Economics of clay spreading for non-wetting sands

摘要

Non-wetting sands in the far west of Victoria and south-east of South Australia present a challenge for farmers. Their water-repellant nature makes it hard to establish any agricultural enterprise, so they have been effectively non-productive until recently. Run-off on these particular soils aggregates at the lowest points until water pressure forces a path down through the soil. This path is generally narrow. Lack of lateral movement means very little water available for plants. The water quickly reaches the water table, contributing to the spread of salinity.