PROJECT OVERVIEW 3 SECTION .2 ENVIRONMENT BIOLOGICAL BIOLOGICAL ENVIRONMENT | 3.2 SECTION This page is intentionally left blank 3.2-i Jervois Base Metal Project SECTION 3 | EXISTING ENVIRONMENT 3.2 Biological Environment 3.2.1 Introduction The Jervois Base Metal Project Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) Terms of Reference requires the EIS to describe and rate biological values including fauna, flora and vegetation communities and aquatic ecosystems of the Project area and local region. Specifically, it is required that the EIS should describe, quantify and map, where relevant the: • Details of vegetation community types occurring on and adjacent to the Project location • Significant or sensitive vegetation types and/or ecosystems within the Project area, including areas already cleared or disturbed (if any) • The presence or likely presence of species listed under the EPBC Act and/or the Territory Parks and Wildlife Conservation Act within the Project area and in any areas that may be impacted by the Project • Details of the significance, presence and extent of Eremophila cordatisepela • Location and description of suitable habitat for listed species, including the locations of historic records and consideration of habitat suitable for breeding, foraging, aggregation or roosting • Location and description of aquatic ecosystems or groundwater dependent ecosystems, including details of the likelihood of the presence and significance of subterranean fauna, likely to be affected by the Project; and • Presence, or likely occurrence, of introduced and invasive species (both flora and fauna) within and adjacent to the Project area, and regionally, including weed species declared under the Weed Management Act. In order to satisfy the above listed requirements of the biological environment assessment, a number of ecological investigations were undertaken by Low Ecological Services P/L between 1985 and 2018. The 2018 report from these ecological investigations is provided in Appendix C-7. 3.2-1 Jervois Base Metal Project Project Overview 3.2.1.1 Methodology Field investigations were made within the Project area to better understand the baseline conditions of the biological environment, including: • Flora and vegetation communities • Terrestrial fauna • Surface water systems; and • Groundwater systems. Terrestrial flora and fauna surveys were conducted by LES in the late dry (1999 and 2017) and in the post wet (2012, 2013 and 2018), and included both desktop and field assessments. Field survey methods for vegetation surveys and landscape descriptions were based on “Northern Territory Guidelines and Field Methodology for Vegetation Survey and Mapping” (Brocklehurst, 2007) and “A resource assessment towards a conservation strategy for the Finke Bioregion” (Neave, 2004). General fauna survey methodology follows the NT EPA “Guidelines for Assessment of Impacts on Terrestrial Biodiversity” (NT EPA, 2013). Survey methods used to determine the presence of threatened fauna species were based on the Survey Guidelines for Australia’s Threatened Mammals (Department of Sustainability, Environment, Water, Population and Communities (DSEWPC), 2011) and Survey Guidelines for Australia’s Threatened Birds (Department of the Environment, Water, Heritage and the Arts (DEWHA), 2010). Flora and fauna desktop assessments involved database review and GIS mapping of several data sources which provided an ecological, landscape, vegetation and habitat context of the Project area. Surface water and groundwater desktop studies included a review of previous studies and GIS mapping of several data sources. Surface water field surveys included 11 surface water quality monitoring sites across the Project area, including one monitoring site in Jervois Dam and 10 monitoring sites in the catchment of Unca Creek and its tributary downstream of Jervois Dam. Groundwater modelling was used to estimate impacts on groundwater in the external borefield and Project area. More detailed information on flora, fauna, groundwater and surface water survey methods is provided in Sections 4.1, 4.3, 4.4 and 4.5. SECTION 3.2 | Biological Environment 3.2-2 \ Environmental Impact Statement 3.2.2 Biological Values 3.2.2.1 Vegetation communities Existing vegetation mapping Vegetation communities in the Project area were mapped at a scale of 1: 1,000,000 in the Vegetation Survey of the Northern Territory (Wilson, 1990). Two broad vegetation classes occur across the Project area. These vegetation types closely correspond to land system boundaries, with Class 74 occurring within the Sonder land system, while Class 71 covers the remainder of the project area. These two vegetation classes are defined in Table 3.2-1. Table 3.2-1 Description of vegetation types within the Project area Vegetation Broad vegetation Structural Fine vegetation description Unit classification formation 71 Acacia with grass Sparse Acacia aneura (Mulga) tall sparse understorey shrubland shrubland with grassland understorey 74 Acacia with grass Sparse Acacia stowardii (now sibirica) understorey shrubland (Bastard Mulga), Cassia,, Eremophila (Fuschsia) sparse shrubland Surveyed vegetation communities There are clear relationships between landform, soil and vegetation across the NT. A unique integrated or ‘land unit’ approach to mapping landscape properties has been practiced across the Territory for many years (Brocklehurst, 2007), although the method is not recognised within the 3.2-3 Jervois Base Metal Project Project Overview Northern Territory Bioregions Assessment (which only describes vegetation units) (Baker, 2005). Integrating soil, landform and vegetation data has allowed extensive value adding to datasets. Spatial data and mapping products can now contain soil and landform information as well as agricultural potential, erosion risk, vegetation information, native pasture ratings and sensitive or significant habitats. Integrated surveys include: ‘land systems’ and ‘land units’. The concept of a land system is defined as “an area or group of areas, throughout which there is a recurring pattern of topography (land forms), soils and vegetation, a land system being an assemblage of varying proportions of land units” (Brocklehurst, 2007). Three broad land systems (Sonder, Bond Springs and Unca) occur within the Project area (Perry, 1962). Nine land units have been identified as occurring within the project area. The majority of the Project area falls within the Bond Springs (Bs) land system, consisting mainly of unit Bs4; a unit of undulating plains and drainage flats at the base of other Bs units. This system is dissected by numerous drainage lines and tributary channels that make up the Bs5 land unit. The Sonder (So) and Unca (Uc) land systems occupy the north-western and southern portions of the project area respectively. The So system shows distinct differences in landscape and geology, being composed of sedimentary sandstone and quartzite in the form of steep, benched cuestas and ridges. Three land units exist within this system and while structure of vegetation communities resemble those in land units Bs2 and Bs3, species assemblages differ. Two land units exist within the Uc system, with the low hills of Uc4 occurring close to Bs3. The stony interfluves of Uc1 occur at the base of these hills and the numerous drainage channels that occur within this unit show a distinct vegetation type from the drainage channels of Bs5 (Table 3.2-2). These are shown in Figure 3.2-1. Based on survey results, eight refined vegetation communities have been mapped over the entire Project area, which is estimated at 3,800 ha. The vegetation communities present in each land unit and the dominant plant species present within each of these vegetation communities are shown in Table 3.2-2 and mapped in Figure 3.2-2. SECTION 3.2 | Biological Environment 3.2-4 Table 3.2-2 Land systems, land units and vegetation communities present in the Project area Land System Land Unit Land Unit Description Vegetation Fine Description Dominant Species community Bond Bs2 Schist ridges forming 1 Hummock (Triodia basedowii, Acacia spondylophylla, Corymbia Springs: closely dissected tracts; Triodia pungens) grassland with apparrerinja, Triodia basedowii, Bold rocky short, rocky hill slopes, 10- sparse shrubs and low trees. Enneapogon oblongus hills, low 35%, with basal colluvial 4 Tall Acacia aneura woodland Acacia aneura, Atalaya hemiglauca, rugged aprons. over short grasses in fire Senna artemisioides ssp. helmsii, undulating protected valleys and upper Enneapogon polyphyllus, Aristida country and reaches of drainage lines. holathera narrow 2 Sparse, low Acacia siberica Acacia sibirica, Acacia aneura, plains. shrubland over short grasses and Atalaya hemiglauca, Aristida holathera, forbs. Aristida contorta, Enneapogon polyphyllus Bs3 Erosional slopes at the 2 Sparse, low Acacia siberica Acacia sibirica, Acacia aneura, foot of BS1; 1-5%. Rock shrubland over short grasses and Atalaya hemiglauca, Aristida holathera, outcrops in upper forbs. Aristida contorta, Enneapogon sectors, shallow gulling polyphyllus down slope. 1 Hummock (Triodia basedowii, Acacia spondylophylla, Corymbia Triodia pungens) grassland with apparrerinja, Triodia basedowii, sparse shrubs and low trees. Enneapogon oblongus 5 Tall, open woodland with Acacia estrophiolata, Acacia aneura, Corymbia and Acacia siberica Senna artemisioides ssp. oligophylla, over short grasses and forbs; on Enneapogon polyphyllus floodplains and at the base of ranges. Bs4 Discontinuous drainage 5 Tall, open