Marree Soil Conservation Board
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FOREWORD The Marree Soil Conservation Board (MSCB) has seen changes since the last review of the District Plan including drought, the possibility of Natural Resource Management Reform (NRM) and some new faces on the board. During the past two to three years, our district has seen most areas in a very severe drought and has only had patchy relief. The Federal Government proclaimed 'Exceptional Circumstances' in some areas, and without good summer rain most areas will remain in drought. Also, this past two years has seen a proposed move toward the amalgamation of the functions of the Animal and Plant Commission (APCC), Soil Conservation Council (SCC) and the Water Catchment Management Board (WCMB). The new Act is to be called the Natural Resource Management Act. In the interim, the MSCB remains in its present form, but may change in the future. I believe we need a strong voice in the far northern regions of South Australia, so we can be involved with decisions, which affect the social and economic well being of our district. The proposed NRM Regional Board will need those strong voices to continue the work developed by the MSCB and other rangeland soil boards. As the current Chairperson of the MSCB, I would like to thank the previous and present board members for the work they have done, and give special thanks to Marie Morton and Catriona McTaggart for staying on as board members. The current MSCB is a good cross-section of interest from the district, and I look forward to continuing to work with them. Ken Ogilvy, Chairperson, Marree Soil Conservation Board Marree Soil Conservation Board District Plan – Revised 2004 TABLE OF CONTENTS PART 1 NATURE AND PURPOSES OF THE DISTRICT PLAN SOIL CONSERVATION PLANNING............................................................................................................................ 2 ROLE OF SOIL CONSERVATION BOARDS .............................................................................................................. 3 THE MARREE SOIL CONSERVATION BOARD......................................................................................................... 4 Formation and Composition ................................................................................................................................... 4 Aims of the Board................................................................................................................................................... 4 THE DISTRICT PLAN AND ITS OBJECTIVES ........................................................................................................... 5 OTHER ACTS ALSO AFFECTING SOIL CONSERVATION AND LAND CARE ......................................................... 6 PART 2 DESCRIPTION OF THE MARREE SOIL CONSERVATION DISTRICT DISTRICT OUTLINE.................................................................................................................................................... 9 CLIMATE ................................................................................................................................................................... 10 Winds ................................................................................................................................................................... 10 Rainfall ................................................................................................................................................................. 11 Evaporation .......................................................................................................................................................... 13 Growing Season................................................................................................................................................... 13 Drought ................................................................................................................................................................ 13 Temperature......................................................................................................................................................... 14 Relative Humidity ................................................................................................................................................. 14 Frosts ................................................................................................................................................................... 14 Sunshine Hours.................................................................................................................................................... 14 Historical Changes in Rainfall Patterns ................................................................................................................ 15 GEOLOGY................................................................................................................................................................. 16 HYDROLOGY............................................................................................................................................................ 18 Great Artesian Basin ............................................................................................................................................ 18 Mound springs...................................................................................................................................................... 18 Other Ground Water Sources............................................................................................................................... 18 LAND FORMS AND SOILS ....................................................................................................................................... 20 Stony Tableland and Gibber Downs..................................................................................................................... 20 Other “Hard” Country............................................................................................................................................ 22 Dunefield and Sandplain ...................................................................................................................................... 23 Floodplain, Channel and Lake.............................................................................................................................. 23 Arid Ranges ......................................................................................................................................................... 26 VEGETATION............................................................................................................................................................ 27 General ................................................................................................................................................................ 27 Dynamics ............................................................................................................................................................. 28 Classification ........................................................................................................................................................ 28 Vegetation of Dune Systems................................................................................................................................ 29 Vegetation of Larger Watercourses, Floodplains and Outwash plains ................................................................. 30 Vegetation on Salt Lake Surrounds...................................................................................................................... 31 Vegetation on Uplands and Ranges..................................................................................................................... 31 Vegetation of Stony Tableand and Gibber Downs................................................................................................ 31 WATER RESOURCES .............................................................................................................................................. 32 Artesian Supplies and the Great Artesian Basin (GAB)........................................................................................ 33 Water usage in the GAB....................................................................................................................................... 33 Artesian Water Conservation ............................................................................................................................... 33 Future Industrial and other water requirements.................................................................................................... 33 Shallow Groundwater ........................................................................................................................................... 34 Marree Soil Conservation Board District Plan – Revised 2004 River Systems.......................................................................................................................................................34 PASTORAL HISTORY ...............................................................................................................................................38 Aboriginal Living and Land Use Prior to Settlement..............................................................................................38 Afghan influence ...................................................................................................................................................38