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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FURTHER INVESTIGATIONS AND MANAGEMENT OPTIONS<br />
1. Cont<strong>in</strong>ue monitor<strong>in</strong>g piezometer network to detect changes <strong>in</strong> the watertables<br />
2. Development <strong>of</strong> management <strong>in</strong>formation options and tools such as groundwater models to<br />
help community test options.<br />
3. Prepare town development plan <strong>with</strong> a view towards water and <strong>sal<strong>in</strong>ity</strong> issues<br />
4. Pilot study for desal<strong>in</strong>ation plant and evaporation bas<strong>in</strong> will be completed <strong>in</strong> 12 months from<br />
<strong>in</strong>ception. The feasibility <strong>of</strong> extend<strong>in</strong>g and enlarg<strong>in</strong>g the program will be carried out.<br />
5. Prepare <strong>sal<strong>in</strong>ity</strong> hazard maps show<strong>in</strong>g the likely affected areas and time frame when <strong>sal<strong>in</strong>ity</strong> may<br />
develop. Use groundwater models to undertake ‘what if” management options.<br />
6. Review water use and dra<strong>in</strong>age systems <strong>in</strong> the town site for evidence <strong>of</strong> excessive recharge.<br />
7. Develop low recharge farm<strong>in</strong>g systems for arable land<br />
8. Airborne survey (magnetic and radiometric) for specific areas <strong>of</strong> the catchment to ref<strong>in</strong>e<br />
underground geology, del<strong>in</strong>eate structures and determ<strong>in</strong>e depth to bedrock (thickness <strong>of</strong> regolith)<br />
and del<strong>in</strong>eate soil systems for recharge mapp<strong>in</strong>g.<br />
9. This <strong>in</strong>formation will enable the areas <strong>of</strong> high <strong>sal<strong>in</strong>ity</strong> risk to be better del<strong>in</strong>eated and determ<strong>in</strong>e<br />
where the best yield<strong>in</strong>g pump<strong>in</strong>g bores maybe located.<br />
10. Ma<strong>in</strong>ta<strong>in</strong> and <strong>in</strong>crease community support for water and <strong>sal<strong>in</strong>ity</strong> issues<br />
11. Manage and monitor evaporation bas<strong>in</strong>s and desal<strong>in</strong>ation plant <strong>in</strong>put/output and performance<br />
12. Plan to develop a solar energy pond to generate power. Trial solar energy pond.<br />
REFERENCES<br />
Bettenay, E. and H<strong>in</strong>gston, F.J., 1964. Development and distribution <strong>of</strong> soils <strong>in</strong> the Merred<strong>in</strong> area,<br />
Western Australia. Aust. J. Soil Res. 2:73-186.<br />
George, R.J. and Frantom, P.W.C. 1990 Prelim<strong>in</strong>ary groundwater and <strong>sal<strong>in</strong>ity</strong> <strong>in</strong>vestigations <strong>in</strong> the<br />
eastern <strong>Wheatbelt</strong>. 2. Merred<strong>in</strong> Catchment. Division <strong>of</strong> Resource Management, Technical Report No 89,<br />
68 pp.<br />
George, R. J., Nulsen, R.A., Ferdowsian, R. and Raper, G.P. 1999. Interactions between trees and<br />
groundwaters <strong>in</strong> recharge and discharge areas – A survey <strong>of</strong> Western Australian sites. Agricultural<br />
<strong>Water</strong> Management, 39:91-113.<br />
Matta, J. 2000. The Rural Towns Program Groundwater Modell<strong>in</strong>g: The Merred<strong>in</strong> Catchment. Resource<br />
Management Technical Manual No. 189, 31 pp.
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