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Hydrogeology and groundwater resources of Nauru Island, Central Pacific Ocean

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Created 20/01/2025

Updated 20/01/2025

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Nauru, in the central Pacific Ocean, is a raised atoll capping a volcanic seamount arising from an ocean floor depth of 4300m. The land area is 22km, and the island rises to 70m above sea level. Drilling has proved dolomitised limestone of upper Miocene or younger age to a depth of 55m below sea level. Gravity and magnetic surveys indicate that the limestone probably overlies volcanic bedrock at a depth of about 500m. Reverse-circulation drilling and geoelectrical probes indicate that there is a discontinuous freshwater layer averaging 5m thick beneath Nauru. This is underlain by a mixing zone of brackish water, 60-70m thick. The exceptional thickness of the mixing zone is ascribed to high permeability of the karstified limestone. The forthcoming cessation of phosphate mining will mean a shortfall in water supply which will probably have to be met by the desalination of brackish water. Groundwater beneath the mined-out area, and the settled coastal terrace, is highly vulnerable to pollution, and waste disposal management needs to be considered in relation to groundwater protection.

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Title Hydrogeology and groundwater resources of Nauru Island, Central Pacific Ocean
Language eng
Licence notspecified
Landing Page https://devweb.dga.links.com.au/data/dataset/5dec2dc4-3cf9-4b36-88a2-8470a2446d5b
Contact Point
Geoscience Australia
clientservices@ga.gov.au
Reference Period 20/04/2018
Geospatial Coverage http://www.ga.gov.au/place-names/PlaceDetails.jsp?submit1=GA1
Data Portal data.gov.au

Data Source

This dataset was originally found on data.gov.au "Hydrogeology and groundwater resources of Nauru Island, Central Pacific Ocean". Please visit the source to access the original metadata of the dataset:
https://devweb.dga.links.com.au/data/dataset/hydrogeology-and-groundwater-resources-of-nauru-island-central-pacific-ocean1

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