On the eastern colluvial slopes of the Grampians Range, the medium sized Moyston Salinity Province lies between the townships of Halls Gap and Stawell. Native vegetation is reasonably prevalent, particularly on the range slopes and along drainage lines. Features of this province are the fresh water lakes supplied from runoff from the slopes of the Grampians, some of which are seasonally dry.
Landuse is diverse with a combination of dryland cropping, blue gum plantations and grazing on annual pasture. Dryland salinity is generally adjacent to these lakes with fluctuations in groundwater behaviour corresponding to lake capacity. The fractured Cambrian rocks, deeply weathered Palaeozoic rocks, colluvial slopes and minor alluvials provide local to intermediate scale Groundwater Flow Systems that respond to climate cycles.
Increased perennial pasture and native revegetation together with protection of susceptible areas will help to mitigate dryland salinity in this province.
|