Groundwater recharge beneath woodlands cleared for grazing south western new south wales
Kennett Smith, A.K.; Budd, G.R.; Walker, G.R.
Australia Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organization Division of Water Resources Divisional Report (92-1): I-VI, 1-17
1992
Accession: 007383746
Study sites in the Belah Woodland land unit (greater than 10% clay above 3 m depth) showed no increase in potential recharge following clearing [in Australia]. The potential recharge at study sites in the Pine Woodland land unit (less than 10% clay above 3 m depth) was estimated to have increased by up to 1.5 mm yr-1, following clearing. This could lead to a rise in the water table in about 600 years. A site where the clay content of the soil was greater than 30% below 1 m depth showed no evidence of an increase in potential recharge. The relatively small increases in potential recharge were attributed to the low mean annual rainfall (255 mm yr-1) and the relatively high clay content of the soil below 3 m depth. The land was cleared between 50 and 100 years prior to the study. Prior to clearing the mean annual recharge to the water table ranged between 0.1 and 0.3 mm yr-1.