Soil salinity is a worldwide phenomenon but is most serious in arid and semi-arid regions where surface water is scarce or unreliable and where groundwater also tends to be saline. Normal agriculture depends on fresh water, but in irrigated and non-irrigated saline lands, fresh water is scarce. Roy Green, chairman of the National Land and Water Resources Audit said the audit shows that Australians use enough water each year to fill Sydney Harbor 48 times. Yesterday's briefing heard that the audit includes a consolidated statement on the extent and impacts of dryland salinity across Australia. Once the water balance is changed and the salinity process under way, it is extremely difficult to slow or reverse.
Prevention is a far better investment than trying to reverse the process.
Northern Australia and some areas of temperate Australia can avoid dryland salinity. Given dryland salinity can take up to centuries to develop and therefore remedy, Williams said time, cost and community priorities must be taken into account in management decisions. The NDSP was established in 1993 and is a collaborative research and development effort to investigate the causes, costs and consequences of, and solutions to, dryland salinity across Australia. Environmental Press Releases Enter your email to receive the Environment News Service daily. All Rights Reserved.