The world is suffering from global warming with a fearful effect from floods, cyclones and regular widespread droughts in patterns not experienced
before.
The Pacific zone is suffering from El Nino caused by the
warming of the waters of the equatorial Pacific Ocean. Yet there is flooding in Japan.
The weir that supplies Sydney is overflowing. Between the two
is the El Nino drought that is spreading from the South Pacific to S/E Asia. There is drought in California.
Such a drought has not been experienced in Papua New Guinea
before. The highlands region has been hit hardest with frosts killing the food
crops and rivers and wells drying up.
The highlands of Papua New Guinea has always benefited from
the rain clouds that come up the coast and empty rain on the lower slopes of
the highlands.
The villagers and towns people have relied on the large rivers
– the Sepik, Fly, Ramu. Wahgi, Markham, Purari, Goldie, Laloki and Brown Rivers which are now
dropping in water levels.
Many villages have relied on water piped down by gravity feed
from the creeks high in the mountains. This supply will have ceased in many
villages. These creeks would have relied on the daily rainfall.
Kokoda trekkers will recall the PVC pipe that follows the
track out of the village of Naduri and up into the Owen Stanley Range.
Eora Creek in Lake Myola surely rises from the water of the
aquifers that come to the surface in the extinct volcano. This creek runs
across the volcano floor in a deep channel of glorious water.
The rivers are fed by a myriad of smaller streams that are
now becoming dry. People have not yet started to really suffer but the time
will come in a number of months.
Let us look at this nation in another way. Papua New Guinea is to be found on a large tectonic plate on which sits Australia.
This plate is being pushed by the Antarctic plate and
restrained by the Pacific plate bordered by the Ring of Fire.
The island on which this nation stands is being slowly pushed
out of the water over the eons. The mountains were once islands.
The Markham Valley was once a strait between two large
islands. The Sepik Plain was a coastal lowland. Fossilized shells have been
found in the Chimbu valley.
Eora Creek gorge, the site of fighting in the Kokoda campaign would have been a deep inlet from the sea wide and deep enough to allow a large ocean liner to ride at anchor.
Eora Creek gorge, the site of fighting in the Kokoda campaign would have been a deep inlet from the sea wide and deep enough to allow a large ocean liner to ride at anchor.
The main range extends from Papua New Guinea to West Papua
and has been the collection point for rain over millions of years. There must
be massive lakes in the aquifers under the highlands.
In the Southern Highlands, there are huge limestone caves
that have to contain large quantities of water. Over the years, we hear of
teams going down to explore the caves below the ground.
A reliable source from Chimbu says that the limestone extends from West Papua to the Milne Bay province. In Chimbu and Southern Highlands provinces, there are flowing rivers under the limestone.
If the Wahgi River ran dry, it would affect villages all the way to Kerema. But this river is undoubtedly linked to aquifer water.
A reliable source from Chimbu says that the limestone extends from West Papua to the Milne Bay province. In Chimbu and Southern Highlands provinces, there are flowing rivers under the limestone.
If the Wahgi River ran dry, it would affect villages all the way to Kerema. But this river is undoubtedly linked to aquifer water.
We read reports that wells are drying up in the highlands.
This may be the result of levels dropping in aquifers under the highlands and evaporation
of surface water in the high temperatures.
There are extensive aquifers around Port Moresby as seen in the Morata swamp and the lake on the golf course. These waters would be polluted with sewage.
There are extensive aquifers around Port Moresby as seen in the Morata swamp and the lake on the golf course. These waters would be polluted with sewage.
In a time of emergency, the question arises as to whether or
not the aquifer water of PNG and West Papua could be tapped.
Could the water be articulated across the highlands perhaps stored
in large concrete tanks?
It is sad if the village people are suffering but standing on
lakes of water under the ground.
Papua New Guinea stands on the tectonic plate with Australia.
It is higher than Australia as if sitting on a crinkled carpet pushed up against the Pacific plate.
I recall reading years ago that aquifer water from PNG slowly
seeps down the aquifers into the artesian basin of Australia.
In an era of global warming, this may not be the first time
the nation suffers drought.
It would be interesting to seek advice of the experts of Oil
Search whose exploration may have given a detailed picture of the water in
aquifers across the nation.
Readers may find this report interesting. But it may be that
there is nothing to be done in the present crisis. I hope the report may jog the memories of a few experts.
There is a report in The National newspaper today about tapping ground water. But much of the ground water is drying up. It may be necessary to go deeper.
An interesting aspect is that El Nino in the Highlands has been accompanied by high winds and sporadic rain. Two women were recently killed by a falling tree as they washed clothes at the river.
In Port Moresby, there is so much clean water running down the gutter from illegal connections that are never turned off. Try Kanage Street.
Yet the water supply company Eda Ranu talks of the Sirinumu Dam running out of water and requiring taps to be reduced in pressure.
There is a report in The National newspaper today about tapping ground water. But much of the ground water is drying up. It may be necessary to go deeper.
An interesting aspect is that El Nino in the Highlands has been accompanied by high winds and sporadic rain. Two women were recently killed by a falling tree as they washed clothes at the river.
In Port Moresby, there is so much clean water running down the gutter from illegal connections that are never turned off. Try Kanage Street.
Yet the water supply company Eda Ranu talks of the Sirinumu Dam running out of water and requiring taps to be reduced in pressure.
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