A joint venture between the Department of Water Resources (DWR) and the Soil Conservation Service (SCS) Department of Conservation and Land Management, has led to investigations into rising water levels and dryland salinity on the Liverpool Plains.

The objective of this study is to determine the driving forces behind the rising saline water levels and to formulate a remedial strategy, both engineering and biological. This can be achieved by detenninmg the inter-relationship between geologic materials and the occurrence, distribution, movement and chemistry of the deep and shallow groundwaters.

Stage one of the hydrogeological investigation has been undertaken in the upper eastern Mooki River catchment. This area was identified as having the greatest water logging and salinity outbreaks in the Liverpool Plains Catchment. The upper eastern Mooki River catchment covers an area approximately 2720 km2. The sub-catchments covered in this initial survey are Quirindi Creek, Quipolly Creek, Wemes Creek, Borambil Creek, Warrah Creek, Big Jacks Creek, Little Jacks Creek, Millers Creek, MacDonalds Creek, Pumpstation Creek, Yarrimanbah Creek, Phillips Creek and Omaleah Creek.