This research seeks to develop a simple and effective test to predict what ecological impact that the disposal of mine waste water will have if released to a freshwater stream. To achieve this, the research measured the ecological impact of two mines on downstream river water quality and freshwater macroinvertebrate biodiversity. It also tested a new ecotoxicology test that aimed to produce a rapid 72 hour test to measure whether a waste effluent may or may not have adverse ecological impacts on river ecosystems. One mine is an active underground coal mine and the other is a derelict metaliferous mine. Both mines caused a strong change in water quality with increases in salinity and metals due to the introduction of mine waste water drainage. The coal mine caused an increase in nickel and zinc, while the metaliferous mine caused an increase in cadmium, copper, lead, nickel and zinc at levels exceeding ANZECC guidelines for ecosystem protection. The macroinvertebrate communities below both mines were strongly impaired with taxonomic richness and community structure adversely affected in comparison to non-mine affected reference streams. The ecotoxicology test used two common invasive freshwater snail species (Physa acuta and Potamopyrgus antipodarum) and was performed using water samples at a range of dilutions. The metaliferous mine resulted in the death of most snails within the 72 hours at levels of greater than 10 % dilution. In contrast, the coal mine did not result in the death of any snails within 72 hours, even with 100 % of the undiluted stream water.