Salinity SIPs
- Salinity - Product list 2007 (PDF, 134 kB)*
The salinity work plan provides knowledge and understanding of salinity processes and to develop tools that support natural resource decision making and planning by regional groups, industry and government. The seven salinity projects bring together land and groundwater resource information as a basis for producing information products and tools that will allow hazard and risk assessments of salinity.
The salinity hazard mapping project SA01, and SA07, the airborne geophysics project in the Lower Balonne, are complete; the focus now is on risk assessment and modelling in collaboration with regional bodies, delivered through the projects SA04 and SA06.
Download fact sheets and reports or get more information on salinity from the Department of Natural Resources and Water web site.
You can get more information on these projects from the Regional Information Service web site.
SA01
Salinity hazard assessment
The objectives of this project were to prepare and distribute 1:250,000 scale salinity hazard maps to each of the NAP priority catchments in Queensland.
SA01 was completed in 2003 and salinity hazard maps were produced for the Burdekin and Fitzroy Basin, Burnett Mary and the western catchments of SEQ, and the Queensland Murray-Darling Basin. The maps have been provided to the relevant regional groups and are available through the NRW salinity web site.
For more information contact the project leader.
SA02
Groundwater investigations
SA02 aims to develop a regional hydrogeological network through identifying appropriate locations of bores, and drilling and installing monitoring bores to detect changes in groundwater levels and water quality. This information will be used to develop conceptual groundwater models within the NAP priority regions, and apply groundwater modelling in selected catchments. This project involves undertaking strategic field investigations and modelling activities to characterise groundwater flow systems relevant to salinity processes in Queensland.
The drilling program was completed in early 2006, with over 420 monitoring bores installed, and efforts are now focused on finalising the various conceptual groundwater model reports.
For more information contact the project leader.
SA03
Land resource attributes
SA03 is working towards the creation of spatial soil and regolith surfaces, terrain surfaces and land use maps for use as inputs in salinity risk modelling, assessing alternative land use options and stream and water quality modelling. This project aims to develop spatially reliable data-sets for improved understanding and modelling of salinity processes in Queensland.
Land use mapping and fine scale digital elevation models has been completed in the NAP priority regions. A second version of the spatial soil attribute surfaces is being finalised.
1200 soil sites have been sampled across the priority catchments. A smaller set of key reference soils and regolith sites have been sampled intensively in all priority catchments and are known as super sites. The super sites will have enough data to serve as reference points for a range of NRM and modelling issues. This project will be completed by the end of June 2006.
For more information contact the project leader.
SA04
Risk assessment and modelling
The objective of SA04 is to develop a risk assessment framework to integrate existing hydrological, climate, topographic, geological, soils and groundwater data into a system capable of quantifying the current and future risk from salinisation of land and water resources in priority catchments in Queensland. The risk assessment framework has four dimensions:
- management risk factors (the only aspect of salinity risk which we can influence)
- biological risk factors
- timeframes/dynamics of the system
- the assets impacted by salinity.
SA04 has commenced major risk assessment projects in the Fitzroy, the Condamine Alliance area, and the SEQ Western Catchments region. The project is working with the SIP AG07 in the Burnett-Mary.
This project is the major focus for all salinity project activities and will use outputs from SA01, SA02, SA03 and SA05 to produce integrated approaches to assessing and managing salinity risk in the priority regions.
For more information contact the project leader.
SA05
Information collation
SA05 focuses on the development of standards, protocols and support mechanisms for the collation and management of data-sets and information products for the delivery of salinity outcomes within the National Action Plan for Salinity and Water Quality.
This project has designed and supported an IT environment for storage, access and use of salinity information. This project has also undertaken the management and delivery of the web service portal developed by the SIP IM01 earlier in the NAP process.
For more information contact the project leader. You can also visit the Regional Information Service web site.
SA06
Project coordination
This project coordinates and manages the work tasks in other salinity SIP activities and facilitates linkages with other SIP projects. The main emphasis has been on devising effective integrated delivery of salinity risk approaches to the priority regions. This project aims to ensure outcomes from the salinity work plan meet Queensland and Australian Government priorities and are tailored to the needs of regional NRM groups.
A Queensland salinity team workshop was held in March 2006 involving 30 people from all regions, three Queensland Government departments and regional groups. The meeting showed the substantial progress that has been made over the period of the SIP and in related salinity work being developed across the state.
For more information contact the project leader.
SA07
Airborne geophysics in the Lower Balonne catchment
SA07 was designed to produce an enhanced understanding of the regolith, soils, salt stores and groundwater status of the Lower Balonne area through an integration of geophysical data (airborne and ground-based), drilling, soil data collection, geomorphological and sedimentology studies, and geochemistry. This information will be integrated into regional salinity and water quality planning.
The project was completed in 2005 and a technical report is available from the NRW salinity web site.
For more information or contact the project leader.
Last updated 12 April 2007