Land management and its impact on water yield on the northern tablelands of New South Wales.

Abstract

The extensive and radical change in pastoral land treatment and management which has taken place on the Northern Tablelands of New South Wales since 1950 has greatly increased the demand on available water, and has at the same time affected the amount and rate of water run-off into streams and dams, and the nature and permanency of springs and streams. This has not only created problems of water scarcity on the Tablelands, but it has serious implications for the Darling River system, of which the Tablelands form a major source of supply, because of reduced run-off into headwater streams, and additional retention of water for livestock in larger, and an increased number of, farm dams. The onset of drought in 1980 precipitated an immediate and serious shortage of water for livestock and urban use. A recognition that this was partly man induced led to the establishment of a Water Management Research project, jointly sponsored by land users and the University of New England. In 1981-2 a detailed study was undertaken of a typical Tablelands area, the Severn River basin, to ascertain and quantify the effects of changed land management. The results of the study, its implications, and conclusions drawn from it are discussed.