The assessment of impacts from mining wastes on water quality and aquatic ecosystems using freshwater macroinvertebrate communities and novel bio-assay tests

The water quality and macroinvertebrate assemblages from two sites in the Lithgow area were strongly modified by two different types of mining (mixed metals and coal).The extent and severity of these modifications differ from site to site. The abandoned Sunny Corner mixed metal mine site impacted on Daylight creek significantly more than Clarence colliery on Wollangambe River. Both sites demonstrated a decline of macroinvertebrate abundance, family richness and degradation of water quality in comparison to ANZECC ecosystem protection guidelines. A novel bio-assay (not previously used in Australian) using the introduced New Zealand Mudsnail (P.antipodarum) provided a rapid indication of the mining wastewaters impact on macroinvertebrate communities