Dealing with salinity in Wheatbelt Valleys - Department of Water

Morrell, Hatton and Curry
Another three severe frosts repeated the devastation
of 1998, with losses of up to 80% of potential yields
lost. In 2000, drought reduced yields to an even
lower level than the previous two frosts.
As a result of the three years of greatly reduced
income, the average loss of equity was in the order
of 10% per year, leaving the community in a very
vulnerable position. The whole of the catchment
falls within the declared Exceptional Circumstances
area.
2001 is shaping up to be the driest on record.
Currently, at the time of writing (early July) farmers
are in one of the following positions: (1) no crop in
the ground yet, (2) some or (3) all in the ground. It
depends entirely on tillage methods as to the amount
of seeding completed. No tillage or minimum tillage
farmers have either all or some in, while traditional
croppers have either some or none in. Some crops
have emerged, with many now dying; some seed has
malted in the ground, while much seed has not
germinated due to the extremely dry conditions.
Much of the area is totally reliant on rainfall for all
water requirements, and many landholders have
been carting both house and stock water from off
farm sources for many months. The worst affected
areas for lacking water also coincide with the areas
with the most salinity.
With a total community population of approximately
200, a loss of even one family is felt. In the last year
and a half, eight families have left the district, with
three more leaving at the end of the school year. It
has meant a net loss of 23 to our community with a
further sixteen leaving later in the year. If the dry
conditions continue, and another crop failure occurs,
many more families will be forced to either sell up,
or move off their properties.
Without a vibrant, stable community, implementation
of the Catchment Plan and other landcare works will
cease. In other words, if there is no community, no
one will be left to address the salinity issues.
Without any implementation of the Catchment Plan
and other landcare works, much of the land that is
not affected by salinity yet will be lost to production
of cereal crops and traditional farming, as we know
it.
Not only will the traditional farming land be lost to
salinity, but large areas of the remaining remnants
will also be lost. Current predictions show that if
there are no changes to current agricultural
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practices, then more than 80% of remnants on farms
are in danger as are more than 50% of those in
Reserves, either Conservation Commission, Crown
Land or Shire controlled.
It is vital therefore to keep our community as a
functioning, vibrant concern, because without the
community in place there is very little chance of
tackling the declining biodiversity issues that face the
region. Without people, there will be no fight to
control salinity. Communities such as Pingrup will
only survive to tackle these issues if they are able to
be profitable. Without being able to make a living
from farming or its associated industries, there will
be no money available to do landcare work for the
public’s benefit. It is therefore in everyone’s interest
to ensure that communities like Pingrup survive.
It is vital that we realise that without people, no
amount of new technology will be effective, as there
will be no one left in rural areas to enact these new
ways. Community survival should, therefore, be
uppermost in the minds of our decision makers.
Terms of trade are not favourable for Australian
farmers. We seem to be the only country playing on
the "level playing field". Our major competitors are
heavily subsidised by their governments, while we
are not. This has made Australian farmers the most
efficient in the world, but doesn't help us to survive,
as the returns for our commodities barely cover the
costs of production. Minor weather events, or
events occurring somewhere in the world, threaten
our viability. With major weather caused events,
such has occurred in the last three years, and
seemingly continuing this year, very few farmers are
able to make a profit. This causes an exodus of
families at the very worst, or a change to "survival
mode" by the remaining farmers. Very little can be
done in the landcare area, as all money is required to
try to ensure survival in the short term, rather than
looking after the environment on farmers own land,
let alone that off farm.
Unfortunately, Pingrup is not unique in this regard. This
situation is repeated right across the Wheatbelt.
THE DILEMMA: WHAT TO DO ABOUT IT?
Currently two thirds of farming families have some
salinity on their properties. These range from a few
hectares to an enormous 30% of previously arable
cereal land now being non-productive. Twelve
percent of the catchment is currently affected. This
may seem a small amount, but when it is your farm
that is affected, it can have major ramifications.