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Salinity Province 29, East Campaspe Plains

Thumbnail image showing the location of the East Compaspe Plains Salinity Province in VictoriaThe small East Campaspe Plains Salinity Province covers about 34,000ha on the northern border of the North Central and Goulburn Broken catchments and includes the major town of Echuca. It occurs on alluvial, floodplain origin unconsolidated sediments associated with the east side of the Campaspe River. Part of the Shepparton Irrigation Region, water is supplied from the Goulburn River via the Waranga Western Channel. A regional scale Groundwater Flow System associated with the Campaspe Deep Lead and Shepparton formation underlies the province. High watertables, waterlogging and salinity followed the development of irrigation, peaking in 1995 following the 1950s to 1990s wet years, but these have since declined during of the recent drought. Depth to watertable maps can be found on the Goulburn-Broken CMA website.

A historically productive irrigated dairy area, salinity is managed through an integrated program that improved irrigation water-use efficiency; built a surface drainage network, installed groundwater pumps to manage high watertables and supported environmental protection works.



Province Attributes

Catchment Management Region:NORTH CENTRAL
Priority Status:High
Province Area:33,900 ha
Recorded Soil Salinity Area 1:0 ha
Dominant Surface Geology Type:Sedimentary
Influence of Geological Structure on Salinity Occurrence/s:Possible
Relevant Geomorphological Mapping Units (GMUs):4.2.1, 4.2.2
Predominant Groundwater Flow Systems (GFSs):Regional
Relevant Irrigation Areas:Rochester, Central Goulburn


East Campaspe Plains Salinity Province Map

A detailed map showing the East Campaspe Plains Salinity Province

Links to further reading and material related to the North Central Salinity Province
For further information relating to groundwater levels and salinities in this Province please see: Visualising Victoria's Groundwater (VVG)



1 Please Note: The ‘Recorded Soil Salinity Area’ indicated in the Salinity Province Attribute Table, comprises the total geographic area that has been mapped as having, or showing symptoms of, dryland soil salinity at some time (past or present). As dryland salinity occurrence in the Victorian landscape exhibits many different levels of severity and can change due to climate, landuse and vegetation, previously mapped areas may no longer be showing symptoms. In addition, as not all parts of the State have been mapped, or mapped in the same way, the mapping may not have captured some occurrences.

The soil salinity mapping used to calculate this ‘area’ does not cover irrigation regions. In irrigation regions, depth to watertable and watertable salinity mapping has been used to convey the threat of high watertables on soil waterlogging and/or soil salinisation and these areas are not included in this ‘area‘ calculation.

Please contact the Department, your Catchment Management Authority or your rural water provider for more information about salinity in your location.
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