3.4.5.3 Potential ecosystem impacts

Non-floodplain or upland landscapes in the zone of potential hydrological change in the vicinity of New Acland Coal Mine are predominantly temporary upland streams and remnant vegetation associated with the unconfined Main Range Volcanics aquifer. Median drawdown under the baseline is less than 0.2 m and due to additional coal resource development is less than 2 m in this area, with the exception of small areas immediately adjacent to mine operations (Figure 31), which are predicted to experience localised additional drawdown (<5 m) by the regional groundwater model. Local impact assessment and modelling is required to provide more detail to supplement results from the regional model.

Groundwater drawdown of this magnitude is unlikely to affect high flows and flood pulses that drive water availability in these temporary upland streams that are groundwater dependent, but may affect low flows and channel habitat. Potential impacts to fringing riverine vegetation communities associated with these upland streams are likely to be limited in this predominantly human-modified landscape in the vicinity of New Acland Coal Mine.

The western part of the zone of potential hydrological change near The Range coal mine contains temporary upland streams that flow through human-modified landscapes. Median drawdown under the baseline in the area ranges from 0.2 m to more than 5 m and drawdown due to additional coal resource development is less than 2 m (Figure 31). However, these streams are not classified as groundwater dependent and are therefore unlikely to be affected by groundwater drawdown predicted in this area (Table 15).

Groundwater-dependent remnant vegetation (‘Non-floodplain non-GAB GDE’) is located near the proposed mine area and in the southern corner of the zone of potential hydrological change near The Range coal mine. Median drawdown under the baseline near the modelled open-cut mine pits is 0.2 to 2 m and drawdown due to additional coal resource development is 3 to 10 m, which is likely to affect these GDEs (Figure 31). Local impact assessment and modelling is required to provide more detail to supplement results from the regional model.


Last updated:
5 January 2018
Thumbnail of the Maranoa-Baloone-Condamine subregion

Product Finalisation date

2017
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