Dryland Salinity

One of three types of salinity in Western Australia caused where groundwater levels rise, bringing salt accumulated through ‘primary’ salinity process to the surface. This is caused by clearing of perennial vegetation in drier areas, ie. Areas that tend to accumulate salt in the soil profile and groundwater over time. When vegetation is cleared, as happened extensively in the wheatbelt, the amount of water lost from the landscape through plants is drastically reduced. Instead, more water enters the groundwater and groundwater levels rise.