Salinity Province 75, Modewarre

Thumbnail image showing the location of Modewarre Salinity Province in Victoria The Modewarre Salinity Province is one of the smaller provinces in the Corangamite CMA region at some 345,000 ha. It is underlain by intermediate scale sedimentary Pliocene sands Groundwater Flow Systems (GFSs) and local-intermediate scale fractured basalt plains GFSs.

Mapped high watertable and salinity occurrences total only about 100 ha and are found in lower, flat lying landscape positions and a few drainage lines. Causation results from high watertables arising from landscape clearance and wet periods, while relict natural features such as Lake Modewarre highlight the susceptibility of parts of this province to salinity hazard during wet climate phases.

Management approaches involve increasing plant water use within farming systems and re-treeing suitable locations. Low-lying areas at risk from rising or high watertables should be planted with suitable waterlogging and salt tolerant plants, or even returned to seasonal wetlands. Careful stock management is needed to minimise soil structure damage.

Province Attributes

Catchment Management Region:	CORANGAMITE
Priority Status:	High
Province Area:	34,590 ha
Recorded Soil Salinity Area ¹:	103 ha
Dominant Surface Geology Type:	Sedimentary
Influence of Geological Structure on Salinity Occurrence/s:	None
Relevant Geomorphological Mapping Units (GMUs):	6.2.4, 6.1.4
Predominant Groundwater Flow Systems (GFSs):	Local/Intermediate & Intermediate/Regional
Relevant Irrigation Areas:	N/A

Modewarre Salinity Province Map

A detailed map showing Modewarre 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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