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Salinity Province 5, Barrabool Hills

The Barrabool Hills Salinity Province covers an eastern outcrop of the Otway group of sandstone and mudstone rocks that are deeply weathered and covered by residual clay soils. Local Groundwater Flow Systems containing groundwater typically in the salinity range 2000 to 8000 mg/l can lead to groundwater discharge and soil salinisation processes along drainage lines and at the ‘break-of-slope’. However, the actual salinity hazard posed to land and streams in this province is poorly understood, but has likely reduced following the drier decade from 1999 to 2009. Urban development on Geelong’s west may need to investigate and avoid groundwater discharge and watertable presence in some drainage lines, river flats and ‘break-of-slope’ locations. Farming practices should aim to to reduce recharge rates by maximising deep-rooted, perennial pasture species and trees in suitable locations to utilise as much water in the soil and regolith profile as possible

Province Attributes

Catchment Management Region:	CORANGAMITE
Priority Status:	High
Province Area:	20680 ha
Recorded Soil Salinity Area 1:	1 ha
Dominant Surface Geology Type:	Sedimentary
Influence of Geological Structure on Salinity Occurrence/s:	Possible
Relevant Geomorphological Mapping Units (GMUs):	3.2.2
Predominant Groundwater Flow Systems (GFSs):	Local/Intermediate
Relevant Irrigation Areas:	N/A

Barrabool Hills Salinity Province Map



Links to further reading and material related to the Corangamite Salinity Province

Groundwater Flow Systems (GFS) in the Corangamite CMR

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.