Leaking of saline water Increase in aquifer All GDEs Pressurised, lower aquifer of poor If dilution of saline water will from surface storage salinity; decline in water quality occurring beneath occur or through fractures quality an aquifer with better quality between aquifers water that supports GDEs Overflow or leakage from storage Rate of saline water dispersal dams and water infiltrates aquifers When hydraulic fracturing is Chemistry of saline planned and there is potential for compared to receiving a confining layer to be ruptured. aquifer Construction and Permeable surface All GDEs Location of infrastructure on Footprint of disturbance area operation of surface compaction; upslope of aquifer recharge areas infrastructure pollution from (including coal and rock (buildings, rail, effluents, stockpiling areas) pipelines, stockpile petrochemicals, areas) explosives, other on-site chemicals Leachates from coal or Potential Aquifer GDEs Potentially toxic stockpile Geochemical characteristics rock stockpiles groundwater leachate of the stockpiled rock; pollution from process of stockpile draining saline or acid drainage Vegetation clearing Direct impact to Vegetation; Removal of vegetation areas Frequency of vegetation aquifer GDEs considered groundwater extraction vegetation; removal of organic matter source for aquifer communities Open pit lake Aquifer impact Aquifers; When potential for pit lake to Potential to release water through poor river baseflow; leak into aquifer supporting GDEs into the surrounding aquifer quality wetlands through seepage Geochemical rock characteristics; changes in pit water once mining ceases Flow rate and direction of groundwater drainage
Leaking of saline water from surface storage or through fractures between aquifers Increase in aquifer salinity; decline in quality All GDEs Pressurised, lower aquifer of poor water quality occurring beneath an aquifer with better quality water that supports GDEs If dilution of saline water will occur Overflow or leakage from storage dams and water infiltrates aquifers Rate of saline water dispersal When hydraulic fracturing is planned and there is potential for a confining layer to be ruptured. Chemistry of saline compared to receiving aquifer Construction and operation of surface infrastructure (buildings, rail, pipelines, stockpile areas) Permeable surface compaction; pollution from effluents, petrochemicals, explosives, other on-site chemicals All GDEs Location of infrastructure on upslope of aquifer recharge areas (including coal and rock stockpiling areas) Footprint of disturbance area Leachates from coal or rock stockpiles Potential groundwater pollution from saline or acid drainage Aquifer GDEs Potentially toxic stockpile leachate Geochemical characteristics of the stockpiled rock; process of stockpile draining Vegetation clearing Direct impact to vegetation; removal of organic matter source for aquifer communities Vegetation; aquifer GDEs Removal of vegetation areas considered Frequency of vegetation groundwater extraction Open pit lake Aquifer impact through poor quality Aquifers; river baseflow; wetlands When potential for pit lake to leak into aquifer supporting GDEs Potential to release water into the surrounding aquifer through seepage Geochemical rock characteristics; changes in pit water once mining ceases Flow rate and direction of groundwater drainage
draft-iesc-explanatory-note-assessing-groundwater.docx