Salinity - Risk and Hazard - Queensland
Queensland
Where is there a dryland salinity risk or hazard and how was this determined?
The area estimated to be affected by dryland salinity in Queensland is 48 000 ha. This area does not include all land with groundwater levels within 2 m of the surface. Affected land is distributed throughout the eastern part of the State with only minor occurrences in western Queensland.
The Condamine-Balonne and Border Rivers catchments are the only catchments in the State where sufficient data exist to determine, on a catchment-wide basis and with a moderate level of accuracy, the area with groundwater levels within 2 m of the surface (some 17 500 ha).
Although little data are available on which to base future water level trends over most of the State, a salinity hazard map indicating land potentially at risk of developing salinity has been produced. There is a wide distribution of land with a high salinity hazard (see table below). Known areas of distribution are in the Murray-Darling, the Burnett and Fitzroy regions.
The hazard map was produced by collating available datasets for geology, Atlas of Australian Soils, elevation, land use change and potential excess rainfall. It reflects potential dryland salinity areas related to the extent of land use change. There are no State-wide data which capture salt storage in the weathered landscape zone. This factor must be taken into consideration in tropical areas where most of the salt has been flushed from the system. The index-overlay approach used to derive areas affected by dryland salinity provides an estimate of 'equilibrium' or 'worst-case' scenarios with the assumption of no change in land use or management. As a result a significant overestimation of areas at risk is likely to have been made. It should not be directly compared with 2050 predictions using the groundwater trend approach.
Estimates of areas (ha) potentially affected by dryland salinity under current land use.
| Catchment region | 2050 |
|---|---|
| Fitzroy | 732 421 |
| Murray-Darling | 628 393 |
| Gulf | 546 412 |
| Burdekin | 476 886 |
| North Coastal | 206 534 |
| Burnett | 180 837 |
| South-east Coastal | 179 970 |
| Central Coast | 90 101 |
| Curtis | 87 399 |
| Western | 2 687 |
| Total | 3 131 639 |
How can dryland salinity risk change over time?
Estimates of projected dryland salinity hazard in 2050 were based on a map overlay analysis using attributes that drive salinisation such as geology, landscape features, regolith depth and type, land use and climate. Groundwater data for assessing salinity risk in Queensland are extremely limited. Groundwater trend analysis was possible only in Condamine-Balonne and Border Rivers catchments of the Murray-Darling Basin. The estimate of area affected (48 000 ha) by dryland salinity was based on field observation in the early 1990s, and workshop-based consultations. Information has been prepared at a scale of 1:2 500 000.
The area estimated to be affected by dryland salinity in Queensland is 48 000 ha. This area does not include all land with groundwater levels within 2 m of the surface. Affected land is distributed throughout the eastern part of the State with only minor occurrences in western Queensland.
The Condamine-Balonne and Border Rivers catchments are the only catchments in the State where sufficient data exist to determine, on a catchment-wide basis and with a moderate level of accuracy, the area with groundwater levels within 2 m of the surface (some 17 500 ha).
Although little data are available on which to base future water level trends over most of the State, a salinity hazard map indicating land potentially at risk of developing salinity has been produced. There is a wide distribution of land with a high salinity hazard (see table below). Known areas of distribution are in the Murray-Darling, the Burnett and Fitzroy regions.
| Catchment region | 2050 |
|---|---|
| Fitzroy | 732 421 |
| Murray-Darling | 628 393 |
| Gulf | 546 412 |
| Burdekin | 476 886 |
| North Coastal | 206 534 |
| Burnett | 180 837 |
| South-east Coastal | 179 970 |
| Central Coast | 90 101 |
| Curtis | 87 399 |
| Western | 2 687 |
| Total | 3 131 639 |
Further information
- Queensland Dryland Salinity Assessment 2000 report
- Australian Dryland Salinity Assessment 2000 report
- National Technical Overview Report of the State-based dryland salinity assessments
- Australian Groundwater Flow Systems Report
- Queensland Department of Natural Resources
- National Dryland Salinity Program
- National Action Plan for Salinity and Water Quality
Link to Map maker to make a map using this information.
Before you download
Most publications are downloadable as PDF files. Adobe Acrobat Reader is required to view PDF files.
If you are unable to access a publication, please contact us to organise a suitable alternative format.
Key
Links to an another web site
Opens a pop-up window