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Dealing with salinity in Wheatbelt Valleys - Department of Water

Dealing with salinity in Wheatbelt Valleys - Department of Water

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<strong>with</strong> Sal<strong>in</strong>ity <strong>in</strong> <strong>Wheatbelt</strong> <strong>Valleys</strong> Conference<br />

<strong>Deal<strong>in</strong>g</strong><br />

Prospects and Practical Options<br />

Processes,<br />

Percent <strong>of</strong> people<br />

Offsite Impacts on Biodiversity<br />

A notable outcome <strong>of</strong> the conference is the large shift <strong>in</strong> attitudes towards view<strong>in</strong>g the impact <strong>of</strong> <strong>sal<strong>in</strong>ity</strong> on<br />

native plants and animals <strong>with</strong> high importance. The figure below shows that 67% <strong>of</strong> respondents were <strong>in</strong><br />

the high category <strong>in</strong> the first survey, compared to 89% <strong>in</strong> second survey.<br />

Percent <strong>of</strong> people<br />

Question 1.2 When do expect the majority <strong>of</strong> wheatbelt<br />

valley <strong>sal<strong>in</strong>ity</strong> to have occurred?<br />

50<br />

40<br />

30<br />

20<br />

10<br />

0<br />

100<br />

80<br />

60<br />

40<br />

20<br />

0<br />

External Costs to Rural Infrastructure<br />

Now 10 yrs 20 yrs 50 yrs 50 yrs<br />

plus<br />

Response<br />

Don’t<br />

know<br />

Question 1.3 How important is it to you that native plants and<br />

animals <strong>in</strong> wheatbelt valleys are at risk from <strong>sal<strong>in</strong>ity</strong>?<br />

None Low Medium<br />

Response<br />

High Don’t<br />

know<br />

Before<br />

After<br />

Before<br />

After<br />

Op<strong>in</strong>ions on the costs relat<strong>in</strong>g to the impact <strong>of</strong> <strong>sal<strong>in</strong>ity</strong> on rural <strong>in</strong>frastructure were normally distributed across<br />

the choice categories. Attitudes <strong>in</strong> the second survey were less variable <strong>with</strong> no respondents believ<strong>in</strong>g the<br />

costs would be the same and an additional 20 per cent <strong>of</strong> respondents believ<strong>in</strong>g that the cost would be at<br />

least 5 times greater than now (see figure below).<br />

Question 1.4 To what extent do you th<strong>in</strong>k the costs <strong>of</strong> repair<strong>in</strong>g roads, rail<br />

and build<strong>in</strong>gs will <strong>in</strong>crease over time due to <strong>sal<strong>in</strong>ity</strong> <strong>in</strong> wheatbelt valleys?<br />

Percent <strong>of</strong> people<br />

60<br />

50<br />

40<br />

30<br />

20<br />

10<br />

0<br />

Same 2 times 5 times<br />

Response<br />

10 times Don’t know<br />

Before<br />

After

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