6. Salinity Research 1987/1988-
6.1 Catchment Hydrology
1. TITLE: Hillslope hydrology and water balance of areas containing level interceptor banks.
LOCATION: West of Narrogin.
OBJECTIVES:
To determine the water balance of the water held in the channel of level interceptor banks on different parts of a hillside. From this to infer the effect of the banks on waterlogging and salinity, in particular their effect on recharge to deep saline groundwaters.
To quantify where surface and shallow subsurface seepage waters are
generated on a hillside and to relate these flows to soil and climatic conditions.
To geologically characterize the study area to help understand the spatial distribution of hydraulic properties and salt storages on the hillside.
SALINITY IN WESTERN AUSTRALIA – A SITUATION STATEMENT
2. TITLE: Surface drainage of clay flats.
LOCATION: North of Lake Toolibin.
OBJECTIVE:
To measure the effectiveness of shallow surface drains at different spacings in removing excess rainfall from heavy clay flats in the Western Australian
wheatbelt.
3. TITLE: Salinity investigations of the Arthur River clay flats.
LOCATION: North of Lake Toolibin.
OBJECTIVES:
To understand the distribution of salt affected areas on the Arthur River clay flats north of Lake Toolibin.
To determine whether the flats are at risk from salinity.
To predict the effect any drainage or flood control works will have on the deep saline aquifer.
4. TITLE: Hydrologic investigations of valley systems in the Kellerberrin Soil Conservation District.
LOCATION: Wallatin Creek and North Baandee catchments.
OBJECTIVES:
To understand the distribution of salt-affected areas in dissimilar valley systems in the Kellerberrin Soil Conservation District.
To preduct the likely effect of any soil conservation and flood mitigation works in the valleys on surface water flows, and shallow and deep groundwater levels.
To provide input to studies on the economics of alternative soil conservation strategies and on the value of remnant vegetation in wheatbelt areas.
5. TITLE: Seepage interceptor drains for waterlogging control in the ceral crop areas of Western Australia.
LOCATION: Narrogin and Mount Barker.
OBJECTIVES:
To determine the effect of seepage interceptor drains upon the duration of waterlogging of duplex soil in south-western Australia.
To understand the mechanisms whereby seepage interceptor drains control waterlogging, so that the results may be extended to unstudied areas.
SALINITY IN WESTERN AUSTRALIA – A SITUATION STATEMENT
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6. TITLE: Extend and significance of waterlogging in the Upper Great Southern.
LOCATION: Narrogin.
OBJECTIVE:
To determine the physical extent and economic significance of waterlogging in the Upper Great Southern.
7. TITLE: Quantification of catchment hydrological parameters.
LOCATION: East Perenjori.
OBJECTIVES:
To quantify the components of the hydrological cycle.
To determine methods for management of soil salinity and water logging 8. TITLE: The morphology and hydrological properties of red-brown and
other natural hardpans.
LOCATION: Various catchments in the north eastern wheatbelt.
OBJECTIVES:
To describe and classify natural hardpans which occur in the north-eastern wheatbelt.
To identify the role of hardpans in waterlogging/salinity processes.
9. TITLE: Waterbalance of a deep sandy earth.
LOCATION: East Perenjori.
OBJECTIVES:
To measure the components of the waterbalance of a deep sandy earth under different land-uses.
To determine the effects of absorption banks on groundwater recharge.
To determine the interaction between the shallow perched and the deep regional groundwater systems.
10. TITLE: An investigation of the hydrologic processes responsible for the development of sandplain seeps and their effect on regional ground water systems.
LOCATION: Eastern wheatbelt.
SALINITY IN WESTERN AUSTRALIA – A SITUATION STATEMENT
OBJECTIVES:
To define the cause of sandplain seep development and assess their use as a potential stock water supply.
11. TITLE: Hydrology of salinization in the Mallee Road sump.
LOCATION: Fitzgerald.
OBJECTIVE:
To quantify the components of the hydrological cycle in the Mallee Road Sump.
12. TITLE: Crop water use in the Mallee Road sump.
LOCATION: Fitzgerald.
OBJECTIVES:
Establish a farmer size demonstration site to achieve maximum yields in a lupin crop and the following wheat crop, with the aim of encouraging further lupin sowings in the area to maximize landscape water use.
To establish a suitable rotation to maximize water use and yield. Measurements made were rainfall, dry matter, gravimetric soil moisture, silicon analysis, yield.
13. TITLE: Plant silicon content as an index of crop water use.
LOCATION: Fitzgerald.
OBJECTIVE:
To assess the accuracy of plant silicon content as an indicator of seasonal crop water use.
14. TITLE: The effect of lucerne pasture on the groundwater hydrology of a small catchment in the Esperance area.
LOCATION: Esperance.
OBJECTIVES:
To compare the groundwater hydrology and water balance under lucerne and subclover.
To determine the effect of land use on watertables and salinity control.
To collate data for use in water balance simulation models.
15. TITLE: Catchment hydrology - Perillup.
SALINITY IN WESTERN AUSTRALIA – A SITUATION STATEMENT
63 OBJECTIVES:
To quantify the components of the hydrological cycle.
To determine options available for treatment of the soil salinity in the catchment and the saline discharge into the Kent River.
16. TITLE: Geophysics in salinity research.
LOCATION: Cuballing, W. Narrogin, Frankland River, E. Wagin, Crossmans and Allandale.
OBJECTIVES:
To assess the use of various geophysical techniques in salinity studies.
17 TITLE: Identification and definition of recharge areas associated with secondary salinity in the Upper Great Southern.
LOCATION: Cuballing, W. Narrogin, Crossman, Merredin and Toolibin.
OBJECTIVE:
To establish criteria for identifying and defining relative rates of recharge on different landclasses.