Misplaced Pages

#671328

75-524: Brunette Downs Station , mostly referred to as Brunette Downs , is a pastoral lease operating as a cattle station in the Northern Territory of Australia. Brunette Downs Station is located in the Northern Territory about 216 km (134 mi) north-east of Tennant Creek and about 229 km (142 mi) north west of Camooweal in Queensland. It is bounded by Rockhampton Downs Station to

150-456: A caisson vertically below the top of the aquifer and then advancing lateral collectors out of the caisson and beneath the surface water body. Pumping from within the caisson induces infiltration of water from the surface water body into the aquifer, where it is collected by the collector well laterals and conveyed into the caisson where it can be pumped to the ground surface. Two additional broad classes of well types may be distinguished, based on

225-470: A circulation fluid to displace cuttings and cool bits during the drilling. Another form of rotary-style drilling, termed mud rotary , makes use of a specially made mud, or drilling fluid, which is constantly being altered during the drill so that it can consistently create enough hydraulic pressure to hold the side walls of the bore hole open, regardless of the presence of a casing in the well. Typically, boreholes drilled into solid rock are not cased until after

300-435: A confined space, it displaces oxygen, reducing oxygen concentration to a level low enough to pose a threat to humans and other aerobic organisms but still high enough for a risk of spontaneous or externally caused explosion. This potential for explosion is what poses such a danger in regards to the drilling and placement of water wells. Low levels of methane in drinking water are not considered toxic. When methane seeps into

375-975: A depth of 13 metres (43 ft). Other slightly younger wells are known from this site and from neighbouring Parekklisha-Shillourokambos. A first stone lined well of 5.5 metres (18 ft) depth is documented from a drowned final PPN (c. 7000 BC) site at ‘Atlit-Yam off the coast near modern Haifa in Israel . Wood-lined wells are known from the early Neolithic Linear Pottery culture , for example in Ostrov, Czech Republic, dated 5265 BC, Kückhoven (an outlying centre of Erkelenz ), dated 5300 BC, and Eythra in Schletz (an outlying centre of Asparn an der Zaya ) in Austria , dated 5200 BC. The neolithic Chinese discovered and made extensive use of deep drilled groundwater for drinking. The Chinese text The Book of Changes , originally

450-676: A divination text of the Western Zhou dynasty (1046 -771 BC), contains an entry describing how the ancient Chinese maintained their wells and protected their sources of water. A well excavated at the Hemedu excavation site was believed to have been built during the neolithic era. The well was cased by four rows of logs with a square frame attached to them at the top of the well. 60 additional tile wells southwest of Beijing are also believed to have been built around 600 BC for drinking and irrigation. In Egypt , shadoofs and sakias are used. The sakia

525-550: A drilling action. Unlike rotary drilling, cable tool drilling requires the drilling action to be stopped so that the bore hole can be bailed or emptied of drilled cuttings. Cable tool drilling rigs are rare as they tend to be 10x slower to drill through materials compared to similar diameter rotary air or rotary mud equipped rigs. Drilled wells are usually cased with a factory-made pipe, typically steel (in air rotary or cable tool drilling) or plastic / PVC (in mud rotary wells, also present in wells drilled into solid rock). The casing

600-743: A group of synthetic organofluorine chemical compounds that have multiple fluorine atoms attached to an alkyl chain. PFAS are a group of "forever chemicals" that spread very quickly and very far in ground water polluting it permanently. Water wells near certain airports where any form fire fighting or training activities occurred up to 2010 are likely to be contaminated by PFAS. A study concluded that of ~39 million groundwater wells 6-20% are at high risk of running dry if local groundwater levels decline by less than five meters, or – as with many areas and possibly more than half of major aquifers – continue to decline. Springs and wells have had cultural significance since prehistoric times, leading to

675-450: A hardened drive point and a screen of perforated pipe, after which a pump is installed to collect the water. Deeper wells can be excavated by hand drilling methods or machine drilling, using a bit in a borehole . Drilled wells are usually cased with a factory-made pipe composed of steel or plastic. Drilled wells can access water at much greater depths than dug wells. Two broad classes of well are shallow or unconfined wells completed within

750-430: A pump. The water often comes from an aquifer or groundwater, and can be easily deepened, which may be necessary if the ground water level drops, by telescoping the lining further down into the aquifer. The yield of existing hand dug wells may be improved by deepening or introducing vertical tunnels or perforated pipes. Drawbacks to hand-dug wells are numerous. It can be impractical to hand dig wells in areas where hard rock

825-416: A reported area of 4,750 sq mi (12,302 km) in 1966, and the manager was Charles Weiss. Weiss introduced 1,200 Santa Gertrudis stud bulls into the herd to improve the stock, and the station had a total of 75 bores to help combat future droughts. The overseer and Assistant Manager to Charlie Weiss during much of that period was Nick Campbell-Jones, who commenced as a jackaroo on Brunette Downs at

SECTION 10

#1732880006672

900-433: A screening device, filter pack, slotted casing, or open bore hole is left to allow the flow of water into the well. Constructed screens are typically used in unconsolidated formations (sands, gravels, etc.), allowing water and a percentage of the formation to pass through the screen. Allowing some material to pass through creates a large area filter out of the rest of the formation, as the amount of material present to pass into

975-406: A segmented steel drilling string, typically made up of 3m (10ft), 6 m (20 ft) to 8m (26ft) sections of steel tubing that are threaded together, with a bit or other drilling device at the bottom end. Some rotary drilling machines are designed to install (by driving or drilling) a steel casing into the well in conjunction with the drilling of the actual bore hole. Air and/or water is used as

1050-420: A variety of tools including electro-seismic surveying, any available information from nearby wells, geologic maps, and sometimes geophysical imaging . These professionals provide advice that is almost as accurate a driller who has experience and knowledge of nearby wells/bores and the most suitable drilling technique based on the expected target depth. Shallow pumping wells can often supply drinking water at

1125-567: A very important source of potable water in some rural developing areas, where they are routinely dug and used today. Their indispensability has produced a number of literary references, literal and figurative, including the reference to the incident of Jesus meeting a woman at Jacob 's well ( John 4:6) in the Bible and the " Ding Dong Bell " nursery rhyme about a cat in a well. Hand-dug wells are excavations with diameters large enough to accommodate one or more people with shovels digging down to below

1200-608: A very low cost. However, impurities from the surface easily reach shallow sources, which leads to a greater risk of contamination for these wells compared to deeper wells. Contaminated wells can lead to the spread of various waterborne diseases . Dug and driven wells are relatively easy to contaminate; for instance, most dug wells are unreliable in the majority of the United States. Some research has found that, in cold regions, changes in river flow and flooding caused by extreme rainfall or snowmelt can degrade well water quality. Most of

1275-648: A water supply, it is commonly referred to as "methane migration". This can be caused by old natural gas wells near water well systems becoming abandoned and no longer monitored. Lately, however, the described wells/pumps are no longer very efficient and can be replaced by either handpumps or treadle pumps . Another alternative is the use of self-dug wells, electrical deep-well pumps (for higher depths). Appropriate technology organizations as Practical Action are now supplying information on how to build/set-up ( DIY ) handpumps and treadle pumps in practice. Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances ( PFAS or PFASs ) are

1350-693: Is a common problem with groundwater. Nitrates from sewage , sewage sludge or fertilizer are a particular problem for babies and young children. Pollutant chemicals include pesticides and volatile organic compounds from gasoline , dry-cleaning , the fuel additive methyl tert-butyl ether (MTBE), and perchlorate from rocket fuel, airbag inflators, and other artificial and natural sources. Several minerals are also contaminants, including lead leached from brass fittings or old lead pipes, chromium VI from electroplating and other sources, naturally occurring arsenic , radon , and uranium —all of which can cause cancer—and naturally occurring fluoride , which

1425-517: Is also found on the station. The three main lakes in the system are Lake Sylvester, de Burgh and Corella. The system makes up about 20% of the property and is ideal fattening country. The property, ranging over the traditional lands of the Wambaya people , was sold by Messrs Kilgour and Woodhouse to Walter Douglas in 1881 for the sum of £4,000. At this time the property occupied an area of 2,000 sq mi (5,180 km). Douglas then sold it in 1883 for

1500-399: Is caused when the water table of the soil drops over time and salt begins to accumulate. In turn, the increased amount of salt begins to dry the soil out. The increased level of salt in the soil can result in the degradation of soil and can be very harmful to vegetation. Methane , an asphyxiant, is a chemical compound that is the main component of natural gas. When methane is introduced into

1575-437: Is constructed by welding, either chemically or thermally, segments of casing together. If the casing is installed during the drilling, most drills will drive the casing into the ground as the bore hole advances, while some newer machines will actually allow for the casing to be rotated and drilled into the formation in a similar manner as the bit advancing just below. PVC or plastic is typically solvent welded and then lowered into

SECTION 20

#1732880006672

1650-455: Is desirable in low quantities to prevent tooth decay , but can cause dental fluorosis in higher concentrations. Some chemicals are commonly present in water wells at levels that are not toxic, but can cause other problems. Calcium and magnesium cause what is known as hard water , which can precipitate and clog pipes or burn out water heaters. Iron and manganese can appear as dark flecks that stain clothing and plumbing, and can promote

1725-473: Is drilled to a predetermined depth or to a confining formation (clay or bedrock, for example), and then a smaller hole for the well is completed from that point forward. The well is typically cased from the surface down into the smaller hole with a casing that is the same diameter as that hole. The annular space between the large bore hole and the smaller casing is filled with bentonite clay , concrete, or other sealant material. This creates an impermeable seal from

1800-649: Is much more efficient, as it can bring up water from a depth of 10 metres (versus the 3 metres of the shadoof). The sakia is the Egyptian version of the noria . Some of the world's oldest known wells, located in Cyprus, date to 7000–8,500 BC. Two wells from the Neolithic period, around 6500 BC, have been discovered in Israel. One is in Atlit, on the northern coast of Israel, and the other is in

1875-600: Is present, and they can be time-consuming to dig and line even in favourable areas. Because they exploit shallow aquifers, the well may be susceptible to yield fluctuations and possible contamination from surface water, including sewage. Hand dug well construction generally requires the use of a well trained construction team, and the capital investment for equipment such as concrete ring moulds, heavy lifting equipment, well shaft formwork, motorized de-watering pumps, and fuel can be large for people in developing countries. Construction of hand dug wells can be dangerous due to collapse of

1950-477: Is simply hammered into the ground, usually with a tripod and driver , with pipe sections added as needed. A driver is a weighted pipe that slides over the pipe being driven and is repeatedly dropped on it. When groundwater is encountered, the well is washed of sediment and a pump installed. Drilled wells are constructed using various types of drilling machines, such as top-head rotary, table rotary, or cable tool, which all use drilling stems that rotate to cut into

2025-432: Is still the case in rural areas of the developing world. These wells are inexpensive and low-tech as they use mostly manual labour, and the structure can be lined with brick or stone as the excavation proceeds. A more modern method called caissoning uses pre-cast reinforced concrete well rings that are lowered into the hole. Driven wells can be created in unconsolidated material with a well hole structure, which consists of

2100-540: The Australian Agricultural Company . It is the second largest station in the Northern Territory (after Alexandria Station ), and larger than some countries. The cattle run on the property are a mixed herd of Barkly Composite, Brahman and Santa Gertrudis . The station has a carrying capacity of 110,000 head, and an annual turn off of 35,000. The operation requires over 50 staff. The black soil of

2175-525: The Australian states and territories , leases constitute a land apportionment system created in the mid-19th century to facilitate the orderly division and sale of land to European colonists. Legislation ensured that certain Aboriginal rights were embodied in pastoral leases. However, according to historian Henry Reynolds , several colonial leaders ran roughshod over these rights, including Sir John Downer (when

2250-560: The Cairo Citadel at 280 feet (85 m) deep and the Pozzo di San Patrizio (St. Patrick's Well) built in 1527 in Orvieto, Italy , at 61 metres (200 ft) deep by 13 metres (43 ft) wide are both larger by volume. Driven wells may be very simply created in unconsolidated material with a well hole structure , which consists of a hardened drive point and a screen (perforated pipe). The point

2325-452: The Northern Territory was governed by the colonial government of South Australia ); Sir John Forrest in the colony of Western Australia ; and Sir Samuel Griffith in Queensland . Pastoral leases exist in both Australian commonwealth law and state jurisdictions. They do not give all the rights that attach to freehold land: there are usually conditions which include a time period and

Brunette Downs Station - Misplaced Pages Continue

2400-508: The bacteria , viruses , parasites , and fungi that contaminate well water comes from fecal material from humans and other animals. Common bacterial contaminants include E. coli , Salmonella , Shigella , and Campylobacter jejuni . Common viral contaminants include norovirus , sapovirus , rotavirus , enteroviruses , and hepatitis A and E . Parasites include Giardia lamblia , Cryptosporidium , Cyclospora cayetanensis , and microsporidia . Chemical contamination

2475-710: The filtration of the contaminants of concern, and additional protection may be garnered by installing well-casing screens only at depths where contamination is not present. Wellwater for personal use is often filtered with reverse osmosis water processors; this process can remove very small particles. A simple, effective way of killing microorganisms is to bring the water to a full boil for one to three minutes, depending on location. A household well contaminated by microorganisms can initially be treated by shock chlorination using bleach, generating concentrations hundreds of times greater than found in community water systems; however, this will not fix any structural problems that led to

2550-444: The water table . The excavation is braced horizontally to avoid landslide or erosion endangering the people digging. They can be lined with stone or brick; extending this lining upwards above the ground surface to form a wall around the well serves to reduce both contamination and accidental falls into the well. A more modern method called caissoning uses reinforced concrete or plain concrete pre-cast well rings that are lowered into

2625-498: The 3,600 km (2,237 mi) of graded roads on the property. Other infrastructure included a laboratory , general store and drive-in picture theatre. Ken Warriner was the manager of the station in 1978. He had previously run other King Ranch properties, Mount House and Glenroy , and would later go on to be a part owner of Newcastle Waters station and chairman of the Consolidated Pastoral Company . The station

2700-712: The Jezreel Valley. Wells for other purposes came along much later, historically. The first recorded salt well was dug in the Sichuan province of China around 2,250 years ago. This was the first time that ancient water well technology was applied successfully for the exploitation of salt, and marked the beginning of Sichuan's salt drilling industry. The earliest known oil wells were also drilled in China, in 347 CE. These wells had depths of up to about 240 metres (790 ft) and were drilled using bits attached to bamboo poles. The oil

2775-484: The aquifer through the well. Wells were first constructed at least eight thousand years ago and historically vary in construction from a sediment of a dry watercourse to the qanats of Iran, and the stepwells and sakiehs of India. Placing a lining in the well shaft helps create stability, and linings of wood or wickerwork date back at least as far as the Iron Age . Wells have traditionally been sunk by hand digging, as

2850-412: The badly injured Caliph, who claimed that Hamilton had kicked him in the back so he had stabbed him. John Roberts was informed, and held an inquiry, but Caliph succumbed to his wounds and died the following day. Flooding occurred in 1891 when the rivers rose and washed away outlying huts from both Brunette Downs and Corella Downs station. More severe flooding occurred in the area about the station during

2925-461: The casing during construction and filling the casing annulus with an appropriate sealing material. The sealing material (grout) should be placed from immediately above the production zone back to surface, because, in the absence of a correctly constructed casing seal, contaminated fluid can travel into the well through the casing annulus. Centering devices are important (usually one per length of casing or at maximum intervals of 9 m) to ensure that

3000-480: The contamination and generally requires some expertise and testing for effective application. After the filtration process, it is common to implement an ultraviolet (UV) system to kill pathogens in the water. UV light affects the DNA of the pathogen by UV-C photons breaking through the cell wall. UV disinfection has been gaining popularity in the past decades as it is a chemical-free method of water treatment. A risk with

3075-522: The design and installation of private and municipal septic systems take all these factors into account so that nearby drinking water sources are protected. Education of the general population in society also plays an important role in protecting drinking water. Cleanup of contaminated groundwater tends to be very costly. Effective remediation of groundwater is generally very difficult. Contamination of groundwater from surface and subsurface sources can usually be dramatically reduced by correctly centering

Brunette Downs Station - Misplaced Pages Continue

3150-424: The drilled well, vertically stacked with their ends nested and either glued or splined together. The sections of casing are usually 6 metres (20 ft) or more in length, and 4 to 12 in (10 to 30 cm) in diameter, depending on the intended use of the well and local groundwater conditions. Surface contamination of wells in the United States is typically controlled by the use of a surface seal . A large hole

3225-434: The drilling process is completed, regardless of the machinery used. The oldest form of drilling machinery is the cable tool , still used today. Specifically designed to raise and lower a bit into the bore hole, the spudding of the drill causes the bit to be raised and dropped onto the bottom of the hole, and the design of the cable causes the bit to twist at approximately 1 ⁄ 4 revolution per drop, thereby creating

3300-513: The formation, thus the term "drilling." Drilled wells can be excavated by simple hand drilling methods (augering, sludging, jetting, driving, hand percussion) or machine drilling (auger, rotary, percussion, down the hole hammer). Deep rock rotary drilling method is most common. Rotary can be used in 90% of formation types (consolidated). Drilled wells can get water from a much deeper level than dug wells can − often down to several hundred metres. Drilled wells with electric pumps are used throughout

3375-427: The grouted annular space is of even thickness. Upon the construction of a new test well, it is considered best practice to invest in a complete battery of chemical and biological tests on the well water in question. Point-of-use treatment is available for individual properties and treatment plants are often constructed for municipal water supplies that suffer from contamination. Most of these treatment methods involve

3450-694: The growth of iron and manganese bacteria that can form slimy black colonies that clog pipes. The quality of the well water can be significantly increased by lining the well, sealing the well head, fitting a self-priming hand pump, constructing an apron, ensuring the area is kept clean and free from stagnant water and animals, moving sources of contamination ( pit latrines , garbage pits, on-site sewer systems ) and carrying out hygiene education. The well should be cleaned with 1% chlorine solution after construction and periodically every 6 months. Well holes should be covered to prevent loose debris, animals, animal excrement, and wind-blown foreign matter from falling into

3525-416: The hole and decomposing. The cover should be able to be in place at all times, including when drawing water from the well. A suspended roof over an open hole helps to some degree, but ideally the cover should be tight fitting and fully enclosing, with only a screened air vent. Minimum distances and soil percolation requirements between sewage disposal sites and water wells need to be observed. Rules regarding

3600-635: The hole. A well-digging team digs under a cutting ring and the well column slowly sinks into the aquifer , whilst protecting the team from collapse of the well bore . Hand-dug wells are inexpensive and low tech (compared to drilling) and they use mostly manual labour to access groundwater in rural locations of developing countries. They may be built with a high degree of community participation, or by local entrepreneurs who specialize in hand-dug wells. They have been successfully excavated to 60 metres (200 ft). They have low operational and maintenance costs, in part because water can be extracted by hand, without

3675-456: The late 1880s to establish Corella Downs station. In 1887 the station manager was John Roberts, who sent 1,200 bullocks to market in April of that year. A murder occurred at the station on New Year's Eve in 1888 when an Indigenous Australian man named Caliph stabbed a stockman named Robert Hamilton to death in a hut on the property. Another man named Samuel Muggleton found Hamilton's body, then

3750-448: The lease has: Water well A well is an excavation or structure created on the earth by digging , driving, or drilling to access liquid resources, usually water . The oldest and most common kind of well is a water well, to access groundwater in underground aquifers . The well water is drawn up by a pump , or using containers, such as buckets that are raised mechanically or by hand. Water can also be injected back into

3825-526: The leaseholder and the affected native title group. Australian jurisdictions have land management legislation that affects the administration of pastoral leases. As of November 2023 the legislation and management arrangements are as follows: The statutory provisions of pastoral leases are covered by the New Zealand Crown Pastoral Land Act 1998 and the Land Act 1948 . The holder of

SECTION 50

#1732880006672

3900-419: The leases falls mainly to state and territory governments. Leases within state jurisdictions have variations as to applicability from state to state. Under Commonwealth of Australia law, applicable only in the Northern Territory , they are agreements that allow for the use of Crown land by farmers. Native title can co-exist with pastoral leases, and Indigenous land use agreements may be made between

3975-843: The monsoon of 1895. Brunette Downs received 15.5 in (394 mm) of rain in January 1895 followed by another 9.5 in (241 mm) in February . The station sank its first sub-artesian bore in 1903, and had 180 bores pumping water up from 100 m (328 ft) by 2010. Water is pumped into over 200 ponds and 400 troughs to keep the stock well watered. In 1918 the Gulf Cattle Company put Brunette Downs up for auction . The station held 40,000 head of cattle and 900 horses, and comprised 5,471 sq mi (14,170 km) of territory. Sub-aretesian bores and other improvements advertised to be worth £45,000 as well as working plant were included in

4050-406: The placement of water wells is soil salination which occurs when the water table of the soil begins to drop and salt begins to accumulate as the soil begins to dry out. Another environmental problem that is very prevalent in water well drilling is the potential for methane to seep through. The potential for soil salination is a large risk when choosing the placement of water wells. Soil salination

4125-426: The property underwater, and filled the normally dry lakes of Corella and Sylvester. By 1977 the lakes were still active, and were home to over 500,000 pelicans that had come to the area to nest. By 1978 the station had a herd of 56,000 head of cattle and some 800 horses. Some of the staff included on the station payroll were a full-time saddle maker, clinic nurse, pilot and grader driver. The grader driver tended to

4200-415: The sale. No bids were received, and the property was passed in. At the same time, two neighbouring properties, Walhallow and Eva Downs, were also put up for auction. The James white family from Muswellbrook bought Brunette Downs in 1919. By 1923 the size of the property was estimated at 5,100 sq mi (13,209 km) and was one of the larger runs in the Northern Territory , although less than half

4275-478: The screen and the borehole or casing. This allows the water to be filtered of unwanted materials before entering the well and pumping zone. There are two broad classes of drilled-well types, based on the type of aquifer the well is in: A special type of water well may be constructed adjacent to freshwater lakes or streams. Commonly called a collector well but sometimes referred to by the trade name Ranney well or Ranney collector , this type of well involves sinking

4350-558: The size of Victoria River Downs , which occupied 13,100 sq mi (33,929 km). Dr Rudolf Asmis , Nazi Germany's Consul General to Australia, visited Brunette Downs for three days in 1935 while travelling to Darwin. Following drought in 1952, cattle from the station were overlanded to Mount Isa for agistment in Blackall-Longreach country. More than 6,000 cattle would take the walk that took several weeks through dry country. Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh , visited

4425-454: The start of 1963 and left in 1975. Many of his experiences at Brunette Downs during that period, as well working on other stations in the Northern Territory and Queensland, are recounted in his autobiography Don't Die Wondering published in 2012. Between January 1973 and March 1974 the area received record rainfall, 1,575 mm (62 in) compared to an annual average of 355 mm (14 in). This left 4,050 km (1,000,777 acres) of

4500-583: The station in 1956 on his way to the Olympic Games in Melbourne . Flying from Darwin , the Prince spent the morning with Paul Hasluck and Mr. E. Barnes (the station manager) in 107 °F (42 °C) watching stockmen work. He then flew onward to Tennant Creek and Alice Springs for the night. In early 1958 following drought conditions some 25,000 head of cattle perished from a lack of water. The property

4575-472: The station is well covered with Mitchell grass and Flinders grass , with a range of native grasses and herbs appearing following the rains. The land area is broken up into 53 paddocks with an average size of 336 km (130 sq mi). There are also 19 holding paddocks and 16 steel yards. Most of the station is open downs with small wooded areas. A large lake system, called the Brunette Lake system,

SECTION 60

#1732880006672

4650-573: The sum of £10,000 to Messrs McDonald, Smith and Macansh . Harry Readford , the cattle duffer and drover upon whose exploits the character Captain Starlight was based, drove the first mob of cattle to Brunette Downs overland from Queensland . He moved one mob of 120 mixed cattle down along the Playford River in 1884, just in time for some good rains to fill the lakes and waterholes. He remained at Brunette for several years as manager, then left in

4725-431: The surface can easily reach shallow sources and contamination of the supply by pathogens or chemical contaminants needs to be avoided. Well water typically contains more minerals in solution than surface water and may require treatment before being potable. Soil salination can occur as the water table falls and the surrounding soil begins to dry out. Another environmental problem is the potential for methane to seep into

4800-413: The surface to the next confining layer that keeps contaminants from traveling down the outer sidewalls of the casing or borehole and into the aquifer . In addition, wells are typically capped with either an engineered well cap or seal that vents air through a screen into the well, but keeps insects, small animals, and unauthorized persons from accessing the well. At the bottom of wells, based on formation,

4875-450: The type of activity permitted. According to Austrade , such leases cover about 44% of mainland Australia (3,380,000 km (1,310,000 sq mi)), mostly in arid and semi-arid regions and the tropical savannahs . They usually allow people to use the land for grazing traditional livestock, but more recently have been also used for non-traditional livestock (such as kangaroos or camels ), tourism and other activities. Management of

4950-407: The uppermost saturated aquifer at that location, and deep or confined wells, sunk through an impermeable stratum into an aquifer beneath. A collector well can be constructed adjacent to a freshwater lake or stream with water percolating through the intervening material. The site of a well can be selected by a hydrogeologist , or groundwater surveyor. Water may be pumped or hand drawn. Impurities from

5025-418: The use of the well: A water well constructed for pumping groundwater can be used passively as a monitoring well and a small diameter well can be pumped, but this distinction by use is common. Before excavation, information about the geology, water table depth, seasonal fluctuations, recharge area and rate should be found if possible. This work can be done by a hydrogeologist , or a groundwater surveyor using

5100-481: The water. Very early Neolithic wells are known from the Eastern Mediterranean . The oldest reliably dated well is from the pre-pottery neolithic (PPN) site of Kissonerga-Mylouthkia on Cyprus . At around 8400 BC a shaft (well 116) of circular diameter was driven through limestone to reach an aquifer at a depth of 8 metres (26 ft). Well 2070 from Kissonerga-Mylouthkia, dating to the late PPN, reaches

5175-505: The well bore, falling objects and asphyxiation, including from dewatering pump exhaust fumes. The Woodingdean Water Well , hand-dug between 1858 and 1862, is the deepest hand-dug well at 392 metres (1,285 ft). The Big Well in Greensburg, Kansas , is billed as the world's largest hand-dug well, at 109 feet (33 m) deep and 32 feet (9.8 m) in diameter. However, the Well of Joseph in

5250-400: The well slowly decreases and is removed from the well. Rock wells are typically cased with a PVC liner/casing and screen or slotted casing at the bottom, this is mostly present just to keep rocks from entering the pump assembly. Some wells utilize a filter pack method, where an undersized screen or slotted casing is placed inside the well and a filter medium is packed around the screen, between

5325-478: The west, Alroy Downs to the south, Mittiebah and Alexandria Station to the east and Cresswell Downs to the north. The ephemeral waterways Playford River , Brunette Creek, Cresswell Creek and Boree Creek all flow through the property. The Tablelands Highway bisects Brunette Downs. The station occupies an area of 12,212 km (4,715 sq mi) on the Barkly Tableland , and is currently owned by

5400-402: The world, typically in rural or sparsely populated areas, though many urban areas are supplied partly by municipal wells. Most shallow well drilling machines are mounted on large trucks, trailers, or tracked vehicle carriages. Water wells typically range from 3 to 18 metres (10–60 ft) deep, but in some areas it can go deeper than 900 metres (3,000 ft). Rotary drilling machines use

5475-604: Was acquired by the Australian Agricultural Company in 1979, and Warriner left in 1980 to take over Henbury and Newcastle Waters as a part owner. Henry Burke managed the station for a number of years before taking up the General Manager position at AACo in March 2012. His replacement is Michael Johnson, who previously managed Avon Downs station. 18°38′23″S 135°56′52″E  /  18.6397°S 135.94779°E  / -18.6397; 135.94779 Pastoral lease In

5550-534: Was bought from the James White family by a Texan -Australian venture, the King Ranch Pastoral Company , in 1958 for over A$ 1 million. Upon acquiring the station the company spent £500,000 on improvements such as new buildings; only the original homestead and corrugated iron station store remained. By 1966 the station was stocked with over 50,000 cattle, despite a year-long drought. The station had

5625-517: Was burned to evaporate brine and produce salt . By the 10th century, extensive bamboo pipelines connected oil wells with salt springs. The ancient records of China and Japan are said to contain many allusions to the use of natural gas for lighting and heating. Petroleum was known as Burning water in Japan in the 7th century. Until recent centuries, all artificial wells were pumpless hand-dug wells of varying degrees of sophistication, and they remain

#671328