â–º A hand-held electrical sensor was used in water-saturated conditions in a acid saline Vertisol located in a paddy field. â–º Soil apparent electrical conductivity (ECa) was monitored over time during a desalinisation experiment. â–º Water and salt balances were calculated with Monte-Carlo simulations to analyse uncertainty propagation. â–º ECa was correlated with the electrical conductivity of aqueous extract and the salt stock of the upper soil layer. â–º Decreasing ECa measured over time allowed efficient detection and monitoring of desalinisation in the topsoil layer.