Earth Sciences Commons^™

Groundwater Trend Analysis And Salinity Risk Assessment For The South-West Agricultural Region Of Western Australia, 2007–12, G Paul Raper, Russell Speed, John Andrew Simons, A L. Killen, Andrew Blake, A T. Ryder, Rosemary H. Smith, Grantley Stainer, L Bourke

Resource management technical reports

Dryland salinity is a hydrologically driven land degradation hazard in the south-west agricultural region of Western Australia (WA). Shallow-rooted annual crops and pastures transpire significantly less water than the native vegetation they replaced, leading to an increase in recharge, rising groundwater levels and the development of shallow watertables in areas where often none existed previously. Rising groundwater levels mobilise soluble salts, naturally stored at high concentrations in the regolith. These salts can be concentrated in the root zone of vegetation by evapotranspiration.

Goomig Farmlands Development Baseline Water Quality In The Lower Keep River, D L. Bennett, Richard J. George Dr

Resource management technical reports

In 2008 the Ord Irrigation Expansion Project was approved by the Western Australian Government to develop irrigated agriculture on the Weaber Plain. By mid-2014 construction of almost all of the water supply, drainage, access, monitoring and other infrastructure for the 7400ha Goomig Farmlands development had substantially been completed. An important concern is the effect the Goomig Farmlands development may have on the water quality of the downstream lower Keep River aquatic environment, particularly as it relates to threatened species that inhabit or may inhabit the area. Possible increases in salinity, nutrients, suspended sediment, heavy metals and farm chemicals delivered in …

Salinity Risk Mapping For Assessing Carbon Farming Initiative Proposals: Decision Support And Data Requirements, Paul Raper, Peter Gardiner

Resource management technical reports

The Clean Energy Legislation passed by the Australian Parliament on 8 November 2011 links the carbon price to the Carbon Farming Initiative (CFI). Under the Carbon Credits (Carbon Farming Initiative) Act 2011 (the Act), proponents need to consider regional natural resource management (NRM) plans to ensure that tree plantings for carbon bio-sequestration maximise environmental benefits and avoid unintended adverse effects on biodiversity, water and agricultural production systems.

Soil Acidity : A Guide For Wa Farmers And Consultants., Chris Gazey, Stephen Davies, Ron Master

Bulletins 4000 -

Our first edition of Soil acidity: a guide for WA farmers and consultants in 2009 was a significant publication which brought together current knowledge on the management of soil acidity in WA in a user-friendly book. Three thousand printed copies were distributed and an interactive PDF on the Department of Agriculture and Food, Western Australia (DAFWA) website made it available to most WA farmers and consultants.

iLime is a decision tool to assist liming decisions.

Recent projects have extended our knowledge of the extent of the soil acidity problem in WA. When the first edition was published, we had good …

Broome Sandstone Aquifer, La Grange Groundwater Area: A Preliminary Report On The Hydrochemistry And Groundwater Recharge Rates, With Recommendations For Future Drilling And Environmental Tracer Sampling, Glenn A. Harrington

Natural resources commissioned reports

Innovative Groundwater Solutions has been engaged by the Department of Agriculture and Food, Western Australia (DAFWA) to assist with the initial planning and design of the drilling and groundwater sampling program for the Broome Sandstone aquifer in the La Grange groundwater area.

There are multiple objectives of the drilling program, including defining aquifer stratigraphy and position of the salt-water interface; assessing groundwater recharge, residence time, lateral flow velocity and the source of water to culturally significant sites; enabling long-term monitoring of water level and water quality; and, ultimately, developing a groundwater model for the aquifer.

The following four tasks were …

Report Card On Sustainable Natural Resource Use In Agriculture, Robert Summers, David Weaver

All other publications

Condition and trend Nutrients, such as phosphorus (P), are essential for profitable agriculture in the south-west of WA; however, excess P – more than is required for optimal production – is stored in many agricultural soils. On average, pasture soils and arable soils contain 1.3 times and 1.6 times respectively, as much P as is required for optimal production. Production in P-enriched soils is more likely to be constrained by soil acidity (50–60% of pasture and arable soils), potassium (K) (50% of pasture soils and less than 10% of arable soils), and sulphur (S) (30% of pasture soils). Management implications …

Report Card On Sustainable Natural Resource Use In Agriculture : Status And Trend In The Agricultural Areas Of The South-West Of Western Australia, Department Of Agriculture And Food, Western Australia

Books & book chapters

This report card summarises our current knowledge of the status and trend in the natural resource base in the agricultural areas of the south-west of Western Australia (WA) and provides a discussion of the implications for agricultural industries.

The condition of our natural resources is a complex interaction of numerous processes. In simple terms however, the performance of the land is driven by three primary factors: climate, land characteristics and land management. The first two factors are largely out of the control of land managers, and in a drying and variable climate, land management practices need to be able to …

Audit Of Wa Agricultural Lime Quality 2013, Chris Gazey

Bulletins 4000 -

Applying agricultural lime is the most economical way of ameliorating low soil pH in broadscale agriculture in Western Australia (WA). In WA, agricultural lime is usually limesand from coastal sand dunes, crushed limestone from coastal deposits or crushed dolomitic lime (usually marketed as dolomite) from old lake and inland drainage systems. Other sources are Cretaceous chalk and lake bed marls.

WA agriculture is well serviced by lime suppliers, although the quality of lime varies markedly around the State, and cost does not always reflect quality as measured by neutralising value and fineness. Neutralising value and particle size distribution (fineness) are …

Establishment Guide For Sub-Tropical Grasses : Key Steps To Success, Geoff Allan Moore, Ronald J. Yates, Phil Barrett-Lennard, Phil Nichols, Brad Wintle, John Titterington, Chris Loo

Bulletins 4000 -

Sub-tropical perennial grasses are now widely sown in the Northern Agricultural region (NAR) and on the south coast of Western Australia (WA). Since 2000, more than 50 000 ha have been sown to perennial grasses in the NAR and about 150 000 ha on the south coast, mainly kikuyu.

Soil Peels: Their Preparation And Presentation, Tim D. Overheu

All other publications

Soil peels are an exciting and inexpensive technique for collecting an exact reproduction of soil profiles. They are an excellent product for displays and soil extension activities. Introduced in the mid-1960s, the soil peel (lackfilm) technique was initially developed using a flexible glue product in combination with a cloth base, and was used to preserve soil stratigraphy at geo-archaeological excavations (Voight & Gittins 1977). The method described in this update introduces refinements to the technique for heavy and consolidated clay or duplex soils in Western Australia. Applying and removingtechnique was initially developed using a flexible glue product in combination with …

Guidance Statement On Undertaking Seismic Surveys In Western Australian Waters, Department Of Fisheries

Fisheries Occasional Publications

No abstract provided.

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

Resource management technical reports

No abstract provided.

A Review Of The Broome Sandstone Aquifer In The La Grange Area, Robert J. Paul, Richard J. George Dr, Peter Gardiner

Resource management technical reports

Land use in the West Kimberley near Broome, Western Australia, is dominated by cattle grazing on pastoral stations, dispersed mining activity and tourism. Irrigated agriculture has developed but is at a small scale. There is interest from pastoralists and horticultural companies to expand irrigated agriculture, and pastoral diversification and mosaic irrigation systems have been proposed. However, if irrigated agriculture is to expand, it must be viable and meet community and regulatory requirements. Developing secure and sustainable water resources is critical

This review is focussed on the La Grange groundwater subareas (La Grange area). Its purpose is to summarise the existing …

Benefits And Costs Of Saltland Pastures On Moderately Salt-Affected Land, Justin Hardy, Arjen Ryder

Resource management technical reports

Summary The analyses in this report show that there could be significant economic benefits to the state, regions and affected farm businesses from establishing improved saltland pasture systems on moderately salt-affected land. The report clearly describes the methods of analysis and the assumptions about prices, productivity and adoption levels. The price of grain has been used as the key factor controlling the economic value of the saltland grazing because grain is the alternative supplementary feed for sheep over the summer and autumn period. Therefore, where yield is below break-even on moderately salt-affected land, it has a higher economic value and …

Carbon Farming In Wa, Department Of Agriculture And Food, Western Australia, Department Of Regional Development And Lands, Western Australia

Natural resources published reports

Fact sheets:

1. Applying biochar to improve soil quality and crop productivity

2. Reducing methane emissions from cattle using feed additives

3. Cattle breeding for lower greenhouse gas emissions

4. Managing genetic codes to reduce methane emissions from cattle

5. Managing pastures and stocking rate to reduce methane emissions from cattle

6. Claying as a method of increasing soil carbon content

7. Green and brown manuring as part of carbon farming

8. Permanent environmental plantings to earn carbon credits

9. Nitrous oxide emissions from agricultural soils

10. Sheep genetics in methane reduction

11. Managing sheep pastures to reduce methane production …

Pastoral Lease Assessment Using Geospatial Analysis, T P. Robinson, P E. Novelly, R Corner, Philip Thomas, A Russell-Browm

Resource management technical reports

Seven remote sensing based Vegetation Indices (NDSVI, STVI-3, NDVI, Green + Red, Red, Land Monitor and STVI-1) were tested for their potential to discriminate between “poor” and “good” range condition assessments in Western Australia’s pastoral rangelands. Indices were computed using the Australian Greenhouse Office National Carbon Accounting System (AGO NCAS) repository of calibrated Landsat TM/ETM+ mosaics. Discrimination potential was assessed at two levels of stratification – station level (identical to the stratification used to collect the traverse data), and functional group level (an aggregation of similar land systems);

Observations Of Localised Effects Of The Busselton Compensating Basins On Surface Water, Groundwater And Soil Salinity, D L. Bennett, Richard J. George Dr

Resource management technical reports

Between 2001 and 2009 the Water Corporation constructed three flood-compensating basins on farmland in the Vasse and Sabina river catchments, upstream of in the city of Busselton. The basins are designed to reduce the risk of flooding in urban areas of Busselton by temporarily storing and then regulating runoff during flood events. This report fulfils the reporting requirements of a contract between the Water Corporation and the Department of Agriculture and Food. Data relating to the local groundwater and surface-water dynamics, salinity, nutrients and pH, plus changes to shallow and deep-soil salinity (from repeat ground-based electromagnetic induction [EM] surveying), was …

A Report On The Gascoyne River Catchment Following The 2010/11 Flood Events, Peter-Jon A. Waddell, P W.E Thomas, Paul A. Findlater

Resource management technical reports

In December 2010 an extreme tropical storm resulted in widespread flooding at Carnarvon and across the catchment. Another two flood events followed during the summer of 2010–11

The rationale for this assessment is to provide illustrative evidence on the role that perennial vegetation groundcover management has in influencing the risk of flooding and soil loss in the catchment. It may be possible that the impact of flooding associated with extreme storm events can be reduced. This report focuses on catchment condition and is not a review of the pastoral industry’s economic viability.

Changes In Run-Off And Groundwater Under Saltbush Grazing Systems: Preliminary Results Of A Paired Catchment Study, D L. Bennett, Richard J. George Dr, Richard Silberstein

Resource management technical reports

No abstract provided.

Agriculture Futures: Potential Rural Land Uses On The Palusplain, Rodney Safstrom, Nicolyn Short Dr

Resource management technical reports

The purpose of this project was to identify agricultural land use options and opportunities within the Serpentine–Jarrahdale and Murray Shires, with particular focus on the Palusplain wetland section. The report will contribute to the Department of Planning’s natural resource management plan for the region and guide development of regional and local planning strategies. Historically, the Palusplain was a slowly moving, interconnected, seasonal wetland system with areas of higher ground. Extensive clearing and drainage occurred in the late 1800s through to the mid-1900s to facilitate agriculture; however, agriculture has been found to be a major contributor of nutrients to the system. …

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 …

Surface Water Characteristics Of The Weaber Plain And Lower Keep River Catchments: Data Review And Preliminary Results, D L. Bennett, Richard J. George Dr

Resource management technical reports

In 2008, the Ord Irrigation Expansion Project was approved by the Western Australian Government to develop irrigated agriculture on the Weaber Plain.

An important concern is the effect the Weaber Plain agricultural development may have on the water quality of the downstream Border Creek and Keep River

This report assembles and reviews all available physico-chemical water quality data for the lower Keep River and Border Creek systems and presents data from the initial year of a targeted baseline monitoring program (June 2010 – June 2013).

Land Systems Of The Kimberley Region, Western Australia, A L. Payne, N Schoknecht

Technical Bulletins

The Land Systems of the Kimberley Region Report describes and maps the landscapes, soils and vegetation of the Kimberley region. This report is a consolidation of surveys carried out by different organisations, across different areas of the Kimberley, since the 1940s. The Kimberley region, as defined in this bulletin, covers 330 070km². The report categorises the Kimberley region into 111 land systems. Under each land system, the report identifies the vulnerabilities of those areas, and provides recommendations on how to achieve sustainable use. The report also publishes pasture types for the entire region and the grazing potential for each pasture, …

Groundwater Chemistry Of The Weaber Plain: Preliminary Results, Adam Lillicrap, Paul Raper, Richard J. George Dr, D L. Bennett

Resource management technical reports

In 2008, the Ord Irrigation Expansion Project was approved by the Western Australian Government to develop irrigated agriculture on the Weaber Plain. Construction of the M2 supply channel connecting the ORIA and the Weaber Plain, and the final period of irrigation design, environmental management and related approval processes, commenced later in 2009. This process followed a protracted period of public and private industry planning and environmental assessment (Kinhill 2000). This report summarises an analysis of groundwater salinity trends on the Ivanhoe and Weaber plains and the preliminary results of an intensive water-quality sampling program carried out in 2010 as part …

Soil Assessment Of The Weaber Plain (Goomig) Farmlands, Henry Smolinski, Justin Laycock, Jim Dixon

Resource management technical reports

In 2008, the Ord Irrigation Expansion Project was approved by the Western Australian Government to develop irrigated agriculture on the Weaber Plain (Goomig)

As part of the environmental planning and approvals process, the WA Government was required to prepare a groundwater management plan and a hydrodynamic plan.

As a result, the Department of Agriculture and Food, Western Australia (DAFWA) was requested to lead an investigative program to support a second phase of modelling. The project was divided into five components: two addressing deficiencies related to groundwater, two relating to soils and subsoils, and one addressing surface and groundwater quality aspects. …

Designing A Soil Ph Monitoring Network For The Western Australian Wheatbelt, Karen Holmes, Pat Bellamy, Jim Dixon

Resource management technical reports

Natural resource managers in Western Australia require a purposely designed soil pH monitoring network to identify areas at higher risk of soil acidification and to observe changes in soil pH through time. This monitoring network, in conjunction with field experimental work and acidification modelling, will identify state and regional trends and help shape state natural resource management policy and regional extension programmes, as well as directly inform industry and land managers.

Weaber Plain Hydrogeology: Preliminary Results, Richard J. George Dr, John Andrew Simons, Paul Raper, Robert J. Paul, D L. Bennett, Rosemary H. Smith

Resource management technical reports

In 2008, the Ord Irrigation Expansion Project was approved by the Western Australian Government to develop irrigated agriculture on the Weaber Plain. Construction of the M2 supply channel connecting the ORIA and Weaber Plain, and the final period of irrigation design, environmental management and related approval processes commenced later in 2009. This process followed a protracted period of public and private industry planning and environmental assessment (Kinhill 2000). As a part of the environmental planning and approvals process, the WA Government was required to prepare a groundwater management plan and a hydrodynamic plan. These plans were to address potential issues …

Soil Test And Phosphorus Rate For High Rainfall Clover Pastures, Robert Summers, David Weaver

Bulletins 4000 -

Essential information for soil testing to determine the phosphorus fertiliser requirements for clover pastures in high rainfall coastal areas of Western Australia. Includes procedures for soil sampling, tissue testing, liming, when to apply fertiliser, how to decide on the target production level, how much fertiliser is required and type of fertiliser.

Weaber Plain Aquifer Test Results, Robert Paul, Paul Raper, John Andrew Simons, Grantley Stainer, Richard J. George

Resource management technical reports

As a part of the environmental planning and approvals process, the state government was required to prepare Groundwater Management and Hydrodynamic Plans. These plans are to address potential issues of salinity and water quality that could result from the development of irrigated agriculture on the Weaber Plain. The Weaber Plain groundwater modelling report (KBR 2010a) identified several options to manage watertables and salinity

Production bores 10WP35PB and 10WP36PB were drilled in the palaeochannel on sites selected from the interpretation of airborne geophysics.

Hydrological Impacts Of Integrated Oil Mallee Farming Systems, D L. Bennett, John Andrew Simons, Russell Speed

Resource management technical reports

This study reports on the results from investigations at four sites into the effect of commercial-scale oil mallee systems on localised groundwater systems over seven years. It also reports the results of the use of a numerical model to forecast potential longer term impacts.