Salinity Province 3, Ballarat Hills

Thumbnail image showing the location of Ballarat Hills Salinity Province in Victoria The Ballarat Hills Salinity Province covers an area of about 68,000 ha of the Victorian Central Highlands. Dryland salinity occurrence is almost all associated with the intermediate and regional Groundwater Flow Systems (GFSs) of the region’s volcanic rocks.

Mapped salinity occurrence is mostly found in drainage lines, former swamps and broad depressions in the basalt plains parts of the landscape. Due to the slow response of groundwater levels in intermediate to regional scale GFSs, management effort is better targeted towards treating high watertable locations and groundwater discharge areas.

Seasonal filling of depressions allows fresh water to replace saline groundwater in the profile, and some evidence suggests past draining of wetlands and depressions exacerbated soil salinity rise. Planting affected areas with salt and waterlogging tolerant productive and environmentally beneficial plant species or rehabilitating wetlands, as has been implemented in areas such as Smythes Creek, are suitable salinity control options.

Province Attributes

Catchment Management Region:	CORANGAMITE
Priority Status:	High
Province Area:	68070 ha
Recorded Soil Salinity Area ¹:	348 ha
Dominant Surface Geology Type:	Sedimentary
Influence of Geological Structure on Salinity Occurrence/s:	None
Relevant Geomorphological Mapping Units (GMUs):	2.1.X
Predominant Groundwater Flow Systems (GFSs):	Local, Intermediate & Local/Intermediate
Relevant Irrigation Areas:	N/A

Ballarat Hills Salinity Province Map

A detailed map showing Ballarat Hills Salinity Province

Links to further reading and material related to the Corangamite Salinity Province

Groundwater Flow Systems (GFS) in the Corangamite 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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