Limestone Caves
6a. Human impacts: karst catchments

Changes to catchments can have big impacts on caves beneath.

Caves are part of the water cycle. Use of the land above caves changes the water cycle and impacts on the caves beneath. A eucalypt woodland was cleared in the Yarrangobilly Cave catchment and planted with a pine plantation. The caves beneath started drying out and it was discovered the pines used 17% more groundwater than the eucalypts. The photo shows the pines are now being cleared and replanted with eucalypts from the area to save the caves.

The vertical air photo shows the area immediately around the Yarrangobilly tourist caves. There are many wild caves in the catchment but the photo shows that area where caves are open to the general public with the infrastructure necessary for this. Changes to the catchment include vegetation clearing, gravel access roads and various buildings.

Source: © Land and Property Information Panorama Avenue Bathurst 2795

Clearing the vegetation in the catchment above caves:
is good for the caves
 has no impact on the caves
 is bad for the caves
    impact on caves