Groundwater trendsWest Midlands Crop Updates 2014

Groundwater trends in the West Midlands

Russell Speed

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• Brief overview of Geology of the Perth Basin (West Midlands)

• Brief overview of the hydrogeology and hydrological concepts

• Groundwater data and trends

• Wandawallah transect

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Geology

Northern Agricultural Region

Perth Basin

Multiple saturated zones

DN5D current rising trend = 0.13 m/yr

DN1OB current rising trend = 0.05 m/yr

WW8D current rising trend = 0.32 m/yr

BD1OB current rising trend = 0.19 m/yr

Groundwater quality = 3000 mS/m (1/2 seawater)

06DT01D current rising trend = 0.21 m/yr

DP6 current rising trend = 0.18 m/yr

DP12 current rising trend = 0.18 m/yr

DP13 current rising trend = 0.06 m/yr

Groundwater monitoring

Northern Agricultural Region

DAFWA

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3640 mS/m (over half seawater)

DP19 current declining trend = 0.15 m/yr

DP21 current declining trend = 0.28 m/yr

DP22OB declining 0.09 m/yr DP22D rising 0.40 m/yr

Summary

• Rising groundwater trends throughout the Dandaragan Plateau Hydrozone (except under pine plantations)

• High salinity risk assessment, especially where watertable is shallow

• Wandawallah Lake is an example of dryland salinity in the West Midlands

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