Salinity Province 33, Eurack

Thumbnail image showing the location of Eurack Salinity Province in Victoria The Eurack Salinity Province is situated on the east side of Lake Corangamite and consists mainly of volcanic plains with volcanic cones, stony rises and younger sedimentary Groundwater Flow Systems of local and intermediate scale.

This province has the largest area of mapped primary and secondary salinity in the Corangamite catchment, being over 6000 ha and 8% of the province. Numerous natural salt lakes and high groundwater salinity result in fluctuating extents of primary and secondary salinity around the many depressions and naturally landlocked parts of this province, with increasing salinity hazard during higher rainfall periods. Drainage works may exacerbate salinisation process in some circumstances by preventing 'freshening' of brackish groundwater by stopping seasonal ponding.

Management response involves recognising that salinity is a natural feature of the landscape and with revegetation and protection of saline areas and their margins from stock access during wetter times. Productivity is best maintained by focussing efforts on the higher landscape positions with well-drained soils.

Province Attributes

Catchment Management Region:	CORANGAMITE
Priority Status:	High
Province Area:	76200 ha
Recorded Soil Salinity Area ¹:	6086 ha
Dominant Surface Geology Type:	Sedimentary
Influence of Geological Structure on Salinity Occurrence/s:	Definite
Relevant Geomorphological Mapping Units (GMUs):	6.1.
Predominant Groundwater Flow Systems (GFSs):	Regional & Local/Intermediate
Relevant Irrigation Areas:	N/A

Eurack Salinity Province Map

A detailed map showing Eurack Salinity Province

Links to further reading and material related to the Corangamite Salinity Province

Groundwater Flow Systems (GFS) in the Corangamite CMR

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.

Page top