal lagoon Wave Transgressive Well sorted medium to coarse sands topped by fine grained sands (barrier); fine-grained (lagoon) Sand barrier parallel to coast with lagoon trapped behind Unconfined aquifers associated with barrier complex (main) and sandy channels of lagoon (secondary) of River Murray (SA), Tomakin beach, Merimbula (NSW) Evolve into strandplain with sufficient sediment supply for coastal progradation Strandplain Wave Prograding Well sorted medium to coarse sands topped by fine-grained sands; underlain by marine sediments Large shore-parallel strands Unconfined but may be laterally compartmentalised by inter-strand fine-grained sediments; high permeability along length of strands and lower between strands; good permeability in underlying marine aquifer Massacre Inlet (QLD), Swan Coastal Plain (WA), Robbins Island (TAS)
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