https://www.engineeringnews.co.za

NSW groundwater monitoring framework welcomed

NSW groundwater monitoring framework welcomed

Photo by Bloomberg

20th August 2014

By: Esmarie Iannucci

Creamer Media Senior Deputy Editor: Australasia

  

Font size: - +

PERTH (miningweekly.com) – The Australian Petroleum Production and Exploration Association (Appea) has welcomed the New South Wales government’s announcement of a framework to map, monitor and protect the region’s groundwater resources.

Natural Resources, Lands and Water Minister Kevin Humphries and Resources and Energy Minister Anthony Roberts this week said that the Water Monitoring Framework would transform how water data was captured and used to protect the state’s water resources.

“For the first time in Australia state-of-the-art computer modelling will be used in conjunction with groundwater baseline data to map and protect underground water resources in New South Wales,” Humphries said.

“Water is the lifeblood of communities across the state and that is why the government is increasing mapping and monitoring to make informed decisions that ensure our water resources are protected.”

The framework would be aimed at improving the governance and accountability of water data and water management, enhance data monitoring and real-time reporting to provide greater community confidence about the impact on water quality and quantity from various industries, and improve community access to baseline water data information.

“Starting first in the Gunnedah, Gloucester and Clarence Moreton basins, we will use start-of-the-art technology to map underground water and provide baseline water profiles.

“Experts will study groundwater availability in these basins, and carefully analyse where industries such as agriculture and mining draw their water from and the volume allocated within the different systems,” Humphries said.

He added that once complete, this mapping would provide real-time data from bores across these basins that would be used as an ‘early warning’ system to quickly identify threats to water resources, tackle the causes, and prevent future problems.

Appea on Wednesday noted that while the New South Wales onshore gas projects were a relatively small drawer of groundwater resources, monitoring of all water users, including agriculture and mining, was a significant step towards building on the body of science already accumulated about groundwater systems.

Appea CEO for Eastern Australia Paul Fennelly said that water monitoring strategies were at the forefront of industry operations to assess the quantity of water taken and produced, detect any change in the water level of aquifers and changes in water quality within those aquifers.

“In Queensland, for example, where almost A$70-billion projects are under way to source natural gas from coal seams, extensive monitoring by government and industry has shown the impact on groundwater resources to be negligible.

“Water is also being treated for use on farms, livestock and to supplement town water supplies. 

“The framework announced by the government today will complement existing industry groundwater management plans to make sure water resources are used in a sustainable way.”

The New South Wales gas industry was investing heavily in water studies and as of the end of March this year had 475 water monitoring bores in place, Fennelly pointed out.

In the first quarter of 2014, 13 megalitres of water was produced through gas production in New South Wales, the equivalent of about five Olympic-sized swimming pools.

Edited by Mariaan Webb
Creamer Media Senior Deputy Editor Online

Comments

Showroom

Weir Minerals Africa and Middle East
Weir Minerals Africa and Middle East

Weir Minerals Europe, Middle East and Africa is a global supplier of excellent minerals solutions, including pumps, valves, hydrocyclones,...

VISIT SHOWROOM 
Aqs image
AQS Liquid Transfer

AxFlow AQS Liquid Transfer (Pty) Ltd is an Importer and Distributor of Pumps in Southern Africa

VISIT SHOWROOM 

Latest Multimedia

sponsored by

Option 1 (equivalent of R125 a month):

Receive a weekly copy of Creamer Media's Engineering News & Mining Weekly magazine
(print copy for those in South Africa and e-magazine for those outside of South Africa)
Receive daily email newsletters
Access to full search results
Access archive of magazine back copies
Access to Projects in Progress
Access to ONE Research Report of your choice in PDF format

Option 2 (equivalent of R375 a month):

All benefits from Option 1
PLUS
Access to Creamer Media's Research Channel Africa for ALL Research Reports, in PDF format, on various industrial and mining sectors including Electricity; Water; Energy Transition; Hydrogen; Roads, Rail and Ports; Coal; Gold; Platinum; Battery Metals; etc.

Already a subscriber?

Forgotten your password?

MAGAZINE & ONLINE

SUBSCRIBE

RESEARCH CHANNEL AFRICA

SUBSCRIBE

CORPORATE PACKAGES

CLICK FOR A QUOTATION







sq:0.065 0.116s - 156pq - 2rq
Subscribe Now