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BRS SEMINAR SERIES PRESENTS: Friday 14 July 2006
New insights into salinity in the Murray Darling BasinMary
Colreavy — Natural Resource Management, DAFF
Scott Macaulay and Margaret Allan —Bureau of Rural Sciences,
DAFF
Salinity is an important resource issue, with impacts on farm
productivity and on the quality of our environment and natural
resources. More information on the sources of salt and
freshwater in catchments is needed to better manage the problem. To
gain a
better understand of salinity in the Murray Darling Basin (MDB),
the Australian Government has provided $20 million for the Bureau
of Rural Sciences to manage a series of community stream
sampling
and salinity mapping projects across the region. Community based
stream sampling investigations across 15
Catchment Management Organisations in the MDB will build a
snapshot of salinity across the Basin, while detailed
investigations
using airborne geophysical surveys will generate detailed three
dimensional models of salinity and water process at a small number
of critical sites. These results will be combined with an
investigation of the social and environmental history of land use
practices which will identify the salinity trends over time
associated with land-use
changes and map them against current conditions.
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Community Stream Sampling and Salinity Mapping in the Murray
Darling Basin
Science for decision makers
Mary Colreavy – DEH
Margaret Allan, Scott Macaulay - BRS
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www.brs.gov.au
National Action Plan for Salinity & Water Quality
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www.brs.gov.au
$20 million committed to salt mapping across the Murray Darling
Basin
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www.brs.gov.au
Three stage approach
2) Airborne Geophysical Surveys across priority areas.
1) A network of community based stream sampling projects across
the Murray Darling Basin
3) An investigation of social and environmental history of land
use practices
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Community Stream Sampling in the Murray Darling Basin
Science for decision makers
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www.brs.gov.au
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www.brs.gov.au
Stream Sampling Objectives
•Community involvement in identification of new areas where salt
is being mobilised by surface water
•Collection of standardised and verifiable data
•Development of a comprehensive dataset for surface water salt
mobilisation in the MDB
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www.brs.gov.au
Community Stream Sampling
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www.brs.gov.au
Community Stream SamplingCommunity participation in stream
sampling is an effective way of identifying surface water
salinity.
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www.brs.gov.au
Community Stream Sampling
Community groups will monitor EC of streams from major
sub-catchments over the next 2 years.
EC (electrical conductivity) is a measure of dissolved salt in
water.
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www.brs.gov.au
Outcomes
•Ranking of subcatchments based on salinity of surface water
•Information for decisions on salinity management
•Community access to data using web-based tools
•Community involvement in salinity monitoring and management
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www.brs.gov.au
Community Stream Sampling
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www.brs.gov.au
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www.brs.gov.au
Goals
•Increased understanding of surface water salinity in the MDB to
inform future management decisions.
•Promote community ‘awareness and ownership’ of the information
and engagement with CMOs in the management of any salinity
problems.
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3D Salt and Groundwater Mapping
Science for decision makers
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www.brs.gov.au
AIRBORNE ELECTROMAGNETICS
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www.brs.gov.au
EXISTING & PROPOSED SALT-MAPPING AREAS
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www.brs.gov.au
MACQUARIE AIRBORNE GEOPHYSICS SURVEY AREA
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www.brs.gov.au
Excerpt from fat ducks, fat cattle – fat chance.Sydney Morning
Herald 08 July 06
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www.brs.gov.au
SALT-MAPPING
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www.brs.gov.au
GROUNDWATER RESOURCE ASSESSMENT
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www.brs.gov.au
GROUNDWATER RESOURCE ASSESSMENT
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www.brs.gov.au
CLAY / SAND MAPPING
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www.brs.gov.au
MAPPING THE BLANCHETOWN CLAY
Blanchetown ClayHole
Overlying Sands
Saline Sands
Underlying Sands
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www.brs.gov.au
MAPPING THE BLANCHETOWN CLAY
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www.brs.gov.au* Sydney Morning Herald 8 July 06
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www.brs.gov.au
SOCIAL & ENVIRONMENTAL HISTORY
Looking at the social and environmental history of the area.
Identify key-players, and equip them with the knowledge to
manage salinity
Combine expert and local knowledge
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www.brs.gov.au
Summary
Salt in the landscape varies, both laterally and with depth.
Only salt mobilized by groundwater is a salinity risk.
Understanding where the salt is, is only part of the problem
Understanding groundwater movement & groundwater /
surface-waterinteraction is vital.
No ‘one-size-fits-all’ approach. Ask the right questions and
collect data that is fit for purpose
The most powerful tool we have is behavioural change.
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www.brs.gov.au* Sydney Morning Herald 8 July 06
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