Salinity Province 53, Kamarroka

Thumbnail image showing the location of the Kamarroka Salinity Province in Victoria The Kamarooka Salinity Province is a moderate sized province centred about 40 kilometers north of Bendigo.

Intermediate scale Groundwater Flow Systems (GFSs) occur in deeply weathered Palaeozoic metasedimentary rocks; while a regional scale GFS underlies the flatter alluvial plains. A large area of dryland salinity developed adjacent to a crescent shaped ridge of the highly weathered metasediments. Smaller areas of salinity also occur on the poorly drained alluvial plains.

Extensive tree planting adjacent to the major discharge area (including an approx. 50 ha plantation) and the smaller sites have been attributed to the renovation of these saline areas. Monitoring an extensive bore network has provided data on groundwater behaviour since the 1980s; this groundwater continues to be monitored on a seasonal basis. The decade long (~1999 - 2009) drought and tree planting caused a decline in the groundwater to pre-monitoring levels. Other salinity mitigation work has included; increased areas of perennials, and in the irrigated areas, improved drainage and increased water use efficiencies.

Province Attributes

Catchment Management Region:	NORTH CENTRAL
Priority Status:	High
Province Area:	43,960 ha
Recorded Soil Salinity Area ¹:	778 ha
Dominant Surface Geology Type:	Sedimentary
Influence of Geological Structure on Salinity Occurrence/s:	Possible
Relevant Geomorphological Mapping Units (GMUs):	4.1.2, 4.1X
Predominant Groundwater Flow Systems (GFSs):	Intermediate & Regional
Relevant Irrigation Areas:	Pyramid-Boort

Kamarooka Salinity Province Map

A detailed map showing the Kamarooka 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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