Natural Resources Management and Policy Commons^™

Degradation In The Brockman River And Ellen Brook Catchments, Western Australia, Brian Lloyd

Natural resources published reports

An eight day survey of degradation in the Ellen Brook and Brockman River catchments revealed several areas of concern. Key concerns are:

Erosion and sedimentation

Various forms of erosion were observed during the survey that would cumulatively have an effect on the quality of both the Ellen Brook and the Brockman Rivers, and ultimately the Swan River. Erosion resulted from many situations including landholder management, subdivision design and infrastructure maintenance. Raising awareness as to consequences of erosion and sedimentation, along with remedial techniques and best management practices is recommended for the various levels of stakeholders.

Eutrophication

Eutrophication has been established …

A Conceptual Hydrogeological Model For The Lake Warden Recovery Catchments Esperance, Western Australia, R Short

Resource management technical reports

The National Land and Water Resource Audit (NLWRA), has identified Dryland Salinity as one of seven major themes for an audit of the nation’s land, water, vegetation and natural resource management. Within this theme, Project 3 has been developed to investigate a key catchment type and how management scenarios will impact on dryland salinity processes. The Lake Warden catchments have been chosen as one of four catchment water balance studies to be undertaken nationally. The catchment water balance analysis will be undertaken using numerical modelling by the CSIRO, Division of Land and Water.

The Rural Towns Program : Groundwater Modelling : The Merredin Catchment, J Matta

Resource management technical reports

Agriculture Western Australia (Agwest), as part of the Rural Towns Program, was engaged to test the application of a groundwater model for potential future management options against salinity for the Merredin townsite. This report illustrates some of the options that could be implemented to achieve the objective of salinity management.

Investigation Of The Role Of The Urella Fault And The Impact Of Salinity Development In The Nebru Catchment, Upper Arrowsmith, C E. Mcconnell

Resource management technical reports

No abstract provided.

The Salinity And Hydrology Of The Upper Slab Hut Catchment, R Ferdowsian, A T. Ryder

Resource management technical reports

No abstract provided.

Salinity And Hydrology Of The Fence Road Catchment : A Focus Catchment Of The Blackwood Basin, Ben Whitfield

Resource management technical reports

It is the clearing of native vegetation and replacement with lower water-use annual crops and pastures that is responsible for the developing salinity problem. Traditional farming practices have led to increased recharge to the groundwater systems resulting in increased storage and/or greater areas or rates of discharge. Groundwater monitoring has revealed variable rates of rise throughout the Fence Road catchment, from static to 0.6 metres per year, in a period of average to below average rainfall.

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.

Interagency Lake Mead And Las Vegas Wash Monitoring Program: Standard Operating Procedures Manual, Bureau Of Reclamation, City Of Henderson Water Reclamation Facility, City Of Las Vegas Water Pollution Control Facility, Clark County Sanitation District, Nevada, Southern Nevada Water Authority

Publications (WR)

A number of agencies sample Lake Mead and the Las Vegas Wash on a routine basis at several locations. In order to share and properly interpret the data, the Bureau of Reclamation, Southern Nevada Water Authority and the three Wastewater Treatment Facilities (City of Las Vegas, Clark County Sanitation District and City of Henderson) formed a committee to examine sampling and analytical protocols and to share information with the goal of maximizing the data quality. The group first met in April 1997. It was agreed that an effort should be made to discuss and compare specific sampling and analytical techniques …

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 …

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.

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.

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).

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.

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.

Salinity And Hydrology Of The Mills Lake Catchment, R Ferdowsian, A T. Ryder

Resource management technical reports

The Mills Lake Catchment is located north of the Ongerup-Jerramungup Road, 35 km west of Jerramungup and 10 km north-east of Ongerup. It covers about 23,800 ha of agricultural land that is more than 90% cleared and predominantly cropped. The average annual rainfall of the catchment is about 370 mm. Many low-lying parts of the study area have become salt-affected during recent years. The extent of soil salinity is growing rapidly and it is feared that, without any treatment, more land will become salt-affected.

Las Vegas Wash Water Quality Monitoring Program: 1996 Report Of Findings, Richard A. Roline, James J. Sartoris, U.S. Bureau Of Reclamation, U.S. Geological Survey

Publications (WR)

Las Vegas Wash, a natural wash east of the city of Las Vegas, Nevada, carries stormwater, groundwater drainage, and sewage effluent from three sewage treatment plants to Lake Mead. The Wash provides nearly the only surface water outlet for the entire 2,193 mi² of Las Vegas Valley. A drainage area of 1,586 mi² contributes directly to the Wash through surface flow which is channeled to Las Vegas Bay of Lake Mead, while drainage of the remaining 607 mi² is presumably subsurface and may drain toward Las Vegas Wash.

In the 1930's and 1940's, sewage treatment plants were …

Evaluation Of Deep, Open Drains In The North Stirling Area, R Ferdowsian, A T. Ryder, J Kelly

Resource management technical reports

No abstract provided.

Salinity And Hydrology Of The Wamballup Swamp Catchment, R Ferdowsian, A T. Ryder

Resource management technical reports

No abstract provided.

The Salinity And Hydrology Of The Tambellup Townsite And Jam Creek Catchment, R Ferdowsian, A T. Ryder

Resource management technical reports

The study area covers the Tambellup Town and the Jam Creek Catchment (top photograph on cover). The Tambellup Town is located 115 km north of Albany. The town has a population of 360 people (800 in the whole Shire). Tambellup is experiencing increasing salinity problems. Saline groundwater levels are close to the soil surface and cause deterioration of buildings, roads, infrastructure, death of trees and scalding of land including the sporting grounds. Many hectares of land in the Jam Creek Catchment has become salt-affected and salinity is on increase. The objective of this study was to define the present salinity …

Catchments Of The Esperance Region Of Western Australia, S T. Gee, John Andrew Simons

Resource management technical reports

This document provides a catalogue of the cultural and physical characteristics of the 32 catchments and internally drained areas in the Esperance agricultural region. Nineteen topographic catchments externally drain to the coast and the remaining 13 areas drain internally within their own boundaries.

Morilla Swamp Hydrological Investigation, Russell John Speed, E B. Lefroy, John Andrew Simons

Resource management technical reports

No abstract provided.

Western Australian Salinity Action Plan, Agriculture Western Australia, Department Of Conservation And Land Management, Department Of Environmental Protection, Water And Rivers Commission

Natural resources published reports

Salinity is one of the State's most critical environmental problems, threatening major economic and social consequences. It is preventable and, in the long term, reversible. Complete elimination is not realistic, but we can dramatically reduce its impact.

Salinity is caused by replacing deep-rooted native plants with shallow-rooted crops and pastures. More rainfall passed below the root zone and accumulates as groundwater so that watertables rise. The groundwater mobilises natural salts in the soil as it rises and carries them towards the surface, eventually degrading land and streams.

Bulletin 4329 - Environmental Hazards Of Farming In Western Australia, Greg Hamilton, Ian Foster, Philip M. Goulding

Bulletins 4000 -

This Bulletin is one of a series on crop establishment practices which minimise soil disturbance and improve stubble retention. In partnership with primary producers, Agriculture Western Australia 1s focussed on improved and profitable farming which conserves or improves the quality of the State's soil resources.

Agricultural land in Western Australia is naturally fragile and susceptible to degradation. Salinity and wind erosion are the most visible and significant forms of degradation, but all forms are present over large areas of agricultural land (House of Representatives Enquiry into Land Degradation in Western Australia, 1988).

The fragility of Western Australia's soils has been …

Degradation Of Remnant Vegetation, Richard George, Don Mcfarlane, Russell Speed

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

Remnant vegetation, wetlands and riverine systems on both private and public land throughout south-western Australia are being rapidly degraded by dryland salinity, inundation, silting, nutrient enrichment and weed invasion. Richard George, Don McFarlane and Russel Speed outline some of the reasons why this is happening and provide some case studies that highlight actions to protect these remnants.

Toolibin Catchment Revegetation Manual, Avril Baxter

Natural resources published reports

In1983, heavy winter rains resulted in severe inundation and flooding of the lower parts of the Toolibin catchment. The damage to crops and pastures was immense and costly. Local farmers realised that they needed to work together to minimise the impact of heavy rainfall events on their farm productivity.

At the same time the Western Australian Department of Conservation and Land Management (CALM) was concerned about the quality of both ground and surface water in the catchment area for Toolibin Lake, the last remaining wooded freshwater lake in the southern wheatbelt. This mutual interest led to the formation of the …

Nutrient Limitation In A Southwestern Desert Reservoir: Eutrophication Of Las Vegas Bay, Lake Mead, Nevada, Davine M. Lieberman

Publications (WR)

Algal bioassay tests were conducted with Selenastrum capricornutum and natural algae on inner Las Vegas Bay, Lake Mead, Nevada, from December 1992 through September 1993, to identify any nutrient limitation in an area of the reservoir that has experienced problems associated with severe nutrient enrichment. Three areas were sampled based on a gradient of water quality conditions that existed in Las Vegas Bay (LVB). Disodium ethylenedinitrilotetraacetate (EDTA) significantly stimulated algal growth compared to non-EDTA treatment. Algal bioassays indicated that phosphorus (P) was the primary limiting nutrient at all stations for most of the test dates. Chl a response with EDTA …