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Landloch Facilities

Landloch’s studies on erosion and land management rely on access to high quality facilities and equipment.

Erosion Research Facility

Landloch’s erosion research laboratory houses flumes, settling columns, leaching facilities, water treatment (reverse osmosis and deionising) units, and ancillary equipment. It is used for a range of erosion and soil stability studies, as part of Landloch’s consulting work and research projects.

The close proximity and contact between laboratory and offices at Landloch’s Peace Street complex has given greater efficiency of operation for the laboratory and improved supervision, training, and data interpretation.

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Erosion research facility
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Leaching studies and flume used for rill erosion measurements

Rainfall simulator

For both laboratory and field studies, Landloch uses a 2-module simulator able to cover plots up to 5 m long and 1.5 m wide. It provides:

  • Excellent portability, having been used at sites in Western Australia, Queensland, and the Northern Territory;
  • High level of reliability;
  • Compliance with safety and EMC standards;
  • Excellent performance in terms of spatial uniformity and repeatability (Loch et al. 2001); and
  • Considerable flexibility, with either one or two modules being used depending on plot size required.
rainfallSimulator1:
Rainfall simulator on rehabilitated minesite waste dump in WA

Field studies have been carried out on:

  • Mine spoils and waste dumps
  • Agricultural and horticultural areas as part of research projects
  • Factory wastes
  • Rehabilitated slopes simulating road side areas
rainfallSimulator2:
Rainfall simulator being used to study compaction in sugar cane, at Bundaberg

References

Loch, R.J., Robotham, B.G., Zeller. L., Masterman, N., Orange, D.N., Bridge, B.J., Sheridan, G., and Bourke, J.J. (2001). A multi-purpose rainfall simulator for field infiltration and erosion studies. Australian Journal of Soil Research 39: 599-610.

Loch, R.J. (2000). Using rainfall simulation to guide planning and management of rehabilitated areas: I. Experimental methods and results from a study at the NorthParkes mine. Land Degradation and Development 11: 221-240.

Loch, R.J., Connolly, R.D., and Littleboy, M. (2000). Using rainfall simulation to guide planning and management of rehabilitated areas: II. Computer simulations using parameters from rainfall simulation. Land Degradation and Development 11: 241-255. s. Australian Journal of Soil Research 39: 599-610.