Mine site water-reporting practices, groundwater take and governance frameworks in the Hunter Valley coalfield, Australia

© 2016 International Water Resources Association. At mine sites in a stressed watershed, groundwater dominated licensed water take, and water-use productivity was dependent on site practices and constraints. Solutions for mining and water in this context include: (1) state-based water governance within a national framework; (2) information tools, including mine site water-reporting frameworks; (3) site water sharing and salt trading; and (4) technologies and leading practices. While water reporting has improved, evaluating the significance of hydrological changes over the long-term remains a challenge, particularly for groundwater and saline discharges to rivers.