Completion of project on assessment of acid sulfate soil risks relating to managed River Murray wetlands
The ASSC recently completed a large project for the Department for Environment and Water (South Australia).
The aim of this project was to provide information to assist environmental managers to identify and manage acid sulfate soil risks in River Murray wetlands, in particular those in the Riverine Recovery Project (RRP) and selected sites under the South Australian Riverland Floodplains Integrated Infrastructure Program (SARFIIP).
Acid sulfate soils can have catastrophic impacts on soil, water quality, aquatic ecosystems and water supplies if not managed appropriately. The need for the project arose firstly because there is a limited amount of acid sulfate soil information in current River Murray wetland management plans. Secondly, the new infrastructure and hydrological changes induced in managed wetlands as part of the RRP and SARFIIP (i.e. reintroduction of drying and wetting cycles for improved wetland health) can create potential risks of adverse environmental impacts that arise from acid sulfate soils due to the long term static water management regimes as a result of river regulation. Final reports from the project are listed below:
Mosley L.M., Thomas B.P. and Fitzpatrick R.W. (2019). A Guide to Managing Acid Sulfate Soil Risks in South Australian River Murray Wetlands. Acid Sulfate Soils Centre, University of Adelaide. Acid Sulfate Soils Centre Report: ASSC_155. Weblink to report
Fitzpatrick R.W., Mosley L.M., and Thomas BP (2018). Methods for detailed desktop, field and laboratory characterisation of Acid Sulfate Soils in Managed Wetlands. Acid Sulfate Soils Centre, The University of Adelaide, Acid Sulfate Soils Centre Report: ASSC_154. Weblink to report
Thomas B.P., Fitzpatrick R.W. and Mosley L.M. (2019). Technical Report: Acid Sulfate Soil Assessment for Riverine Recovery Program wetlands. Acid Sulfate Soils Centre Report, University of Adelaide, 322 pp. Weblink to report
The outcomes of this work is now being used to inform new River Murray wetland and floodplain acid sulfate assessment projects in Victoria and New South Wales.