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Queensland Government
WetlandInfo   —   Department of the Environment, Tourism, Science and Innovation

Groundwater Ambient Network (GWAN) – Water quality

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Coverage

The map below highlights the areas where sampling has occurred for this program.

Click on the map to view information about the drainage basins in this area.

Download points KML (KMZ, 0.1 MB) metadata

 

NOTE: This program is represented by a large number of points that are available in KML format by clicking the "download points KML" button, but due to web browser limitations the points cannot be shown on this page.

Pump Photo by DNRM
Pump
Photo by DNRM

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Program start date

The first recorded water quality reading was from bore number 287 taken in 1898. However, the first water quality reading for a state government bore was from bore RN 13610252 taken on 14 December 1914.

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Program end date

Ongoing

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Objectives of the program

This program aims to provide:

  • Information to assist in the management and assessment of Queensland’s underground water resources
  • A minimum groundwater water quantity information dataset to assist water resource planning processes 

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Who is involved?

Lead organisation

Department of Natural Resources and Mines

Partner organisations

Queensland Health Forensic and Scientific Services (notional program for sample analysis)

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List of indicators monitored

Manual sampling at all sites:

  • General parameters – major Ions
  • Unfiltered nutrient samples – total nutrients (total phosphorus and total nitrogen)
  • Filtered nutrient samples – speciated nutrients (orthophosphate, oxidised nitrogen, ammonium)
  • In-situ (on-site) sampling at all sites may include:
    • Electrical conductivity at 25º C
    • pH at 25º C
    • Temperature
  • Continuous time series measurements at a subset of sites:
    • Electrical conductivity at 25º C
    • pH at 25º C
    • Temperature

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Scale of program

Statewide

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Brief description of sampling locations

The Groundwater Ambient Network (GWAN) is a sub-set of the Groundwater Water Level Network and consists of 563 bores across Queensland.

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Frequency of monitoring

Monitoring frequency is defined in the approved network list and is variable.

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Where is the program reported?

GWAN is typically used for baseline data for a range of projects, including coal seam gas development and other mining activities. Data collected through the GWAN is also reported as part of the State of the Environment Report.

water.monitoring@dnrm.qld.gov.au
Data is available on request to  

Last updated: 22 March 2013

This page should be cited as:

Department of Environment, Science and Innovation, Queensland (2013) Groundwater Ambient Network (GWAN) – Water quality, WetlandInfo website, accessed 14 April 2025. Available at: https://wetlandinfo.des.qld.gov.au/wetlands/assessment/monitoring/current-and-future-monitoring/groundwater-ambient-network.html

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