ADG1673.24 Dewatering Management Plan_Rev0_12.07.24

                                                                                       ADG Consulting Pty Ltd


4    Water quality objectives
4.1 Receiving environment
     It is proposed to discharge extracted groundwater directly over the revetment wall into the Noosa River
     adjacent to site. The exact location of the receiving waters/environment will be confirmed on
     commencement of dewatering.

     The receiving environment in this location identifies as a moderately disturbed, middle estuary
     environment. The following section establishes water quality objectives (WQOs) to ensure that the
     environmental values of the receiving waters are protected and maintained.
4.2 Development of water quality objectives
     WQOs have been developed to support and protect the designated environmental values (EVs) for the
     receiving environment. The WQOs are based on a moderately disturbed level of protection for enclosed
     coastal/lower estuaries. The WQOs have been developed with reference to the following guideline
     documents:
          Australian and New Zealand Guidelines for Fresh and Marine Water Quality 2018. (ANZG 2018) The
           selected trigger values apply to moderately disturbed systems to provide a 95% level of species
           protection for marine waters.
          Environmental Protection (Water & Wetland Biodiversity) Policy 2019. 2019. Queensland
           Government.
          Noosa River environmental values and water quality objectives. 2022. DES.
          Queensland Water Quality Guidelines, Version 3, September 2009. 2013. DEHP.


     The Australian and New Zealand Guidelines for Fresh and Marine Water Quality by the Australian and
     New Zealand Environment and Conservation Council and Agriculture and Resource Management Council
     of Australia and New Zealand (ANZECC/ARMCANZ, 2000), has undergone review, with the publication of
     the 2018 version. The revised Australian and New Zealand Guidelines for Fresh and Marine Water Quality
     2018 is a joint initiative between the Australian and New Zealand Governments and Australian state and
     territory governments (ANZG, 2018) and supersedes the ANZECC/ARMCANZ 2000 publication. Where
     ANZECC/ARMCANZ (2000) is referenced, the relevant sections are still relevant and consistent with the
     updated ANZG 2018 publication, as referenced in the ANZG 2018 publication.

     The Queensland Water Quality Guidelines 2009 (DEHP, 2013) was made pursuant to the provisions of the
     Environmental Protection (Water) Policy 1999, now the Environmental Protection (Water & Wetland
     Biodiversity) Policy 2019 (the EPP(Water)), which is a subordinate legislation under the Environmental
     Protection Act 1994 and was developed as the State response to the ANZECC/ARMCANZ (2000)
     Guidelines. The EPP(Water) provides a framework for:


          Identifying environmental values for Queensland waters, and deciding the water quality objectives
           to protect or enhance those environmental values.
          Including the identified environmental values and water quality objectives under Schedule 1 of the
           EPP (Water).
     WQOs are long term goals for surface water quality management. They are indicators established for
     receiving waters to support and protect the designated Environmental Values (EVs) for those waters. DES
     (2022) describes that for slightly to moderately disturbed waters, the guideline values should be
     compared with the median of values at a test site, whilst ANZG (2018) stresses that the aquatic ecosystem
     guideline values are triggers to further action, are inherently conservative, and that the response to non‐
     compliance should match the magnitude and impacts (if any) of the exceedance.




ADG1673.24 Dewatering Management Plan_Rev0_12.07.24                                                       Page 6