The activist farmer group, Caroona Coal Action Group, is concerned about the effect that exploration at BHP’s Caroona coal leases, on the Liverpool Plains of NSW, could have on the region’s water system and agricultural industry and is continuing its call for an independent catchment-wide study on the issue.

As part of its exploration program at the Caroona leases, BHP has launched a study of water systems beneath the leases. However, group spokesman and local resident Tim Duddy said the study was not comprehensive enough as it failed to account for the high level of aquifer interconnectivity in the region.

While the group acknowledged BHP’s right to explore its leases, Duddy said it was essential the risks to groundwater and agricultural systems were fully understood before drilling began.

“Given the complicated water structure that is there, that the state government know is there but they don’t know the detail, it’s simply not sufficient for us to entrust anyone to just go drilling holes in it everywhere,” he told International Longwall News.

Without a sufficient study into the aquifer systems, Duddy said, there would be no way of telling whether possible future water shortages or contamination issues were linked to exploration activity in the region.

“Look, BHP have a right to explore under their exploration licence, and we have a right to water under the title we have of our water. And without the study being completed, it is not possible to assess what impact one tenancy has on the other. And our tenancy is historically greater,” he said.

Independent MP Tony Windsor has backed the community group’s concerns and also called for a full independent study.

BHP’s Caroona general manager Stephen David said any decision for a catchment-wide study was up to the government and the community.

“We’re not in disagreement with what they [the action group] are asking, but they’re asking the government, not us, to do this,” he told ILN.

“What we’ve said is if a catchment-wide study is to go ahead … it’s really a decision for the community and for the government to decide.”

David said if both community and government concluded a larger study was necessary, BHP would “fully participate” in it – provided it was properly science based.

“We’ll fully participate [in the study], we’ll make the data for our area available to the people carrying out that study,” he said.

A catchment-wide study would encompass an area of approximately 33,000 square kilometres, while BHP’s study is limited to its lease area or around 1% of the catchment area.

Meanwhile, the action group continues to blockade a local property with cars and machinery to prevent drilling access by BHP.

The blockade has been in place since July; however, David said BHP had no problem accessing all other areas of the Caroona leases.

“We’ve got five slimcore drilling rigs in operation, we’ve drilled over 115 slimcore holes plus we’ve done some seismic work,” said David.