Along the Dariven Fault, the Hutton Sandstone, the Hooray Sandstone and the Cadna-owie Formation are partially juxtaposed against aquitards. For example, along the Dariven Fault, 71% of MAPK inhibitor the entire thickness of aquifers are displaced against impermeable units on opposite sides of the fault. Hence, the Marathona Monocline and the Dariven Fault are more likely to behave as barriers to horizontal groundwater flow. Understanding the role of faults

on hydraulic connectivity between aquifers is very important for groundwater management. For example, where different aquifers are juxtaposed across a fault, this fault displacement can result in preferential pathways for hydraulic connectivity between different aquifers. Within the study area, the entire Hutton Sandstone (approximately 90 m thick) and the Hooray Sandstone interface due to vertical displacement

along the Stormhill Fault (Fig. 8). A similar situation exists at the Lochern Fault, where all the main aquifers partially interface other aquifers on the opposite side of the fault (with 50% of the entire aquifer thickness interfacing other aquifers on the down-gradient side of the fault). This suggests that there are likely to be interactions between different aquifers at the Lochern Fault and that these aquifers (i.e. the Hutton Sandstone/Adori and Hooray sandstones, Adori Sandtone/Hooray Sandstone and Hooray Inhibitor Library Sandstone/Cadna-owie Formation) may form one connected groundwater flow system. Another example where two different aquifers may be connected occurs across a fault occurs at the Tara Structure where the Cadna-owie Formation aquifer interfaces the Hutton Sandstone aquifer (Fig. 8). In this case, groundwater Progesterone flow may be continuous from the Cadna-owie Formation into the Hutton Sandstone whereas it is likely to be impeded in the overlying aquifers (on the western side of the fault). Apart from the geometry and hydraulic properties

of the aquifers, the nature of connectivity across the fault also depends on the width and permeability/mineralogy of the fault zone. However, there are no data available on the fault zone characteristics in the model domain as no exploration wells intersect any faults. Possibly the most significant barrier to groundwater flow in aquifers shown on Fig. 8 is the Maneroo Platform (e.g. on the northern side of the Hulton-Rand Structure). The general groundwater flow direction is towards the west in this area, and the most important GAB aquifers are juxtaposed against the basement (which is displaced by 740 m). This relationship causes a potential barrier to groundwater flow due to the low permeability of the basement in the lower part of the Tara Structure, which is likely to result in flow to the surface or induce inter-aquifer connectivity.