Minimising risks of groundwater impacts of rice growing

With rice grown in water ponded for a long period (up to 150 days), there is potential for excessive amounts of water to seep through the soil profile and accede to groundwater. This may cause the development of shallow water tables and associated salinity problems, or aggravate existing problems. This risk can be minimised by restricting the crop to the more impermeable soils. This Victorian study looks at methods for identifying suitable soil types that have lower accession rates to groundwater, using soil boring and EM31 tests.

• Read the study
  - Select the "Environmental impact of rice growing - technical issues" article.