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1, Cave and Ground Water Pollution from Rubbish Dumping

This information has been developed from the publications: An assessment of the Geological/Geomorphological Significance of Private Land in the Shire of Portland (1981) by N. Rosengren, J Mallen, T Shepherd. Geological heritage sites, including sites of geomorphological interest and volcanic heritage sites, are under regular revision by the Geological Society of Australia, especially in the assessment of significance and values. Reference should be made to the most recent reports. See the Earth Science Heritage section of the Geological Society of Australia website (external link) for details of geological heritage reports, and a bibliography.

Rubbish dumping into sinkholes and caves is widespread in the Shire. This may contribute to ground water pollution, which is a serious problem in other karst areas, e.g. Mount Gambier. It could become a problem in the Portland Shire unless an appropriate management scheme is developed. As ground water forms an important component of domestic water supplies in the Shire, pollution of this resource entails considerable risks. In a limestone area, rapid passage of liquids from the surface to the water table occurs and these liquids travel considerable distances through the sub-surface drainage system. Consequently, a single pollution source can degrade the quality of ground water over a large area.

It is therefore important to site rubbish dumps in areas that do not contribute to the recharge of ground water aquifers. In particular, farmers and other landowners should be prohibited from disposing of rubbish in caves. An educational programme could be established in the Shire, e.g. by the distribution of leaflets similar to those produced by the S.A. Department of Mines.