Sale (Se)

A study of the land in the Catchment of Gippsland Lakes - Vol 2 - land system Sale- geo

Area: 163 sq. km (0.8%)

Most of the later Pleistocene terrace is mapped as Sale land system. The terrace is almost flat and it retains features developed during its period as a flood plain, including fluviatile forms and soils. The soils are more pervious than the underlying materials and incipient poor drainage, exacerbated by irrigation, is a feature. Waterlogging is relatively severe on the plains near Bairnsdale and here it is accompanied by subsoil sodicity. As soil parent materials are mainly clayey and silty and as drainage tends to be poor, leaching, weathering and other processes have not caused significant vertical differentiation in the profiles. Widespread occurrence of mottling is due to periodic waterlogging. Inadequate leaching and saline groundwaters probably account for the alkalinity of the deep subsoils and the mild acidity of the topsoils. The salinity hazard is rated as moderate.

The native vegetation, probably mainly a grassy open forest II dominated by E. tereticornis, has been almost entirely cleared.

A study of the land in the Catchment of Gippsland Lakes - Vol 2 - land system Sale- image

Flat, relict alluvial plains with remnants of Eucalyptus teteticornis (forest red gum) open forest

CLIMATE Rainfall, mean (mm) Temperature, mean (°C) Seasonal growth limitations	Annual 500 - 800; lowest July (30 - 50), highest October (50 - 80) Annual 12 - 14; lowest July (8 - 10), highest February (19 - 21) Temperature <10°C (av.): June - August Rainfall < potential evapotranspiration: November – March
GEOLOGY Age, lithology	Upper Pleistocene alluvium of gravels, sands, silts and clays
PHYSIOGRAPHY Landscape Elevation range (m) Relative relief (m) Drainage pattern Drainage density (km/km²)	Almost flat alluvial plains 40 0 - 5 Dendritic 0.5
PRESENT LAND USE	Mostly cleared: grazing of beef and dairy cattle on improved irrigated pastures; cropping (limited) Minor proportion uncleared: some apiculture

A study of the land in the Catchment of Gippsland Lakes - Vol 2 - land system Sale- cs

A study of the land in the Catchment of Gippsland Lakes - Vol 2 - land system Sale- graph

LAND COMPONENT Percentage of land system Diagnostic features	1 85 Broad, almost flat, relict plains	2 15 Slightly depressed, less well drained areas
PHYSIOGRAPHY Slope %, typical and (range) Slope shape	1, (0 - 2) Straight	<1, (0 - 1) Straight to slightly concave
SOIL
Parent material	Mainly silt and clay but coarser alluvial materials occur in places
Description	Dark greyish brown loam to clay loam topsoil, often mottled over mottled dark brown or dark yellowish brown clay subsoil with blocky structure; alkaline reaction at depth. Weak duplex tendency common	Mottled dark greyish brown clay loam to light clay topsoil grading into mottled dark brown or dark yellowish brown blocky clay subsoil; moderately alkaline at depth
Classification	Wiesenboden/Solodic Soils, Wiesenboden Db2.23, Db4.23, Dy3.23, Dd2.23, Gn3.56	Humic Gleys, some Wiesenboden Gn3.23, Gn3.53, Db2.13
Surface texture	Loam to clay loam	Clay loam to light clay
Surface consistence	Slightly hard to hard when dry	Firm when moist
Depth (m)	>2.0	>2.0
Nutrient status	Moderate	Moderate to high
Available soil water capacity	Moderate	Moderate
Perviousness to water	Slow	Slow
Drainage	Somewhat poor	Poor to somewhat poor
Exposed stone (%)	0	0
Sampled profile number	69	-
NATIVE VEGETATION Structure of vegetation and characteristic species of dominant stratum (+ Predominant species)	Grassy open forest II: E. tereticornis+ Clearing has made it difficult to determine other tree species which may have grown in association

Disturbance	Affected process and trend	Primary resultant deterioration			Casual activities	Primary off-site process
Disturbance	Affected process and trend	Form	Susceptibility of components	Incidence with components	Casual activities	Primary off-site process
Alteration of vegetation: — reduction in leaf area, rooting depth and/or perenniality	Reduced transpiration, resulting in: a) increased deep percolation b) raised watertable	Nutrient loss Waterlogging Salting	Not determined 1; low 2; moderate 1; low 2; moderate	Not determined Common: seasonal Common	Removal of trees Reduced plant-water use in catchment Reduced plant-water use in catchment	Increased movement of water to groundwater Increased ponding of water in lower areas Increased salting in lower areas
Increased exposure of surface soil	Increased overland flow and soil detachment	Sheet and rill erosion	1; very low	Uncommon	Cultivating overgrazing road building and other earth-moving activities, trafficking by stock and vehicles.	Increased flash flows and sediment load.
Increased physical pressure on soil	Increased compaction With Reduced infiltration	Structure decline Waterlogging	1; moderate 2; high 1; low 2; moderate	Uncommon Common; seasonal	Increased trafficking, overgrazing, export of organic matter As for structure decline above	- Increased ponding of water in lower areas
Increased soil disruption	Increased soil break-up	Gully erosion	1; moderate near incised channels or streams	Uncommon	As for sheet and rill erosion above	Increased sediment load.
Comments: Salt-affected land occurs between Kilmany and Nambrok, north of Clydebank; other occurrences are few and scattered

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