2.3.4.2 Water management for coal resource developments

2.3.4.2.1 Coal seam gas developments

As no environmental impact statement has been submitted yet, there is a high degree of uncertainty with regard to water management strategies in relation to potential CSG development in the Richmond river basin. A water management plan for Metgasco’s 2012 to 2014 exploration programme (Metgasco, 2012) outlines, among other aspects, produced water volumes, water treatment and water monitoring (discussed in detail in companion product 2.6.2 for the Clarence-Moreton bioregion (Cui et al., 2016)). However, this water management plan only relates to the exploration stage and does not indicate a preferred water management option for any future potential production operations.

2.3.4.2.2 Coal mines

As outlined in Section 2.3.4.1 and in Raiber et al. (2014), there are unlikely to be any new coal mine developments within the Clarence-Moreton bioregion in the foreseeable future, and the only currently operating coal mine within the Clarence-Moreton bioregion in Queensland will not have any impact on the hydrology and hydrogeology of the Richmond river basin as these groundwater flow systems are separated by basement highs.