Wambo Coal AEMR 2011-2012 - Peabody Energy

2011-2012 AEMR
replacement program involved the installation of
hydrographic stations in North Wambo Creek, South
Wambo Creek and Stony Creek, the locations of
each flow monitoring site are illustrated in Figure
3.1.
monitoring sites approved in the 2005 GWMP.
Appendix 2D contains all groundwater monitoring
results from the expanded network of groundwater
monitoring sites undertaken during the reporting
period.
The overall objectives of the GWMP are to establish
baseline groundwater quality and water level data
and to implement a programme of data collection
that can be utilised to assess potential impacts of
mining activities on the groundwater resources of
the area.
NWC Flow monitor site FM1 – April 2009
The results of the flow monitoring program within
North Wambo Creek, South Wambo Creek and
Stony Creek were not able to be finalised due to
software and technical difficulties. WCPL were
progressing to resolve the matter at the end of the
reporting period. The flow monitoring data for the
2011-2012 period will be presented in the next
AEMR.
Flow monitoring in Wollombi Brook is undertaken at
Bulga and Warkworth, the results are obtained from
the NOW website and are presented in Appendix
2C.
3.5 Groundwater Management
3.5.1 Environmental Management
WCPL operates in accordance with the
Groundwater Monitoring Program (GWMP). The
GWMP was approved by the DP&I in October 2005.
WCPL revised the GWMP in July 2008 and January
2010, re-submitting the GWMP to the relevant
government departments to accommodate
operational changes, report recommendations and
development consent modification requirements.
WCPL received official notification from the DTIRIS
during April 2010 accepting the changes to the
revised GWMP, however WCPL were still awaiting a
response from DP&I.
At the time of writing the 2011-2012 AEMR, WCPL
were finalising another revision of the GWMP for
submitting to the DP&I and NOW. The revision of
the GWMP was in response to an action item in the
2011 Environmental Independent Audit.
The results in Section 3.5.2 of the 2011-2012
AEMR for groundwater are for those groundwater
From a hydrogeological perspective, the Wambo
area is relatively complex due to the occurrence of
alluvium, it’s proximity to Wollemi National Park and
a number of historical and proposed mining
developments. Due consideration must also be paid
to constraints imposed by the existing and proposed
mining operations.
Groundwater data is collected on-site on a
bimonthly basis and records from 1994 are available
for some sites. During the 2008-2009 reporting
period, WCPL initiated an independent review of the
current groundwater monitoring network,
undertaken by a specialist groundwater hydrologist.
The outcomes of that review concluded that a
modification of the groundwater monitoring network
was required for current and future mining
operations. Based on the recommendations from
the review, a total of 11 new groundwater
monitoring bores were installed in 2009-2010 with
an additional vibrating wire piezometer installed
during 2010-2011. The groundwater monitoring
network now consists of 30 monitoring sites. These
sites consist of purpose constructed monitoring
bores (also referred to as piezometers); water
supply bores, and bores owned by neighbouring
landholders. Actual bores may be standpipe
monitoring bores, stock wells or multiple vibrating
wire piezometers. Appendix 2D presents the
results from the groundwater monitoring network.
The location of groundwater sites monitored during
the reporting period are illustrated in Figure 3.12.
All groundwater samples were collected in
accordance with AS/NZS 5667.11:1998 – Guidance
on sampling of ground waters. All samples collected
were analysed in the field for pH, electrical
conductivity (EC), temperature and depth to water.
3.5.2 Environmental Performance
The purpose of groundwater impact assessment
criteria is to provide “Trigger Levels” for each of the
key groundwater parameters, that is, depth to water,
pH and EC. The “Trigger Levels” for each existing
monitoring site used in the GWMP has been
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