Hydrogeological Landscapes for the Central West Catchment Management Authority Western Study Area: May 2013 (Second Edition)

This dataset has largely been superseded by the Hydrogeological Landscapes of the Central West Local Land Services Region: Nov 2020 and Residual Hydrogeological Landscapes of the Central West CMA Catchment: Nov 2020 datasets.

NOTE: The water EC attributes for datasets associated with this product were revised in December 2016. This change mostly affects the eastern Central West area covered by the original 2008 mapping. The revised datasets have been given the suffix '_Dec2016' to distinguish them from the previous 2013 versions. No changes have been made to the linework.

The Hydrogeological Landscape (HGL) concept provides a structure for the understanding of how salinity manifests itself in the landscape and how differences in salinity are expressed across the landscape. A HGL spatially defines areas of similar salt stores and pathways for salt mobilisation. The process of HGL determination relies on the integration of a number of factors: geology, soils, slope, regolith depth, and climate; an understanding of the differences in salinity development; and the impacts (land salinity/salt load/water electrical conductivity) in landscapes. Information sources such as soils maps, site characterisation, salinity site mapping, hydrogeological conditions and surface and groundwater data are combined to develop standard templates for each HGL. The focus of this dataset is the Western Central West study area west of the Newell Highway. It comprises introductory information on HGLs; HGL templates; and maps and digital spatial data developed for the project, including derivative maps to assist in land management decision making in the Western Central West study area. This includes information on salinity management from the perspectives of land use design, scales and types of management, landscape function, management strategies, actions and outcomes, as well as land use to be avoided. In addition, HGL mapping carried out in 2008 has been incorporated into the GIS component of this product and edge-matched with the Western HGLs where possible.

Spatial resolution for this product is 1:250 000.