Dealing with salinity in Wheatbelt Valleys - Department of Water

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Morrell, Hatton and Curry proportion of the recharge, particularly on coarse textured soils. • Before clearing, most groundwater discharge occurred by evaporation and transpiration from the playa zones, and this is probably still the case although the volume of water discharged through the vegetation has decreased. Groundwater discharge is also occurring in alluvial flats surrounding the lakes, through stringer sand deposits close to the lakes and through valley floors further away from the lakes, which have geological structures controlling discharge. • Groundwater gradients are low and thus the impact of land treatment will be local rather than regional. For a regional impact the whole area must be appropriately managed. • The vegetation in the lower areas of the Chinocup Reserve will, in time, be affected by the rising saline groundwater. • Farm plans need to include a significant area of revegetation if the hydrological imbalance is to be addressed. The principal landcare issues in the Lake Chinocup Catchment are: • Declining condition of remnant vegetation • Inefficient water use • Poor drainage/ waterlogging • Rising groundwater levels • Flooding • Salinity • Inappropriate land management systems • Wind and water erosion • Soil structure/nutrient/biota decline • Soil acidity • Habitat loss, modification or fragmentation • Loss of productivity LANDCARE IN THE LAKE CHINOCUP CATCHMENT The Nyabing-Pingrup LCDC was formed in 1989 and is made up of 14 sub-catchments; six of which make up the Lake Chinocup Catchment. Within the Lake – 4 – Chinocup Catchment there were two Focus Catchments: Range Road and Minelup Creek. A landcare coordinator was first employed in the Shire in 1995. He filled the position from 1995 to mid-1998. The second coordinator took over the role in September 1998. Our current coordinator began in October 2000. The Community Landcare Coordinator works with the community to help achieve sustainable farming systems and keep agriculture viable in the long term through maintaining and improving the sustainable productive capacity of the land and halting/preventing land degradation. As well as developing sustainable farming systems, emphasis is placed on protecting remnant vegetation and enhancing biodiversity. Much activity is financed by individual farmers as well as work done in catchment groups and externally funded works. Landcare related activities in the Lake Chinocup Catchment include: • Revegetation. • Best Practice agricultural production methods. • Protection and management of remnant vegetation and revegetated areas. • High water using crops and pastures. • Implementing, monitoring and revising the Lake Chinocup Catchment Plan. • Funding. • Monitoring. • Establishment of baseline values for all key indicators. BASELINE DATA ESTABLISHED IN JANUARY 1977 (54 farmers responded to the survey) • Revegetation and Remnants – 306,540 trees were planted on 54 properties – 80% success rate – 30% of farmers planted for beautification – 30% planted for wind erosion – 30% for water table reductions – 15% for water erosion – 30% for shelter belts – 10% for wildlife corridors – Most farmers planted for several different reasons
– 3,477 ha of remnant vegetation or 33% on farms is fenced • Salt Affected Land – 3,069 ha which once grew cereal crops can no longer grow them. Morrell, Hatton and Curry – Most farmers planted for more than one reason. – 150 ha of direct drilling native vegetation was planted. – 951 ha of remnant vegetation was fenced giving a total of 4,428 ha. • Alternate Crops • Salt Affected Land – 50% of farmers grew lupins. – A further 812 ha became too salt affected to – 20% grew lucerne. grow crops, giving a total of 3881 ha. – 4% grew tagasaste. – 20% grew a pulse crop. • Alternate Crops – 2% grew oil mallees. – 79% of farmers grew lupins. • Treatments Applied to Land – 28% grew lucerne. – 8% grew sorghum. – 4183 ha of land was treated with gypsum. – 23% tagasaste. – 150 ha with lime. – 38% pulses – 1,588 ha with dolomite. – 56% grew canola. • Piezometers and Observation Wells – 26% grew oil mallees. – 82 bore holes in place. • Treatments Applied to Land – No formal readings done until this survey. – 26% of respondents used lime. • Cropping and General – 46% used gypsum. – 13% used dolomite. – 48% of arable land was cropped in 1996. – 8.6% of farmland was fenced to the contour. • Piezometers and Observation Wells – 10 farmers were successful in gaining a – 98 bore holes are in place. landcare grant. – Readings are taken three times per year, with – 27 farmers had formal farm plans. the results recorded at the Landcare Centre. – 3% of crop done conventionally. – 41% minimum till. • Cropping and General – 28% direct drill. – 56% of arable land was cropped. – 28% no till. – 18% of farmland was fenced to the contour. • Surface Water Control Infrastructure – 64% of respondents have successfully applied for landcare grants, or 25 farmers. – 3% of crop is done conventionally. – 333 km contour banks. – 50% use minimum till. – 136 km level banks. – 25% use direct drill. – 273 km deep drains. – 40% use no till. – 25 km w drains. – 9 km other. • Surface Water Control Infrastructure KEY RESULTS FROM SURVEY HELD IN 1999 – 360 km contour banks, giving a total of 690 (39 out of 76 farmers responded) km. – 112 km of level banks, giving a total of 248 km. • Revegetation and Remnants – 53 km of deep drainage, giving a total of 320 km. – 353,660 trees were planted, giving a total of 660,200 since 1994. – 24 km of w drains, giving a total of 49 km. – 75% success rate. – 40% planted for beautification. COMMUNITY VIABILITY AND HEALTH – 50% for wind erosion. The community of Pingrup has suffered greatly due – 55% for water table reduction. to conditions beyond their control. In 1998, two – 40% for water erosion. severe frosts occurred, reducing potentially record – 50% for shelter belts. crops by approximately 60%. In 1999, a previously – 40% for wildlife corridors. unheard of occurrence hit the community again. – 5 –
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Foreword Dealing with Salinity in W
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1Day one: Monday 30th July. Field t
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Papers Dealing with Salinity in Whe
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Ali and Coles biggest challenges fa
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Ali and Coles erosion, maintenance
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Ali and Coles expected under these
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Ali and Coles Coles, N.A. & Ali, M.
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Commander, Schoknecht, Verboom and
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APPRECIATING AND CREATING OUR HISTO
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services. The Government responded
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WHEATBELT VALLEYS IN DIFFICULTIES T
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argue that they were really abnorma
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1990s, the wheatbelt valleys in par
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REFERENCES Agstats (1997). Agricult
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George and Coleman two to four fold
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George and Coleman surface, the vas
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Page 65 and 66: George and Coleman advantages of so
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Page 69 and 70: George and Coleman Venture Economy
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Page 73 and 74: Hatton and Ruprecht WATCHING THE RI
Page 75 and 76: Since the mid 1970s annual rainfall
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Page 79 and 80: Salinity Monthly streamflow (ML) 10
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Page 85 and 86: THE FUTURE In looking at the future
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Page 101 and 102: Lloyd Table 3. Sheep grazing days i
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Page 105 and 106: INTRODUCTION The Lake Chinocup Catc
Page 107: agriculture) in various stages, the
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Page 119 and 120: REFERENCES Dawes, W.R., Stauffacher
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Page 131 and 132: Pannell Pannell, D.J. (2001). Dryla
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Page 139 and 140: Porter, Bartle and Cooper operation
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Page 149 and 150: CASE STUDY - TOOLIBIN LAKE AND CATC
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FIELD TOUR LOCATIONS FIELD TOUR NOT
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COLES FARM “Avon River Basin Over
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Conference Outcomes Dealing with Sa
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with Salinity in Wheatbelt Valleys:
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with Salinity in Wheatbelt Valleys
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Photo Gallery 2 Dealing with Salini
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APPENDIX 1 BACKGROUND HYDROLOGY AND
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WHEATBELT HYDROLOGY Flow in the Yil
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Flow (ML) STREAM SALINITY Salt Rive
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APPENDIX 2 WATER MANAGEMENT OPTIONS
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APPENDIX 3 MANAGING WATER AND SALIN
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SUMMARY- TIMELINE OF RECENT SIGNIFI
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RECENT HISTORY OF WATER AND SALINIT
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Figure 1. Hydrological cross-sectio
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Depth (m) 316 315 314 313 312 311 M
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FURTHER INVESTIGATIONS AND MANAGEME
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