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Alluvia—modified (dams)

Alluvia—modified (dams)

Subterranean GDE Terrestrial GDE Variable groundwater leakage Direction of groundwater movement Direction of groundwater movement Direction of groundwater movement Alluvia Stygofauna Stygofauna Alluvia (saturated) Low permeability rock (unsaturated) Eucalyptus spp Evapotranspiration Terrestrial GDE Surface expression GDE Melaleuca spp Evapotranspiration Melaleuca spp Melaleuca spp Eucalyptus spp Low permeability rock (unsaturated) Alluvia Evapotranspiration Casuarina spp Direction of groundwater movement Mixing of groundwater and surface water Evapotranspiration Fish Groundwater table Recharge area Moderate to high permeability rock

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Alluvial aquifers with dams with limited or no sustained surface water discharge

Alluvial aquifers are formed from particles such as gravel, sand, silt and/or clay deposited by fluvial processes in river channels or on floodplains. These deposits store and transmit water to varying degrees through inter-granular voids. These aquifers may have structures, such as dams, that modify the flow of surface water and groundwater. Where dams restrict the discharge of surface water, there is less recharge of downstream alluvial aquifers from channels reducing their saturation over time. This can also occur in dry or drought conditions. Both stream and alluvial aquifers may then be recharged from other adjacent aquifers (e.g. permeable rock aquifers).

  • Palustrine (e.g. swamps), lacustrine (e.g. lakes) and riverine (e.g. streams and rivers) wetlands on alluvial aquifers below or down-gradient of a dam may depend on the surface expression of groundwater from these underlying alluvial aquifers.
  • Terrestrial vegetation on alluvial aquifers down-gradient of a dam may depend on the subsurface presence of groundwater, typically accessed through the capillary zone above the water table.

Pictorial conceptual model PDF


Last updated: 18 December 2015

This page should be cited as:

Queensland Government, Queensland (2015) Alluvia—modified (dams), WetlandInfo website, accessed 18 March 2024. Available at: https://wetlandinfo.des.qld.gov.au/wetlands/ecology/aquatic-ecosystems-natural/groundwater-dependent/alluvia-dams-limited/

Queensland Government
WetlandInfo   —   Department of Environment, Science and Innovation