Lower Pian Sub catchment

Lower Pian sub-catchment is located between Burren Junction and Walgett north of the Kamilaroi Highway. The town of Burren Junction and the village of Cryon are located within this sub-catchment. It covers an area of 2,245 km2 and is mainly flat with some small rises where prior streams have built up and sands have been deposited.

The sub-catchment includes the alluvial plains and floodplains of Pian Creek which dissects this sub catchment. Pian Creek flows into the Namoi River near Walgett which then flows into the Barwon.

The sub-catchment is dominated by heavy grey self-mulching clay soils that support irrigation and dryland cropping industries such as cotton, cereals (wheat, barley, oats) and legumes (chick peas and faba beans).

Grazing is also a major industry that occurs on the extensive native pastures. Stock are mainly watered from sub-artesian bores. Bore drains (used to run the water) were commonly scattered across the landscape. These have now largely been replaced with tanks and troughs as bores have been progressively capped and piped. (Over 95% of water in bore drains is lost to evaporation.)

The sub-catchment supports a diverse range of native vegetation with Coolibah, Belah, Myall, Eurah, Lignum and River Cooba found in the areas close to Pian Creek. There are also light textured ridges dotted through the sub-catchment that commonly have Rosewood, Whitewood, Budda, Warrior Bush, Ironbark, Bimble Box.

The main natural resource issues in the area include invasive native scrub, pasture deterioration and weed invasion, riparian degradation and soil degradation including salinity and sodicity.