2.6.2.2.1 Regional-scale groundwater models

Six regional-scale groundwater models of the Surat and Bowen geological basins were reviewed for the Queensland Water Commission (GHD, 2012):

The review recommended that a new groundwater model be developed for the assessment of cumulative groundwater impacts resulting from CSG development in the Surat and Bowen geological basins (GHD, 2012). This recommendation was based on the conclusion that substantial additional data were available to the Queensland Water Commission (QWC) (currently known as the Office of Groundwater Impact Assessment, OGIA) from each of the CSG companies than were accounted for in any of these individual models. Accordingly, QWC developed a regional groundwater model for the Surat cumulative management area (CMA), henceforth referred to as the OGIA model. The OGIA model simulates the cumulative hydrological impacts of CSG development in the Surat and parts of the Bowen geological basins (QWC, 2012). As such, the OGIA model supersedes the groundwater models developed by the individual CSG proponents, which are not considered further in this review.