Soil/Landform Unit 17

Undulating rises used from grazing east of Yendon

Area:

3986 ha

0.30% of CMA region

The undulating granitic rises around Yendon are part of the granitic landscapes within the Midlands of the Western Uplands. The gentle to undulating slopes graduate into prominent footslopes and alluvial flats. Remnant vegetation on the granite includes Grassy Woodland, Grassy Dry Forest, Plains Grassy Woodland and Herb-Rich Foothill Forest. The soils consist of mottled texture contrast soils with

sodic

medium to heavy clay subsoils. Land use is restricted to grazing and cropping due to the low available water holding capacity and ready leaching of nutrients from these soils. Gully erosion occurs to a minor extent with sheet and rill erosion. Salting can also be expressed at the surface as evidenced by the presence of spiny rush.

Granite rise hear Lal Lal. Photo taken in August after winter rainfall
	Grazing is the dominant land use upoin this soil landform unit

Component	1	2	3	4
Proportion of soil-landform unit	20%	55%	15%	10%
CLIMATE Rainfall (mm)	Annual: 790
Temperature (^oC)	Minimum 7, Maximum 17
Precipitation less than potential evapotranspiration	November-March
GEOLOGY Age and lithology	Devonian granite and granodiorite	Quaternary gravel, sand and clay	Pleistocene basalt	Quaternary gravel, sand and clay
Geomorphology	2.1.2 Dissected Western Uplands associated with granitic rocks and aureoles
LANDUSE	Uncleared: Nature conservation Cleared: Sheep and beef cattle grazing; limited cropping (cereal)
TOPOGRAPHY Landscape	Undulating rises
Elevation range (m)	449-571
Local relief (m)	30
Drainage pattern	Dendritic
Drainage density (km/km²)	2.6
Landform	Hills	Fan and terrace	Depressions	Terrace
Landform element	Crest and slopes	Drainage lines	Long gentle upper slopes
Slope and range (%)	6 (2-10)	1 (1-3)	1 (1-3)	1 (1-2)
Slope shape	Convex	Straight	Straight	Straight
NATIVE VEGETATION Ecological Vegetation Class	Grassy Woodland (12.6%), Grassy Dry Forest (1.5%), Plains Grassy Woodland (1.1%), Herb-rich Foothill Forest (1.0%)
Dominant species	E. vininalis, E. radiata	E. ovata, E. obliqua, E. radiata	E. ovata, E. viminalis, E. rubida, E. obliqua	E. viminalis, E. radiata
SOIL Parent material	In situ weathered granite	Unconsolidated wash	In situ weathered basalt	Unconsolidated gravel, sand, silt and clay
Description (Corangamite Soil Group)	Red mottled brown, grey or yellow texture contrast soil (1/2)	Red mottled brown, grey or yellow texture contrast soil (32)	Mottled brown, yellow or grey sodic texture contrast soil, coarse structure (35)	Dark brown soil - variable (34)
Soil type sites	BD7, MM436, MM411	SW88, SFS20, CLRA4	SW86, SW90, CLRA49	CLRA1, SW39, CLRA15
Surface texture	Sandy loam	Sandy loam	Clay loam	Fine sandy clay loam
Permeability	Moderate	Moderate to low	Moderate to low	Moderate to low
Depth (m)	1	1	1.5	2
LAND CHARACTERISTICS, POTENTIAL AND LIMITATIONS	Hardestting surface soils lead to overland flow and are subject to gully, sheet and rill erosion on moderate slopes. Leaching of salts, subsurface flow and deep seepage are other features of this soil type.	Moderate dispersible and poorly drained soils lead to discharge sites for salinity with accumulation of salts occurring. Waterlogging and subsurface flow also occur. Harsetting surface soils may lead to overland flow and gully erosion.	Hardsetting surface soils lead to surface compaction and are subject to overland flow and sheet erosion. Slowly permeable subsoils lead to periodic waterlogging.	Low-lying areas are prone to poor drainage leading to waterlogging. Overland flow, stream bank erosion and gully erosion are other features of this soil type.

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