Natural Resources Research Articles
Estimating and modifying the effects of agricultural development on the groundwater balance of large wheatbelt catchments
Document Type
Article
Publication Date
11-2012
Journal Title
Hydrogeology Journal
ISSN
ISSN: 1431-2174, eISSN: 1435-0157
Keywords
Recharge Rate, Native Woodland, Chloride Mass Balance, Groundwater Balance, Dryland Salinity
Disciplines
Hydrology | Natural Resources and Conservation | Soil Science | Water Resource Management
Abstract
Seven large catchments, cleared progressively from 1912 to 1985, were studied to determine the groundwater conditions for salinization of both the pristine and disturbed environments. Detailed drilling was conducted to provide information on the nature and didtribution of the physical and chemical properties of these groundwater systems. First-order estimates of recharge and discharge rates were derived from the groundwater balance, chloride mass balance, and specific yield techniques.
Recharge rates under pristine conditions estimated from the groundwater balance method were of the order of 0.02–0.14 mm/yr and 0.05–3.0 mm/yr using the chloride method. Recharge was greatest in the deep sandplain and arkosic-outcrop soil associations and least in the heavy textured midslope and valley soils. Higher rates were obtained from the specific yield technique, where recharge under current agricultural conditions was considered to be between 6 and 10 mm/yr. Recharge rates of up to 30 mm/yr were noted when flooding of the sandy-textured, valley floor soils occured.
Clearing of the native vegatation for agriculture is estimated to have increased groundwater recharge by between one and three orders of magnitude. Equilibrium groundwater balance estimates suggest that discharge rates have only increased ten-fold. As a result of the changes to the water balance, 5–30% of particular catchments may need to become discharge areas to balance increased recharge of 6–10 mm/yr. Native woodlands and halophyte communities are considered to have played an important role in providing a complex discharge mechanism before clearing.
The management of catchments to contain soil salinity should include improved recharge control systems using specialized crop rotations. To date, however, little evidence of the success of this method exists. Therefore, discharge enhancemnet should also become a part of catchment management systems. Discharge can be manipulated by planting phreatophytic vegetation and by pumping groundwater from basement aquifers to improve agricultural water supplies. The results presented in this paper suggest that discharge enhancement has an important role to play and, as a part of integrated catchment water management, has the potential to control and eventually reduce dryland salinity
Recommended Citation
George, R. Estimating And Modifying The Effects Of Agricultural Development On The Groundwater Balance Of Large Wheatbelt Catchments. HYJO 1, 41–54 (1992). https://doi.org/10.1007/s100400050026
