Artesian Water in New South Wales

Feilding Star, Volume XIII, Issue 103, 27 February 1892, Page 2

Artesian Water in New South Wales

. — » . Mr J. W. Boultbee, the officer in charge for water conservation in' New South Wales, has presented an interesting report on artesian weU boring to the Parliament of that .colony. After referring to the several wells that have been sunk in various parts of New South Wales, Mr. Boultbee says the department has recognised the importance of the regulation of flow from artesian bores, and, by direction of the Minister, a special regulation valve was designed and made for use at all the Government bores, in the hopes that the owners of flowing artesian wells would recognise the importance of the subject, which is very great, and the necessity for some provision for preventing the waste of the most i precious comroodityin the arid portions of the colony. This regulating .valve is doubly necessary in cases where the occurrence of artesian water is at comparatively shallow depths, and where the artesian basin is supplied by .the local rainfall soaking into them. Artesian water is, as a rule, suitable for irrigation purposes, and it is only those heavily charged with salt or alfcaline matters that are not j and. there is no possible reason whatever why this industry, growing daily in importance, should not be an element of immense value, deserving the utmost consideration in developing that northwestern portion of the colony where the fertility and recuperative powers of the soil are wonderfully illustrated , by the growth of feed after rainfall at the proper season. The ayerage quantity of water required iovi ihe? irrigation of grain crops, based upon the experience of other countries, may be ! roughly estimated at 72,000 cubic fees or 543,485 gaUons per acre. -One inch of rain would equal . 363.0 cubic feet or 22,622 gallons per acre. A rainfall of 20 inches would therefore yield 72,000 oubic feet or 543,485 gallons per acre ; 640 acres would consequently require 46,464 ,000 cubic feet or 347,830,000 gallons upon them as equivalent to 20 inches of rain. When it is considered that the flow per diem from the Native Dog artesian bore, 45 miles from Bourke, is approximately 2,000,000 gallons per diem; o* 730,000,000 gallons per year, it will be seen that on the foregoing basis a supply of water equal to a rainfall of 40 inches per annum per 640 acjresjs available, or that an area of considerably over 1280 acres can be supplied with water equalling a rainfall of 20m per annum. Tho cost . of the Native Dog Bore has beeu £1000 4s 6d. This amount, added on to the value of 1280 acres of land, readers its cost so disproportionate to its yalue furnished with a water supply, it may be said for ever equalling 20in of rain per annum, that it seems there is a wide opening for the encouragement generally of artesian boring to the great benefit of the colony, and parti--cularly to tbe TJorfch- western porfciondoi it, where the supposed cretaceous area embraces a territory of 45,000 square miles, or over**2B}ooo,ooo acres, " Mr Boultbee goes on to say : " I venture to think; thalTegiAration is* required in this colony-; accurate rfcords should bespit 6f n the strata, positions,' &c. ; that analysis of the waters should in all cases be made, and aft particulars required Bhould be- -furnished by. private persons who undertake this work; aid dltetyhib wells should he properly cased." Accompanying the report is a-list of the artesian wells in New South Wales. .«•..- ;