Salinity - Understanding soil constraints, groundwater data, and recharge rates
Coorong District Salinity - Understanding soil constraints, groundwater data, & recharge rates
Dryland Salinity in our region is driven by a hypersaline regional unconfined aquifer which has begun to rise at certain times over recent years. Tackling regional dryland salinity requires a district wide response.
This project has unlocked information to improve our understanding of;
*Soil constraints on salinity affected soils, & options for overcoming limitations to plant growth
*How recharge to groundwater under different land uses varies in the Coorong District. Identifying the best options for recharge reduction
*Provided a review of Groundwater Data collected in the Coorong District and explained how can this information be used to inform saltland management risk response & decision making
Project Fact Sheets
Fact Sheet - Groundwater & Salinity Definition
Fact Sheet - Groundwater Data Review and Interpretation
Recharge Project Report and Fact Sheet
In the 1990’s there was a large investment in research across the Coorong District to identify and understand dryland salinity and recharge processes. With a new generation of landholders, changes in Departments and introduction of new technologies, there has been a need to revisit this work, align with recent work, and bring this information to the current audience of land managers. This project has provided new information on understanding the local dryland salinity issue, and management practices that can be utilised.
REPORT - Review of Groundwater Recharge in the Coorong District
Fact Sheet - Recharge Reduction Summary of 1990's CSIRO Studies
Project Events
Four hands on workshops and farm walks were held across the region providing landholders with the knowledge and capacity to better understand the issue and manage it in their own businesses. The workshops focused on understanding and measuring soil constraints, how the soil changes rapidly in the landscape, factors contributing to dryland salinity issues, how the groundwater data varies and how to reduce recharge into the system in the surrounding areas.
The workshops were held both in the field where soil pit days were held and also in a formal setting where the data being collected and historical information could be delivered and interpreted. Please refer below under the heading 'Soil Characterisation across three saline sites' for a full description of the soils at each site, and from three pits at each location.
Meningie East Healthy Soils Farm Walk held on Wednesday 5th of August 2020, with 35 land managers in attendance
Meningie East Healthy Soils Farm Walk held on Thursday the 23rd of September 2021, with 24 land managers in attendance
Soils, Carbon & Productivity, Mt Charles & Keith - Farm Walk and Workshop held on Friday 29th October 2021, with 55 land managers in attendance.
Carbon on your Farm - Soil Health & Salinity Update held on Wednesday 6th of April 2022, with 25 land managers in attendance
Further detail, farm walk booklets and other information about these events can be found on the Soils Events and Farm Walks web page by clicking here and scrolling down to find the event report.
Soil Characterisation across three saline sites
Please find below comparative soil characterisation reports across three project sites;
Comparative Soil Characterisation - Coomandook
Comparative Soil Characterisation - Meningie East
Comparative Soil Characterisation - Mount Charles
The Understanding your Soils Manual - PIRSA was used as a reference document at all of the soil pit workshop sessions.
Project Funding
This project is funded by the Department of Agriculture and Water Resources, through funding from Australian Government's National Landcare Program.
