Analysing dryland salinity management on a catchment scale with an economic-ecological modelling approach

1995 ◽  
Vol 4 (3) ◽  
pp. 191-198 ◽  
Author(s):  
R. Greiner ◽  
K.A. Parton
Keyword(s):  
Ecological Modelling ◽  
Catchment Scale ◽  
Dryland Salinity ◽  
Salinity Management ◽  
Modelling Approach

Modelling the influence of irrigation abstractions on Scotland’s water resources

2003 ◽  
Vol 48 (10) ◽  
pp. 127-134 ◽  
Author(s):  
S.M. Dunn ◽  
N. Chalmers ◽  
M. Stalham ◽  
A. Lilly ◽  
B. Crabtree ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Spatial Data ◽  
East Coast ◽  
Climatic Conditions ◽  
Balance Model ◽  
Catchment Scale ◽  
European Water ◽  
Irrigation Control ◽  
The Difference ◽  
Potato Crops ◽  
Modelling Approach

Legislation to control abstraction of water in Scotland is limited and for purposes such as irrigation there are no restrictions in place over most of the country. This situation is set to change with implementation of the European Water Framework Directive. As a first step towards the development of appropriate policy for irrigation control there is a need to assess the current scale of irrigation practices in Scotland. This paper presents a modelling approach that has been used to quantify spatially the volume of water abstractions across the country for irrigation of potato crops under typical climatic conditions. A water balance model was developed to calculate soil moisture deficits and identify the potential need for irrigation. The results were then combined with spatial data on potato cropping and integrated to the sub-catchment scale to identify the river systems most at risk from over-abstraction. The results highlight that the areas that have greatest need for irrigation of potatoes are all concentrated in the central east-coast area of Scotland. The difference between irrigation demand in wet and dry years is very significant, although spatial patterns of the distribution are similar.

scholarly journals On-farm options for managing stream salinity in irrigation areas: an example from the Murray Darling Basin, Australia

2008 ◽  
Vol 39 (2) ◽  
pp. 157-170 ◽  
Author(s):  
Shahbaz Khan ◽  
Muhammad Nadeem Asghar ◽  
Shahbaz Mushtaq ◽  
Aftab Ahmad
Keyword(s):  
Salt Concentration ◽  
Social Issues ◽  
Catchment Scale ◽  
Stream Flows ◽  
Murray Darling Basin ◽  
Murray River ◽  
Water Tables ◽  
Farm Scale ◽  
Salinity Management ◽  
On Farm

Increasing salt concentration in tributaries from catchments and rising water tables are the prime contributor to environmental degradation of rivers, creeks, streams or other water bodies. This is especially true during periods of mid- and low stream flows in arid and semi-arid regions around the globe. Catchment scale studies suggest that management of stream salinity requires greater land use change than is economically viable. Therefore, rather than focusing on the opportunity cost of catchment scale interventions, exploring interventions that are potentially viable at farm scale could be an appropriate strategy for stream salinity management. This paper presents an analysis of alternative on-farm strategies, such as evaporation ponds and serial biological concentration of salts, aimed at developing an economically self-sustainable stream salinity management system for the Box Creek stormwater escape channel located in the Murray–Darling Basin (MDB), Australia. It is concluded that irrigation areas, with careful management of flows in tributary streams, may be able to play a role in safeguarding the Murray River against further salinisation from irrigation and dryland areas. The outcomes of this paper will be helpful, but not limited to, the MDB in addressing environmental, economic and social issues associated with management of salt concentration in tributaries.

Farm, food and resource issues: politics and dryland salinity

2005 ◽  
Vol 45 (11) ◽  
pp. 1471 ◽  
Author(s):  
D. J. Pannell
Keyword(s):  
Rural Areas ◽  
Agricultural Development ◽  
Catchment Management ◽  
State Governments ◽  
Dryland Salinity ◽  
Economic Changes ◽  
Specific Investments ◽  
Political Forces ◽  
Salinity Management

Political forces make it difficult to develop effective and efficient policies for dryland salinity. The politics of the day have had major influences on salinity and salinity-related policy, beginning with the clearing of land for agricultural development. Tensions affecting salinity policy include urban political power v. rural salinity; short-term politics v. long-term salinity; crisis-driven politics v. slow and inexorable salinity; simplistic and uniform political solutions v. complex and diverse salinity problems; the need for winners in politics v. the reality of losers from effective salinity policy; east v. west; and national v. state governments. These tensions will interact with our improving scientific knowledge of salinity and ongoing social and economic changes in rural areas to shape future salinity policies. Prospects for changes in salinity policy and outcomes over the next 10 years are suggested, including the following possibilities: more carefully targeted and site-specific investments in salinity prevention; the beginnings of success of current research and development efforts to develop profitable new plant-based systems for salinity management; ongoing debate about the appropriate role for catchment management bodies for in salinity management; greater attention to the problem of salinity impacts on biodiversity and infrastructure; reduced attention to market-based instruments for salinity; and ongoing changes in the economics of agriculture, timber and energy influencing salinity outcomes and, potentially, salinity policy.

Groundwater level reductions under lucerne depend on the landform and groundwater flow systems (local or intermediate)

Soil Research ◽  
2002 ◽  
Vol 40 (3) ◽  
pp. 381 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ruhi Ferdowsian ◽  
Arjen Ryder ◽  
Richard George ◽  
Geoff Bee ◽  
Rob Smart
Keyword(s):  
Groundwater Flow ◽  
Control Measures ◽  
Dryland Salinity ◽  
Temporal And Spatial Distribution ◽  
Saline Groundwater ◽  
Groundwater Levels ◽  
High Sodium ◽  
Salinity Control ◽  
Temporal And Spatial ◽  
Salinity Management

By 1994, an estimated 1.8 million hectares of cleared land in Western Australia was affected by secondary dryland salinity to some extent. The area affected is likely to double in the next 20 years. The cause of this salinity is excessive recharge under traditional agriculture, leading to rising groundwater levels. To effectively reduce land and water salinity a deep-rooted perennial is needed to mimic the temporal and spatial distribution of leaf area that existed prior to clearing. Previous studies have shown lucerne lowers groundwater levels in areas with favourable conditions. We present data showing that lucerne lowered groundwater levels in 4 different landforms and under unfavourable conditions. All sites had very saline groundwater, high sodium chloride chemistry and high groundwater levels. This paper shows that the effectiveness of lucerne in salinity control measures depends on the attributes of the groundwater flow system. salinity, salinity management, monitoring, sustainability.

scholarly journals Effects of wildfire on catchment runoff response: a modelling approach to detect changes in snow-dominated forested catchments

2010 ◽  
Vol 41 (5) ◽  
pp. 378-390 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jan Seibert ◽  
Jeffrey J. McDonnell ◽  
Richard D. Woodsmith
Keyword(s):  
Change Detection ◽  
Hydrological Processes ◽  
Model Parameters ◽  
Catchment Scale ◽  
Forested Catchments ◽  
Peak Flows ◽  
Runoff Series ◽  
Before And After ◽  
Parameter Values ◽  
Modelling Approach

Wildfire is an important disturbance affecting hydrological processes through alteration of vegetation cover and soil characteristics. The effects of fire on hydrological systems at the catchment scale are not well known, largely because site specific data from both before and after wildfire are rare. In this study a modelling approach was employed for change detection analyses of one such dataset to quantify effects of wildfire on catchment hydrology. Data from the Entiat Experimental Forest (Washington State, US) were used, a conceptual runoff model was applied for pre- and post-fire periods and changes were analyzed in three different ways: reconstruction of runoff series, comparison of model parameters and comparison of simulations using parameter sets calibrated to the two different periods. On average, observed post-fire peak flows were 120% higher than those modelled based on pre-fire conditions. For the post-fire period, parameter values for the snow routine indicated deeper snow packs and earlier and more rapid snowmelt. The net effect of the changes in all parameters was largely increased post-fire peak flows. Overall, the analyses show that change detection modelling provides a viable alternative to the paired-watershed approach for analyzing wildfire disturbance effects on runoff dynamics and supports discussions on changes in hydrological processes.

Derivation of a salinity target for the Lower Murray Darling Valley

2003 ◽  
Vol 48 (7) ◽  
pp. 105-112
Author(s):  
N. Maini ◽  
A. Buchan ◽  
S. Joseph
Keyword(s):  
Management Policy ◽  
Catchment Management ◽  
Catchment Scale ◽  
Main River ◽  
Murray Darling Basin ◽  
Murray River ◽  
Salinity Levels ◽  
Salinity Management ◽  
Management Changes ◽  
Valley River

The NSW Government commissioned catchment management boards (CMBs) to set the direction and process for catchment scale natural resource management. In the Lower Murray Darling, Rivers are highly regulated and water resources shared between three states. The Catchment Board only has jurisdiction over the northern bank of the Murray but salt and water enter the river from many locations upstream and along the area boundary. River salt and flow modelling has continually been improved to reflect and contribute to an increased understanding of salinity processes. The MDBC Salt Load study correlates 10 years of actual measured data with its modelled outputs, and estimates river salinities for 2020, 2050 and 2100. Routing models such as SALTFLO and MURKEY generate percentile salinity levels at different nodes in the River Murray downstream of the Lower Darling confluence. National, Murray-Darling Basin and NSW salinity management policy and legislative requirements were considered, MDBC model output was used to ensure the interim targets are achievable, auditable, and appropriate to the catchment. The method for an end-of-valley river based target for salinity is described. A target of less than 463 μS/cm for Lock 6, a point in the lower reaches of the Murray River is recommended for year 2010. Catchment management targets that express the main river salinity risk in five hydrologically distinct management zones are also recommended. Salinity management changes are needed in each zone to meet the end-of-valley target.

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