Salinity Province 104, Rosedale

Thumbnail image showing the location of the Rosedale Salinity Province in Victoria Mapped high watertables and salinity affected areas in the small Rosedale Salinity Province is nearly all found on the south floodplain of the LaTrobe River at about the same elevation of 18 metres.

The main Groundwater Flow System (GFS) is regional scale and associated with the ‘Haunted Hills Gravels’ that extend south to the Strezlecki hills. The local to intermediate scale GFS of the LaTrobe River floodplain sediments overlie this along the Princes Highway corridor through Rosedale. These low-lying areas were naturally wet and probably had a high watertable, so it was inevitable that draining these areas in an attempt to convert them to dryland grazing land has resulted in salinity problems. Following periods of higher rainfall (and hence increased recharge), salinity has emerged as groundwater levels rose and discharge zones in and around Rosedale Township became active. At least 500 hectares of high watertables coupled with brackish groundwater have been mapped, but other areas at similar elevation and landscape location are probably also at risk.

Management options should focus on higher plant water utilisation in higher elevation areas and the removal of low-lying areas from production for restoration as wetlands.

Province Attributes

Catchment Management Region:	WEST GIPPSLAND
Priority Status:	High
Province Area:	13,140 ha
Recorded Soil Salinity Area ¹:	468 ha
Dominant Surface Geology Type:	Sedimentary
Influence of Geological Structure on Salinity Occurrence/s:	Probable
Relevant Geomorphological Mapping Units (GMUs):	7.3.X, 7.2.X
Predominant Groundwater Flow Systems (GFSs):	Regional & Local/Intermediate
Relevant Irrigation Areas:	N/A

Rosedale Salinity Province Map

A detailed map showing the Rosedale Salinity Province

Links to further reading and material related to the West Gippsland Salinity Province
Groundwater Flow Systems (GFS) in the West Gippsland CMR

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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