Box Creek Sub-catchment

Box Creek sub-catchment is the most western sub-catchment within the Namoi Catchment. It is located south of Walgett stretching for over 80km south west of Walgett and over 100km south east of Walgett towards Baradine. The village of Come-by-Chance is located within this sub-catchment.

Box Creek sub-catchment is a long and narrow sub-catchment covering an area of 1,689km2 and is mainly flat with some small rises where prior streams have built up and sands have been deposited. This sub catchment is drained by Box Creek and a number of warrambools that assist with drainage during flood times.

The landscape varies from lighter sandier soils to the east through heavier alluvial grey and chocolate clay soils. Higher light textured ridges are scattered through this sub-catchment.

The eastern areas are dominated by White Cypress Pine vegetation communities while the
north western part of the sub-catchment is dominated by Coolibah and Black Box communities in the floodplain areas

Key agricultural activities across the sub-catchment are cattle, wool and fat lamb production and broad acre cereal and legume cropping. Grazing for most of the sub-catchment is on native pasture but towards the east the percentage of introduced grasses and legumes increases. Stock are mainly watered by sub artesian bores and ground tanks although towards the east, artesian bores are also used. Logging also occurred in the eastern part of this sub catchment.

Common natural issues across the subcatchment include scalding, pasture deterioration, soil degradation, invasive native scrub, variable soils and rehabilitating bore drains and discharge areas.