New Resource for Local Government
Abstract
Airborne geophysical data is lauded as the bright new hope for land management particularly in saline areas. The geophysics itself will not deliver salvation from salt and delivery of the information content from geophysics to land managers in an appropriate form is a more important step. Other ground based geophysical techniques may be more appropriate particularly in urban areas. On a local scale councils can use geophysics to map salt that may impact on roads other infrastructure; choose optimum sites for dams; locate areas of high recharge close to towns and map groundwater contamination. In agricultural areas airborne geophysics can assist land managers to map soils in detail; map areas of highest salt storage; and assess potential salt hazards. Councils can use information from geophysics to assist in protecting urban and road assets and as a regional dataset, to develop coordinated approaches within the broader catchment. The existence of geophysical data covering shires provides a valuable resource for ratepayers. Councils should consider availability of data including geophysics as a resource that should be available to ratepayers.