<P> Tasmania is relatively unaffected by salinity, with around 1% of agricultural land, and 8% of farm land adversely affected by salt, resulting in a current cost to the state of around $5 million per year, rising to around $13 million by 2050 . The majority of this salinity is irrigation based . </P> <P> Queensland is the least affected state of Australia, due to its unique seasonal rainfall . Around 15000 hectares are currently affected, with 3.1 million hectares considered highrisk . At current rates however, salinity is predicted to have moderate scale impacts on land and infrastructure by 2050, with 12,000 km of roads, 1500 km of rail lines, and around 2.8 million hectares of agricultural land, remnant vegetation, and wetlands and streams negatively affected </P> <P> The Australian governments have taken an integrated approach to target different scales of management . The approach is to manage the salinity issue at national, regional and state levels, down to local and individual farmers . Since 1983 the Australian governments have actioned the National Soil Conservation Program, National Landcare Program, Natural Heritage Trust, National Action Plan for Salinity and Water and Caring for our Country . </P> <P> The National Landcare Program focused on improving resource management and practices at the farm and local level . The National Dryland Salinity Program (1993 to 2000), funded a broad range of research and development from which to roll out further government programs . </P>

A major cause of increased soil salinity in australia is