This GIS data package contains airborne electromagnetic (AEM) datasets and interpreted data products for the Barr Creek-Gunbower survey area, as part of the River Murray Corridor (RMC) Salinity Mapping and Interpretation Project. The RMC project was undertaken between 2006 and 2010 to provide information on a range of salinity and land management issues along a 450 kilometre reach of the Murray River from the South Australian border to Gunbower, northwest of Echuca in Victoria. The Barr Creek-Gunbower survey area is a large NW-SW trending area along the Murray River between Swan Hill and Gunbower.

This metadata briefly describes the contents of the data package. The user guide included in the package contains more detailed information about the individual datasets and available technical reports.

The main components in the package are: AEM data and images derived from a holistic inversion of the RMC RESOLVE AEM survey; a composite digital elevation model (DEM); a range of interpreted data products designed to map key elements of the hydrogeological system and salinity hazards using the AEM dataset; and a series of ESRI ArcGIS map documents.

The AEM data component consists of grids and images of modelled conductivity data derived from a holistic inversion of the RMC RESOLVE AEM survey. They include: layer conductivity grids below ground surface; depth slice grids representing the average conductivity of various regular depth intervals below ground surface; floodplain slice grids representing the average conductivity of various depth intervals relative to the elevation above or below a smooth surface that approximates the River Murray floodplain; watertable slice grids representing the average conductivity of various intervals relative to the elevation above or below the regional watertable; and AEM cross sections of conductivity versus depth along each of the flight lines. The holistic inversion AEM data are derived from the 'River Murray Corridor RESOLVE AEM Survey, VIC & NSW, 2007 Final Data (P1141)', available as Geoscience Australia product number 67212 (GeoCat #67212).

The DEM data component consists of a 10 metre horizontal resolution composite DEM for the River Murray Corridor AEM survey area derived from airborne light detection and ranging (LiDAR) surveys, AEM surveys and the shuttle radar topography mission (SRTM) survey.

The interpreted data component is organised into product themes to address salinity and land management questions and to map key elements of the hydrogeological system and salinity hazards using the AEM dataset. An ArcGIS map document is included for each product theme. The products include: conductive soils; flush zones; groundwater conductivity; near surface conductive zones; near surface resistive zones; Parilla Sands; Quaternary alluvium; recharge; salt store; Shepparton Formation; stratigraphic extents and reliability; surface salt; and vegetation health.

The RMC project was funded through the National Action Plan for Salinity and Water Quality with additional funding from the Lower Murray Catchment Management Authority (CMA), Mallee CMA, Goulburn-Murray Water and the Murray-Darling Basin Authority. The project was administered by the Australian Government Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry through the Bureau of Rural Sciences, now known as the Australian Bureau of Agricultural and Resource Economics and Sciences (ABARES). Geoscience Australia (GA) were contracted to provide geophysical services to manage the AEM system selection and data acquisition, and to process and calibrate the AEM data. The AEM survey was flown by Fugro Airborne Geophysical Services in 2007 using the helicopter-borne RESOLVE frequency domain system. The Cooperative Research Centre for Landscape Environments and Mineral Exploration was sub-contracted through GA to manage the interpretation and reporting component of the RMC project.