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 Anh Tho Tien
Faculty of Science,
Quaternary Earth and Water Systems
Thesis Title: Hydrological processes within the tropical Upper Roper River catchment, Northern Territory, Australia: hydrochemistry and influence of climate.
Current Thesis Abstract: Australia's unique tropical rivers and wetlands are largely untouched by development and the many problems generally encountered in highly regulated river systems elsewhere have not yet developed. In such systems, surface water and groundwater interact in varying degrees to produce stream flow and sustain ecosystems in different seasons. As seasonality is a typical feature of tropical climate, the summer dominant rainfall in the Upper Roper River catchment was investigated to confirm its influence over the hydrological system. The variability in rainfall, recharge and discharge over decades were described, and the influence on surface water and groundwater quantity and quality were determined. There is also a strong influence of lithology on surface and groundwater chemistry. The aquifers of importance are the Cretaceous sandstone at the headwaters, and the Cambrian Tindall Limestone at the confluence of the Waterhouse River and the Roper River . Hydrogeochemistry was used as a tool to assess the differences between aquifer types and various hydrological processes was considered in this study. The important aspects to be considered in water resource planning are the naturally high salinity in the region, and the seasonal effects and unpredictable climate variation.
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