preliminary soil salinity assessment - Mid Western Regional Council

DP 534336, DP 1132580, DP 1132581 Saleyards Lane,Mudgee, NSWPreliminary Soil Salinity Assessment1 INTRODUCTION1.1 BackgroundMid-Western Regional Council currently owns Lot 2 in DP 534336, Lot 399 in DP 1132580, and Lot532 in DP 1132581 in the Parish of Mudgee within the Mid-Western Regional Local GovernmentArea as shown on the map in Appendix A: Location Map. The land area totals 5.665 hectares and islocated approximately 1.5km northwest of Mudgee on Saleyards Lane.The land was the previous site of the Mudgee livestock saleyards however the facilities have beenmoved to a new location and in recent years the site has been used for stockpiling roadworkmaterials and some cattle grazing.Mid-Western Regional Council is proposing to sell the land and has requested that a preliminary soilsalinity assessment be carried out for the purpose of gaining an initial insight into the current salinityhazard at the site and obtain guidance regarding any site salinity issues which may restrict thesuitability of the land for future urban uses. The assessment would seek to consider the currentsituation at this site combined with the likely impacts of urban development.1.2 Urban Salinity RequirementsSaline soil is defined as a soil that contains sufficient soluble salt to adversely affect plant growthand/or land use (Department of Land and Water Conservation, 2002). Soil salinity refers to theaccumulation of water soluble salts mainly sodium, but also potassium, calcium and magnesiumwhich may be chlorides, sulfates or carbonates. Salts originate in mineral weathering and reach highconcentrations wherever water, carrying dissolved salts, collects, evapourates and leaves the saltsbehind.The development of urban salinity is illustrated in Figure 1: Causes of Urban Salinity below.FIGURE 1: CAUSES OF URBAN SALINITYPRELIMINARY SOIL SALINITY ASSESSMENT1