Salinity Province 2, Axe Creek

Thumbnail image showing the location of the Axe Creek Salinity Province in Victoria The Axe Creek Salinity Province is a source catchment for the Campaspe River and has been identified as providing high salt load to the Murray River system.

Dryland salinity occurs at the ‘break-of-slope’ and along drainage lines on the northern side of the Whitelaw Fault. The faults acts as a conduit to groundwater flow with discharge expressed where drainage lines intersect the fault. High groundwater yields (up to 5 L/s) have been observed in monitoring bores indicating extensive bedrock fracturing driving upward groundwater pressures. The Groundwater Flow Systems (GFSs) in the area include intermediate scale systems in fractured and weathered Palaeozoic rocks and local to intermediate scale systems in alluvial sediments.

This catchment contributes one of the highest salt loads to the Campaspe River system. Some minor tree planting to reduce recharge has been attempted on ridgelines. An extensive monitoring bore network has been recording groundwater level since the early 1980s.

Province Attributes

Catchment Management Region:	NORTH CENTRAL
Priority Status:	High
Province Area:	50,640 ha
Recorded Soil Salinity Area ¹:	100 ha
Dominant Surface Geology Type:	Sedimentary
Influence of Geological Structure on Salinity Occurrence/s:	Definite
Relevant Geomorphological Mapping Units (GMUs):	2.1.2, 2.1.X
Predominant Groundwater Flow Systems (GFSs):	Intermediate & Local/Intermediate
Relevant Irrigation Areas:	N/A

Axe Creek Salinity Province Map

A detailed map showing the axe creek 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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