SALT LAKES OF WESTERN AUSTRALIA: Vital Features of the W.A. Landscape

On the four and a half hour flight from Perth to Brisbane a stunning vision from my window was beyond my expectation. The landscape below became a captivating experience lasting the entire flight over Western Australia until the ocean appeared of which was possibly the “the Great Australian Bight in South Australia. Western Australia is known for its Salt Lakes they are vital features of the Western Australian Landscape. I previously had viewed pink Salt lakes at ground level. However the landscape viewed from above is a most monumental experience .

ALL IMAGES : property of Marlene Sarroff

Salt has been accumulating in the ground for hundreds of thousands of years. In fact, the interior of WA has the greatest concentration of salt lakes on the continent. These lakes have large numbers of plants and animals that are unique to these areas and are not found elsewhere, as well as some of the highest levels of species diversity of all the salt lakes in Australia.

Salt lakes are a fundamental part of the balance between groundwater (water occurring naturally underground) and surface water, like rivers and streams. They act as reservoirs for groundwater discharge or overflow. This discharge, once in the salt lake might be evaporated by the sun, may travel through the surface water drainage system, or may be recharged back down into the ground.

During the flooding and drying cycle, many animals take advantage of the unique habitat that these salt lakes provide. For example, a number of invertebrates such as insects, shrimps and snails are only found in salt lakes during flooding. In addition, salt lakes also act as an important refuge for the unique species that inhabit them and the many birds that include these lakes in their migratory path.

Salt lakes are often undervalued, due to the fact that excessive amounts of dissolved salt in water can affect agriculture, drinking water supplies and ecosystem health. However, studies of these salty areas have shown that they are far from being wastelands. They are intricately connected to groundwater systems and wetlands within the entire region, and changes in the use of each individual salt lake, may have long term negative effects on other areas linked to the vast water system.

TEXT: https://www.nacc.com.au/salt-lakes-vital-features-of-the-wa-landscape/