1_-

t_

17

I I I I I I I I I I, I I ,I' ,I ,I (I I I

BMR Record 1972118

c.3

COIVlMOruWIEALTH Of AUSTRALIA

[O)[E[P)fQ\~uM [ENu (Q)~ NfQ\u~(Q)NfQ\l [O)[EV[El(Q)[P)M[E~u

rns(UJ~~~QJJ (Q)[F ~D~~~~[L ~~~(Q)QJJ~~~~a@~@~(Q)@W ~~[Q) @~(Q)~[}={]W~D(b®

Record 1972/18

. GEOLOGY OF THE GOOGONG RESEBVOIR, . QUEANBEYAN RIVER, N.S. Wo

by

G. B. Simpson

+ 01748J

The information contained in this report has been obtained by the Department of National Development as part of the policy of the Commonwealth Government to assist in the exploration and development of mineral resources. It may not be published in any form or used in a company prospectus or statement without the permission in writing of the Director, Bureau of Mineral Resources, Geology & Geophysics.

,

I I I I I I I I ' I I I I I I I I I I I· I

Record 1972/18

GEOLOGY OF THE GOOGONG RESERVOIR, QUEANBEYAN RJrVER, N.S. W.

by

G.B. Simpson

I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I

CONTENTS

SUMMARY

PLA TEl : Geology of the Googong Reservoir Bcale 1 :12,500

Page

1

~

-I

---I I I I I I I I I I I I I I

SUMMARY 40

The Googong reservoir is underlain by folded and sheared slate, sandstone, and limestone of the London Bridge Formation, and slate and dacite of the Colinton Volcanics of Silurian age.

The London Bridge Formation and Coltnton Volcanics have been intruded by Siluro-Devonian granite. Along the eastern side of the reservoir area the Silurian rocks are faulted against Ordovician grey­wacke and slate at the Queanbeyan Fault. The Beitana Fault crosses the reservoir area sub-parallel to and west of the Queanbeyan Fault.

The reservoir area is considered to offer no leakage problems. No evidence of sulphide mineralization or of areas of, slope instability was detected.

It is recommended that limestone beds in the north of the reservoir area should be mapped in greater detail as part of the design investigation. studies of the amount and movement of sediment in the Queanbeyan River should be made to detect any possible reservoir Silting problems which might occur.

The stability and erodability of steeply sloping areas near Bradley's Creek should be further studied.

76000 E

,;;I.OooE------+-_____ _

~Yf'\BOL!) USED ON GE.OLOG I CAL- MAP

AND 5ECTIONS FORMATION

---j

ALLUVtUJ>\ AND Co.~VtV'"

Cow",t~~~-r)

LITHOL..0c7Y AND M\(',jE..RAlJZATION

FbJVlcU 'io~ o.r>d.. <Y':I-"",li CUlcI. Q'''.dn d.(.po:loit~

~----I------~--~---, , + •

+ + + + +

+

/... ,',' / I

------ -

6OoGON(;- AN.D OTI1E.R. CrAANlrE:~

(5lluro - Devon'<.\r\)

COLINTON VOL.CAN1CS (Midd.t4 or Uppt..-

!'>,I .... ~;"""- )

LONDON BRIDG£. FORJIo\ATION

(r'·",J.d1c ~T' l)pp.:r

;;,1"",,0..'(')

f"\ETA~e:.DIMENT'5 (Uppt.--.? Or4ev,c.,o.n)

_"J

Dcu;.,t.I with iq,~ o~ slc:..tL,li'l'nl'*"",

0JId. !oa.nd.!oI:one. "'''noT' "-",,o,,"I~ oi I d'SS&ni.,oSO!d. py<"ite

Lil'Y\eston.<! and. slak_ Lirn~~I"~ if,

1enr,u.1ar wiEh. e,(-l,ot.- F'~~ ".­r.t..-vct·,ro.l cO'n.t..-ol.. l.",. ""Io..,<!: ; .. tJ.....

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PHYSIOGRAPHY

1}r-<l.1dd., PO;"t b= a.no:I, .. lip....,ff 'lotTt!OJ1\

~I\.~ of so.nd. 00"'d.. 9~' ALLu"'<>.l w:u-Ih depo~t~ OC'<.Jr (11 U\e ~~d. low...- .... o.""'.!> q tnbuto.ry st.r=ms

h:>~m'io h'ln 'i)...,..,,,.t .'" ~t">«'I"Q.\, w,th q"-~<ll¢~t Y~li~? wn.el"<! lhl!. covntry rnek "" or Limol" ...... Or sI.o.te, Good. e~p<'50 .... r-c.

in \>I<> .. k.y Q"'-f'-rops ""oIi1-h \'rt~ ... 01" "'0

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sTRUCTURE

FolicJ.io", and. j01ntins ""'5OC'o.tui.. ""tn. r~,o=l snw.r d. .... d"m. (OJO!qO), ",..,.1. (,,< • ..1. ""~"\;\".,, ... ~ )", .. I:~

--_ .. _-

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nd.9~" Good.. 'I._pos"' .... 0\,,\ u~..t,,~, 1-"'''''' "'~POWnl on 51o.tf.

F"r""~ r<> ....... ~ y.~,. ""~ 'l<k~1' toLop<!~ on '-t"~~ i;-\""TtS 'YI a...,..,"'} or JJ .. s~cho'1 (;-cod e.,. po'W)'lI:

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o........! h'~r ~...,.....d ~ K-. ... '20. .. + Good.. (!.~ po'!.","'" I ..... ~J ..... o......, ."'.;.~;on~

DipS .. t""Ply to t\'-', c"'~~ .."«,, i'i,OGl; ..... o.l ~ld.s. sl,,-t...~ ~h""'o,l, d~a.v'ld., w,th ~r~. "'a.c:k~ uV\;t~-IT'<W<l. .:P ..... p.,\-,,"'t ,.I·"''''A,) 1,ltt. "'--"''' d.,,"'v~<I..

QIJE.ANffYAN

wt!\THEF\ING-

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.. ~",\V, ..... ,J,- r~d" r{b'j"'~"l:. "',,,d

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\Oi~ dVY4\op....c"'r cy j-\"i" so;l:s.

S"""d.\<>"'~ ...... cd..:,"""t"'ly w~o..f',~nc! """d. d<>.l~ fY1",,{.,,.,,,~~ty \0 1->'3\'\Y ~~t-h~.,.-~d. ___ ,,,, ~",rG(,\)~_

I 5ho.llow 'W1i:<>.\\-'~"'i~ with ~v-,'YI '!oC.( I 01\1<1'" *~p ~lop<!s d.<> ..... af 0.\1,,<.,)

w:n.l!'\"loll..lo.b'cn o~ wecJ~" mot~r; ..... 1 f';oc""s ""'''''''H<ll"l; '0 ,;\,:)\.,\-I y .xo.\:'",~ .. ~l '" oc<~c""P'"

-+---- , ____ -~ ,I -f' -. --- -t.~ - ~ ---.---.~~

I I

..

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PEI\1"IEAGI L1TY

''''"L, ''''\N,;y''''''''''\'''( f~'-""':-' ",,,J. ~, ....... ",I.t; "'-' .... 11"'" .... ', ""'J'<'"rs w",l~, ...,o..,~ .... ~"'~;" coli"'''' ,,( (''''cc\'' d.~...,~ ;t~ ""o.y V. ",,.~n'<-'L.-d , l:y P"I:''''''''''« ~\ ,J"'>'5

~!

SLOPE STA51WTY

,"",.-- "0 """,~~d. e\oj'('5, M"I' ,-"",,~( , d I '. r ' , ,"""~ '~" o,.c"-\,~'" ~r w..o.~<;, "'\Il~"

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I .... ,"".,. (,,< ... l to.;I....'1'~~ •

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____ "-~Mo'\·,J..." tow..~

f'hs!i'3;'pL:-.. pvmf,co»it, tit.!I i>'I rr... )lo..tt..W!'I"Idanc in. O'\Ort\<! 0\ .... :5. .... ..." .. 's ~.Ii,,\-,\lo.,C\.I'IA ......r.. .. !n\>"~m\l""t ·s ru~ ... ,de<i to jO",t ~ clc!o.""'3Q

po.rti~ In rh<t-~th '5"''''''' .. olu.b"" j<1c<>.hAru OI"'~ p~e:r.mr, 0 ... \ th~ l'Vf\~.~""'e ';:""ps o<-<r ",[",.,-e. to,. ~~or",¥ to:vt.l

----~ .. --

5t""j> ~I"~ <>., ri""r b(~T> witn rI-1iO'\ 100'< CO,....-, Mjn ..... 1'i"\(I"'l'nCIf\t~ '* sere<! mo.te .. io.l rn",y oc~W'" l>vl ..... \ iY'lvot"iO'\~ L"""'-~" volco.._.. Ot rod.<

Oc.(.<..o.n. '''' I" .... \'Ii~ G.<;,~o." o.",d., probl€W\s "I' ~\"p~ n»'-"!"'""""'r sVlo",l.\.

I ' \'W~ oc.c: .......

--T'

low i><-.rmo,J,,[,ty iV'> "lo.t.!.. Po.(WI¢<>h,',\y tv. $o.ncl~t<""e' ""...,t-,.."t\ed by 'tko,,,,, "j o.-...<i J~, .. t '!>y,.t.,M:s., c\4c:n! ...... "'':!1 ""rK-, c.~p~, Lbo.)

,'",k .. ~ ....... ",\" .. 0' ....... <tuJ>,l,~y

Fom"~ &t"",p s\o~ i.., the 'io<.<IJrh o~ tI.-ltl 0.<"9.0.., ..,"'e..,. ""'Iy thYl -:'0;( Cave ... i<;,.

Pl"'tio<?"'\" I'-\j"Q<" ;YI<>ve""",,,,h 0\ ~"(!e rY·M.t4rio.l (;IllV'> pe e>'pce!:¢.

-+-----Low i ... tQ .. ,o.--o. ....... lo. .. ~~~(,;l.~y, w.o.l;-<!(

rno"Q.1Tl<!.nf D4i",'j ~5\-..,cb:l to f..-a .. ,u~~s w..d. jOi"'lts

Mown·,ev,J 0\ ~ "lop<!- m",tQ.--ia.\ "'" ~Vw. f<:-4.1\ 5~o...,..p :$ ",,?~c.I:<1d. 17J­~\w\A\d ;"'"co\vt. "",I)" 5"",,\, VJ..LA""<!.~ 0\ rock ""''' w,l

\

AUSTRALIAN

CApITAL

THARWA

Built up area

PrinCipal road

Highway

Railway

Vehicle track

\.)

Terrt!ona( boundary ,

~ ----i __

'I -~ <;I\.\J\..I __ ----

- -r- ----:---- ...

+----- -~-­I

NEW

SOUTH "

WALES

I

·w, I

QUEANBEYAN

•

GOO GONG .I.D /J.,ty,

fSITh

Lc:ndo <1 S,.-,dge !i~rnesreQd"

LOCALITY MAP

GOO GONG RE5EJWOIR QUEANBEYAN RIVER. NS W

02.3456789 I I I I I , I I

KILOMETRE.5

.. " ..... .

Ger~eral ceo1opr of the reservoir

T .. 8 London 3rirl,:e ?or';"C! tion and the Col in ton Volcil!licf>. of LFper Sllurinn a[re, umlerlie ~O(lt of the reservoir area. 7hesc for:: ltions have been intensel:,- folded and uhaarcd, and dip at hleh anL;'lcs to the \.j{H,t. j'he cleavage, a n:n,ior feature of the units, 10 ,:enerally ::-'<"lrallcl to thl! strike of the beddin,', nnd vertical.

Jlccurate deterr;'in;-.tion of the litholoGical flucccnsion and unit t~dckneBsen is diffict:lto~'J'\.9 to the possibility of isocli! al faldin,: and strih faultine. \1hieh I:lay be obscured bJf the stron, clravu[;c.

Granite of ~~illlro-Devonin..."1 ll.,::'P has been intruded into tLc Bcrl.i·~ ents foliation and stl"uctt...re.

<L'1J volcanicfl, and Cb(J\,fB

Sll2.0..r 3;rstcT'S related evidence of to the rc~ ional

'l'hc eastern side of the valley is uefincd by the ;';'Uean't;eyan Fault, ClJl t;i(-L nn,:le revp.rse fault, Hith a uownthrow of at least BOO feet to the west brin,,:inc Ordovician rretasedirr.cnts of the Cullnrin ~Ior[Jt into contact wi th the London ilri(~ge Formation.

l'he Bel tuna Faul t, bearine 1700 t ::mb-parallel to the ;2ueanbeyan Fault, occurs alonG the eastenl :-:larCin of the recervoir. It causes an effective soutL('rly'(~i!l­p:acel~ent of the rocks on the western :-:ide of the fault.

Heservoir leakab~

The clastic sedi[]cnts, volciU1ics and l';I"anitca in tl:e reservoir have ner,lii.;ible intero-anular :rorod t~r and water movcr:1ent will r.minly occur in joints anu fractures.

Lill'cstone of the London ~3rid[;1'! Formation crops out in two arcns of thG reservoir. In the north it will be covered by up to 150 feot of wahr. ;Iere thc lir:,cstone is silicified LU1d is t:nlitely to ::hm! ~olution featureD "'hieh r:li,-~ht iJrovidc le.Jt.:.t.(::e path!>; hmleVf'!r further i~1VentiL"Ution9

- -~ ~-I---

'---

" ',,-

a~lould be !'lade. In the vicinity of Landon llrid,e, and rurthcr south., the lime.stone. uop<t> out o..l,"Jov<!. a.nc:l Delew' rop storClS<2. levi'..l. Tht lime5ton'l. I~ \!Ot ::'lk..l~IQ.d. D.Y\d ShoW5 SOlU.t\ClI'l.

F0:l..tvr-es bu.! would. nor c.o.u",,- leaJ...o..9(!. from lhe. t1!..Se(VO((".

j.inpralization

:10 evidence of 8ulphir-lc r.-ineralizn.tion was seen, and only minor an:onnts of pyri to were recovered from drill holea at the dam :Ji te. Some her.a ti te ['!jlneraliza tion was seen in the lil:'estones and sandstones.

Slope stability

CalC"L;]otions indicate t:,at waves in ex-cess of ? feet in llei,~ht ~ fly '00 expected on the reservoir under storr--. cOl:(li tio!'ls. Uavef:. of this oru(lr ~.ay cause undercut tine and erosion at wrttcr surfuce level. The undercuttinG and erosion ~ay be increased \,'here the waves Move into confined areas of the reservoir such as at 13ra(lley l s Creek and in the area. to the not' t:l of 5800:';, SOIl:e sl';r.1pinc of 310pevash o..nu weathered roel: material lI:ay

occur as a result of the unriercuttin,; of steeper slopes in such arC<1G.

Sll tine

i .. lr.r;:c proportion of' the roservoir rcchar,:e ..... ill L,e supplied b" flood water fro~' t e ,.~ueanueyan _:iver catcLI,ent area. :'iic flood water lLay carry appreciable at"ollnts of sedi:lent, ,:end siltinL prOblems ma;; result.

;;'econIncnuations

1. }\'u·ther invcsti:,atior. of the liLcstone in the nora: of the reservoir should. be ;-:,ade by costcaninc to :,;ain inforr:ation about leaka,"C' path~ fh.<'1t cOlild bc rrovided by po~'s LlJlf' solution feat-:.;res.

2. :..:t"Jios of the f':ucpcnded and bed load of the river under flood con!]i tion:; should be made to ,';ive an indication of the 8il tinG p.eoblc:r.s \oihich IT ir..'ht occ'.:.r •

, .

, -

:

t ~. 'l'I-:'.c stability of the '::,ueanbeyan }'ault scarp in the vicinity of Bralney's Creek should be further invcstiGatf!dl

, wave action at the base of the slope should be taken ir.to consideration.

-

4, In view of the erodable nn. tUre of several of tr.e rock and ~oil units occurrinr close to top water lcvel, further Dappinc- ahould be unoertahm to deteroinc areo.:; ~.hich r:taY require trcotl~ent; t: c exposure of slopes nnd the lonG fetches available in the otoraee should be taken into consideration.

5. '1'he storar:e area narrows rr.arkedly south of 5000::;. Silt, that f:!ay be deposited in the narrow area could become llilstable under flood or rapid draw-down conditions.

ltefcrcncea

Burton G.), • 196~ -

Vecvers J.J. 1951 -

Veevers J.J. 19;3 -

Gooi;ona Dam ::;i te, l;:Ueanbeyan 11.1 vcr, :JSH. ileport of InvestiGations ha.y-j\ug. 1961. Bur. Ei~,cr. jl.c~;our. A1J!:;t. Hee. 1963/68. The reeional ecolOGY and stratiD-raphy of an aroa nor·th-west of Captains Flat, 1-:0";., with a 8hort U.CCOllilt of the scdiT',entary and contact T'letanorr,i;ic 'Phc!no;'.ena at London J3rid;;e, Ii~·,'.

~1,SC (::ons) ':.'hesis, \jniv. Sydney.

The London nridc:e Li;:-,cstone. Dur. j,iner. ilesonr. Au"t. j{cc. 19'j3l'j).

"

, , I

Geology of the

GOOGONG RESERVOI R

OJeonbeyon River, N SW

REFERENCE

See Engineering GeoLogy Table for rock unit

..... ? ········1··

..L._

O---t

••••• d

1-----1

----

o L::

GeoLogicaL boundary,

pc6ltJon appro<lmate GeoLogicaL boundary. inferred, concealed

Fault. iXlsitio:l approximate

High angle reverse fault

Dip and strikeof bedding Shear zone Cleavcge, vertical Dyke (dolerite) GeolCX;lcal section

Dam wall [proposed)

Contour, 50fUntervai

Top storage level, 2185it

Strearr

Track

).50 7~()

AMENDMENTS DESCRIPTION AUTHOR DATE Ct£CKED "",TE

"

SCALE

: 12,500

RASf MAP/SURVEY

Snowy Mountains Authority Base Map

Grid DepartmenT of fhe Interior (::.r....,.,...t.,) GEOLOGY' BY

J.A. Salte!. and G B. Simpson:

COMPILED ANO CHECKED CHECKED AND APPROVED

ll\.t-r---- IS /5 ! 7 i r 'PROJECT GEOLOGIST

ac.7~ - . SENIOR GEOLOGtST

SUPERVISING GEOLOGIST

PLATE I

COMMONWEALTH OF AUSTRALIA ",/.,~;;"",~',~~ BUREAU OF MINERAL RESOURCES· .... /:;

CANB£RRA, A C.T .~ ~ ~.;f~,'·'

TITLE

PHOJECT

Geology GOOGONG

Googong Dam River

DRAWN BY

of the RESERVOIR.

Site, Queanbeyan N,S.w.

ORAWtNG "lUMBER TO ACCOMPANY

RECORD /

197;)./ '3 G.[3.s . I ss/A 16/850