Dealing with salinity in Wheatbelt Valleys - Department of Water

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groundwater movement beneath the Merredin Township. Water samples collected for a groundwater chemistry analysis. 2000 Formation of the Merredin Bushland Conservation Group to raise Awareness of remnant vegetation issues in the Merredin township and wider community 2000 Groundwater pumping and desalination pilot project funded by Salinity Council. 2001 SSC project commences with the building of an evaporation basin. Desalination of pumped groundwater for drinking quality water to test the long-term feasibility of such a project for both Merredin and other rural towns. 2001 Merredin townsite salinity management strategy to be developed
RECENT HISTORY OF WATER AND SALINITY IN THE MERREDIN CATCHMENT Since settlement in the Merredin Shire, the Merredin townsite has been prone to intermittent flooding. For example the summer of 1942/43 resulted in flooding of the north Merredin area, while in 1961/62 the central business area was flooded. Minor drainage works within the town towards Cohn’s Creek did little to reduce the effects of episodic events. The severe flooding events of 1978 and 1979 prompted the local community to take action. After six years of planning in co-operation with the Department of Agriculture Western Australia, approximately 110 kilometres of level absorption banks were surveyed and constructed. In 1984 the creekline throughout town had been deepened and lined with concrete and rock batters. A groundwater investigation of agricultural and urban land in the Merredin catchment was carried out by the Department of Agriculture in cooperation with the LCDC and Shire of Merredin in 1985 (George and Frantom 1990). The investigation included borehole drilling at 15 sites, pump tests to determine aquifer characteristics and some limited geophysical surveys. The main objectives of the investigation were: (i) to describe the nature and distribution of aquifer systems in the area, (ii) to establish piezometric monitoring network and (iii) to help develop catchment management plans with the LCDC and Shire of Merredin. The monitoring network was completed in 1986. The bores are located along a profile extending from Southeast (sandplain ridge near the Merredin airport) on the Narembeen road, through the townsite and Dryland Research Institute, to near Hines Hill in the West. Based on initial hydrogeological investigation and a subsequent drilling program within the town and West Merredin catchment (joint project between the Department of Agriculture and the Geological Survey, 1990-1991) two major recommendations were made to manage salinity in the town: (i) planting trees in recharge and discharge areas at strategic locations. The Shire and LCDC decided to proceed with the revegetation plan, (ii) pumping groundwaters within alluvial and deeper saprolite aquifers to lower groundwater levels. This option was canvassed by not acted on. One of the priority planting sites recommended for revegetation was located immediately downslope of the town, in an area at risk of salinity. The Shire and LCDC organised a land swap to gain access to the required land. The trees were to provide recharge control and allowed to maintain sufficient cover to enable maximum water use. However it was planned that the trees would also able to be selectively felled for firewood, to take pressure off remnant vegetation surrounding town.(George and Frantom 1990). In 1991, 70ha of heavy-textured, alluvial soils in a broad floodplain were planted with a range of eucalyptus species over shallow ( 175 mS/m) Zone II - very high saline zone (140-175 mS/m) Zone III- high saline zone (100-140 mS/m) Zone IV- moderate saline zone (< 100 mS/m). The tree species were selected for their salt tolerance and potential wood production. In total about 31200 trees of 36 species were planted. Two years after the trees had been planted the water levels began to decline throughout the planted. By 1996 the water levels were about 2.0 m lower than the predicted from the pre-planting trend (George et al. 1999). The level banks and tree planting, while effective in controlling the flooding of the Merredin townsite, and promoting an active interest in landcare, were not proven to be adequate in controlling watertable rise. The groundwater pumping option proposed and initiated by George in 1990 (George and Frantom 1990) concluded that pumping might be useful for controlling groundwater and salinity in the West Merredin area.
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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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George and Coleman for example in t
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George and Coleman current trends c
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George and Coleman While not as div
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George and Coleman SPECIES Table 5:
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George and Coleman advantages of so
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George and Coleman this volume). In
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George and Coleman Venture Economy
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George and Coleman Lawrence, C. (19
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Hatton and Ruprecht WATCHING THE RI
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Since the mid 1970s annual rainfall
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Effect of clearing on runoff The ot
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Salinity Monthly streamflow (ML) 10
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The ratio of the salt outputs to in
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- 11 - Hatton and Ruprecht Table 4:
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THE FUTURE In looking at the future
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McFarlane, D.J., George, R.J. & Far
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Keighery, Halse and McKenzie Terres
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Keighery, Halse and McKenzie Wetlan
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Keighery, Halse and McKenzie specie
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Keighery, Halse and McKenzie enviro
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Lloyd number of legal cases pending
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Lloyd 0 -500 -1000 -1500 -2000 -250
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Lloyd Table 3. Sheep grazing days i
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Lloyd Hectares project to provide w
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INTRODUCTION The Lake Chinocup Catc
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agriculture) in various stages, the
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- 3,477 ha of remnant vegetation or
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Scientists talk of up to 30% of the
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6320000 6300000 6280000 6260000 624
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Although the waterlogged area under
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eliminates drainage through the nex
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REFERENCES Dawes, W.R., Stauffacher
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Pannell ECONOMICS, SOCIETY AND ENVI
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Pannell • the area of land protec
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Pannell Proposals to construct majo
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Pannell been conducted for the Cent
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Pannell investments in long-term la
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Pannell Pannell, D.J. (2001). Dryla
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Porter, Bartle and Cooper Table 1:
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Porter, Bartle and Cooper operation
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Porter, Bartle and Cooper Increase
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Porter, Bartle and Cooper support i
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Porter, Bartle and Cooper that is a
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CASE STUDY - TOOLIBIN LAKE AND CATC
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• The distribution, storage and m
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Secondly, there is a set of practic
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within three categories: relationsh
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CONCLUSIONS Actions to protect and
Page 159 and 160: FIELD TOUR LOCATIONS FIELD TOUR NOT
Page 161 and 162: COLES FARM “Avon River Basin Over
Page 163 and 164: Conference Outcomes Dealing with Sa
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Page 197 and 198: Photo Gallery 2 Dealing with Salini
Page 199 and 200: APPENDIX 1 BACKGROUND HYDROLOGY AND
Page 201 and 202: WHEATBELT HYDROLOGY Flow in the Yil
Page 203 and 204: Flow (ML) STREAM SALINITY Salt Rive
Page 205 and 206: APPENDIX 2 WATER MANAGEMENT OPTIONS
Page 207 and 208: APPENDIX 3 MANAGING WATER AND SALIN
Page 209: SUMMARY- TIMELINE OF RECENT SIGNIFI
Page 213 and 214: Figure 1. Hydrological cross-sectio
Page 215: Depth (m) 316 315 314 313 312 311 M
Page 218 and 219: FURTHER INVESTIGATIONS AND MANAGEME
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Dealing with salinity in Wheatbelt Valleys - Department of Water

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