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Abstract
Dryland salinity is one of the most pressing land management problems in Western Australia.
A number of projects are in progress to provide a more comprehensive picture of the location
and extent of potentially saline areas in the landscape. Associated with some of these projects,
a large number of bores (piezometers) have been installed or are being installed throughout the
agricultural area to provide information on depth to groundwater and changes in water levels
over time. These bores provide information about whether and when the ground water will
reach the surface, causing losses of agricultural production through salinisation of soils. Using
data from the Jerramungup Land Conservation District (LCD) we explore factors influencing
the behaviour of farmers in monitoring or not monitoring their bores. In 1989, 110 bores were
sunk in seven catchments in the Jerramungup LCD. Monitoring responses were initially
exceptionally high, with 96 percent of bores observed in 1990, but then fell steadily to 44
percent by 1997. Our statistical analysis indicates that the probability that a bore will be
monitored decreases with time but is influenced by physical factors (reflecting economic
incentives) such as the depth to groundwater, the salt stored in the soil and the interaction
between these variables. As well as these physical factors, we explore some of the sociological
and economic factors that influence farmers’ bore monitoring behaviour. Farm size, age,
education, involvement in land conservation groups and perception of the threat posed by
salinity all affect the frequency of monitoring. Monitoring is also more frequent when farmers
are using it to assess management strategies they have implemented to attempt to reduce
groundwater rise. Overall, the study provides strong empirical support for the view that
economic incentives provide the main impetus for monitoring of groundwaters in this region,
although the study confirms that social factors also play a role.