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Salinity Province 49, Indigo Valley

The small Indigo Valley Salinity Province has been extensively cleared and the natural vegetation replaced by dryland annual pasture. Saline discharge sites mainly occur at the ‘break-of-slope’ between the steep upper-slopes and the less steep mid-slope region and in low-lying depressions on the valley floor associated with the shallow bedrock. The dominant Groundwater Flow Systems are local to intermediate in scale and occur in the fractured sedimentary and metamorphic rocks, and in colluvium and alluvium deposits overlying the bedrock. The major recharge areas are the metamorphic ridges and grey sandy clay soils of the mid-lower slopes. Management of salinity requires establishing or retaining deep-rooted native pastures on the ridges and upper-slopes; planting tree belts at the ‘break-of-slope’; ‘Alley Farming’ with trees and perennial pasture across the mid and lower-slopes, and establishing salt-tolerant pastures on the groundwater discharge areas.

Province Attributes

Catchment Management Region:	NORTH EAST
Priority Status:	High
Province Area:	19,660 ha
Recorded Soil Salinity Area 1:	122 ha
Dominant Surface Geology Type:	Sedimentary
Influence of Geological Structure on Salinity Occurrence/s:	Probable
Relevant Geomorphological Mapping Units (GMUs):	4.3, 1.4.5
Predominant Groundwater Flow Systems (GFSs):	Local/Intermediate
Relevant Irrigation Areas:	N/A

Indigo Valley Salinity Province Map




Links to further reading and material related to the North East Salinity Province
For further information relating to groundwater levels and salinities in this Province please see: Visualising Victoria's Groundwater (VVG)


¹ Please Note: The ‘Recorded Soil Salinity Area’ indicated in the Salinity Province Attribute Table, comprises the total geographic area that has been mapped as having, or showing symptoms of, dryland soil salinity at some time (past or present). As dryland salinity occurrence in the Victorian landscape exhibits many different levels of severity and can change due to climate, landuse and vegetation, previously mapped areas may no longer be showing symptoms. In addition, as not all parts of the State have been mapped, or mapped in the same way, the mapping may not have captured some occurrences.

The soil salinity mapping used to calculate this ‘area’ does not cover irrigation regions. In irrigation regions, depth to watertable and watertable salinity mapping has been used to convey the threat of high watertables on soil waterlogging and/or soil salinisation and these areas are not included in this ‘area‘ calculation.

Please contact the Department, your Catchment Management Authority or your rural water provider for more information about salinity in your location.