Background: Why is a pit lake proposed?
The Government’s mine rehabilitation commissioner, Professor Rae Mackay, said filling the mines with water was the preferred outcome because it would stabilise them.
“It’s very much about safety, stability. And it’s also a little bit about sustainability as well.” Professor Mackay said.
“We want to try and find a way that doesn’t actually cost us a lot of money or cost us a lot of effort to actually maintain these pits into the future.”
What will the pits take to fill?
Hazelwood – 725 GL + annual evaporation 15-20 years uninterrupted fill time
Yallourn – 725 GL + annual evaporation 20-25 years uninterrupted fill time
Loy Yang – 1,420 GL +annual evaporation 20 – 30 years uninterrupted fill time
Why are we concerned?
We are in a drying climate. Latrobe river flows have dropped 25% since 1997 from 8,000 GL to 6,000 GL per year. They are forecast to drop to just 4,000 GL/pa by 2060. This is a 50% drop in just 60 years.
The mines require over 3,000,000 ML to fill all three mines which is estimated to take 60 years to completely fill.
Less mine return water will put pressure on stream flows and irrigation licence entitlements. Irrigators have access to a total of 13,400 ML pa however only 3.6 ML is held in storage. The balance is reliant on streamflow and mine return water.
Water is currently sitting in Blue Rock dam, not being used.
There is a great economic benefit to the use of the water in agriculture, as opposed filling pit lakes.
The Opportunity is now.. just add water!
Between 1,000 -1,500 new job for Gippslanders (farm gate & service providers)
Over $500 million of additional farm gate revenue, estimated to be worth over $2 billion dollars annually to the local economy.
Ability to irrigate land with new, water efficient technology that was previously unviable
c.30,000 ha that could be firstly developed, with opportunity for a further c.20,000 ha if incorporated with the MID and beyond.
How this could be achieved
List of Bulk entitlement holders
Bluerock Dam Reserve
Plenty of water to go around.. Plenty of water that has not been historically used..
Where to from here – step by step
Our Request
Water security into the future
Greater irrigation water availability for agriculture
Partner with us
Assist us with commissioning an economic study of the highest and best use of the water for now and in to the future
The cost of doing nothing vs what could be..
Over 1,000 possible new jobs
A thriving Gippsland where people have job opportunities
Two hours to Melbourne with c.5m people population
Two hours to an international port with access to world markets
Dual lane highway
Water availability & smart water applications
Our Request
Water security into the future
Greater irrigation water availability for agriculture
Partner with us
Assist us with commissioning an economic study of the highest and best use of the water for now and in to the future
The cost of doing nothing vs what could be..
Over 1,000 possible new jobs
A thriving Gippsland where people have job opportunities
Two hours to Melbourne with c.5m people population
Two hours to an international port with access to world markets
Dual lane highway
Water availability & smart water applications
Thank you to our partners
Thank you to our partners
