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Pastoral Resources And Their Management In The Sandstone-Yalgoo-Paynes Find Area, Western Australia, A M E Van Vreeswyk, P. T. Godden

Agriculture reports

This report covers about 94,700 square kilometres of rangelands in the Sandstone-Yalgoo-Paynes Find area of Western Australia. The area lies within 27°S and 30°S latitudes, and 115°30'E and 120°E longitudes and includes the towns of Sandstone, Yalgoo and Paynes Find. The northern, southern, and eastern limits of the survey area are largely defined by the boundaries of the 1:250,000 scale series map sheets.The western limit is the boundary between the pastoral and agricultural area.

Observations On Groundwater Recharge In The Westdale Catchment, M F. Lewis, C E. Mcconnell

Resource management technical reports

A study of the role of groundwater carriers and barriers in controlling salinity was carried out in the Westdale Catchment by Lewis and McConnell (in preparation). Although that study was primarily concerned with groundwater flow and discharge processes, the data collected also provided rudimentary information on the timing of groundwater recharge events and their distribution across the landscape.

Modelling Direct Episodic Recharge In The Western Australian Wheatbelt, F Lewis, Cooperative Research Centre For Catchment Hydrology (Australia)

Resource management technical reports

In agricultural regions of Western Australia, salinity is spreading. This is because the area taken up by groundwater discharge is increasing as a result of increased groundwater recharge following the replacement of native vegetation systems by annual crops and pasture species. Attempts to reduce groundwater recharge are now being made as it is hoped that this will decrease the rate of land salinisation. At several sites, average recharge rates have been estimated to be from 2% to 13% of the average annu ter hydrographs from the agricultural regions indicate that at some sites recharge does not occur as small amounts …

Revegetation Strategies For Groundwater Control In The Eastern Wheatbelt, C E. Mcconnell

Resource management technical reports

No abstract provided.

Common Conservation Works Used In Western Australia, M G. Keen

Resource management technical reports

This booklet is presented to assist proponents and planners of conservation works by describing the common types used in Western Australia. For each common type, design criteria are listed along with the variables affecting increased risks associated with degradation or structural failure. This information will be useful in choosing appropriate conservation works to alleviate specific degradation in a safe manner.

Geographe Bay Catchment Natural Resource Atlas, Sarah Weaving

All other publications

The Geographe Bay Catchment Atlas is one of a series of Natural Resource Atlases covering the agricultural region of Western Australia. The purpose of the Atlas is to provide data for people in local communities who manage or have an interest in natural resources. It is now realised that the various components of the land interact with each other and therefore need to be managed together. This Atlas is intended to present natural resource and land information in an accessible way to people of the area. It may act as a focus for catchment planning and provide a starting point …

Results Of Investigations Into The Groundwater Response And Productivity Of High Water Use Agricultural Systems 1990-1997. 2. Souths' Catchment (Darkan), A D. Smith, Richard J. George Dr, P R. Scott, D L. Bennett, R J. Rippon, G J. Orr

Resource management technical reports

High water use vegetation systems for salinity control were trialed on a 90 ha catchment located 12 km north north-west of Darkan, Western Australia. The catchment receives about 560 mm annual rainfall and 1895 mm annual evaporation. The catchment is characterised by a number of actively expanding seeps which are developing under the strong geological control of quartz and dolerite dykes. Development of salinity is also influenced by high recharge rates in the free draining gravel soils of the upper slope.

Results Of Investigations Into The Groundwater Response And Productivity Of High Water Use Agricultural Systems 1990-1997 1. Wooldridge/Wright's Catchment (Kojonup), A D. Smith, Richard J. George Dr, P R. Scott, D L. Bennett, R J. Rippon, G J. Orr

Resource management technical reports

High water use vegetation systems for salinity control were trialed on a 170 ha catchment located 13 km north of Kojonup, Western Australia. The catchment receives about 470 mm annual rainfall and 1825 mm annual evaporation.

Groundwater Trends In The Agricultural Area Of Western Australia, R A. Nulsen

Resource management technical reports

In 1994 it was estimated that salinity affected more than 1.8 million ha of agricultural land in Western Australia (Ferdowsian et al. 1996). This area was predicted to expand to over three million ha by about 2020 and, if nothing is done to stem the expansion, to eventually affect some six million ha, or 30% of the agricultural land in the state. Damaging levels of salt accumulation in the root zone of both native and introduced plants can generally only occur when the groundwater levels are relatively cl te the variability of responses. Several depict episodic recharge (recharge as a …

Environmental Management For Animal-Based Industries : Dairy Farm Effluent, Western Australia Agriculture Western Australia Bunbury Regional Office., Dairy Industry Nutrient Strategy Working Group (W.A.)

Bulletins 4000 -

The effluent which collects around dairies and their associated feeding facilities should be regarded as a resource to be retained and used on the farm, rather than a waste product for disposal.

These guidelines aim to assist dairy farmers plan effluent management systems which are practical, as well as easy to install and manage, while also being acceptable to the agencies and authorities given the responsibility of protecting the environment. .

Success With Serradella In The Wheatbelt, Clinton Revell, Bradley Nutt, Michael Ewing

Journal of the Department of Agriculture, Western Australia, Series 4

Clinton Revell, Bradley Nutt, and Michael Ewing review the latest developments with new varieties of French serradella and yellow seradella that should provide the basis for productive legume pastures on acidic, sandy soils throughout the wheatbelt of Western Australia

Western Australia Soil Acidity Research And Development Update 1998 : Time To Lime, Department Of Agriculture And Food, Western Australia

Bulletins 4000 -

Recent yield responses by canola where lime has been applied to acidic soils are very encouraging. Two sites have shown that the yield increase in canola after lime was applied in the previous year would have easily paid for the total cost of purchase, transport and application of the lime.

This work was carried out to demonstrate the increased options that are likely to be available once producers are treating or managing soil acidity. Canola is becoming increasingly important as a cash value crop and a break crop allowing wider rotations.

Growers are pushing the limits of canola’s tolerance to …

Results Of Investigations Into The Groundwater Response And Productivity Of High Water Use Agricultural Systems 1990-1997 5 White/Beattys' Catchment (Dinninup), A D. Smith, Richard J. George Dr, P R. Scott, D L. Bennett, R J. Rippon, G J. Orr

Resource management technical reports

High water use vegetation systems for salinity control were trialed on a 250 ha catchment located three km north-west of Dinninup, Western Australia. The catchment receives about 620 mm annual rainfall and 1500 mm annual evaporation. The catchment is characterised by slopes with gradients in excess of 5%, deep weathering (15-25 m to bedrock), active seepage in the valley (piezometric heads 204 m above ground surface) and high recharge (water table fluctuations of 1-4 m).

Trees Working In Western Australia, Dave Berry

Journal of the Department of Agriculture, Western Australia, Series 4

There is an air of inevirability about farm forestry - no-one disputs that planting trees is a sure route to curbing agriculture's serious land degredation problem. Dave Berry talks with some of the key players developing the industry.

The Use Of Red Mud/Gypsum To Reduce Water Pollution From Sandy Soils Used For Vegetable Production, Ian Mcpharlin, W. J. Robertson, R. C. Jeffery

Research Reports

An important domestic and export vegetable industry is located on the sands of the Swan Coastal Plain (SCP) in Western Australia. The total value of the vegetable industry on the SCP was estimated at $90M in 1996/7 or about 50% of the total value of the industry. This vegetable production has been located on good quality sands such as the Spearwood and yellow Karrakatta sands, close to the coast, since the 1950s. However in recent years competition for this land for urban and industrial use has forced vegetable production onto soils with poorer water and phosphorus retention capacity such as …

The Physical And Hydrological Characteristics Of A South Coast Sandplain Site : East Howick Site Survey, Robert Anthony Sudmeyer

Resource management technical reports

This Technical Report documents the physical and hydrological characteristics of a farmland site on the Esperance Sandplain. The site was located on 'Belalie Farm East' 110 km east of the town of Esperance in the locality of Howick (AMG 488900, 6277500) The site was typical of the sandplain landsystem which covers 35% (0.72 million ha) of the Esperance Agricultural Region. The farm was cleared over a number of years beginning in the 1970's and an extensive network of windbreaks established.

Planning To Grow Vegetables Commercially, John Burt, Peter Gartrell

Bulletins 4000 -

This Bulletin was developed by Department of Agriculture in recognition of the increasing complexity and competitiveness in establishing a commercial vegetable enterprise. The information in this Bulletin will provide you with a useful guide to assess your likelihood of succeeding in vegetable production.

Vegetable production is not an easy lifestyle. It is a highly competitive environment with the industry consisting of growers with big investments and years of experience and knowledge. Horticultural farms require a large amount of capital and time and are increasingly expanding and becoming more specialised.

If you are serious about growing vegetables, work through this Bulletin …

Results Of Investigations Into The Groundwater Response And Productivity Of High Water Use Agricultural Systems 1990-1997 4. Tkk Engineering's Catchment (Williams), A D. Smith, Richard J. George Dr, P R. Scott, D L. Bennett, R J. Rippon, G J. Orr

Resource management technical reports

High water use vegetation systems for salinity control were trialed on a 70 ha catchment located about 15 km north of Williams, Western Australia. The catchment receives about 545 mm annual rainfall and 1870 mm annual evaporation. Development of salinity is characterised by passive discharge upslope from a dolerite dyke. Because recharge exceeds the discharge capacity of current seeps, there is potential for new seeps to develop in the mid to lower slopes.

An Inventory And Condition Survey Of The Sandstone-Yalgoo-Paynes Find Area, Western Australia, A L. Payne, A M E Van Vreeswyk, K A. Leighton, H J. Pringle, P Hennig

Technical Bulletins

The inventory and condition survey of the Sandstone-Yalgoo-Paynes Find area, undertaken by the Department of Agriculture and Food, Western Australia (DAFWA) between 1992 and 1993, describes and maps the natural resources of the region’s pastoral leasehold land. This survey report provides a baseline record of the existence and condition of the area’s natural resources, to assist with the planning and implementation of land management practices. The report identified and described the condition of soils, landforms, vegetation, habitat, ecosystems, and declared plants and animals. It also assessed the impact of pastoralism and made land management recommendations. The area surveyed covers about …

Results Of Investigations Into The Groundwater Response And Productivity Of High Water Use Agricultural Systems 1990-1997 3 Hunts' Catchment (Frankland), A D. Smith, Richard J. George Dr, P R. Scott, D L. Bennett, R J. Rippon, G J. Orr

Resource management technical reports

High water use vegetation systems for salinity control were trialed on an 80 ha catchment located 12 km east of Frankland, Western Australia. The catchment receives about 510 mm annual rainfall and 1525 mm annual evaporation. Development of salinity in the catchment is concentrated in the valley floor. Here the groundwater is extremely saline (3000-4000 mS/m) and piezometric levels are between 1 m below and 1 m above the surface.

Inventory Of Sub-Catchments Within The Oyster Harbour Catchment, B Radys

Resource management technical reports

The release of the "Salinity Action Plan for Western Australia' in December 996 highlighted the need for catchment scale planning and coordinated actions to reverse salinity trends.

A separate report has been produced for each major catchment area. Each report contains and inventory of all sub-catchments, with information on area, degradation risks and group activities with each catchment.

Inventory Of Sub-Catchments Within The Wilson Inlet Catchment, B Radys

Resource management technical reports

The release of the "Salinity Action Plan for Western Australia' in December 996 highlighted the need for catchment scale planning and coordinated actions to reverse salinity trends.

A separate report has been produced for each major catchment area. Each report contains and inventory of all sub-catchments. with information on area, degradation risks and group activities with each catchment.

Results Of Investigations Into The Groundwater Response And Productivity Of High Water Use Agricultural Systems 1990-1997 : 6. Summary Of All Sites, A D. Smith, Richard J. George Dr, P R. Scott, D L. Bennett, R J. Rippon, G J. Orr, Peter J. Tille

Resource management technical reports

The south-western Woolbelt receives annual rainfall between 500-700 mm with long dry summers and cool wet winters. The dominant land use is grazing of Merino sheep for wool productiion, with smaller areas (5-15%) of cropping. All of the catchments selected were affected by salinity, but the extent and severity varied. In all catchments the location of the major expression of salinity was the valley floor.

Inventory Of Sub-Catchments Within The Albany Eastern Hinterland, B Radys

Resource management technical reports

The release of the "Salinity Action Plan for Western Australia' in December 996 highlighted the need for catchment scale planning and coordinated actions to reverse salinity trends.

A separate report has been produced for each major catchment area. Each report contains and inventory of all sub-catchments, with information on area, degradation risks and group activities with each catchment.