Dryland salinity is one of the most threatening environmental issues affecting Western Australia at present time. It is the cause of which too much salt is dissolved into natural fresh water. As a result, plant life is dieing as salt in the water suffocates and dries out the plant, leaving baron and dry parts of land along the Western Australian landscape. It is the cause of when water tables raise due to sufficient rainfall in particular areas. As a result salt stored in the ground rises to the surface with the water and when the water is evaporated the salt is left behind.
The problem occurs because of two main factors. The most obvious factor surrounds the geography and weather pattern of this most hostile landscape. Australia's historical background is a significant cause. Australia never went through an ice age, so salt content in the soils were never renewed, hence there has been a build up of salt in Australia's soils for nearly 10, 000 years. .
Another cause is due to Australia's landscape, river and drainage system. Australia is relatively flat so instead of run off from rainfall draining back to the ocean, it can sometimes run inland because not all of our rivers run on a downward path to the ocean. A combination of water and salt build up in certain underground places, raises the water table and creates salt to rise to the surface. .
The water cycle also acts as a significant player in the cause of salinity along side wind direction. When seawater evaporates it brings its salt content with it. The salt is then brought down in raindrops and is blown inland because of south westerly breezes coming into Western Australia. Because of these south westerly breezes, Western Australia holds 80% of Australia's salt affected land. .
Another cause is when salt is blown off relatively close beaches and onto the land. The result as such is most obvious even in Perth, where roads are damaged and corroded, and where infrastructure such as homes are crumbling.