Soil/Landform Unit 52

This gentle plain east of Yendon are mainly used for grazing and cropping. There is some recent residential development near this site

Area:

1623 ha

0.12% of CMA region

The gently undulating basalt plains in the Navigators-Yendon area form part of a sequence of volcanic landforms within the Western Plains. These plains are characterised by gently undulating slopes that have steep short slopes on their eastern margin. The vegetation classes include Plains Grassy Woodland, Grassy Woodland, Valley Grassy Forest and Swampy Riparian Woodland with the dominant species being manna gum (

E. viminalis

), swamp gum (

E ovata

), messmate stringybark (

E. obliqua

) and Candlebark (

E. rubida

). The area consists of a variety of texture contrast soils. The colour of the surface soil on the upper slopes tends to be browner than the grey lower slopes. There are minor occurrences of friable red gradational soils. Land use is mainly grazing for beef cattle and sheep, and cereal cropping. Residential development around Yendon is a minor land use. Soil compaction is a problem on the lower slopes and depressions where minor gully erosion and waterlogging also occur on these texture contrast soils.

The flat represents an alluvial plain between the resistant basalt flow and the neighbouring granite

Component	1	2	3	4	5	6
Proportion of soil-landform unit	60%	2%	2%	8%	1%	27%
CLIMATE Rainfall (mm)	Annual: 880
Temperature (^oC)	Minimum 6, Maximum 17
Precipitation less than potential evapotranspiration	November-March
GEOLOGY Age and lithology	Quaternary basalt, Devonian granite and Recent clay, sand and gravel
Geomorphology	2.1.4 Dissected Western Uplands associated with volcanic landforms
LANDUSE	Uncleared: Nature conservation Cleared: Beef cattle and sheep grazing; cropping
TOPOGRAPHY Landscape	Gently undulating plains
Elevation range (m)	466-570
Local relief (m)	2
Drainage pattern	Dendritic
Drainage density (km/km²)	2.2
Landform	Depressions			Undulating plain		Terrace
Landform element	Long gentle upper slopes	Depressions	Stony rises	Gentle slopes	Depressions
Slope and range (%)	2 (1-3)	1 (1-2)	3 (2-5)	4 (1-6)	1 (1-2)	1 (1-2)
Slope shape	Straight	Straight	Convex	Convex	Straight	Straight
NATIVE VEGETATION Ecological Vegetation Class	Plains Grassy Woodland (5.2%), Grassy Woodland (0.9%), Valley Grassy Forest (0.3%), Swampy Riparian Woodland (0.2%)
Dominant species	E. ovata, E. viminalis, E. rubida, E. obliqua	E. ovata, E. viminalis, E. rubida, E. obliqua	E. ovata, E. viminalis, E. rubida, E. obliqua	E. viminalis, E. radiata, E. obliqua	E. viminalis, E. radiata, E. obliqua	E. viminalis, E. radiata
SOIL Parent material	In situ weathered basalt	Alluvium	In situ weathered basalt	In situ weathered basalt	In situ weathered basalt	Unconsolidated gravel, sand, silty and clay
Description (Corangamite Soil Group)	Mottled yellow, grey sodic texture contrast soil, coarse structure (35)	Black clay soil, coarse structure (31)	Red shallow, stony gradational soil (40)	Red gradational soil, fine structure (40)	Mottled brown, grey or yellow texture contrast soil, coarse structure (37)	Dark brown soil (variable) (34)
Soil type sites	SW86, CLRA49, SFS19c	CLRA15, SW37, CLRA48	BD5, SW96, SW26	BD5, SW96, SW26	SFS5b, SW48, SW25	SW39, CLRA15
Surface texture	Clay loam	Clay	Clay loam	Clay loam	Clay loam	Fine sandy clay loam
Permeability	Moderate to low	Moderate	High	High	Moderate to low	Moderate to low
Depth (m)	1.5	1.5	0.5	2	1.5	2
LAND CHARACTERISTICS, POTENTIAL AND LIMITATIONS	Hardsetting surfaces and slowly permeable subsoils often result in overland flow and periodic waterlogging. Soil compaction and sheet erosion also occur.	Clay soils beside creeks are prone to waterlogging. Streambank undercutting and streambank erosion occur where streambanks are exposed without adequate ground coverage.	Overland flow, sheet erosion and nutrient decline are very minor. These soils have a high agricultural versatility but are limited by surface stones.	Hardsetting surfaces and slowly permeable subsoils often result in overland flow and periodic waterlogging. Soil compaction and sheet erosion also occur.	Hardsetting surfaces and slowly permeable subosils often result in overland flow and periodic waterlogging. Soil compaction and sheet erosion also occur.	Low-lying areas receiving drainage are prone to waterlogging and overland flow. Streambank erosion and gully erosion occur where soils are exposed without adequate ground coverage.

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