Physical Sciences and Mathematics Commons^™

Using Landsat Satellite Imagery To Estimate Groundcover In The Grainbelt Of Western Australia, Justin Laycock, Nick Middleton, Karen Holmes

Resource management technical reports

Maintaining vegetative groundcover is an important component of sustainable agricultural systems and plays a critical function for soil and land conservation in Western Australia’s (WA) grainbelt (the south-west cropping region). This report describes how satellite imagery can be used to quantitatively and objectively estimate total vegetative groundcover, both in near real time and historically across large areas. We used the Landsat seasonal fractional groundcover products developed by the Joint Remote Sensing Research Program from the extensive archive of Landsat imagery. These products provide an estimate of the percentage of green vegetation, non-green vegetation and bare soil for each 30 m …

Investigations Of The Potential For Irrigated Agriculture On The Bonaparte Plains: Land Capability Assessment Report, Henry Smolinski

Resource management technical reports

This report describes 55 000 hectares of predominantly red sands and sandy loams — locally referred to as Cockatoo Sands — on the Bonaparte Plains about 70 kilometres north of the Ord River Irrigation Area, Kununurra. It builds on soil surveys conducted in 2009 and 2015, which identified significant areas of red soils in the Kununurra area that could be suitable for agriculture.

The Cockatoo Sands generally have loamy, sand topsoils that grade to sandy loam with depth. The soil profiles are very deep, well drained to rapidly drained, and highly permeable. These soil characteristics support a large range of …

Shay Gap Soil Survey: Investigating The Suitability Of Soils And Landforms For Irrigated Agriculture In The Western West Canning Basin, Paul Galloway, Dennis Van Gool, Justin Laycock, Karen Holmes, David Rowe

Resource management technical reports

This report describes the soil and land resources of the Shay Gap study area (SA), which is south of Wallal Downs Station, in unallocated Crown land in the Shire of East Pilbara. It assesses the study area’s capability for three types of irrigated agriculture and examines land resources to ensure any future irrigation developments are sustainable and do not degrade the environment.

The Shay Gap SA lies within the West Canning Basin, an area of about 3500 square kilometres at the western margin of the onshore Canning Basin. The West Canning Basin has a substantial groundwater resource that provides fresh …

Soil Groups Of Western Australia: A Simple Guide To The Main Soils Of Western Australia (4th Edn), Noel R. Schoknecht, Shahab Pathan

Resource management technical reports

This publication provides a simple, standardised and easy-to-understand way to recognise the most common soils in Western Australia.

It is designed to:

1) Provide a standard way of giving common names to the main soils of the State;

2) Provide a simple method to identify them;

3) Assist with the communication of soils information at a general level.

Changing Land Use On Unproductive Soils, Andrew Blake, Mike Clarke, Angela Stuart-Street

Resource management technical reports

A three year study completed in 2010 examined farming systems in the north-eastern agricultural region and eastern wheatbelt of Western Australia which experienced a succession of variable seasons from 2000. This culminated in severe drought in 2006 and 2007. At that time, farmers experienced labour shortages and declining terms of trade triggered by cost inflation outpacing growth in commodity prices. As a result, farm business equity was eroded as farm debt escalated. This left many farm businesses in a highly vulnerable state. At the time of the study many farmers were facing an uncertain future.

These experiences, coupled with a …

Land Evaluation Standards For Land Resource Mapping : Assessing Land Qualities And Determining Land Capability In South-Western Australia, Dennis Van Gool, Peter J. Tille, Geoff Allen Moore

Resource management technical reports

This report describes the standard method for attributing and evaluating conventional land resource survey maps in the south-west agriculture region of Western Australia so that strategic decisions about the management, development and conservation of land resources can be based on the best information available. The standards described are similar to the land suitability assessment (stage one of the two stage) methods described by the Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO, 1976, 1983).

Rangeland Reference Areas : Summary Of Cooperative Project Between The Western Australian Department Of Agriculture And The Environmental Protection Authority, D A. Blood

Resource management technical reports

The development of agriculture in south-western Australia has been characterised by the replacement of deep-rooted, perennial species of native vegetation with shallow-rooted, annual species. Except for the high rainfall areas, the native vegetation was able to intercept and transpire nearly all of the rainfall resulting in low stream flows and recharge to a groundwater system which was typically deep and restricted to the major valleys. The lack of surface or groundwater movement out of inland catchments used large quantities of cyclic salts to become stored in the regolith. Although annual crops and pastures can be high water users, they are …

Floristic Survey Of Northern Sandplains Between Perth And Geraldton, Edward Arnold Griffin

Resource management technical reports

A database of plant lists from over 2,500 sites was compiled from the the Northern Sandplains between Perth and Geraldton. Over 2,500 plant taxa were recorded from the area. Preliminary classification revealed in the order of 500 different floristic types. Analysis of these demonstrated strong regional patterns of floristic composition related to geology and soils. Consistencies in these patterns indicated a need to review the location of some of the botanical district boundaries.

Integrated Catchment Management : Upper Denmark Catchment, R Ferdowsian, K J. Greenham

Resource management technical reports

The project mapped the landforms and land management units on cleared parts of the catchment ; defined the extent of, processes causing and options for solving the salinity problem in the Upper Denmark Catchment; developed a catchment management plan that would reverse the increasing soil and stream salinity trend within the catchment; encouraged and assisted the landholders to adopt the plan; and applied the results of the study to other areas.

Floristic Survey Of Remnant Vegetation In The Bindoon To Moora Area, Western Australia, Edward Arnold Griffin

Resource management technical reports

No abstract provided.

Land Resources Of The Kellerberrin Region, William Morrison Mcarthur

Resource management technical reports

The landforms and associated soils in the Kellerberrin area (Figure 1) were mapped using a combination of air photo interpretation (1:50,000 black and white, 1984 photography) and ground traverses along roads and tracks. Mapping units used are similar to those described by Bettenay and Hingston (1961; 1964) and Hingston and Bettenay (1961) for the Merredin district. The present survey may be seen as a western extension of the Merredin survey; it adjoins the work of Lantzke (in prep) on the west

Floristic Survey Of Remnant Vegetation In The Dandaragan Area, Western Australia, Edward Arnold Griffin

Resource management technical reports

A study involving the documentation of the extent and floristic composition of patches of native vegetation left uncleared by agricultural development is described. Floristic regions were defined in the study area by detailed analysis of the floristic data. The concentration of the major conservation reserves in only a few of these regions left the floristic variation of most of these regions poorly represented conservation reserves. About 13 percent of the private property remains uncleared.

Soils Of The Kojaneerup Annex Of The Mount Barker Research Station, P A. Findlater, P G. Muller

Resource management technical reports

No abstract provided.

Carlton Plains Soil Survey In The Shire Of Wyndham, East Kimberley, T C. Stoneman

Resource management technical reports

The Carlton Plains covers approximately 11,750 ha midway between Wyndham and Kununurra on the northern bank of the Ord River in the Shire of East Kimberley. The survey area is divided into two geomorphic units, the clay plains and the levee areas. Soils of the former generally belong to the Cununurra family of cracking clays while those of the levees are generally more variable and of medium texture.Samples of the major soils were collected for mechanical analysis and basic chemical analysis.Sodium chloride percentages and exchangeable sodium percentages are both high on the clay soils of the western plain. The suitability …

Soil Conservation And Management Strategies For The Toolibin Catchment, S J. Hearn

Resource management technical reports

No abstract provided.

The Concept Of Prime Agricultural Land : A Western Australian Perspective, Vivian T. Read

Resource management technical reports

No abstract provided.

A Method Of Assessing Water Erosion Risk In Land Capability Studies : Swan Coastal Plain And Darling Range, M R. Wells

Resource management technical reports

No abstract provided.

Water Erosion In The Geraldton Area During June-July 1986, K J. Bligh

Resource management technical reports

No abstract provided.

The Role Of Minimum Tillage On The South Coast Sandplain Soil : A Literature Review, W L. Crabtree

Resource management technical reports

No abstract provided.

A Land Resource Survey Of The Fall Point Coastline, Broome, W.A., P A. Hesp, P J. Curry

Resource management technical reports

The purpose of this study was to find a suitable location for a bird observatory and provide adequate coastal land resource data for the area. The main selection criteria and conditions were: the location was closely adjacent to major wader roosting and feeding sites; all-seasons access was required; the location provided a site of around 2 1/2 hectares to provide space for one or more buildings, camp ground and associated facilities ; anticipated access tracks, site developments and levels of use.

Soil Conservation Research In New South Wales And Its Significance To Research On Water Erosion In Western Australia, D J. Mcfarlane

Resource management technical reports

No abstract provided.

A Land Unit Survey Of The Proposed Kings Park Botanic Garden Annex, Wungong, M R. Wells

Resource management technical reports

No abstract provided.

Quobba Point Chalet Development Land Capability Study [And] Environmental Consideration, J R H Riches, L E. Chalmers

Resource management technical reports

The preferred area for development is the Old Stabilised Dune System. The Hind Dune Flat is a stable area but is limited in size. Other environmental and town planning considerations may militate against development of this area for Chalet Development.

Progress Report On Effects Of Contour Banking On Surface Runoff At The Berkshire Valley Experimental Catchment (Near Moora) 1961-82, K J. Bligh

Resource management technical reports

The time lag prior to peak runoff following rains of comparable high intensity increased by approximately 80 per cent in the largest event after the construction of contour banks. Although 80 per cent more runoff also occurred because the catchment was wetter and had been cultivated for three years in a row, the peak rate of runoff increased by only approximately 20 per cent. That the peak rate was not increased by 80 per cent, may be primarily attirbuted to the effect of the contour banks.

Shire Of Manjimup : A Brief Assessment Of The Physical Land Resources With Respect To Horticultural Land Use, M R. Wells, K E. Hawley

Resource management technical reports

No abstract provided.

Curbur Station : Inventory Of The Range And Its Management, Alexander Mcrae Holm

Resource management technical reports

Ten land systems were identified, descriped and mapped. potential feed status was assessed for each land system. The land systems were then ranked accordingly and stocking rates allocated. Wongdong saline shrublands was considered to be the most productive system and Narryer hills, outcrops and breakaways the least productive. An assessment was made of the range condition and erosion status of the least. These assessments indicated that most of the pastures had been heavily utilized in the past.

Land Degradation In The Fitzroy Valley Of Western Australia, Department Of Agriculture, Western Australia. Rangeland Management Branch

Resource management technical reports

The report reassesses the condition of formerly valuable grazing lands of the Fitzroy River valley frontage lands. It is hoped that the submission will promote discussion on the problems of degenerated pastoral land and increase the resolve of all concerned to take the necessary action for their restoration. The frontage lands flank the major rivers of the area, the Fitzroy, the Margaret and the Meda and their tributaries. The frontage is capable of supporting the best pastures in the Kimberley, but unwise and uncontrolled stocking has profoundly degraded and eroded the most productive parts. There are about 5,800 square kilometres …

Wind Erosion In The Jerramungup Area 1980-1981, Bryan J. Goddard, M G. Humphry, D J. Carter

Resource management technical reports

An investigation of the wind erosion problem at Jerramungup was conducted by on-farm survey and Landsat interpretation from September to November 1981. Sandblasting and wind erosion were estimated to have seriousloy affected some 44,000 ha in 1980 and over 64,000 ha in 1981. The 1981 damage estimate is conservative, because a much greater area of pasture land was affected by erosion in May-July but achieved vegetative cover by later winter.