Dealing with salinity in Wheatbelt Valleys - Department of Water
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