2.3.1 Methods

Summary

The conceptual model of causal pathways characterises the causal pathways, the logical chains of events ‒ either planned or unplanned ‒ that link coal resource development and potential impacts on water resources and water-dependent assets. This section details the specific application to the Namoi subregion of methods described in the companion submethodology M05 (as listed in Table 1) for developing a conceptual model of causal pathways (Henderson et al., 2016).

Key concepts and terminology are also explained, and the overall steps are summarised: (i) synthesis of the key system components, processes and interactions for the geology, hydrogeology and surface water of the subregion; (ii) landscape classification; (iii) definition of the baseline coal resource development (baseline) and the coal resource development pathway (CRDP); (iv) hazard analysis; and (v) description of the resulting causal pathways from the coal resource development to hydrological change for the baseline and CRDP.