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Fracking Ponds Risk River Contamination in Kimberley
8 Sep
Summary
- Fracking wastewater ponds may overflow during heavy rainfall.
- Modeling shows overflow risk with higher-than-average rainfall.
- Contaminated water could threaten the Martuwarra Fitzroy River.
Environmental advocates are raising concerns that wastewater ponds associated with the proposed Valhalla Gas Project in the Kimberley region could overflow during periods of higher-than-average rainfall. This potential overflow poses a contamination risk to the nearby Martuwarra Fitzroy River, a waterway of significant environmental importance.
Black Mountain Energy's project, which was approved by WA's Environmental Protection Authority in January, involves drilling and fracking exploration wells. New documents submitted for review indicate that the company's internal modeling predicted wastewater ponds might breach under common rainfall conditions for the Kimberley.
These documents suggest that if two wells were fracked in the same year and a significant portion of the fracking water returned to the surface, pond overflows could occur in years with above-average rainfall. The modeling did not account for extreme events like the 2022 ex-Tropical Cyclone Ellie.
Data from previous fracking activities in the area by Buru Energy revealed that fracking water contained extremely high salt concentrations, along with toxic levels of boron and barium. Black Mountain Energy has stated that the project underwent a comprehensive assessment by the WA EPA and is also undergoing federal environmental approvals.
