Salinity Province 99, Pyrenees

The Pyrenees Salinity Province occurs along the eastern slopes of the rocky catchment divide between the North Central and Wimmera catchments. It contains a number of discreet creeks flowing east from this divide, forming deep valleys that incise these slopes then continuing across the flatter alluvial plains in the east of the province. Moonambel, Redbank, Carapooee and Steward Mill are the important locations within the province, each of which has similar groundwater processes. Rocky ridges with "saw tooth" rock exposure in fractured and weathered Palaeozoic rocks provide high recharge zones. Most dryland salinity is associated with local scale Groundwater Flow Systems (GFSs) in alluvial sediments and is expressed along the drainage lines that cross the plains. Further salinity occurs at the ‘break-of-slope’ of the rocky hills and valleys on associated local to intermediate scale GFSs.

Two distinct periods of deforestation occurred, pioneer settlement and again for charcoal production during WW1. Salinity first appeared in the 1970s and groundwater monitoring began in the early 1980s.

Some interception tree planting and perennial pasture planting has been undertaken with varying degrees of success. Extensive infestations of ‘Spiny Rush’ occur in low-lying areas with high, saline watertables.