When saline groundwater discharge areas are drained there is always concern over the level of salt within the discharge water. In this study, groundwater discharge rates and quality were measured in an erosion gully that drained a catchment with saline, sodic and acid sulfate-like soils (typical of discharge areas in the Mount Lofty Ranges, South Australia).

The research determined that contaminants other than sodium chloride will be of concern if discharge areas are drained. Even in very low rainfall years, drainage water contained up to 41 kg/ha/year of sodium but also 2 kg/ha/year of sulfur. Losses of sulfur, magnesium and calcium followed a similar trend to sodium losses. The losses of phosphorus were 0.005–0.007 kg/ha/year and nitrate losses were up to 0.002 kg/ha/year.