Effect of recycled water on the soil physical-chemical properties of four vineyards in Great Western, Victoria, Australia

The effect of recycled water on soil physico-chemical properties was investigated in a number of blocks in each of four vineyards in the Great Western wine growing region, comparing soils beneath vines irrigated with recycled water and/or on-farm dam water with undeveloped land in each case. The application of recycled water in Great Western vineyards since 1999 has impacted deleteriously on the properties of topsoils and to a lesser extent on subsoils. These impacts include an increase in soil electrical conductivity (EC) and soil exchangeable sodium percentage (ESP). The data suggests that there is a significant threat to soil structural integrity from use of the recycled water at all sites. There is a comparable threat from some fresh (dam) water resources used in this region. Risks are either as a result of elevated sodium levels coupled with moderate salinity, or as a result of waters with very low salinity.