SOIL CONSERVATION AUTHORITY · 33 rd Annual Report 1981/82. VICTORIA Report of the SOIL CONSERVATION AUTHORITY for the Year ended 30 June 1982 Ordered by the Legislative Assembly· to be printed MELBOURNE F D ATKINSON GOVERNMENT PRINTER 1982 No. 51 Cover: The effects of salting can be devastating. As the salty water-table rises it reaches root systems causing trees and plants to die. Salt also breaks down the soil structure making the land more prone to the various forms oferosion. The result is a desert-like landscape. 2 SOIL CONSERVATION AUTHORITY ----·-------- 378 Cotham Road, Kew, Victoria, 3101 The Honourable Evan Walker, M.l.C., 29 October 1982 Minister for Conservation. Dear Mr. Walker, In accordance with the provisions of the Soil Conservation and Land Utilization Act 1958 No. 6372, the Soil Conservation Authority submits to you for presentation to Parliament its Annual Report for the year ended 30 June 1982. The Authority wishes to express its appreciation for the continued co-operation and assistance of Government departments and State instrumentalities, municipal councils and land holders. Yours sincerely, A. MITCHELL, M.Agr.Sc., D.D.A., Chairman D.N. CAHILL, B.Agr.Sc., Dip.Ag.Ex., Deputy Chairman ~M~~h~--c?- -~~ J.S. GILMORE, J.P., Member The year under review saw a change in Government. The Authority wishes to record its sincere thanks to the Honourable Vasey Houghton, Minister for Conservation from 16 June 1979 to 7 April1982. The Authority welcomes the Honourable Evan Walker to this important portfolio. 3 AIMS AND RESPONSIBILITIES The Soil Conservation Authority is a public • To ensure correct land use in water supply statutory body established in 1950. It operates catchments, with the object of protecting water under the Soil Conservation and Land Utilization quality and maintaining sustained yield. Act 1958 and associated legislation. • To provide a service to landholders which will Three members, appointed by the Governor-in· ensure the efficient utilisation of "on-farm" Council, manage the Authority's overall activities. water resources in areas outside designated The Authority reports to Parliament through the irrigation areas. Minister for Conservation. The principal objective of the Authority is to • To promote community awareness of the need achieve the adoption of soil-conseiVing land use for soil conservation. practices by all land users in the State. • To provide advice and co-ordinate the policies Specific aims are: and activities of government departments and • To achieve correct systems of land use and public authorities on the alienation, occupation, management on all land in the State so there is care and use of Crown lands to ensure that soil neither loss of soil nor its fertility. erosion does not occur. • To control erosion and reclaim eroded land. • To control shallow extraction of soil, sand and • To control dryland salting and reclaim affected gravel to ensure soil protection during and land. after extraction. CONTENTS 4 STRUCTURE OF THE AUTHORITY ~··~~~·- AUTHORITY DISTRICT CHAIRMAN ADVISORY -- DEPUTY :.: COMMITTEES CHAIRMAN MEMBER I I I SECRETARY .·, I ·, CATCHMENT ::,;;· FIELD RESEARCH& PUBLICATIONS & &LAND ADMINISTRATIVE • I ' OPERATIONS INVESTIGATIONS ~: INFORMATION CAPABILITY DIVISION "" DIVISION .,. DIVISION SECTION DIVISION ~ x·. ..._•. ~~ I I ! r, l Catchment Investigations Soil Consc•rvation Personnel I Laboratory ~ P-::-u-b-11-c-at_.io_n_s___ _ ! Land Studies Erosion Control Office Services Hydrology i Publicity ! Land Capability Reclamation I Budget Agronomy IMedia Contact 1 Computing Farm Water Supply Stores Geomorphology Displays & Field Day Service Technical Library Dry/and Salting , Photographic Services Catchment Management , Conservation Econom1cs i Public Relations 1 Extractive Industries Land Disturbance Extension & Community Education REGIONS r=c;;;;tral - Northern I -Alpine & - Glenelg ' Coastal South Eastern - M a/lee - North Eastern - Barwon 5 MEMBERS OF THE AUTHORITY Chairman A. MITCHELL M.Agr.Sc., D.D.A In addition to his duties as Chairman of the Authority, Mr. Mitchell is Deputy Chairman of the Land Conservation Council, Chairman of the Environment Protection Council, Member of the State Co-ordination Council, and Member of the Commonwealth/States Standing Committee on Soil Conservation (currently its Chairman). During the period 10 April to 30 June, Mr. Mitchell was appointed Member of the Envir~nment Protection Authority due to the absence on sick leave of the Member, Mr. Stanton Archer. Mr. Mitchell is also Chairman of the Thomson Stage III Committee, which is formulating policies for catchment land use and protection for Thomson dam. Deputy Chairman D.N. CAHILL B.Agr.Sc., Dip.Ag.Ex. Mr. Cahill is Deputy Chairman of the Authority. His responsibilities ·include soil conservation and erosion-control programs, coastal foreshore erosion control, land capability investigations and extractive industry controls. He represents the Authority on the Coastal Management and Co­ ordination Committee and the Flood Plain and River Management Committee of the River Murray Commission. Member J.S. GILMORE J.P. Mr. Gilmore represents the Auti)ority on the Victorian Irrigation Services Advisory Committee and the Natural Resources Conservation League. He has the responsibility of liaison with the 23 statutorily-appointed District Advisory Committees, which represent clients of the Authority, and is Chairman of the Bogong High Plains District Advisory Committee. He superVises grants and loans made to landholders for soil and water conservation, and grants to organisations for erosion control on foreshores and Crown land. Farm water supply services are a further responsibility. 6 SENIOR OFFICERS Chief Soil Conservationist J.F. ALL!NSON Dip.Ag., M.Env.ScL Principal Research Officer F.R GIBBONS B.Sc. Chief, Catchment and Land Capability Division RM.JOY BA (Hons), M.Sc., M.Env.Sci., Dip.Ed. Secretary D.M. AUGHTERSON Deputy Chief Soil Conservationist HAALLEN D.DA Senior Publications and Information Officer D.M. STONE Chief Engineer GH FINDLAY B.E.Agric. 7 THE YEAR IN BRIEF Soil Conservation Advice Authority staff made over 11,000 inspections to provide advice on erosion prevention and control. This included 2,000 visits to group projects, 1,800 for farm water supply advice, 500 for water supply catchment supervision and 700 for the control of extractive activities, as well as 3,000 to assist local government and Government departments. Erosion Control The amount of structural erosion control work carried out was the highest for ten years. The upsurge is attributed to three factors: need, the good rural economy, and a prolonged construction season. Dryland Salinity Investigations by Authority staff have enabled the preliminary mapping of Victoria into hydrogeological salinity provinces. These provinces will provide a planning base for salinity control programs. Meanwhile, Mr. Williamson of CSIRO working with the Authority's Bendigo salinity team has estimated that it will take 400 to 1,600 years for the salt to be removed from most catchments between the Goulburn and the Avoca rivers. Farm Water Supply A total of 440 dams and 208 km of pipeline were surveyed. The reduced amount compared to 1980/81 is attributed to the introduction of service charges and the competing demand for staff time on erosion control work. Coastal Erosion Thirty grants amounting to $97,000, were made for the control of foreshore erosion. Eleven grants, valued at $64,000, had to be refused for lack of funds. Water Supply Catchments Three water supply catchments, covering 208 km2 were proclaimed bringing to a total of 75 the number of proclaimed catchments in Victoria. Proclaimed catchments now cover approximately one sixth of the State. Land Capability Land capability assessments were provided to 15 planning authorities as a basis for planning decisions. Wind Erosion A survey in late autumn 1982 showed that 50 per cent of light soils and 10 per cent of the land area of the Mallee, was subject to wind erosion. National Soil Conservation The Commonwealth Government allocated $3 million to the States for soil Program conservation for the period 1981/82. The value of the Federal allocation as a stimulus to soil conservation in Victoria was difficult to ascertain as the allocation was absorb~d into general revenue grants to the State and no "earmarked" funds flowed on to the Authority. Legislation The Soil Conservation and Land Utilization (Amendment) Act 1981 confirmed the role of the Soil Conservation Authority in combatting the problem of dryland salinity. The amendments also contained the important provision that conditions imposed on the land within water supply catchments are now binding on all subsequent owners or occupiers of that land, not only on current owners or occupiers as is the case at present. Reviews Two independent reviews of the services provided by the Authority came to the same conclusion on one point; land resource assessment services currently dispersed in other organisations would be more effective if combined with those of the Authority and under Authority guidance. No action has resulted from these recommendations. 8 OVERVIEW Sixty per cent of the Soil Conservation Authority dune reclamation, 100 km of protective fencing staff are based in the field. They are located at 26 and the planting of 56,000 trees. field centres throughout Victoria to provide an on­ The Authority provided $337,000 in grants site service to landholders, municipalities, statutory towards works on landholders' properties