The relatively small Hattah Lakes Salinity Province is mostly public land of the Hattah Lakes National Park, but a small area of irrigation and dryland farming does occur south of the Hattah - Robinvale Road.
As with all other Mallee CMA region provinces, salt deposits are a naturally occurring feature of its semi-arid landscape. A regional scale Groundwater Flow System (GFS) comprising marine and alluvial sediments underlies the province, which also has local to intermediate scale GFSs associated with the dunes and younger alluvial sediments along the Murray River trench. Primary salinity processes in this naturally high salinity landscape have been exacerbated by irrigation development that has increased local groundwater recharge. While little salinity occurrence has been mapped, satellite imagery shows horticultural plantings avoid lower lying areas, suggesting soil and/or salinity constraints. Irrigation is likely to increase salinity threat to lower lying areas and enhance saline groundwater discharge to the Murray River.
Appropriate management responses include avoiding salt effected areas and optimising plant water use.
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