Level banks used to decrease waterlogging can increase salinity

Authors

Don McFarlane
Richard EngelFollow
Arjen Ryder
Maurice Eales

Keywords

Drainage, Waterlogging, Salinity, Western Australia

Disciplines

Hydrology | Soil Science | Water Resource Management

First Page Number

74

Last Page Number

77

ISSN

0021-8618

Abstract

Some farmers have used level W1SALTS banks to control surface zvaters above areas affected by ivaterlogging and salinity. Because the amount of waterlogging has been reduced, crop yields have increased downslope of some banks. However, the banks divert fresh surface water into deeper salty groundwater and, in the long term, worsen salinity. This article details an investigation of the effect of level WIS ALTS banks on saline groundwaters and discusses alternative methods of preventing the waterlogging of saline areas.

Recommended Citation

McFarlane, Don; Engel, Richard; Ryder, Arjen; and Eales, Maurice (1990) "Level banks used to decrease waterlogging can increase salinity," Journal of the Department of Agriculture, Western Australia, Series 4: Vol. 31: No. 2, Article 11.
Available at: https://library.dpird.wa.gov.au/journal_agriculture4/vol31/iss2/11