Strategic Agricultural Lands (SAL) Biophysical

Brief description

## **Abstract**

This dataset and its metadata statement were supplied to the Bioregional Assessment Programme by a third party and are presented here as originally supplied.



Important Note: 14/01/2015. Since we generated these spatial layer datasets, the NSW Department of Planning and Environment has published an interactive CSG Exclusion Zone map. Interested parties should go to http://www.planning.nsw.gov.au/en-au/planningyourregion/strategicregionallanduse/coalseamgasexclusionzones.aspx where they can find out more about CSG exclusion zones. The information in the Bioregional Assessment products aligns with the CSG exclusion zones as published by NSW and the subsequent publication of those NSW maps does not alter the information in our assessments.



A polygon dataset that estimates the extent of Strategic Agricultural Land (SAL) within New South Wales.



Strategic agricultural land is highly productive land that has both unique natural resource characteristics (such as soil and water resources) as well as socio-economic value (such as high productivity, infrastructure availability and access to markets).



Biophysical strategic agricultural land is land with a rare combination of natural resources highly suitable for agriculture. These lands intrinsically have the best quality landforms, soil and water resources which are naturally capable of sustaining high levels of productivity and require minimal management practices to maintain this high quality

## **Purpose**

To identify Strategic Agricultural Land (SAL) within the state

## **Dataset History**

Important Note: 14/01/2015. Since we generated these spatial layer datasets, the NSW Department of Planning and Environment has published an interactive CSG Exclusion Zone map. Interested parties should go to http://www.planning.nsw.gov.au/en-au/planningyourregion/strategicregionallanduse/coalseamgasexclusionzones.aspx where they can find out more about CSG exclusion zones. The information in the Bioregional Assessment products aligns with the CSG exclusion zones as published by NSW and the subsequent publication of those NSW maps does not alter the information in our assessments.





This dataset has been captured and mapped at a regional scale



Criteria for Biophysical Strategic Agricultural Land



land that falls under soil fertility classes 'high' or 'moderately high' under the Draft Inherent General Fertility of NSW (OEH), and



· land capability classes I, II or III under the Land and Soil Capability Mapping of NSW (OEH), and



· reliable water of suitable quality, characterised by having rainfall of 350mm or more per annum (9 out of 10 years); or properties within 150m of a regulated river, or unregulated rivers where there are flows for at least 95% of the time (ie the 95th percentile flow of each month of the year is greater than zero) or 5th order and higher rivers; or groundwater aquifers (excluding miscellaneous alluvial aquifers, also known as small storage aquifers) which have a yield rate greater than 5L/s and total dissolved solids of less than 1,500mg/L.



OR



· land that falls under soil fertility classes 'moderate' under the Draft Inherent General Fertility of NSW (OEH), and



· land capability classes I or II under the Land and Soil Capability Mapping of NSW (OEH), and



· reliable water of suitable quality, characterised by having rainfall of 350mm or more per annum (9 out of 10 years); or properties within 150m of a regulated river, or unregulated rivers where there are flows for at least 95% of the time (ie the 95th percentile flow of each month of the year is greater than zero) or 5th order and higher rivers; or groundwater aquifers (excluding miscellaneous alluvial aquifers, also known as small storage aquifers) which have a yield rate greater than 5L/s and total dissolved solids of less than 1,500mg/L.

## **Dataset Citation**

NSW Department of Planning and Infrastructure (2013) Strategic Agricultural Lands (SAL) Biophysical. Bioregional Assessment Source Dataset. Viewed 14 June 2018, http://data.bioregionalassessments.gov.au/dataset/42e2a51d-3c11-431f-ac62-f8511c859516.