6.7.5 Groundwater Dependant Ecosystems The Queensland groundwater dependent ecosystem (GDE) mapping method (DSITI 2015a) defines GDEs as: ‘ecosystems which require access to groundwater on a permanent or intermittent basis to meet all or some of their water requirements so as to maintain their communities of plants and animals, ecological processes and ecosystem services’. Current practice recognises the three following main types of GDEs: ∕ Aquifer and cave ecosystems— such as karst aquifer systems, fractured rock, or saturated sedimentary rock that may host stygofauna, troglofauna or other biota. EIS Information Guideline – Groundwater dependent ecosystems ∕ Ecosystems dependent on the surface expression of groundwater —such as wetlands, lakes, seeps, springs, mound springs, river baseflow, coastal areas and estuaries and marine ecosystems where pressure brings groundwater above the surface of rocks, soils or sediments. ∕ Ecosystems dependent on the subsurface presence of groundwater — groundwater is not visible on the surface at these locations; however, the water table is permanently or episodically within the root zone of plants. Both the second and third types of GDEs may involve perched aquifers. Depending on the depth of the saturated zone, GDEs may have shallow and/or deep rooted vegetation. A GDE assessment was conducted in general accordance with the EIS Information Guideline Groundwater Dependant Ecosystems (DETSI, 2026) with results provided in Sections below. There were limitations in undertaking an assessment against all aspects of this guideline as the framework pertains to: ∕ EISs and not EA amendments; and ∕ Conventional gas or large coal mine activities on GDEs and not metal mines. 6.7.5.1 Determine spatial extent and identify GDEs in the impact area The spatial extent of the proposed UMG TSF is identified throughout this application. The operation of the UMG TSF does not rely upon groundwater drawdown or modifying groundwater flows and as such there is no expected change to groundwater levels across the site. The groundwater levels across the site have been historically modified by the creation of the Open Cut Pit. As outlined in Section 4.2, the surface water regime within Upper Mundic Gully has been significantly modified through placement of the western dump and construction of the tunnel that transfers water to Dam 8. The Mount Morgan mine area is characterised by rugged, deeply incised terrains developed on competent bedrock units, with prominent ridgelines, escarpments and incised drainage features that reflect long term the landscape evolution. This natural geomorphological setting has been modified by more than a century of mining activity, resulting in a complex legacy of landforms comprising open pits, steep gullies, waste rock dumps, tailings storage facilities and altered drainage pathways. The proposed TSF is located within a natural topographic basin, with ground elevations across the footprint varying significantly. The lowest point of the proposed TSF footprint occurs at approximately 322 m AHD, while the surrounding ridgeline rises to elevations of up to approximately 405 m AHD. Review of the information available on the Queensland Globe Database (State of Queensland, 2026) and Groundwater Dependent Ecosystems Atlas (Queensland Government, 2026a) regarding the GDEs occurring in 10 km radius from the proposed UMG TSF area, indicates the following:
Project number: 25B061
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