Assessment of the Efficacy of Engineering Solutions For The Management of Dryland Salinity

In order to manage dry land salinity, a complete range of tools need to be available to salinity managers. An important tool is engineering options. Often considered the "last resort" option, direct intervention in groundwater processes by using engineered solutions can provide significant advantages as an integrated part of dryland salinity management.

As part of the NDSP II program, a project has been established to compile the available information on engineering options in order to:

• determine success criteria for each option
• establish likely options for different salinity provinces throughout Australia
• assess the barriers to the use of engineering options

A Decision Support Tool for those coordinating dryland salinity management is the proposed outcome of this project. This tool will enable salinity managers to:

• assess what engineering options are applicable to this particular area;
• what are the likely success criteria for a particular tool; and
• make a preliminary assessment of the economics of particular options.