Short answer: Underground coal mining can depressurize aquifers and intercept groundwater flows, causing farm dams and bores above the mine area to lose water or dry up entirely. This hidden water cost affects farmers who depend on reliable water storage, often without any visible surface disturbance to signal the problem. Affected landowners may have legal remedies, but establishing a causal link between mining activity and dam losses can be challenging.
When Coal Mines Rob Your Dams: The Hidden Water Cost Of Mining
Two coal mines in Greater Sydney’s catchment area are likely to be diverting millions of litres of water daily from reservoirs, an independent panel has found, prompting calls for a halt to further mining. The panel’s “initial report”, released before Christmas, found it “plausible” the Dendrobium underground mine between the Avon and Cordeaux dams was diverting 3 million litres a day into its workings. The nearby Metropolitan mine’s inflows were put at half a million litres, diverted from Woronora Reservoir. Read more
About Big Ditch
Big Ditch Aquatecture builds and repairs farm dams across NSW, Queensland, and Victoria. Contact us for a site inspection.
Big Ditch Aquatecture has built and repaired farm dams across NSW, Queensland, and Victoria for over 35 years. Every project is different — soil conditions, catchment size, and land use all shape the final design.
If you’re considering a new dam or need to repair an existing one, a professional site inspection is the best first step. We assess soil suitability, topography, catchment area, and regulatory requirements before recommending a solution.
Need help with your own dam? Book a site inspection with Big Ditch — we build and repair dams across NSW, Queensland, and Victoria.