What are the causes of salinity?

Primary salinity is caused by natural processes such the accumulation of salt from rainfall over many thousands of years or from the weathering of rocks.

What are the effects of salinization on the irrigated land?

Water table rise due to salinization reduces the earth’s ability for water infiltration. With heavy rainfalls or river flooding, soils cannot cope with high amounts of water flows. Thus, insufficient absorption results in runoffs and floods.

How does dryland salinity work?

Dryland salinity occurs where removal or loss of native vegetation, and its replacement with crops and pastures that have shallower roots and different water use requirements, result in more water reaching the groundwater system. Groundwater can also flow underground directly into streams.

What is an example of salinity?

Primary salinity occurs naturally in soils and waters. Examples of naturally occurring saline areas include salt lakes, salt pans, salt marshes and salt flats. Secondary salinity is salting that results from human activities, usually land development and agriculture.

How do you manage dryland salinity?

Options may include improved irrigation systems, crop rotations, incorporating perennials into cropping systems, whole farm planning, interception plantings and monitoring of groundwater. There has always been a strong interest in the use of trees and revegetation in the management of dryland salinity.

How do you control salinity?

Managing salinity involves striking a balance between the volume of water entering (recharge) and leaving (discharge) the groundwater system. The water table can be lowered by: planting, regenerating and maintaining native vegetation and good ground cover in recharge, transmission and discharge zones, where possible.

What does dryland salinity do to the environment?

Dryland salinity is one of the greatest environmental threats facing Western Australia’s agricultural land, water, biodiversity and infrastructure. Dryland salinity (salinity on non-irrigated land) is defined as salinity at or near the soil surface causing reduced plant growth, reduced water quality and damage to infrastructure.

Why is salinity a problem in Western Australia?

Dryland salinity (salinity on non-irrigated land) is one of the greatest environmental threats facing Western Australia’s agricultural land, water, biodiversity and infrastructure. It’s commonly defined as salinity at or near the soil surface causing reduced plant growth, reduced water quality and damage to infrastructure.

How does salinity of soil and water affect humans?

Salinity is the accumulation of salts in soil and water to levels that impact on human and natural assets (e.g. plants, animals, aquatic ecosystems, water supplies, agriculture and infrastructure).

Where does the accumulation of salinity take place?

Salinity is the accumulation of salts in soil and water to levels that impact on human and natural assets (e.g. plants, animals, aquatic ecosystems, water supplies, agriculture and infrastructure). Dryland salinity occurs in unirrigated landscapes. This primefact covers: where salt comes from.