Soil/Landform Unit 182

Level plain with remnant red gum and swamp gum

Area:

3142 ha

0.24% of CMA region

The level plains south of Shelford are characterised by the plateau remnants. The level plain is bound by steep slopes and scarps along the Leigh River to the west. Dissection has developed the topographically significant entrenched valley and valley floor of the Leigh River where a host of geologies are exposed. The dominant soil has a sandy loam surface layer and a

mottled

yellow or red subsoil clay that overlies unconsolidated clay. Occasionally isolated ferricrete layers occur at the top of the subsoil or further down in the profile. These texture contrast soils occur with grey or brown clays found on the minor flats and drainage depressions. The vegetation classes include plains grassy woodland and grassy woodland with

Eucalyptus camaldulensis

dominant as scattered trees. The main land use is grazing and cereal cropping, areas remain timbered and are used for recreation, sand and gravel extraction and low quality forestry. Erosion hazards are minimal except at scarps, which have a moderate susceptibility to soil loss. Soils are prone to waterlogging due to poor site drainage and

compaction

is a problem on the flatter

gilgaied

areas.

Drainage lines have been constructed to assist with surface run off
	Remnant vegetation consists of red gum, yellow gum and swamp gum

Component	1	2	3	4
Proportion of soil-landform unit	80%	10%	9%	1%
CLIMATE Rainfall (mm)	Annual: 580
Temperature (^oC)	Minimum 9, Maximum 19
Precipitation less than potential evapotranspiration	October–April
GEOLOGY Age and lithology	Neogene unconsolidated marine sand, clay and silt
Geomorphology	6.2.4 Plains, rises and low hills of the Sedimentary Western Plains
LANDUSE	Uncleared: Nature conservation Cleared: Sheep and beef cattle grazing; cropping (cereal)
TOPOGRAPHY Landscape	Undulating to flat plains
Elevation range (m)	27–206
Local relief (m)	3
Drainage pattern	Dendritic
Drainage density (km/km²)	1.8
Landform	Undulating plains
Landform element	Upper plain	Drainage line	Lower plain	Sand ridge with ferricrete
Slope and range (%)	2 (2–5)	1 (1–2)	2 (1–5)	4 (3–5)
Slope shape	Straight	Concave	Straight	Convex
NATIVE VEGETATION Ecological Vegetation Class	Plains Grassy Woodland (0.9%), Grassy Woodland (0.8%)
Dominant species	E. camaldulensis, E. ovata	E. camaldulensis, E. ovata	E. leucoxylon, Acacia spp.	E. viminalis, Acacia pycnantha
SOIL Parent material	Unconsolidated clay, silt, sand and gravel	Unconsolidated sediments and recent alluvial deposits	Unconsolidated clay, silt, sand and gravel	Unconsolidated sediments and ferricrete
Description (Corangamite Soil Group)	Mottled brown, grey, yellow and red texture contrast soils, both fine structured (13)	Mottled brown, grey or yellow texture contrast soils, fine structure (13)	Mottled brown, grey or yellow sodic soils, coarse structure (14)	Mottled red texture contrast soils, acidic (15)
Soil type sites	SFS19, SW67, OTR601,CLRA3	SW67, OTR601,CLRA3	SW99, SW93, MM204	MM5109, SW63, OTR499
Surface texture	Fine sandy loam	Sandy loam	Sandy loam	Fine sandy loam
Permeability	Moderate	Moderate to low	Low	High
Depth (m)	1.0–2.0	1.5–2.5	2	0.7–1.8
LAND CHARACTERISTICS, POTENTIAL AND LIMITATIONS	Hardsetting surfaces and low permeability leads to overland flow. This flow often causes minor sheet and rill erosion with major rainfall events.	Seasonal high watertables, overland flow, periodic waterlogging and minor gully erosion are degradation concerns.	Dispersible subsoils, overland flow, subsurface flow and minor gully erosion are degradation concerns.	Hardsetting surfaces and low permeability leads to overland flow. This flow often causes minor sheet and rill erosion with major rainfall events.

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