Courts have heard the risk of Adani's Carmichael mine on Queensland's Doongmabulla Springs.

The Doongmabulla Springs are nationally recognised for their ecological and cultural significance, but court documents reveal they are at risk.

The matter was raised as part of an ongoing dispute about the mine's water management practices.

Adani's Carmichael mine, which has been operational for over two years, primarily deals with thermal coal. It is located approximately eight kilometres from the Doongmabulla Springs, an endangered ecological community vital for the health of the Great Barrier Reef. 

The Queensland Department of Environment, Science and Innovation (DESI) had previously issued an environmental protection order mandating Adani to revise its groundwater modelling, which is critical for monitoring the mine’s impact on these springs.

The federal science agencies, including CSIRO and Geosciences Australia (GA), reviewed Adani's groundwater models last April, denouncing them as “not fit for purpose”. 

The review criticised the models for significantly underestimating the potential impacts on groundwater levels around the springs. 

The key issue identified was an overestimation in the modelled groundwater levels which could lead to miscalculations about the extent of potential harm.

The DESI has expressed “real and clear concerns” regarding the predictions made by the existing models, particularly around the impacts of both current and proposed future open-cut mine operations. 

“An accurate model is required to confirm the groundwater level drawdown thresholds; these thresholds are designed to prevent impacts at the springs, and without an accurate model, it cannot be confirmed that the impacts in the short term due to open-cut mining and in the future as a result of underground mining are not causing environmental harm at the springs,” says Katherine Bennink, an acting executive director at DESI.

DESI's chief hydrogeologist, Ashley Bleakley, expressed no confidence in Adani's current modelling approach, highlighting its deficiencies as an early warning system intended to protect the springs. 

This lack of confidence is compounded by concerns over the insufficient number of water monitoring bores, which Adani has agreed to address albeit acknowledging that establishing pre-mining baselines would take time.

Amidst these environmental concerns, traditional owners and cultural custodians of the land, the Nagana Yarrbayn Wangan and Jagalingou (W&J) Cultural Custodians, have also raised their voice. 

They have sought judicial intervention to halt the mining operations until the springs' safety can be assured. 

Adrian Burragubba, a representative of the W&J group, says that the ongoing operations threaten the springs with irreversible damage.

In response, Adani argues that the environmental protection order is an example of regulatory overreach, asserting that their operations, including groundwater monitoring and modelling, are robust and comply with all environmental obligations. 

A spokesperson for Adani’s local subsidiary, Bravus, said; “The mine is fully compliant with all its state and federal environmental obligations and regulations”.

The case continues to unfold with the DESI reviewing additional modelling work by Adani to assess short-term drawdown impacts. 

Meanwhile, environmentalists and the traditional owners await a verdict that will balance the preservation of their natural and cultural heritage against the industrial benefits presented by the Carmichael mine.