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Salinity Province 135, Woodside Yarram

Thumbnail image showing the location of the Woodside Yarram Salinity Province in VictoriaSalinity presence in the Woodside_Yarram Salinity Province is dominated along the coast by high watertables close to sea level, with only a few patches of non-coastal dryland salinity recorded on farming land west of Alberton and above Yarram.

The Groundwater Flow Systems (GFS) of most relevance to salinity are local to intermediate scale ones found in the young (Quaternary), topmost sedimentary layers of aeolian and alluvial sands, silts and gravels. A high watertable is naturally present under cleared farmland along the coast and at close to sea level elevations, so waterlogging and salinity is inevitable during wetter climatic phases. The few occurrences mapped at higher elevations may be associated with geological faulting controlled discharge from the regional scale GFS associated with the ‘Haunted Hills Gravels’ that rise towards the Strezlecki hills to the north and west.

Some management of coastal salinity can be achieved through irrigation with improved sub-surface drainage (by shallow groundwater pumping or tile drainage), to maintain a low salinity rootzone. Alternatively, without irrigation, salt tolerant plants and careful grazing management can maximise production potential.



Province Attributes

Catchment Management Region:WEST GIPPSLAND
Priority Status:High
Province Area:164,260 ha
Recorded Soil Salinity Area 1:1,953 ha
Dominant Surface Geology Type:Sedimentary
Influence of Geological Structure on Salinity Occurrence/s:Possible
Relevant Geomorphological Mapping Units (GMUs):7.X, 3.X, 8.X
Predominant Groundwater Flow Systems (GFSs):Regional & Local/Intermediate
Relevant Irrigation Areas:N/A


Woodside Yarram Salinity Province Map

A detailed map showing the Woodside Yarram 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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