Physical Sciences and Mathematics Commons^™

Making Horticulture Sustainable, Bob Paulin, Neil Clifton Lantzke, Ian Mcpharlin, Murray Hegney

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

Sweet crunchy carrots, luscious strawberries at very reasonable prices, crisp green vegetables - these are just a few of the horticultural products that Western Australians take for granted and eat almost every day. But is their future availability guaranteed as population grows, suburbia spreads and environmental concern increases?

Cooperative Landcare Venture Revisited, Kate Mcinnes

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

Four years ago, the Journal of Agriculture reported on a unique partnership forged in 1989 between the Department of Agriculture Alcoa of Australia Limited and six catchment groups located in the Avon River catchment.

Kate McInnes reports on progress with the Avon Catchment Landcare Project.

Causes Of Waterlogging, Jim Cox, Don Mcfarlane

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

Waterlogging is highly variable, both between years and within paddocks. This residts in uncertainty as to whether a paddock should be cropped in a particular year, and whether different management should be used on waterlogged areas within a paddock

A study has determined what are the most important causes of waterlogged soils.

Rangeland Surveys : A Basis For Improved Land Use, P J. Curry, Alan Payne

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

In mis 1988, the Department of Agriculture started a three-year programme to assist pastoralists in the Murchison River catchment to update land management planning of their stations. This Project, which is funded by the National Soil Conservation Program, will use interim results from a recent rangeland survey which has investigated and mapped the grazing recources throughout the region.

Elsewhere in Western Australia's pastoral areas, information on the productive potential of each area - and the management problems inherent for each class of land - are being used to help pastoral managers of Soil Conservation Districts rehabilitate degraded areas. This information …

Dam Site Selection In The North-Eastern Wheatbelt, J L. Frith

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

Western Australia's wheatbelt farm dams are dug three to eight metres deep and are generally sited in soils which either are inherently impermeable or can be made so during construction.

In the eastern and north-eastern wheatbelt, however, only a small proportion of the soils meets these criteria. Dam site selection in these areas therefore depends on a good knowledge ofwhich soils aresuitable and on our being able to locate them efficiently by using surface indications such as surface soil, natural vegetation or topographic features.

Sandplain Hardpan : A Different Dam Construction Material, A F. Mccrea

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

Before 1980, the Department of Agriculture did not believe that suitable farm dam materials could be found in light land soils. However Beacon earthmoving contractor, V> J> Pavlinovich, has demonstrated that where suitable cemented subsoils or 'hardpan' existed, a succcessful dam site could be found.

This material should not be confused with compaction or traffic hardpans ehich are dense layers of soil found near the surface. Traffic hardpans result from compaction of soil materials with the passage of vehicles and farm machinery. Rather, the hardpan referred to here is a natural subsoil layer that has been cemented by silica and …

Soil Types And Drainage, Eric Bettenay, N. J. Schofield

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

At least 90 per cent of the phosphorus entering the Peel-Harvey estuarine system comes from land cleared for agriculture, most of it from the coastal plain. These soils are naturally deficient on phosphorus and sulfur and this is supplied in superphosphate, which contains about 10 per cent phosphorus and 1 percent sulphur.

However, rain leaches some of this applied phosphorus from the land into drains and rivers which flow into the estuary. In 1981, farmers in the Harvey River-Mayfields Drain catchment lost the equivalent of 1,300 tonnes of superphosphate into the estuary. Between them they have in effect spent $120,000 …