Hydrology Commons^™

Planning For Horticultural Expansion On The Swan Coastal Plain, P Coghlan, Geoff Moore, Jim Dixon

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

Horticulture is an intensive, high value form of agriculture highly dependant on the availability of good water supplies for the year-round production of fresh produce. Production increase in Western Australia and the encouragement and development of export markets has caused rapid expansion if the industry in recent years.

Expansion is expected to continue, placing severe pressure on available water supplies and suitable land close to markets. At present' 90 per cent of the Stase's horticultural land is on the Swan Coastal Plain and minor selected hills areas around Perth.

Salinity In Western Australia : A Situation Statement, V T. Read

Resource management technical reports

The Select Committee on Salinity was established by the Legislative Council of the Parliament of Western Australia in November 1987 to inquire into and report on salinity in Western Australia giving particular regard to:

• what action has, or is being taken, to assess the magnitude of the problem;

• what form of action can, or should, be taken to control salinity;

• what legislative of administrative acts or incentives to the private sector are necessary or desirable to assist further in controlling or eradicating salinity.

Members appointed to the Select Committee were the Honourable David Wordsworth (Chairman), the Honourable …

Preliminary Groundwater And Salinity Investigations In The Eastern Wheatbelt 2. Merredin Catchment, Richard J. George Dr, P W C Frantom

Resource management technical reports

Saline groundwater occurs within twelve metres of the surface throughout the valley of the Merredin catchment. Saline groundwater occurs within deep sediments deposited in the valley and deeply-weathered bedrock materials. Rapid groundwater recharge appears to be taking place in sandy-textured soils high in the landscape and directly into the Cainozoic sediments in the valley floor. Water-tables are rising at approximately ten centimetres each year in the upper catchment area.

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

Resource management technical reports

No abstract provided.

Preliminary Groundwater And Salinity Investigations In The Eastern Wheatbelt. 3. Welbungin And Beacon River Catchments, Richard J. George Dr, P W C Frantom

Resource management technical reports

Water-tables show no obvious signs of a nett annual rise in the bores monitored in the valley floor, lower slope areas over the three year period. Groundwaters are extremely saline, the sedimentary and saprolite aquifers permeable (hydraulic conductivity range 0.1-2.0 m/day) (0.0001). Future management systems should seek to decrease recharge by changing rotations and farm practises while increasing discharge by using trees, pumps and halophytes. Options are available for drainage.

The Soils Of South Carrabin Research Station -Light Land Annex, Henry Smolinski, G G. Scholz

Resource management technical reports

No abstract provided.

Water Erosion Survey In The Northam District After Storms In June 1986, D J. Mcfarlane, A T. Ryder

Resource management technical reports

No abstract provided.

Investigation Of A Saline Valley On Allandale Research Farm, D J. Mcfarlane, R Engel, A T. Ryder

Resource management technical reports

Geophysical surveys and drilling were used to investigate a saline valley on Allandale Research Farm. These techniques showed that the geology is controlling the location of two main areas of saline seeps and they identified another area at risk of increased salinity. They were also used to obtain information on the groundwater system and to assist in making management recommendations.

Electromagnetic terrain conductivity surveys showed that the most saline soils occurred upstream of a cross-cutting magnetic anomaly caused by a dolerite dyke. A seismic survey showed that the anomaly coincided with a bedrock rise. This bedrock rise restricts groundwater flow …

Survey Of Research Priorities In Water Erosion, Waterlogging And Flooding In South-Western Australia, D J. Mcfarlane, E G. Barrett-Lennard

Resource management technical reports

No abstract provided.

Seepage Interceptor Drains And Topsoil Salinity, T R. Negus

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

The Department of Agriculture established 121 trials in its Narrogin advisory district starting in 1972 to measure the effect of bulldozer and grader built seepage interceptor banks and drains on the topsoil salinity of the land downslope of them.

After 14 years of moniterin, there was no evidence that seepage interceptor drains and banks reduced the top soil salinity on 10 of the 11 sites in the Pingelly, Brookton and Wickepin Shires.

Banks : A Method Of Financially Assessing Banks Used To Mitigate Water Erosion In South-Western Australia, John S. Salerian, D J. Mcfarlane

Resource management technical reports

No abstract provided.

Kununurra Region - Land Utilization Report - 1984 Dry Season - 1984/85 Wet Season And 1985 Dry Season In The Ord River Irrigation Area, S. Sandover

Natural resources published reports

Kununurra Region

3rd edition

A small experimental farm was first established on the Ord River in 1941. This farm was relocated in 1945 to what is now known as the Frank Wise Institute of Tropical Agriculture.

The first stage of the Irrigation Scheme which included the Diversion dam was completed by 1963 and by 1966, 31 irrigated farms had been established.

In 1967 the second stage was commenced and by 1972 the main dam had been completed.

Cotton was the major crop until 1974. In the wet season of that year 3642 hectares was devoted to cotton. Various crops such …

Jandakot Groundwater Scheme Area : A Study Of Land Resources And Planning Considerations, M R. Wells, N L B Richards, A J. Clarke

Resource management technical reports

No abstract provided.

Drainage And The Law, G A. Robertson

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

Drainage is being increasingly used in Western Australia as an attempted cure for land salinisation and waterlogging. This is nor surprising as drainage is a technical approach that has, in some cases, improved saline land and reduced the effects of waterlogging. However, drainage is not always successful or cost-effective. A detailed site assessment is required before any large or costly drainage system is attempted. Articles in this issue of the Journal of Agriculture discuss that aspect in detail.

Draining A Saline Seep, W J. Burdass

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

Sub-surface drains have dried out a salty seep on farm land in the Katanning district. Capeweed and clovers are now growing on more than three-quarters of the land that was previously bare or carried only patchy sea barley grass.

The drains are still running water after five years. The salt content of the surface soil has been reduced markedly and the salt content of the effluent water is decreasing.

However, to complete the reclamation, further drains will be necessary. Both existing and any new drains will have to be flushed periodically because blockages of pipes cause problems.

Underground Water Supplies In The Wheatbelt, T T. Bestow

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

Underground water originates from rainfall. The size of the underground recource in any region is broadly related to the amount of rainfall. However, rainfall intensity and seasonal distribution are just as importent as the quality. A relatively small annual fall which consists of a series of heasvy showers or storms close together, may be a more effective source of recharge to underground water than a larger fall that is more evenly distributed over a longer period.

A large annual rainfall, however, is no guarantee that underground water supplies will be readily available. This is because soils and the underlying rocks …

Hillside Seepages, R A. Nulsen

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

'Hillside seepage' is a local, descriptive term applied to almost any wet patch occurring out of the valley bottom. Depending on their surface appearances, 'hillside seepages' are described as 'springs', 'soaks', 'wet patches', or seeps.

Whatever they are called, seeps can cause problems. The land in the seep is wet, unworkable and non-productive. If the seep is saline and the water flows downhill, further land is lost from production, bared and subject to erosion. Even small seeps, while not affecting much land, break up a paddock and complicate the working pattern for tillage and harvest.

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.

Sub-Surface Drainage Methods For Salinity Control, P R. George

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

Sub-surface drainage can control waterlogging and salinity of arable land by removing excess groundwater.

There are two broad types of sub-surface drainage: interception drainage and relief drainage.

The cost of drainage will depend on the specific design for the site. For relief drains the prime determinate of cost will be the required spacing. In general, clay soils of low permeability or seepage areas will need narrower spacings and will be harder and more expensive to reclaim than sands or areas only needing drainage of local water.

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 …

Saltland Drainage : Case Studies, P R. George, R A. Nulsen

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

Over the past five years farmers have become increasingly interested in the use of drainage to overcome saltland problems.

Experimental work by the Department of Agriculture on sub-surface drainage includes tube drainage and drainage by pumping. The Department is also monitoring the performance of open drains installed by farmers. Major sites are at Esperance, Dalwallinu, Namban and Watheroo.

Some of these projects have been reported in an earlier issue of the Journal of Agriculture. In this article P. R. George, Research Officer and R. A. Nulsen, Principal Research Officer with the Salinity and Hydrology Research Branch, discuss recent results from …

Drainage To Control Waterlogging, D J. Mcfarlane, T R. Negus, J W. Cox

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

Drains can be classified in several ways. Drains on flat land have similar drainage effects on either side of the drain and are called relief drains. Drains on sloping land intercept seepage water moving down hillsides and therefore have most effect on the downslope side. They are called interceptor drains.

Drains can also be classified as being open drains (that is, open at the ground surface) or buried drains (for example, tube drains).

Draining Irrigation Areas, K S. Cole, J P. Middlemas

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

Many irrigation schemes throughout the world have turned into unproductive saline flats and swamps. This dramatic change can occur within a few years of irrigation starting and has been part of irrigation schemes from earliest times up to the present day.

The main cause of this salinisation is normally excess irrigation water use combined with poor drainage. Any form of waterlogging will have an adverse effect on plant growth.

Interceptor Drains And Waterlogging Control, J W. Cox, T R. Negus

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

Department of Agriculture trials of seepage interceptor drains from 1972 to 1983 primarily assessed the effects of such drains on salt encroachment. Although these trials showed that the drains had little influence on salt storage within the topsoil, they did reduce waterlogging downslope.

To investigate this drainage effect further, the Department's Narrogin office surveyed 35 drains on 14 properties in the winter of 1981, followed by detailed crop measurements in December that year. Provided the drains were properly designed, surveyed and constructed, and well maintained, they could be expected to increase crop yields during a waterlogging year by about 1 …

Assessment Of Waterlogged Sites, D J. Mcfarlane

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

Soil is said to be waterlogged if any part of the plant root zone is saturated with water. In severe cases soil is saturated to the surface and waterlogging is obvious. Waterlogging is distinguished from flooding in which surface runoff brings down water from higher up in a catchment. However, flooding may result in waterlogged sites.

Northern Wheatbelt Water Supply Study, I A F Laing, R. M. Pridham

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

Department of Agriculture surveys have shown that many farms in Western australia's northern wheatbelt have inadequate water supplies. More than 80 per cent of all farms in that area depend soley on groundwater for watering livestock, a much higher percentage than for most other farming areas. Because groundwater salinities have increased in recent years, concern is held for the long-term future of this recource.

In contrast to more southern agricultural areas, farm dams in the northern wheatbelt are relatively uncommon. Only 30 per cent of the existing dams in the northern wheatbelt constitute effective water supplies. More than half of …

Drainage Prospects For Saline Wheatbelt Soils, P R. George

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

Sub-surface or groundwater drainage by buried tube drains or open ditches can reclaim saltland in the Western Australian wheatbelt. However, this method is expensive and not all sites can be drained cost-effectively. Each drainage site is unique, so careful investigation of each site is essential before recommendations on drainage method and design can be made.

Increasing Groundwater Salinity In The Northern Wheatbelt, R J. Mcgowan

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

Every farmer in western Australia's northern wheatbelt will know of a groundwater supply, be it bore, well or soak. that has become increasingly saline. The groundwater may have become more saline over a period of 15 years or more, or have been noticed only recently. Inevitably, the bore will lie within an area cleared for agriculture. This increase in groundwater salinity may be associated with soil salinisation. Although researchers have some understanding of the processes causing salinisation of groundwater in the wheatbelt and the extent of the problem, little is known about the rates of salinisation and groundwater rise. A …

Plant Collections For Saltland Revegetation And Soil Conservation, A J. Clarke, T C. Swaan, C V. Malcolm

Technical Bulletins

In 1967, during an overseas plant exploration trip, seeds of plants of reputed salt tolerance and forage value were obtained from seven countries. Since 1971, over 600 plants have been added to the original collection of 343 plants already under observation for suitability for forage production in saline and arid areas. Additions to the test programme since 1971, include shrubs from Algeria; Argentina; Australia; Chile; England; Iran; Israel; Libya; Morocco; Netherlands; Russia; South Africa; Spain; Tunis and the United States of America. This Bulletin includes details of all plant collections from 1966 to December 1983.

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.