The Cope Cope Salinity Province encompasses a number of lakes developed on a broader alluvial flood plain of the Richardson River, some of which are terminal lake systems or are utilised as surface-water transfer routes.
Over 10% of the province has been mapped as having dryland salinity, which is over 5 times the statewide average and almost 20 times the median, on a per province basis. This salinity has developed in low-lying landscapes in swales and lakes associated with local to intermediate scale Groundwater Flow Systems (GFSs) or where broad shallow watertables within a regional scale GFS intersect the existing terminal ephemeral lake system. Flooding has played a key role in salinity discharge with water lying at the surface for long periods providing a hydraulic load to the shallow watertable. The lakes may have a seasonal cycle of salt concentration, dramatically increasing in salinity during summer months.
The main salinity mitigation option has been perenial pastures, although some of this has since been cropped with cereals and legumes.
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