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Salinity Province 54, Kerang Lakes

Thumbnail image showing the location of the Kerang Lakes Salinity Province in VictoriaThe large Kerang Lakes Salinity Province is dominated by the terminal lake system of the Avoca and Loddon rivers. It is one of only two provinces located across a CMA boundary, with a small part of the far Northwest of the Province located within the Mallee CMA area (see map below). While the area concerned is geographically quite small, it contains a number of significant areas of mapped salinity; the largest of these is also partially located within the two adjacent CMA areas. These saline areas have been included in this Province because their characteristics and attributes are more closely related to those of the remainder of the Province than to those of the closest province in the Mallee CMA area.

Soil Salinity has developed where broad shallow watertables associated with a regional scale Groundwater Flow System (GFS) intersect the existing terminal ephemeral lake system. Dryland Salinity has also developed in low-lying areas including swales, dry shallow lakes and around the lake margins, relating to local scale GFSs in the Quaternary aeolian, lake, evaporite and shallow alluvial sediments which overlie the regional scale GFS. The increased hydraulic load from irrigation, the channel systems and flooding of the lakes and wetlands compounds this salinity. Salinity is the main risk to the fresh water ecology of the Kerang Wetlands, which are RAMSAR listed and affected by direct saline intrusions, disposal of saline drainage water and isolation from natural flushing flows. Salinity is managed through an integrated program that includes groundwater monitoring, improved irrigation water-use efficiency; better surface drainage, strategic flushing of wetlands, targeted groundwater pumping and environmental protection works.



Province Attributes

Catchment Management Region:NORTH CENTRAL
Priority Status:High
Province Area:108,370 ha
Recorded Soil Salinity Area 1:1,009 ha
Dominant Surface Geology Type:Sedimentary
Influence of Geological Structure on Salinity Occurrence/s:Probable
Relevant Geomorphological Mapping Units (GMUs):4.X, 5.1.X
Predominant Groundwater Flow Systems (GFSs):Local & Regional
Relevant Irrigation Areas:Torrumbarry


Kerang Lakes Salinity Province Map

A detailed map showing the Kerang Lakes 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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