Apr 6 2018
Water levels plummet at Maules Ck
People are asking what is going on with water levels at Maules Creek. Elfin Crossing has stopped running, the third time in recorded history. Its dry, but is it THAT dry? We see the miners buying up farms in the area due to a range of factors; for coal, the impacts of dust and noise, and offsets – how long until it will be for water?
Checkout groundwater levels here.
- Thornfield: Bore No GW041027.1.1 (Details, Data),
- Green Gully: Bore No GW967138.1.1 (Details, Data),
- Elfin: Bore No GW967137.1.1 (Details, Data)
Heres the surface water gauge data (Details, Data) of Maules Creek at Elfin Crossing i.e. Avoca
The flat line says it all. No flow!
The Zone 11 water sharing plan has a cease to pump triggers on licenses drawing on the Maules Creek Water Source when water stops running over Elfin Crossing. i.e.
We have heard rumours that there is substantial, un-metered pump operating in the mine pit and it has been pumping high volumes for quite a while. There is deep concern in the area that what happened at Quipoly is happening now at Maules Creek.
The Scenario 1 (i.e. existing approved coal mines) predictions by the Namoi Water Study appear to be playing out at Maules Creek. The map below taken from the Final Report shows a dark blue area on right (i.e. > 5m groundwater drawdown) that is much of Maules Creek.
The MCCC has written earlier about groundwater issues and the potential impacts of the coal mine. See the articles below:
Groundwater monitoring at Maules Creek
Maules Creek ground water levels continue to decline
Apr 9 2018
That sickening feeling when your water is at threat
Water levels are a very serious concern at Maules Creek as Elfin Crossing has stopped running.
Over the last 5 or 6 months bore levels have been dropping with corresponding falls in flow rates.
Local farmers have been cleaning out their water bores and searching for new sources of groundwater supplies for stock and domestic. Some have had success but water levels are still on the decline.
Most of us don’t think this is normal and it’s worthwhile putting the current situation in context with the last time water stopped running over Elfin Crossing.
A decade earlier in 2007, there really were exceptional circumstances.
In fact, 2007 rainfall records shown below from the BOM’s Mt Kaputar weather station recorded only 367 mm, around 1/3 of Mt Kaputar’s yearly average rainfall of 927 mm. The 367mm came on the back of a dry 2006 with only 600.2 mm recorded in that year.
Rainfall measurements at Mt Kaputar are important because they indicate rainfall events on the Nandewar Range more generally which feed the surface and groundwater systems at Maules Creek.
In contrast to 2006 and 2007, the 2016 and 2017 year on year totals were quite good, with the Mt Kaputar weather station recording 1062 mm and 923 mm respectively. Both years were at or above average totals and over that period there were 5 individual months with significant rainfall above 150 mm which could trigger streamflow in the creek system and aquifer recharge.
Monitoring data in the chart below from the Elfin groundwater gauge shows the impact on groundwater levels of the 2016 rainfall events and the maintenance of good groundwater levels throughout the average rainfall year of 2017.
Compare this to the 2007 year Elfin Crossing groundwater readings where water levels were 1/2 a meter lower than current levels in 2018. Water levels did recover after the Zone 11 (i.e. Maules Creek) Water Sharing Plan commenced in late 2006. The Plan drastically cut irrigator’s water entitlements by 73% and this was followed up with Cease to Pump triggers in Dec 2007 which required irrigators to cease pumping when less than 1 ML/day of water was flowing across Elfin Crossing1.
Groundwater levels actually recovered shortly after the Water Sharing Plan was implemented – despite an abysmal rainfall total for the year of 367 mm. Levels recovered again in Dec 2007 when Cease to Pump restrictions came into force.
Given the data above we think its safe to conclude that;
So where to from here?
Footnote
By MCCC • Uncategorized • • Tags: Cease to Pump, coal, Maules Creek, Nationals, Water Theft, Whitehaven Coal