Electrical methods for detection and discrimination of saline groundwater in clay-rich sediments in northern Victoria

Abstract

Conductivity surveys (Induced Polarization and Transient Electromagnetics) have been conducted on the southern bank of the Goulburn River, near Murchison, Victoria, to discriminate between clay zones and saline discharge streams. The combined surveys provide a consistent dataset and multiple conductive zones are delineated within the regolith. The ambiguity between salinity and clay content variations is resolved by means of the induced polarization parameters. In particular, normalised chargeability values are shown to highlight the location of clay lenses containing saline pore water.