Onshore and offshore Geotechnical begins at Cape Hardy

If you’re in the area over the coming months, you might notice activity around Cape Hardy. It’s likely you’re seeing our Northern Water team conducting geotechnical investigations both on and offshore.

The upcoming geotechnical investigations will comprise borehole drilling and reach target depths of between 70 and 75 metres onshore and between 35 and 60 metres offshore. This will assess this site’s subsurface soil and rock profiles to inform the project’s design and sequencing.

In addition, shallow seafloor sediments will be investigated using vibracoring techniques (sampling techniques with minimal disturbance to the surrounding seafloor) along the proposed outfall and intake tunnel alignments.

Samples collected during the investigation will be tested to determine physical soil and rock properties. This testing will help inform the most appropriate alignments for the intake and outfall tunnels and associated infrastructure for the proposed desalination plant.

Once complete, and when the project has finished with the samples, we’ll give them to South Australia’s Drill Core Library where they’ll become part of its world-renowned collection. These valuable samples will be available to explorers, engineers, geologists, and anyone else interested in South Australia’s rock formations as part of one of the world’s most extensive collections of drill cores.

We’re fully aware there may be areas of cultural significance in the area, so we’ve sought advice from Traditional Owners and land holders to ensure any planned disturbance during our investigations avoid highly sensitive areas and are managed sympathetically to the surroundings.