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CSG groundwater online portal to deliver transparency

A new interactive online portal set up by the Queensland Government provides the latest information on groundwater monitoring in the Surat and Bowen basins.

The portal also maps the locations of private water bores and springs along with gas production sites and exploration wells. It lists historic water levels and salinity records for the various local water sources.

The portal is a State Government initiative undertaken by the Department of Environment and Resource Management in partnership with coal seam gas (CSG) companies. It will allow the public to access important and relevant information on CSG activities.

 The portal is available at www.derm.qld.gov.au/environmental_management/coal-seam-gas/groundwater.html

The portal shows the locations of existing water bores and their purpose and maps springs and baseflow-fed watercourses.It also details historical water levels and salinity records (measured as conductivity) from the four major CSG explorers and producers in the Surat and Bowen basins – Santos, Origin Energy, Queensland Gas Company (QGC) and Arrow Energy.

Water levels and salinity records from selected monitoring bores operated by the Department of Environment and Resource Management are also available. The department will sample approximately 300 bores in 2011 and 2012 to further monitor the accuracy of information provided by coal seam gas operators.

 The Australian Petroleum Production & Exploration Association (APPEA) Chief Executive, Ms Belinda Robinson, said the new portal provides an open and transparent understanding of the industry’s water usage, monitoring, and analysis.

“The publishing of this data demonstrates the industry’s commitment to respond to landholder concerns and the industry expects the availability of this data will improve the community’s acceptance of our operations,” she said.

“Adverse impacts from CSG activities upon groundwater are very unlikely and manageable however extensive monitoring and analysis programs are being undertaken to establish baseline data and mitigate identified impacts.

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