Galilee Basin mine plans understated water impact, government report says
Ben See
Report finds more than 95% chance of hydrological changes to Belyando river basin from mines including Carmichael
Coalmines planned in the Galilee Basin – including Adani’s Carmichael mine – understated the likely impacts on surrounding water resources, a federal government scientific report has found.
The bioregional assessment report into the cumulative impact of coalmine proposals was published quietly last week. It was compiled by experts from the CSIRO, Geosciences Australia, the Bureau of Meteorology and the federal environment department.
The report modelled information from seven of 17 proposed coalmines in the Galilee and found there was a greater than 95% chance that they would cause hydrological changes to the Belyando river basin.
Those cumulative impacts “extend farther than previously predicted from impact assessments of individual mines”.
Conservation groups say the report shows that Adani’s Carmichael plan and other mines have been approved and supported based on inadequate environmental information.
“It’s clear from this analysis that mining the Galilee Basin will have a very significant and irreversible impact on our water resources,” Carmel Flint from Lock the Gate said.
The report found that a 20cm or greater drawdown was “very likely” across an area of near-surface aquifers covering 2,820 square km.
The development of coalmines could potentially have water impacts across an area of up to 14,030 square km and 6,285km of streams. The report also found that water access rights near the village of Jericho were potentially impacted.
“Of the 241 ecological assets potentially impacted due to modelled additional coal resource development, 148 are considered ‘more at risk of hydrological changes’,” the report said. “These include potential habitat of 12 threatened species and two threatened ecological communities.”
There are 17 proposals for coalmines and coal seam gas projects in the Galilee but researchers could only model the cumulative impacts of seven that were furthest advanced in the environmental planning process.
Adani’s Carmichael mine has been a flashpoint for the pro and anti-coal debate, in part because it has been considered a critical step towards the broadscale development of a new coal basin in the Galilee.
Adani announced last month it would proceed with a slimmed-down version of Carmichael. Supporters, including the Queensland Resources Council and the federal resources minister, Matt Canavan, have said the announcement paves the way for the further development of the Galilee.
The Queensland government’s transparent royalties framework, which has been used to offer Adani a royalties deferral deal, is also predicated on the notion that support can be offered to the “first mover” in a resource basin that would encourage future development.
“Adani’s hypocrisy is breathtaking – they want to get a royalty deferment on the grounds they are opening up the Galilee Basin to mining but don’t want to consider the extreme cumulative water impacts of the other coalmines that may follow if they do,” Flint said.
“As this gruelling drought continues, accompanied now by heatwaves and catastrophic fires, it would be beyond reckless to proceed with these dangerous projects.
“Farmers and communities need assurances that governments will act now following this assessment.
“The Queensland government should get started immediately and reject Adani’s groundwater dependent ecosystem management plan based on the extended water impacts identified in this assessment.”
The groundwater plan has not been approved by the Queensland government. Adani has claimed approval is imminent, but there is no statutory timeframe for this to occur.
Adani said in a statement the Carmichael project had been “subject to a wide range of independent assessments, technical studies, public consultations and reviews over eight years”
“In response to assessment of the environmental and socioeconomic impact of the mine, the Australian and Queensland governments endorsed an environmental impact statement and set out the conditions under which the project must be operated.
“These conditions, along with the other legislation and regulations, provide a strict and comprehensive regulatory framework to govern mine operations and ensure impacts are managed responsibly.”