Salt Harvesting Operation The salt harvesting operation consists of 240 Ha of ponds located on a 400 Ha site. All ponds are lined with polyethylene to minimise leakage for the ponds back to the groundwater. There is a buffer zone around the perimeter of these ponds that have been revegetated. Pyramid Salt Pty Ltd is expecting to harvest upwards of 36,000 tonnes of salt annually from this site that will be used in the production of a range of salt products that include premium and specialty table salt products, swimming pool salt, and other industrial salt products. Pyramid Creek Salt The Basin Salinity Management Strategy 2001–2015 Interception Scheme The Basin Salinity Management Strategy 2001–2015 is the Photo of Commercial Salt Harvesting. Photo: Phill Pfeiffer Murray-Darling Basin Ministerial Council’s response to the threats of salinity to water quality, environmental values, Salt as a Resource regional infrastructure and productive agricultural land. The Although Salt as a Resource opportunities are limited, it A Joint Works project under the Murray-Darling Basin strategy sets out how Basin Communities and Governments has been recognised by the Partner Governments of the Ministerial Council’s Basin Salinity Management Strategy will work together to control salinity and protect important Murray-Darling Basin Authority that to ensure sustainability 2001-2015. The scheme will prevent 22,000 tonnes of salt assets and environmental values. of operation of salt interception commercial use of saline from entering Pyramid Creek annually and thus reduce the A key element of the Basin Salinity Management Strategy water may be appropriate. This could include saltland salinity of the Kerang Lakes and the River Murray. This is the first scheme designed to incorporate Salt Harvesting, was the implementation of a joint works program to offset agronomy, timber production and salt harvesting and which will result in a sustainable system. a predicted 61EC future increase in average salinity at processing. Other uses of saline water include saline Morgan. Since the Strategy came into effect, the partner aquaculture and energy production. governments of New South Wales, Victoria, South Australia Pyramid Creek – In Context and the Australian government have, initially through the Further Information Pyramid Creek is an approximately 60 Km long enlarged Murray-Darling Basin Commission and more recently the natural stream in Northern Victoria between Kow Swamp Murray-Darling Basin Authority Murray-Darling Basin Authority, invested in the construction, and the Kerang Weir. operation and maintenance of Salt Interception and Drainage Telephone (02) 6279 0100 Disposal Schemes to meet the salinity targets of the BSMS, International + 61 2 6279 0100 This Creek is used as a major irrigation water carrier to therefore protecting the River Murray from the impact of Postal Address GPO Box 1801, the Kerang and Swan Hill irrigation areas and carries over rising salinity. Canberra ACT 2601 1,000 Ml/day. For more information on Salinity or Salt Interception In 1968–69 the creek was remodelled and deepened for more Schemes, visit the Murray-Darling Basin Authority website: efficient delivery of irrigation flows. This work resulted in www.mdba.gov.au highly saline ground water being discharged into the Creek. Aerial Photo – Photo: G-MW Approximately 50,000 tonnes of salt enters Pyramid Creek Goulburn-Murray Water Telephone: (03) 5451 0111 each year with about 50% entering the Creek in the first Pyramid Salt Pty Ltd Telephone: (03) 5455 1299 12.5 Km downstream of Kow Swamp. Project History Fax: (03) 5455 1330 The salinity problem being caused by Pyramid Creek was Email: [email protected] KEY identified by the Kerang Lakes Area Working Group in the WATER TABLE AND AQUIFER PIEZOMETRIC - LEVEL BEFORE PUMPING later 1980’s. Funded by the Victorian, South Australian, New South Wales WATER TABLE WITH INTERCEPTION and Australian Governments through the Murray-Darling AQUIFER Following extensive investigations by the Victorian Basin Authority. Authorities, a project proposal was presented to the INTERCEPTION WELL PYRAMID CREEK Salt harvested by: Managed by: 0 Murray-Darling Basin Ministerial Council in 2001. 2 4 Pyramid Creek – The Scheme 6 8 The $12.8 m Salt Interception Scheme on the upper reaches 10 of Pyramid Creek (first 12 Km downstream of Kow Swamp) LEAKAGE FROM 12 will lower the groundwater table adjacent to the Creek AQUITARD TO AQUIFER 14 preventing around 22,000 tonnes of salt from entering 16 the Creek each year. This will result in reduced salinity of 18 20 downstream waterways including the Loddon River, the
Drill Rig. Photo: G-MW I&D 13722 Cross Section Ramsar listed Kerang Lakes and the River Murray. Fitzroy Ri ver er Riv oa og r er N e Riv iv lice R A ie z n e k c
a
M
r
e
v i Springsure R Barcoo R n ive o r s Blackall m o h T
Tambo
Carnarvon N.P. Bundaberg
B Hervey Bay r u e rn v e i r tt River R e iv e R r v e i o v g i N e Taroom R r r Gayndah o a r k l W e e g iv e r R r n Da n e Augathella wso C a v A r i e L u p R b oo ur C d n River
r
a
W Chesterton Range N.P. Charleville Mitchell Kingaroy Roma Maroochydore Quilpie Morven Cheepie Miles
Chinchilla B r is b a k n e Co e M n r d e am ine Condamine r R e ive R a r v C i i r v l Dalby e R a a r n
o h o
o c l Surat l a e u e R B B Wyandra i v Tara e r QUEENSLAND Gatton Brisbane Toowoomba River k nie ek e oo Cooper Cre e M Moonie r Beardmore Reservoir er Millmerran Thargomindah C iv St George r R e Bollon ei n Allora i W b Tweed Heads- e Jack Taylor Weir N Cunnamulla k Coolangatta N e e r Warwick C Inglewood a l a l r l e a iv Goondiwindi g R Coolmunda Reservoir k e n n e n 0 50 100 u lo Stanthorpe e Currawinya N.P. Ba r Currawinya Lakes M C cintyre River i r Dirranbandi Ma D k e u c iv m e Kilometres r a Lismore l Hungerford R Culgoa N.P. ve re e o Ri sq Texas iz ro ie t a r rr Ri S P ive Bi ve R Mungindi r oa lg Tenterfield Cu Goodooga
Gwydir River Pindari Reservoir C er la iv Se r n R Lightning Ridge Moree ver e ra n Riv n er Enngonia r er ce iv a R R N iver go re Warialda ar M W ehi Ri River F ver rome Ma Wanaaring Narran Lake cin Grafton r tyr Glen Innes Narran Lakes ve Inverell e R Nocoleche Ri ive Nature n r Brewarrina o Reserve arw Copeton Reservoir B Walgett r Bourke Weir e iv Bourke Mt. Kaputar N.P. R Wee Waa Mann Bundarra Namoi River Coffs Harbour Narrabri
Gundabooka N.P. Armidale
Louth Byrock Uralla Split Rock
k Manilla Reservoir Paroo–Darling e National Park e Macquarie Marshes r Pilliga C White Cliffs er Keepit Reservoir acle iv Nature s M ay R g R M Coonamble Reserve x ive n o rli a r a c C D q u a Tamworth r i Gunnedah e Coonabarabran Chaffey Reservoir
R i v e Gulargambone Port Macquarie r C a Cobar s Werris Creek Wilcannia t Nyngan le re Warren ag h R iver Coolah er iv er R M gar Riv r annin lbra te g Riv Broken Hill Ta n er u Dubbo H Menindee Main Weir Tottenham B og Dunedoo an Muswellbrook R Narromine iv Menindee er Lakes Menindee Burrendong NEW SOUTH WALES Tullamore Reservoir Port Augusta Weir 32 Wellington Mudgee Kinchega N.P. H unt Windamere er R Goobang N.P. iv Yathong Reservoir er ch ran StateForest ab Rylstone Newcastle Peterborough An Ivanhoe g r in ive Condobolin SOUTH rl n R a Willandra la D Creek ch Port Pirie t La a e Lake Cargelligo Parkes Danggali r Portland G Conservation Pooncarie Lake Cargelligo Forbes Orange bury R kes iver AUSTRALIA Park aw Lithgow H Lake Brewster Bathurst r Hillston ve Willandra Lakes region Ri g lin Lake Cowal Carcoar Reservoir ar Burra D Mungo N.P. Grenfell Cowra Oberon Sydney Goolgowi Clare Booligal B Lock 6 la Morgan Riverland n Lake Victoria West Wyalong d Wyangala Reservoir Lock 9 WentworthPyramid Creek Salt Interception Scheme C Ri Lock 5 Lock 2 ver Murray Cocoparra N.P. r Renmark e r Lock 3 Lock 7 Great Cumbung e ve Wollongong Lock 8 Lock 10 k i Lock 11 Mallee Cliffs N.P. Swamp Griffith R Banrock Station River Murray ly Blanchetown Mildura il Barmera d Lock 4 Mur n Lock 1 rumb Crookwell lo idgee R l Murray River N.P. iver Hanwood Young o Loxton W Gawler Robinvale Fivebough– Swan Reach Tuckerbil BoorowaDIAGRAMMATIC REPRESENTATION OF Lock 15 Temora Hattah– Hay RIVER MURRA Y THE TORRUMBARRY IRRIGAGoulburnTION SYSTEM Kulkyne Leeton Lakes PUMP Cootamundra STATION PENTAL ISLAND Murray Sunset N.P. Rive WOORINEN r Mu PUMPING STATION Nowra Hattah rray HORTICULTURE Adelaide Mannum Billiat Conservation Hattah Lakes Balranald Narrandera PENTAL ISLAND Park SWAN Hattah-Kulkyne N.P. HILL LITTLE Yass MURRAY LITTLE MURRAY RIVER Moulamein Wagga Wagga Murray Bridge Ouyen WEIR . FISH N POINT GUN Lake iem GundagaiWEIR er Karoonda ur Burrinjuck B iv R Lockhart 6/7 CHL OW TORRUMBARGeorgeRY Tooleybuc iv BOGA R Lake er Werai Forest Reservoir ER CREEK WEIR n Pinnaroo E TUTCHEWOP BARR ve Alexandrina dw Bil Tumut Brindabella N.P. a ar labong Creek lh d R Canberra a i T o W ve TRESCO Murrayville Swan Hill r u COHUNA h Clayton Tailem Bend a I.D. Blowering S Lower Lakes and ko m ol Jerilderie CREE Coorong Ri u Goolwa Sea Lake ver Reservoir Ginini K Deniliquin Henty t ACT Lake Albert Flats Barrages R KANGAROO KANGAROO
T Finley DIVERTERS i ER Tinderry Murray Mouth Big Desert Wyperfeld N.P. Kerang upp RACECOURSEv Batemans Bay Barham al e Nature L
Meningie Wilderness Hopetoun Wetlands Cr CHARM CK. Koondrook–Perricoota eek r H Namadgi N.P. Reserve
Park Forest Tumbarumba RIV Millewa Forest AS The Coorong Talbingo Lake Albacutya Gunbower Torrumbarry Weir LEGEND CHANNE Kerang Forest Tocumwal Reservoir L R IONA
i SHEEPW AT v DON e NO. SCO N r Lake Mulwala urra TTS CK M ver M y 7 CHANNE u Barmah Forest Ri Cabramurra r JOHNSON HIRD
ra IRRIGATED Maragle StateL Forest Keith y Albury LOD HORTICULTURE SECOND WEIR SWAMP KOW Lake Hindmarsh Kow Swamp Yarrawonga Weir MARSH SWAMP Corowa KERANG RAMID Hume Reservoir THIRD L. AdaminabyWEIR PY L G Broken CULLENSKhancobanMIDDLE L. CREEK Echuca ou Cr BENDIGO CK. o lb e Lake Buloke urn ek THE DUCK REEDY L. Wodonga BARR CREEK - . BULLOC d R MARSH KERANG i LAKE TUTCHEWOP REGULATOR L Nhill d ve Kosciuszko CoomaPYRAMID r M LA CK NINE o Wangaratta EL REGULATOR CREEK SIS O it N.P. D ANNE Donald r n v ta N CH & SALT K CK e WASHPEN CK. MI e A Shepparton n AVOCA FLOOD M WA Bordertown v R s K Blue Lake HARVESTING i LE CR . i v r R OUTFALL ROUTE tt ELIZABETH o i e i a PONDS R c v iv e R a e iv B e iv Little Desert N.P. n ro r w er E o r EK R R ke WANDELLA s i n Winton Wetlands a BAEL BAEL Horsham Avo v FOREST A Bega d n R er e R R Dartmouth r iv p iv ORN a e e Benalla i C r CA Bendigo s Waranga Basin r v Reservoir MA R. h a e O c i r Alpine N.P. p Mt. Buffalo N.P. RV AV R m Snow Cairn a y Kingston SE Wimme Lake Nillahcootie Bright Rive C r ra R Curran ive Eppalock r Reservoir Reservoir Seymour Maryborough Goulbur Mansfield Alpine N.P. Omeo Eden n Ri Halls Gap Tullaroop ver Eildon Reservoir Reservoir lg River Scheme OperatiGrampians N.P.on RD FLANNERY ene Kinglake N.P. Gl Lake Eildon N.P. M LEGEND itc • Goulburn-Murray Water operatesArarat and maintains the BORE CAP he RIVERS/CREEKS/CSD ll Scheme Map CHANNELS interception scheme SWITCHBOARD AIR VALVE R Sunbury iv INTERCEPTION BORES r NON–RETURN VALVE PYRAMID e STORAGE POND e r • Pyramid Salt Pty Ltd operatesiv and maintains a CONCENTRATOR POND Ballarat FLANNERYS R CRYSTALISER POND s BRIDGE harvesting facility BITTERN POND Mount in BairnsdaleMANSFIELDS ROAD PROCESS AREA Hamilton k River COHUNA - LEITCHVILLE • Goulburn-Murray Waterp monitors and manages the rra ROAD SALT HARVESTING POND BUFFER Gambier o Ya HORFIELD SCHOOL COMMUNITY SURFACE DRAIN BUFFER H VICTORIA impact of the interception scheme REVEGETATION AREA CONCRETE ROAD Melbourne CREEK L Lakes Entrance DISPOSAL MAIN • Goulburn-Murray Water monitors the impact and POWER IN APRON a Tr ob MACORNA CHANNEL performance of the salt harvesting pondage e Ri Sale Cranbourne ver Portland HILDEBRANDS ROAD WarrnamboolInterception Works EXISTINGGeelong WATER LEVEL MOTOR CABLE Traralgon
FLEXIBLE COLUMN MANSFIELDS
The salt interception works comprises 113 production BRIDGE MORRIS ROAD PYRAMID - LEITCHVILLE ROAD BORE CASING bores along a 12 Km stretch of Pyramid Creek, each of COLLECTION BOX MANIFOLD which is equipped with an electrical submersible pump. DRAWNDOWN WATER LEVEL PEACES ROAD An extensive network of monitoring bores is used to CREEK
BULLOCK LANE monitor the performance of the production bores and HARE the salt harvesting pondage. CHURCHS CUT BOX BRIDGE PUMP (CHANNEL) A 3 Km transfer pipeline is used to deliver saline KOW SWAMP
groundwater from the production bores to the salt MOTOR CHURCHS ROAD
harvesting ponds. SALT HARVESTING PONDS
CREEK Groundwater salinity along this section of Pyramid N PYRAMID - LEITCHVILLE RD Creek is around 44,000 EC Units (an EC unit is a SCREEN 0 0.5 1.0 1.5 2.0 TYPICAL SUBMERSIBLE Scale of kilometres measure of salinity concentration with seawater L‘HULLIER LANE PUMP CONFIGURATION around 50,000 EC Units). Fitzroy Ri ver er Riv oa og r er N e Riv iv lice R A ie z n e k c
a
M
r
e
v i Springsure R Barcoo R n ive o r s Blackall m o h T
Tambo
Carnarvon N.P. Bundaberg
B Hervey Bay r u e rn v e i r tt River R e iv e R r v e i o v g i N e Taroom R r r Gayndah o a r k l W e e g iv e r R r n Da n e Augathella wso C a v A r i e L u p R b oo ur C d n River
r
a
W Chesterton Range N.P. Charleville Mitchell Kingaroy Roma Maroochydore Quilpie Morven Cheepie Miles
Chinchilla B r is b a k n e Co e M n r d e am ine Condamine r R e ive R a r v C i i r v l Dalby e R a a r n
o h o
o c l Surat l a e u e R B B Wyandra i v Tara e r QUEENSLAND Gatton Brisbane Toowoomba River k nie ek e oo Cooper Cre e M Moonie r Beardmore Reservoir er Millmerran Thargomindah C iv St George r R e Bollon ei n Allora i W b Tweed Heads- e Jack Taylor Weir N Cunnamulla k Coolangatta N e e r Warwick C Inglewood a l a l r l e a iv Goondiwindi g R Coolmunda Reservoir k e n n e n 0 50 100 u lo Stanthorpe e Currawinya N.P. Ba r Currawinya Lakes M C cintyre River i r Dirranbandi Ma D k e u c iv m e Kilometres r a Lismore l Hungerford R Culgoa N.P. ve re e o Ri sq Texas iz ro ie t a r rr Ri S P ive Bi ve R Mungindi r oa lg Tenterfield Cu Goodooga
Gwydir River Pindari Reservoir C er la iv Se r n R Lightning Ridge Moree ver e ra n Riv n er Enngonia r er ce iv a R R N iver go re Warialda ar M W ehi Ri River F ver rome Ma Wanaaring Narran Lake cin Grafton r tyr Glen Innes Narran Lakes ve Inverell e R Nocoleche Ri ive Nature n r Brewarrina o Reserve arw Copeton Reservoir B Walgett r Bourke Weir e iv Bourke Mt. Kaputar N.P. R Wee Waa Mann Bundarra Namoi River Coffs Harbour Narrabri
Gundabooka N.P. Armidale
Louth Byrock Uralla Split Rock
k Manilla Reservoir Paroo–Darling e National Park e Macquarie Marshes r Pilliga C White Cliffs er Keepit Reservoir acle iv Nature s M ay R g R M Coonamble Reserve x ive n o rli a r a c C D q u a Tamworth r i Gunnedah e Coonabarabran Chaffey Reservoir
R i v e Gulargambone Port Macquarie r C a Cobar s Werris Creek Wilcannia t Nyngan le re Warren ag h R iver Coolah er iv er R M gar Riv r annin lbra te g Riv Broken Hill Ta n er u Dubbo H Menindee Main Weir Tottenham B og Dunedoo an Muswellbrook R Narromine iv Menindee er Lakes Menindee Burrendong NEW SOUTH WALES Tullamore Reservoir Port Augusta Weir 32 Wellington Mudgee Kinchega N.P. H unt Windamere er R Goobang N.P. iv Yathong Reservoir er ch ran StateForest ab Rylstone Newcastle Peterborough An Ivanhoe g r in ive Condobolin SOUTH rl n R a Willandra la D Creek ch Port Pirie t La a e Lake Cargelligo Parkes Danggali r Portland G Conservation Pooncarie Lake Cargelligo Forbes Orange bury R kes iver AUSTRALIA Park aw Lithgow H Lake Brewster Bathurst r Hillston ve Willandra Lakes region Ri g lin Lake Cowal Carcoar Reservoir ar Burra D Mungo N.P. Grenfell Cowra Oberon Sydney Goolgowi Clare Booligal B Lock 6 la Morgan Riverland n Lake Victoria West Wyalong d Wyangala Reservoir Lock 9 WentworthPyramid Creek Salt Interception Scheme C Ri Lock 5 Lock 2 ver Murray Cocoparra N.P. r Renmark e r Lock 3 Lock 7 Great Cumbung e ve Wollongong Lock 8 Lock 10 k i Lock 11 Mallee Cliffs N.P. Swamp Griffith R Banrock Station River Murray ly Blanchetown Mildura il Barmera d Lock 4 Mur n Lock 1 rumb Crookwell lo idgee R l Murray River N.P. iver Hanwood Young o Loxton W Gawler Robinvale Fivebough– Swan Reach Tuckerbil BoorowaDIAGRAMMATIC REPRESENTATION OF Lock 15 Temora Hattah– Hay RIVER MURRA Y THE TORRUMBARRY IRRIGAGoulburnTION SYSTEM Kulkyne Leeton Lakes PUMP Cootamundra STATION PENTAL ISLAND Murray Sunset N.P. Rive WOORINEN r Mu PUMPING STATION Nowra Hattah rray HORTICULTURE Adelaide Mannum Billiat Conservation Hattah Lakes Balranald Narrandera PENTAL ISLAND Park SWAN Hattah-Kulkyne N.P. HILL LITTLE Yass MURRAY LITTLE MURRAY RIVER Moulamein Wagga Wagga Murray Bridge Ouyen WEIR . FISH N POINT GUN Lake iem GundagaiWEIR er Karoonda ur Burrinjuck B iv R Lockhart 6/7 CHL OW TORRUMBARGeorgeRY Tooleybuc iv BOGA R Lake er Werai Forest Reservoir ER CREEK WEIR n Pinnaroo E TUTCHEWOP BARR ve Alexandrina dw Bil Tumut Brindabella N.P. a ar labong Creek lh d R Canberra a i T o W ve TRESCO Murrayville Swan Hill r u COHUNA h Clayton Tailem Bend a I.D. Blowering S Lower Lakes and ko m ol Jerilderie CREE Coorong Ri u Goolwa Sea Lake ver Reservoir Ginini K Deniliquin Henty t ACT Lake Albert Flats Barrages R KANGAROO KANGAROO
T Finley DIVERTERS i ER Tinderry Murray Mouth Big Desert Wyperfeld N.P. Kerang upp RACECOURSEv Batemans Bay Barham al e Nature L
Meningie Wilderness Hopetoun Wetlands Cr CHARM CK. Koondrook–Perricoota eek r H Namadgi N.P. Reserve
Park Forest Tumbarumba RIV Millewa Forest AS The Coorong Talbingo Lake Albacutya Gunbower Torrumbarry Weir LEGEND CHANNE Kerang Forest Tocumwal Reservoir L R IONA
i SHEEPW AT v DON e NO. SCO N r Lake Mulwala urra TTS CK M ver M y 7 CHANNE u Barmah Forest Ri Cabramurra r JOHNSON HIRD
ra IRRIGATED Maragle StateL Forest Keith y Albury LOD HORTICULTURE SECOND WEIR SWAMP KOW Lake Hindmarsh Kow Swamp Yarrawonga Weir MARSH SWAMP Corowa KERANG RAMID Hume Reservoir THIRD L. AdaminabyWEIR PY L G Broken CULLENSKhancobanMIDDLE L. CREEK Echuca ou Cr BENDIGO CK. o lb e Lake Buloke urn ek THE DUCK REEDY L. Wodonga BARR CREEK - . BULLOC d R MARSH KERANG i LAKE TUTCHEWOP REGULATOR L Nhill d ve Kosciuszko CoomaPYRAMID r M LA CK NINE o Wangaratta EL REGULATOR CREEK SIS O it N.P. D ANNE Donald r n v ta N CH & SALT K CK e WASHPEN CK. MI e A Shepparton n AVOCA FLOOD M WA Bordertown v R s K Blue Lake HARVESTING i LE CR . i v r R OUTFALL ROUTE tt ELIZABETH o i e i a PONDS R c v iv e R a e iv B e iv Little Desert N.P. n ro r w er E o r EK R R ke WANDELLA s i n Winton Wetlands a BAEL BAEL Horsham Avo v FOREST A Bega d n R er e R R Dartmouth r iv p iv ORN a e e Benalla i C r CA Bendigo s Waranga Basin r v Reservoir MA R. h a e O c i r Alpine N.P. p Mt. Buffalo N.P. RV AV R m Snow Cairn a y Kingston SE Wimme Lake Nillahcootie Bright Rive C r ra R Curran ive Eppalock r Reservoir Reservoir Seymour Maryborough Goulbur Mansfield Alpine N.P. Omeo Eden n Ri Halls Gap Tullaroop ver Eildon Reservoir Reservoir lg River Scheme OperatiGrampians N.P.on RD FLANNERY ene Kinglake N.P. Gl Lake Eildon N.P. M LEGEND itc • Goulburn-Murray Water operatesArarat and maintains the BORE CAP he RIVERS/CREEKS/CSD ll Scheme Map CHANNELS interception scheme SWITCHBOARD AIR VALVE R Sunbury iv INTERCEPTION BORES r NON–RETURN VALVE PYRAMID e STORAGE POND e r • Pyramid Salt Pty Ltd operatesiv and maintains a CONCENTRATOR POND Ballarat FLANNERYS R CRYSTALISER POND s BRIDGE harvesting facility BITTERN POND Mount in BairnsdaleMANSFIELDS ROAD PROCESS AREA Hamilton k River COHUNA - LEITCHVILLE • Goulburn-Murray Waterp monitors and manages the rra ROAD SALT HARVESTING POND BUFFER Gambier o Ya HORFIELD SCHOOL COMMUNITY SURFACE DRAIN BUFFER H VICTORIA impact of the interception scheme REVEGETATION AREA CONCRETE ROAD Melbourne CREEK L Lakes Entrance DISPOSAL MAIN • Goulburn-Murray Water monitors the impact and POWER IN APRON a Tr ob MACORNA CHANNEL performance of the salt harvesting pondage e Ri Sale Cranbourne ver Portland HILDEBRANDS ROAD WarrnamboolInterception Works EXISTINGGeelong WATER LEVEL MOTOR CABLE Traralgon
FLEXIBLE COLUMN MANSFIELDS
The salt interception works comprises 113 production BRIDGE MORRIS ROAD PYRAMID - LEITCHVILLE ROAD BORE CASING bores along a 12 Km stretch of Pyramid Creek, each of COLLECTION BOX MANIFOLD which is equipped with an electrical submersible pump. DRAWNDOWN WATER LEVEL PEACES ROAD An extensive network of monitoring bores is used to CREEK
BULLOCK LANE monitor the performance of the production bores and HARE the salt harvesting pondage. CHURCHS CUT BOX BRIDGE PUMP (CHANNEL) A 3 Km transfer pipeline is used to deliver saline KOW SWAMP
groundwater from the production bores to the salt MOTOR CHURCHS ROAD
harvesting ponds. SALT HARVESTING PONDS
CREEK Groundwater salinity along this section of Pyramid N PYRAMID - LEITCHVILLE RD Creek is around 44,000 EC Units (an EC unit is a SCREEN 0 0.5 1.0 1.5 2.0 TYPICAL SUBMERSIBLE Scale of kilometres measure of salinity concentration with seawater L‘HULLIER LANE PUMP CONFIGURATION around 50,000 EC Units). Salt Harvesting Operation The salt harvesting operation consists of 240 Ha of ponds located on a 400 Ha site. All ponds are lined with polyethylene to minimise leakage for the ponds back to the groundwater. There is a buffer zone around the perimeter of these ponds that have been revegetated. Pyramid Salt Pty Ltd is expecting to harvest upwards of 36,000 tonnes of salt annually from this site that will be used in the production of a range of salt products that include premium and specialty table salt products, swimming pool salt, and other industrial salt products. Pyramid Creek Salt The Basin Salinity Management Strategy 2001–2015 Interception Scheme The Basin Salinity Management Strategy 2001–2015 is the Photo of Commercial Salt Harvesting. Photo: Phill Pfeiffer Murray-Darling Basin Ministerial Council’s response to the threats of salinity to water quality, environmental values, Salt as a Resource regional infrastructure and productive agricultural land. The Although Salt as a Resource opportunities are limited, it A Joint Works project under the Murray-Darling Basin strategy sets out how Basin Communities and Governments has been recognised by the Partner Governments of the Ministerial Council’s Basin Salinity Management Strategy will work together to control salinity and protect important Murray-Darling Basin Authority that to ensure sustainability 2001-2015. The scheme will prevent 22,000 tonnes of salt assets and environmental values. of operation of salt interception commercial use of saline from entering Pyramid Creek annually and thus reduce the A key element of the Basin Salinity Management Strategy water may be appropriate. This could include saltland salinity of the Kerang Lakes and the River Murray. This is the first scheme designed to incorporate Salt Harvesting, was the implementation of a joint works program to offset agronomy, timber production and salt harvesting and which will result in a sustainable system. a predicted 61EC future increase in average salinity at processing. Other uses of saline water include saline Morgan. Since the Strategy came into effect, the partner aquaculture and energy production. governments of New South Wales, Victoria, South Australia Pyramid Creek – In Context and the Australian government have, initially through the Further Information Pyramid Creek is an approximately 60 Km long enlarged Murray-Darling Basin Commission and more recently the natural stream in Northern Victoria between Kow Swamp Murray-Darling Basin Authority Murray-Darling Basin Authority, invested in the construction, and the Kerang Weir. operation and maintenance of Salt Interception and Drainage Telephone (02) 6279 0100 Disposal Schemes to meet the salinity targets of the BSMS, International + 61 2 6279 0100 This Creek is used as a major irrigation water carrier to therefore protecting the River Murray from the impact of Postal Address GPO Box 1801, the Kerang and Swan Hill irrigation areas and carries over rising salinity. Canberra ACT 2601 1,000 Ml/day. For more information on Salinity or Salt Interception In 1968–69 the creek was remodelled and deepened for more Schemes, visit the Murray-Darling Basin Authority website: efficient delivery of irrigation flows. This work resulted in www.mdba.gov.au highly saline ground water being discharged into the Creek. Aerial Photo – Photo: G-MW Approximately 50,000 tonnes of salt enters Pyramid Creek Goulburn-Murray Water Telephone: (03) 5451 0111 each year with about 50% entering the Creek in the first Pyramid Salt Pty Ltd Telephone: (03) 5455 1299 12.5 Km downstream of Kow Swamp. Project History Fax: (03) 5455 1330 The salinity problem being caused by Pyramid Creek was Email: [email protected] KEY identified by the Kerang Lakes Area Working Group in the WATER TABLE AND AQUIFER PIEZOMETRIC - LEVEL BEFORE PUMPING later 1980’s. Funded by the Victorian, South Australian, New South Wales WATER TABLE WITH INTERCEPTION and Australian Governments through the Murray-Darling AQUIFER Following extensive investigations by the Victorian Basin Authority. Authorities, a project proposal was presented to the INTERCEPTION WELL PYRAMID CREEK Salt harvested by: Managed by: 0 Murray-Darling Basin Ministerial Council in 2001. 2 4 Pyramid Creek – The Scheme 6 8 The $12.8 m Salt Interception Scheme on the upper reaches 10 of Pyramid Creek (first 12 Km downstream of Kow Swamp) LEAKAGE FROM 12 will lower the groundwater table adjacent to the Creek AQUITARD TO AQUIFER 14 preventing around 22,000 tonnes of salt from entering 16 the Creek each year. This will result in reduced salinity of 18 20 downstream waterways including the Loddon River, the
Drill Rig. Photo: G-MW I&D 13722 Cross Section Ramsar listed Kerang Lakes and the River Murray.