Alligator Rivers region regional surface water quality monitoring : November 1978 - April 1981
Alligator Rivers Region - Regional Surface Water Quality Monitoring, Volumes 1,2,3 (Plus draft)
Northern Territory. Department of Transport and Works. Water Division, Environmental Section
E-Publications; E-Books; PublicationNT; Report ; 49/1983
1983-04-01
At head of title: Water Division, Dept. of Transport & Works, Northern Territory. "April 1983".
English
Water quality -- Northern Territory -- Alligator Rivers Region; Hydrology -- Northern Territory -- Alligator Rivers Region
Northern Territory Government
Darwin
Report ; 49/1983
3 volumes. ; 30 cm
application/pdf
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Northern Territory Government
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https://hdl.handle.net/10070/672725 [Alligator Rivers region regional surface water quality monitoring : November 1978 - April 1981 - WRD83049_v_1.pdf]; https://hdl.handle.net/10070/672727 [Alligator Rivers region regional surface water quality monitoring : November 1978 - April 1981 - WRD83049_v_2.pdf]; https://hdl.handle.net/10070/672729 [Alligator Rivers region regional surface water quality monitoring : November 1978 - April 1981 - WRD83049_v_3.pdf]
https://hdl.handle.net/10070/229664
https://hdl.handle.net/10070/672725
https://hdl.handle.net/10070/672729; https://hdl.handle.net/10070/672727
Technical Report WRD83049 Viewed at 14:07:10 on 29/07/2010 Page 6 of 440. I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I 5. 3. INTRODUCTION The monitoring of the environmental water quality in the Alligator Rivers Region is required to assist with control of uranium mining and milling in the Region. The monitoring is of two types, ho\vever the difference between them may be indistinct. ( i) ( ii) "Baseline'1 to gauge the ;vater quality prior to influence -.&:- ' OL m1n~ng operatlons. Regulatory monitoring during construction, rnininy and ?recessing stages of the operations to gauge any changes in water quality from the baseline values caused by mining operations. It is of course most desirable that baseline monitoring be carried out over a long period to establish reliable data on seasonal and annual variability, however this has not been possible in this case. Subsequently extrapolations may need to be made from the small quantities of data collected and also from previous AAEC and WRB data (though this is somewhat less reliable) . There are four major uranium mining projects either operating at present or expecting to corr~ence operation in the near future. These are listed below, and their locations shown on maps 1 to 3. (a) (b) (c) Queensland Hines operation at Nabarlek. This \'las given Cornnonwealth approval in June, 1979; has completed both the construction and mining stages of operations, and has been producing yellow cake since January 1980. It is located on the Cooper Creek catchment which drains into the East Alligator River estuary from the east. Ranger Uranicu-n Hines (R.U.N.) at Jabiru. The data represents the pre mining; construction and mining periods. Production was corrmenced mid 1981. This site is located in the middle reaches of the Magela Creek ~:vhich also drains into the East Alligator River, further upstream than Cooper Creek and from the west. Also located nearby is the regional township Jabiru. This is close to Corndorl, Gulungul and Baralil Creeks which drain into ~Iagela Creek from the west. The majority of the monitoring operations are centred around the Ranger site and information gained is expected to be useful in extrapolating to other sites. Pancontinental located at Jabiluka. This comoany has submitted its final E.I.S. and was at t.'1e time of \.Jritinq a<.vaiting Co~7.onwealth assent before ccmw.encing operations. It is at present carrying out extensive exploration work. It is located en the lower reac!J.es of the t-iagela Creek adjacent to the southern end of the flood plains, however, its concentrating plant and tailings pond are planned to be built further south adjacent to J7 Billabong.