❓ A WA parliamentary question probes the Department of Water regarding groundwater allocation, scientific basis for limits, research on environmental impacts (specifically around Wiluna and Lake Way), and the progress of mining guidelines. The response provides information on available documents, monitoring practices, and ongoing considerations.
AnsweredQoN 6184Legislative Council
QuestionView source ↗
I refer to question on notice No. 3271 asked 15 February 2011, and I ask —
(1) In which Department of Water documents is information regarding the allocation limits for each sub-area of the East Murchison and Goldfields Groundwater Areas described?
(2) Are these documents publicly available, and if so, where?
(3) If no to (2), please table the documents.
(4) If no to (3), please state why not.
(5) Please describe the scientific basis (such as annual recharge rates, etc) behind the Department's setting of allocation limits within —
(a) the East Murchison Groundwater Area; and
(b) the Goldfields Groundwater Area?
(6) In relation to (5), is scientific information to support the setting of allocation limits within the East Murchison Groundwater Area and the Goldfields Groundwater Area publicly available?
(7) If yes to (6), where is it and what are the names of relevant documents?
(8) If no to (6), please table the relevant documents.
(9) If no to (8), please state why not.
(10) In relation to (5), what on-the-ground research has the Department of Water conducted in each Groundwater Area and when was the last year or years that this was done?
(11) What is the total annual groundwater allocation limit for each of the sub-areas within the East Murchison and Goldfields Groundwater Areas?
(12) In relation to (11), what distinction, if any, is made between hyper-saline and less saline (brackish to fresh) groundwater resources? Please provide details for each sub-area if this distinction is made.
(13) What research, if any, is the Department of Water aware of into the impacts of current and projected water consumption on the samphire habitat and stygofauna populations in the Wiluna area, in particular in the vicinity of Lake Way?
(14) Is the Department of Water aware of any studies having been conducted or planned on the cumulative impact of water use in the vicinity of Wiluna?
(15) Would the Minister for Water consider initiating a study into the cumulative impacts of current water users, projected water use, groundwater recharge rates and environmental requirements in and around Wiluna?
(16) If no to (15), why not?
(17) Please provide an update on the progress of the 'mining guideline' that was to be developed by the Department of Water to assist in guiding the licence assessment process.
(18) Would the phrase 'detailed and certain' be an accurate description of the Department's current state of knowledge of available groundwater resources within the East Murchison and Goldfields Groundwater Areas?
(19) If no to (18), what is a more accurate description?
(1) In which Department of Water documents is information regarding the allocation limits for each sub-area of the East Murchison and Goldfields Groundwater Areas described?
(2) Are these documents publicly available, and if so, where?
(3) If no to (2), please table the documents.
(4) If no to (3), please state why not.
(5) Please describe the scientific basis (such as annual recharge rates, etc) behind the Department's setting of allocation limits within —
(a) the East Murchison Groundwater Area; and
(b) the Goldfields Groundwater Area?
(6) In relation to (5), is scientific information to support the setting of allocation limits within the East Murchison Groundwater Area and the Goldfields Groundwater Area publicly available?
(7) If yes to (6), where is it and what are the names of relevant documents?
(8) If no to (6), please table the relevant documents.
(9) If no to (8), please state why not.
(10) In relation to (5), what on-the-ground research has the Department of Water conducted in each Groundwater Area and when was the last year or years that this was done?
(11) What is the total annual groundwater allocation limit for each of the sub-areas within the East Murchison and Goldfields Groundwater Areas?
(12) In relation to (11), what distinction, if any, is made between hyper-saline and less saline (brackish to fresh) groundwater resources? Please provide details for each sub-area if this distinction is made.
(13) What research, if any, is the Department of Water aware of into the impacts of current and projected water consumption on the samphire habitat and stygofauna populations in the Wiluna area, in particular in the vicinity of Lake Way?
(14) Is the Department of Water aware of any studies having been conducted or planned on the cumulative impact of water use in the vicinity of Wiluna?
(15) Would the Minister for Water consider initiating a study into the cumulative impacts of current water users, projected water use, groundwater recharge rates and environmental requirements in and around Wiluna?
(16) If no to (15), why not?
(17) Please provide an update on the progress of the 'mining guideline' that was to be developed by the Department of Water to assist in guiding the licence assessment process.
(18) Would the phrase 'detailed and certain' be an accurate description of the Department's current state of knowledge of available groundwater resources within the East Murchison and Goldfields Groundwater Areas?
(19) If no to (18), what is a more accurate description?
AnswerView source ↗
Answered
13 November 2012
Responded by
Minister for Mental Health representing the Minister for Water
Response time
28 days
(1-6) There is no Department of Water document that defines allocation limits for sub-areas of the East Murchison and Goldfields groundwater areas. Allocation limits are not an appropriate water resource management tool in these areas. Nominal allocation limits for the East Murchison and Goldfields areas are held in the Department of Water's databases for administrative purposes only. Scientific information has been developed to inform the case-by-case regulatory decisions the Department of Water has to make in these areas.
(7-9) Regional scientific studies are published on the Department of Water's website or provided on request.
HG 17 Mid West Minerals Province - Groundwater Resource Appraisal. 2006
HG9 Mine void water resource issues in Western Australia. 2003
HG2 Groundwater Resources of the Northern Goldfields. 1999
HG23 Groundwater abstraction and aquifer response in the Roe Palaeodrainage. 1990-2001 and 2007
HM9 Hydrogeology of the Laverton 1:250 000 sheet. 2004
HM10 Hydrogeology of the Leonora 1:250 000 sheet. 2004
HM11 Hydrogeology of the Sir Samuel 1:250 000 sheet. 2004
Record 1991/10, Hydrogeology of the Tertiary Palaeochannels in the Kalgoorlie Region (Roe palaeodrainage). 1991
Record 1992/3, Groundwater regimes and their exploration for mining development in the Eastern goldfields of Western Australia. 1992
Record 1996/4, Hydrogeology of the Northeastern Goldfields Western Australia. 1996
Hydrogeology of the Boorabbin, Kalgoorlie, Kurnalpi, Widgiemooltha,
1:250 000 sheets. 1995 and 1996 (four publications)
Other publications are available from the Department of Mines and Petroleum, the Department of Agriculture and Food Western Australia and Geoscience Australia.
(10) Please refer to question 7.
(11) [See tabled number no]
(12) No distinction is made regarding water quality for the administrative allocation limits of groundwater resources.
(13) Mining companies in the vicinity of Lake Way are required to report on the environmental impacts of their operations, these are primarily assessed by the Office of the Environmental Protection Authority and Department of Environment and Conservation with advice from the Department of Water.
(14) Yes
(15) The need for such a study will continue to be considered in consultation with proponents and other stakeholders and against other state priorities for water management.
(16) Not applicable
(17) The public comment period for the draft Western Australian water in mining guideline closed in August 2012. The Department of Water is currently considering the feedback received.
(18-19)The Department of Water has a good knowledge of the hydrogeology and continues to improve on this knowledge with ongoing monitoring and investigations, including through data obtained from licensed operations. The knowledge of local and cumulative impacts in a certain area is brought up to the level required for informed regulatory assessment by the Department of Water's requirement of hydrogeological studies to be completed by proponents as per Operational Policy 5.12 - Hydrogeological reporting associated with a groundwater well licence. There is no evidence to support the need for an inquiry at this time.
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(7-9) Regional scientific studies are published on the Department of Water's website or provided on request.
HG 17 Mid West Minerals Province - Groundwater Resource Appraisal. 2006
HG9 Mine void water resource issues in Western Australia. 2003
HG2 Groundwater Resources of the Northern Goldfields. 1999
HG23 Groundwater abstraction and aquifer response in the Roe Palaeodrainage. 1990-2001 and 2007
HM9 Hydrogeology of the Laverton 1:250 000 sheet. 2004
HM10 Hydrogeology of the Leonora 1:250 000 sheet. 2004
HM11 Hydrogeology of the Sir Samuel 1:250 000 sheet. 2004
Record 1991/10, Hydrogeology of the Tertiary Palaeochannels in the Kalgoorlie Region (Roe palaeodrainage). 1991
Record 1992/3, Groundwater regimes and their exploration for mining development in the Eastern goldfields of Western Australia. 1992
Record 1996/4, Hydrogeology of the Northeastern Goldfields Western Australia. 1996
Hydrogeology of the Boorabbin, Kalgoorlie, Kurnalpi, Widgiemooltha,
1:250 000 sheets. 1995 and 1996 (four publications)
Other publications are available from the Department of Mines and Petroleum, the Department of Agriculture and Food Western Australia and Geoscience Australia.
(10) Please refer to question 7.
(11) [See tabled number no]
(12) No distinction is made regarding water quality for the administrative allocation limits of groundwater resources.
(13) Mining companies in the vicinity of Lake Way are required to report on the environmental impacts of their operations, these are primarily assessed by the Office of the Environmental Protection Authority and Department of Environment and Conservation with advice from the Department of Water.
(14) Yes
(15) The need for such a study will continue to be considered in consultation with proponents and other stakeholders and against other state priorities for water management.
(16) Not applicable
(17) The public comment period for the draft Western Australian water in mining guideline closed in August 2012. The Department of Water is currently considering the feedback received.
(18-19)The Department of Water has a good knowledge of the hydrogeology and continues to improve on this knowledge with ongoing monitoring and investigations, including through data obtained from licensed operations. The knowledge of local and cumulative impacts in a certain area is brought up to the level required for informed regulatory assessment by the Department of Water's requirement of hydrogeological studies to be completed by proponents as per Operational Policy 5.12 - Hydrogeological reporting associated with a groundwater well licence. There is no evidence to support the need for an inquiry at this time.
Notice: This document is created or edited using unregistered or evaluation copy of rtLib valid for testing or development purposes only. To use it for productive or any other purposes please register it. You may purchase the license on
http://www.rtlib.com
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