What is the problem with land salinity in the Murray Darling basin?

Answer 1

The Murray Darling basin covers a vast area of Australia, much of which is prime agricultural land. The basin has naturally high saline levels in its soils, geology, surface water and groundwater, as noted by the explorer Charles Sturt back in 1829, but these increased through the twentieth century, remaining a problem in the 21st century. Both the Murray and Darling Rivers, and their numerous tributaries, are vital for providing water water for irrigation, watering stock and general human use.

The problem is that salinity levels are rising, not only in the rivers but on the land. Over-irrigation, intensive land use and the growing of crops that are really unsuitable for Australia's conditions (e.g. cotton and rice, both of which need a lot of water) has resulted in increased land salinity. Currently there are very few controls on how much water is diverted for crops upstream in the Darling River catchment, and so the regions further downstream suffer more, including from where the Darling empties into the Murray.

As salinity levels increase, the water and soil both become less suitable for agricultural and human use, rendering one of Australia's largest agricultural regions far less usable. This is the problem currently facing the Federal government, as it fights the various state governments for greater control and protection of this vital river system.