Don is a Research Officer with over 25 years experience in hydrology, soil and water conservation and productive tree species research.

He is currently leads hydrologic based research into practical methods to reduce the loss of nutrients (mainly N and P) into surface and groundwaters from intensively managed grazing systems on the southern Perth Basin. This is being done through an industry partnership project called "Greener Pastures".

He is also responsible for long term research into the catchment-scaled, salinity related impacts of commercial Farm Forestry systems in the medium and high rainfall areas. In addition he is undertaking long term research into the hydrological impacts of Oil Mallee systems from Esperance to Coorow.

Don

Graduated from the University of WA in 1981 and joined the Department at the Merredin Dryland Research Institute as a Land and Water Conservation Officer.
Was seconded to the National Afforestation Project in 1988 where he worked on defining the impact of Tasmania Bluegum plantations on groundwater hydrology as part of a team that lead the formation of the Bluegum industry in WA.
Recommenced with the Department in 1991 at Bunbury researching issues as diverse as the wheatbelt salinity processes, salt tolerance of commercial tree species, drainage for management of irrigation salinity in the south west, rapid ground based and airborne electromagnetic techniques for salinity mapping and agricultural nutrient loss processes and their management.
Was responsible for developing the Agbores statewide agricultural databases and developed the long term groundwater monitoring program and sites for the South West Agricultural region.
His expertise and specific interests include long term groundwater monitoring; catchment-scaled monitoring and modelling of groundwater impacts of commercial tree and other perennial species; saline farm forestry; salinity mapping; environmental impacts and management of agricultural nutrient losses (in particular Nitrogen) to groundwater and surface water.

Don Bennett — Publications since 2002

REFEREED BOOK CHAPTERS and JOURNALS

CONFERENCE PROCEEDINGS

DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE – TECHNICAL REPORTS

DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE FARMNOTES and BULLETINS

A. REFEREED JOURNALS and BOOK CHAPTERS

Pracilio G, Smettem KRJ, Bennett D, Harper RJ and Adams ML (2006) Site assessment of a woody crop where a shallow hardpan soil layer constrained plant growth. Plant and Soil 288: 113-125.

B. CONFERENCE PROCEEDINGS

Bennett DL, George RJ and Russell WK (2004) Sub-surface drainage efficiency reduces due to soil structural decline following salt removal in clay soils in the South West Irrigation Area, Western Australia. 1st National Salinity Engineering Conference, Perth WA, November 2004.
George RJ and Bennett DL (2004) Impact of farm forestry systems on dryland salinity: a modelling case study. Australian Forestry Conference, Melbourne, July 2004.
George RJ, Bennett DL and Speed RJ, (2004) Salinity management - the case for focussing on wheatbelt valleys. Salinity Solutions, Working with Science and Society Conference Proceedings, Bendigo.
Lucey J, Staines M, Morris R, Bennett D, Bolland M, Russell W, Windsor D and Fillery I (2007). Nitrogen - dairy farmer friend or foe? Aus-NZ Dairy Science Symposium, Sept., Melbourne.

C. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE – TECHNICAL REPORTS

Bennett DL, Donnelly P and Tille P (in press) Assessment of the impact of intensification of grazing agriculture on nitrogen and phosphorus levels in the shallow aquifers of the Southern Perth Basin. Resource Management Technical Report, Department of Agriculture and Food, Perth.
Bennett D, Speed R, Goodreid A. and Taylor P (2005) Silcrete hardpan in the north-eastern wheatbelt: hydrological implications for oil mallees. Resource Management Technical Report No. 297, WA Department of Agriculture, Perth.
Bennett D, Simons J and Taylor P (2005) Gibson Oil Mallee Study: Drill completion and preliminary hydrogeological interpretation report. Resource Management Technical Report No. 296, WA Department of Agriculture, Perth.
Bennett D, Speed R and Taylor P (2005) Goodlands Oil Mallee Study: Drill completion and preliminary hydrogeological interpretation report. Resource Management Technical Report No. 293, WA Department of Agriculture, Perth.
Westrup T, Tille P, Bennett D, Stephenson N (2007) Potential capture of surface run-off for reliable water supplies in the 500-825 mm rainfall zone of South Western Australia. Resource Management Technical Report No. 314.

D. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE FARMNOTES, TECHNOTES and BULLETINS

Bennett DL (2002) Monitoring the impact of perennial plants on groundwater. Farmnote No. 80/02.
Rob C and Bennett DL (2004) Farmer experiences in farm forestry, Peter and Jan Coffey, Chowerup. Farmnote No. 62/04.
Westrup T and Bennett D (in press) Reducing and maintaining low salt levels in marginal farm dams. Department of Agriculture and Food, Bunbury.

E. OTHER SIGNIFICANT REPORTS and ARTICLES

(PEER REVIEWED or EDITED)

Anon. (2002). Operational guidelines for automated EM soil conductivity mapping. Australia Society of Soil Science Inc., Riverina Branch.
Bennett DL (2007) Nutrients in groundwater. Greener Pastures Project Fact Sheet.
Bennett DL and Russell WK (2006) Health of our natural resources. Greener Pastures Project Fact Sheet.
Bennett DL and George RJ (2005) Busselton Flood Protection: study of the effects of compensating basins on groundwater, pasture growth and soil salinity. Report to Water Corporation WA.
Bennett D and Moore R (2004) Farm Forestry in South West NRM Region. In Anon, 2004. SW Regional NRM Strategy Technical Report 3 - LAND 139-143.
Bennett DL (2003) Hydrologic aspects of blue gum alley farming. In Moore, R and Buckton, M. (Eds), Peter Coffeys Blue Gum alley Farming at Bloomvale, A Technical Discussion Paper. Department of CALM, Department of Agriculture and Forests Products Commission.
Bennett DL and Russell WK (2003) Drainage of irrigation pastures project update winter 2002. Department of Agriculture WA, Dairy Note No. 2/03.
Bennett DL, Simons JS and Taylor PT (2002) Oil Mallee Study: Drill completion and preliminary hydrogeological interpretation, Gibson. Department of Agriculture report for RIRDC.
Prasser-Jones M (2007) A Review of the Licensing and Regulation Provisions Pertaining to the Construction of Large Farm Dams in the Woolbelt Region of Western Australia. Consultancy report to SWCC. (Consultancy managed by D Bennett)
N.P.I.R.D. (2003) Subsurface Drainage Design and Management Practices in Irrigated Areas of Australia. Eds: E.W. Christian and J.W. Hornbuckle. Land and Water Australia.
Robins L and Marcar N (2007) Integrated Forestry on Farmland. CRC for Plant Based Management of Dryland Salinity (D Bennett major contributor/author for WA section).
Russell WK, Bennett DL and Richards P (2005) Dairy practices audit. Report for the DairyCatch Project. Western Dairy, WA.