Water Pollution from mining in the Basin \ Ian Wright: Western Sydney University X = coal mine discharge to waterway RED = in this talk

IM x Canyon X AP X X SP x Coxs Blue Clarence Mountains Sydney Metro Area

Georges River 34º 00‘ S

x Bargo x West Cliff River km BC 0 60 150º 15‘ E X Tahmoor X

West Cliff X Colliery Waste Discharge X

Waste Discharge to

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Tahmoor Colliery

Electrical Conductivity Blue Mountains south-western Sydney 1800

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Mean EC (uS/cm) EC Mean 600

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0 WU WD DU DD BU BD GU GD Site Wollangambe Dalpura Ck Bargo River Zinc Blue Mountains 350 south-western Sydney

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150 Mean Zn (ug/L) Zn Mean

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0 WU WD DU DD BU BD GU GD Site Wollangambe Dalpura Ck Bargo River Georges River Nickel Blue Mountains 200 south-western Sydney 180

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0 WU WD DU DD BU BD GU GD Site Wollangambe Dalpura Ck Bargo River Georges River Dragonfly nymph Stonefly

Caddis fly Mayfly Abundance (green = EPT; orange = all others) south-western Sydney 450 Blue Mountains 400

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50 Mean Abundance of invertebrates per sample invertebrates of Abundance Mean 0 WU WD DU DD BU BD GU GD Site Wollangambe Dalpura Ck Bargo River Georges River All coal mine waste water discharges in this study are (or were) regulated through Environment Protection Licences (EPL) which are under NSW Protection of the Environment Operations Act 1997. This is the cover page For ‘The Clarence Colliery’ which ‘dewatered’ into the . Mine Liquid Waste 2000

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1600 Downstream of mine Copper 1400 Arsenic Strontium 1200 Barium 1000 Iron Aluminium 800 Manganese Zinc 600 Upstream of mine Nickel Mean concentration (ug/L) Mean concentration 400

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0 GUS GDS WC

Metal concentrations in the Georges River above (GUS) below (GDS) and West Cliff EPA changes to EPL 2504 (West Cliff Mine Appin)

Old EPL 2504 (pre April 2013) • Oil & Grease • Suspended sediment New EPL 2504 discharge conditions (after April 2013) • pH • Aluminium • Arsenic • Copper • Nickel • Lead • Manganese • Zinc • COD • Oil & Grease • pH • Suspended and dissolved solids The Environment Minister Robyn Parker gave the Environment Protection Authority a stinging rebuke when she heard about the pollution yesterday. “The EPA needs to lift their game “ Ms Parker said. “We’ve put them there, And given them increased powers, and increased responsibilities, and I need To see some action from them”. (Ben Cubby, Sydney Morning Herald, 18/7/12) Conclusion • Discharges from 4 mines caused considerable changes to downstream water quality. • The exact nature of the change to water quality was different in each case. • Three common themes: downstream of mines was more saline, had higher levels of metals (Zn and Ni), and strongly modified aquatic ecosystems. • Each discharge could be considered to be ‘water pollution’ • The EPA licence for each mine failed to impose effective discharge limits on potential toxicants. • This area of water pollution regulation deserves further examination, but has been improved over last 5 years. • Closed, derelict and abandoned mines will be a legacy for future generations References:

Belmer, N., Tippler, C., Davies, P.J., and Wright, I.A. (2014) Impact of a coal mine waste discharge on water quality and aquatic ecosystems in the Blue Mountains World Heritage Area, in Viets, G; Rutherfurd, I.D, and Hughes, R. (editors), Proceedings of the 7th Australian Stream Management Conference, Townsville, , Pages 385-391.

Wright, I.A., Belmer, N., Price, P., and McCarthy, B. (2015). Subsidence from an underground coal mine and mine wastewater discharge causing water pollution and degradation of aquatic ecosystems. Water, Air and Soil Pollution. 236-348. Wright, I.A., Wright S.A., Graham, K. and Burgin, S. (2011) Environmental protection and management: a water pollution case study within the Greater Blue Mountains World Heritage Area. Land Use Policy. 28(1) 353-360. Wright, I.A. and Burgin, S. (2009) Comparison of sewage and coal-mine wastes on stream macroinvertebrates within an otherwise clean upland catchment, south-eastern . Water, Air and Soil Pollution. 204: 227-241.