The Water and Land research group projects

The Ngadju Conservation Aboriginal Corporation (NCAC) represents the Ngadju people on conservation and land management matters and oversees the Ngadju rangers program. The aim of this project was to consolidate cultural and biophysical data sets as an initial step toward establishing a baseline for assessing cultural and environmental values of Ngadju salt lake systems, which is critical for understanding ecosystem function and evaluating potential mining impacts. The project included an initial training and professional development program for the Ngadju rangers, held at SMI and on country.

The project delivered a workplan compiling the activities that are required to build a comprehensive scientific knowledge base of the salt lake systems, with consideration of geology, hydrology, chemistry, biology and cultural values. It emphasised integrating Indigenous Ecological Knowledge with Western science and included mechanisms for capturing cultural knowledge. The workplan serves as an initial bioregional assessment and provides guidance for future development to support regulatory, water management and planning decisions for Ngadju land.

Partners

• Ngadju Conservation Aboriginal Corporation (NCAC)

Mine water discharges currently occur to native bushland along the coast of Groote Eylandt. The purpose of this study was to identify and define the environmental values of the receiving environment, assess the local conditions related to terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems and develop a monitoring program to address any data gaps that would support the derivation of site-specific trigger values for salinity. The project found that mine water discharges posed several potential risks: accumulation of salts in the soils, which can reduce plant growth, affect the health or terrestrial macroinvertebrates, or cause the death of native vegetation that are non-salt tolerant; excessive sodicity in soils, which can directly alter the physical properties of the soil by reducing the permeability, infiltration, and hydraulic conductivity, and adversely affect plant growth; and salinisation of waterways, which can affect the survival of aquatic organisms.

To address these risks, the project was extended with a scope of work that includes extensive soil sampling, monitoring and eco-toxicology studies, due to be completed at the end of 2026.

Partners

• Groote Eylandt Mining Company (GEMCO) Manganese mine

In partnership with the Queensland Future Climate Science Program, this project has developed groundbreaking predictive tools that map potential climate change impacts specifically for Queensland's mining regions. Using state-of-the-art climate projections, CERM researchers have created the first comprehensive mapping system showing how key mining areas might be affected by changing climate conditions over the coming decades. The modelling approach integrates complex climate data sets with mining-specific vulnerabilities to create actionable intelligence for the industry. The new predictive tool focuses on three critical climate risk factors that directly impact mining operations: erosion risk changes across mining landscapes, drought frequency and intensity patterns that affect water availability, and extreme rainfall events and flooding potential.

Partners

• Queensland Government Future Climate Science Programme

CERM researchers aim to use mine water to establish plantations of Pongamia trees to reclaim mined land, sequester carbon in the soil, and produce Pongamia seeds for biofuel. This project trailblazes pathways to the commercialisation of Pongamia tree products by unlocking synergies between managing mine water in a circular economy context, and climate-adaptive agricultural practices. The outcomes of this project will be guidelines on establishment of Pongamia trees on mined land for the purpose of decarbonisation, land rehabilitation and biofuel production that ultimately will lead to integrating net zero targets into mine closure using Pongamia trees.

Partners

• Stanmore Resources

In Queensland, the Department of Environment and Science issues an environmental authority (EA) to authorise environmentally relevant activities. As part of the EA, there is a requirement to manage surface water runoff that is not affected by mining activities through the design and implementation of an Erosion and Sediment Control Plan (ESCP). The key difficulty in the application of this is the ambiguity associated with the key objectives and definitions and the relevance of available guidelines to mining. The purpose of this publication is to provide technical guidelines for ESCPs for Queensland coal mines. These guidelines aim to assist mine site personnel in satisfying the technical requirements in meeting key objectives and performance-based outcomes for erosion and sediment control.

Partners

• ACARP

Nickel mining in New Caledonia can clear large tracts of mountainous terrain draining to reef lagoons of exceptional biodiversity value. Erosion resulting from runoff is a major concern, as it can contribute to increased sediment loads to these fragile aquatic ecosystems. This project aimed at identifying potential improvements to the performance of erosion and sediment control plans, which have been developed and adapted in response to successive experiences and changes to regulations. Strategies include installing numerous structures to control drainage and runoff velocities and to capture sediments. A critical assessment of practices was undertaken, and improvements were proposed, such as the use of predictive modelling tools to assist with quantifying performance.

Partners

• CNRT Nickel et son Environnement

This CRC TiME foundational project focussed on the interconnections between the biophysical aspects at mine closure. These biophysical aspects comprised surface water and groundwater, geochemistry and water quality, biodiversity and ecosystem resilience, landform stability and re-establishment of self-sustaining ecosystems. The overarching research question was: what were we missing by looking at each biophysical aspect in isolation from the others and what strategies were available to promote an integrated view of mine closure? In addressing this question, emphasis was placed on the benefits that aplying system thinking would bring and on the lack of integration of the technical studies that support a closure plan, rather than on the lack of integration within a closure plan in general.

Partners

• CRC TiME

This project focussed on determining the gaps and opportunities related to the processes of data submission to Queensland government by resources companies. It was built on the Shared Analytic Framework for the Environment (SAFE) in Queensland. It involved an in-depth review of four EIS of resources projects in the Bowen Basin, and stakeholder engagement to gather information about data management as part of the EIS process. Improvement opportunities were identified for collecting additional data for most biophysical aspects and re-thinking the structure for the governance of data systems. For each biophysical aspect, guidance was provided for data integration in the Queensland data systems.

Partners

• CRC TiME

The project, commissioned by the Queensland Resources Council and ICMM, aims to establish a baseline from which the mining industry can make rehabilitation and post mining land use decisions across 4 mining regions: the North West Minerals Province, North Queensland, Bowen Basin and Clarence Moreton/ Surat. The importance of the work lies in its novel and holistic approach to post-closure planning. Through understanding community priorities, government development goals, technical feasibility and collaboration opportunities, this approach draws together crucial ingredients for longer-term and more sustainable outcomes for Queensland’s mining regions. The work shifts closure thinking from a mine-by-mine basis to a regional context.

Partners

• Queensland Resources Council
• ICMM

The Queensland Government commissioned a review of the current protection of environmental values of rivers and floodplains in the Lake Eyre Basin within Queensland. The Lake Eyre Basin overlies geological basins which are targets for petroleum and gas exploration, development and extraction. Several studies had been commissioned to assess the extent of environmental and cultural values, understand the potential risks from development of economic activities and the suitability of existing regulatory frameworks to manage or mitigate these risks.

The objectives of this project were to provide a synthesis of the information and scientific findings, outline the differences that emerged, summarise the conclusions that could be drawn from the findings, indicate whether the findings were sufficient to ensure protection of environmental values and if not, articulate the additional knowledge that would be required to complement existing findings.

Conclusions from the project assisted the Queensland Government with deciding to strengthen the regulatory framework by preventing future oil and gas production in sensitive and fragile rivers and floodplains and working with First Nations Traditional Custodians to ensure their Country and cultural values are better protected.

Partners

The Swanbank power station is located within the Bundamba Creek catchment, amongst the remains of several legacy coal mines. CleanCo Queensland, as the owner of the station, is responsible for operating and managing Swanbank Lake, which is the main water storage facility. This study investigated the potential sources and pathways of contaminants from legacy mining and other activities. A conceptual model of the lake was developed to help identify the key inputs and outputs, processes, ecosystem receptors and legislative requirements and to identify knowledge and/or data gaps.

Partners

• CleanCo Queensland