Water tested in Peel Food Zone for Transform Peel Project

An airborne electromagnetic survey will begin today over the Peel Food Zone to provide new and detailed information on potential water resources for the Transform Peel project.

The 35-year-long Transform Peel project incorporates three elements to develop Nambeelup in the Murray Shire with an estimated $16 billion output per year by 2050.

Phase one commenced with the announcement of $49.3 million from Royalties for Regions in April 2016.

From today a helicopter carrying a large coil about 30 metres above the ground, which sends an electromagnetic pulse into the ground and records the return signal will collect data in the Peel Food Zone.

Data collected from the survey will be used to help assess the quality of the groundwater and model the potential impacts of future groundwater abstraction on existing users and water dependent ecosystems.

Information from the survey will provide information about the groundwater system including its salinity levels.

The survey is part of the Peel Integrated Water Initiative, co-ordinated by the Department of Water and Environmental Regulation in collaboration with CSIRO and the Peel Development Commission to support Transform Peel. 

This investigation follows the commencement in September 2017 of a study to determine if recharging aquifers with stormwater could help secure long-term water supplies for intensive agriculture for Transform Peel's Peel Food Zone and adjacent Peel Business Park.

Water Minister Dave Kelly said the aerial survey will help collected data faster than traditional ground-based research. 

“Airborne electromagnetic surveys are increasingly used to conduct geophysical surveys as large areas can be covered in days as opposed to weeks or months using ground-based techniques.

“This work will contribute valuable information on groundwater quality and availability in the region, and improve our understanding of how the groundwater system works. 

“The models developed through this survey are an important part of ensuring sustainable management of water, both for the environment and for the economic growth created by the Peel Food Zone.”

Transform Peel comprises a 28,000 ha Peel Food Zone, a 1,000 ha Peel Business Park and the Peel Integrated Water Initiative.

Regional Development and Agriculture and Food Minister Alannah MacTiernan said the water information collected from the survey will help bring investment to intensive agricultural projects in the Peel region and help drive long-term stable employment in agriculture. 

“The Peel Food Zone presents real economic opportunities for the region and this survey is an important step towards ensuring the fundamentals are in place to support growth and job creation.” 

By 2021, the Peel Food Zone aims to be operational to receive investment into food production enterprise and will have essential supporting infrastructure in place.

The Peel Integrated Water initiative will have developed a new and innovative approach to integrated water management in the food zone by 2021.

This will enable an ongoing program of development of new sustainable water resources to support development in the region as well as reducing nutrient flows
across the program area by up to 50%.