Salinity Province 100, Raak Plains

Thumbnail image showing the location of Raak Plains Salinity Province in Victoria The Raak Plains Salinity Province is located around the specific primary salinity feature of the Raak Plains Salinas. Saline groundwater discharge from the deeper regional scale Groundwater Flow System (GFS) has salinised a clay depositional feature called the Blanchetown Clay, which has then been blown away by the wind to form saline depressions known as "boinkas".

The province is mostly still under remnant vegetation of the Murray-Sunset National Park however, some cropping does occur in the north and east of the province in and around many of the primary salinity features. Some expansion of the primary groundwater discharge areas followed land clearing and wetter climate periods, which increased recharge in the local to intermediate scale sand dune GFSs.

Management actions should focus on reducing recharge through cropping area soils to slow the secondary salinity processes. Grazing in and close to saline areas should also be minimised to protect salt tolerant vegetation and prevent soil erosion.

Province Attributes

Catchment Management Region:	MALLEE
Priority Status:	High
Province Area:	124,050 ha
Recorded Soil Salinity Area ¹:	26,008 ha
Dominant Surface Geology Type:	Sedimentary
Influence of Geological Structure on Salinity Occurrence/s:	Definite
Relevant Geomorphological Mapping Units (GMUs):	5.3.1, 5.X
Predominant Groundwater Flow Systems (GFSs):	Regional & Local/Intermediate
Relevant Irrigation Areas:	N/A

Raak Plains Salinity Province Map

A detailed map showing the Raak Plains Salinity Province

Links to further reading and material related to the Mallee 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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