Dataset
NSW Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water
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Monitoring, Evaluation and Reporting Soil Condition (Salinity) Report Card Score Calculations (18 February 2009)

This dataset contains the workings for deriving salinity condition scores that were generated for the Soil Condition theme of the NSW Monitoring, Evaluation & Reporting (MER) program.

The dataset was generated from 'known saline site' mapping and API activities carried out by DLWC and DIPNR regions between 2000 and 2005. Scores are based on location, size and intensity of salinised areas.

ArcGIS was used to intersect the salinity mapping datasets with the 124 soil monitoring units (SMUs) used for the other Soil Condition theme indicators. The area of each intensity class within each SMU was determined. In cases where it was known that there were errors in the salinity mapping, area values were adjusted accordingly. Intensity as a percentage of total SMU area was then determined.

Salt load and electrical conductivity (EC) impacts on water-ways was evaluated by staff working in the salinity field (expert opinion).

Data and Resources

Metadata Summary What is metadata?

Field Value
Language English
Edition First
Purpose The five class salinity condition score is derived from three attributes used to describe salinity impact. Intensity class: based on visual assessment of saline outbreaks (Milford & Simon 2002). Each class is assigned a score from 5 (no vegetation loss or erosion) to 1 (severe vegetation loss and/or erosion). Area class: based on the percentage of the SMU affected by each intensity class. These classes are assigned a score from 5 (negligible land area affected) to 1 (extensive land area affected). Load/EC class: based on expert opinion as to the whether the outbreaks have a low, moderate or high impact on salinity load and EC levels in water ways. Again a score from 5 (low impact on streams) to 1 (severe impact on streams) is used. The final salinity condition score is determined by averaging these three attribute scores for each SMU. While it is possible to apply a weighting to each attribute, at this stage it appears an equal weighting for each attribute score gives realistic results. The overall salinity condition score ranges from 5 (minimal salinity impact on land and water) through to 1 (severe salinity impact on land and water). The dataset does not represent all the information available on salinity extent or impact. The scale being used is very broad and at best gives a catchment scale picture in at a point in time. SMUs do not cover entire CMA areas. Salinity data has only been considered for the SMU as defined. There are salt affected areas outside the current SMUs. Users of this dataset should be aware that the salinity outbreak datasets used for this evaluation are of differing ages and of varying quality.
Frequency of change Not planned
Keywords SOIL,HAZARDS,LAND-Use
Metadata Date 2009-02-18
Date of Asset Creation 2009-02-18
Date of Next Update 2010-08-24
License Creative Commons Attribution 4.0
Equivalent Scale 50000
Geospatial Topic Environment
Extent

Dataset extent

Map data © OpenStreetMap contributors
Temporal Coverage From 2000-01-01 - 2005-06-01
Datum GDA94 Geographic (Lat\Long)
Legal Disclaimer Read
Attribution NSW Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water asserts the right to be attributed as author of the original material in the following manner: "© State Government of NSW and NSW Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water 2025"