Wambo Coal AEMR 2010-2011 - Peabody Energy

2010-2011 AEMR3.4 Surface Water3.4.1 Environmental ManagementSurface water monitoring is undertaken inaccordance with WCPL’s Surface Water MonitoringProgram (SWMP), a requirement of ConsentCondition 33, Schedule 4 of DA305/7/2003. TheSWMP is a component of WCPL’s Site WaterManagement Plan as required under Condition 30,Schedule 4 of DA305-7-2003. In addition, theSWMP has also been prepared to fulfil WCPL’s EPL529 license conditions.The SWMP has previously been prepared to thesatisfaction of DoPI and SSC and in consultationwith DTIRIS and NOW. The SWMP was approvedby the DoPI in October 2005. WCPL revised theSWMP in October 2008 and November 2009 andre-submitted the surface water monitoring programto the relevant government departments toaccommodate operational changes anddevelopment consent modification requirements.At the end of the reporting period, WCPL were stillawaiting responses from both the DoPI and NOWregarding the revised SWMP. WCPL receivedofficial notification from the DTIRIS during April2010 accepting the changes to the SWMP.In accordance with SWMP, WCPL maintainedsurface water monitoring sites, located within:Wollombi Brook, Doctors Creek, LongfordCreek, North Wambo Creek, South WamboCreek and Stony Creek; andmine water storage dams including Eagles NestDam, Chitter Dam and South Dam.WCPL participates in the HRSTS which allowswater to be discharged into the Wollombi Brookfrom the licensed discharge point SW15 (EaglesNest Dam) as listed in EPL 529. For further detailsof water discharges refer to Section 2.8.3.3.4.2 Environmental Performance3.4.2.1 Water QualitySurface water quality criteria for pH, ElectricalConductivity (EC) and Total Suspended Solids(TSS) for the monitoring locations at WCPL areprovided in Table 3.1. The surface water qualitycriteria for pH and TSS were adopted from thedischarge criteria (i.e. Schedule 4, ConsentCondition 24 of DA 305-7-2003, and Condition L3.3of EPL 529) and the HRSTS.The results in Section 3.4.2 of the 2010-2011AEMR for surface water are for those surface watermonitoring sites required for monitoring inaccordance with approved in the 2005 SWMP.Table 3.1 – Surface Water Quality CriteriaStream SystempH CriteriaEC Criteria(µS/cm)TSS Criteria(mg/L)WCPL Mine SiteWollombi Brook 6.5 - 9.0 3,106 120North Wambo Creek 6.5 - 9.0 2,093 120Eagles Nest Dam 6.5 - 9.5 N/A * 120South Wambo Creek 6.5 - 9.0 492 120Stony Creek 6.5 - 9.0 492 120Wambo Rail DevelopmentWollombi BrookLongford CreekDoctors CreekLess than 20% morethan upstreamconcentrationLess than 20% morethan upstreamconcentrationLess than 20% morethan upstreamconcentrationNote: * Under Schedule 4, Condition 24 of DA 305-7-2003 and condition L3.3 of EPL 529 theEagles Nest Dam discharge point is not required to be monitored for EC.^ ANZECC Guidelines for Fresh and Marine Water Quality (2000).Page 48