Soil/Landform Unit - Dimboola

Looking south towards Dimboola from Arkona over the gentle rise that fringes the eastern half of the town

Area: 16 621 ha

0.71% of CMA region

The Dimboola rises occur on the eastern margin of the Lowan Salt Valley soil-landform unit as part of the Calcareous North Western Dunefields and Plains with linear dunes sub-dominant (5.1.3). Source geologies include Neogene marine sand and silt (Parilla Sand);

Quaternary

aeolian dune sand (Lowan Sand). Landscape components include rises (crests and slopes) with

calcareous

gradational soils (

Calcarosols

) and sodic red texture contrast soils (

Sodosols

), drainage lines and playa plains with cracking clays (

Vertosols

), and gentle plains with calcareous gradational soils and sodic yellow and grey texture contrast soils (Sodosols). Dryland cereal cropping is the major land use with hardsetting (weakly structured) surfaces susceptible to sheet and rill erosion along with wind erosion. Remnant vegetation communities include woodlands, mallee and shrubland. Some of the more prevalent vegetation communities include Low Rises Woodland, Lowan Sand Mallee, Sandstone Ridge Shrubland, Ridged Plains Mallee, Ridged Plains Mallee, Plains Woodland, Lignum Swampy Woodland and Plains Savannah.

Rise east of Jeparit on the edge of the Lowan salt valley
	Cultimated soils near Tarranyurk

Component	1	2	3	4	5
Proportion of soil-landform unit	10%	30%	10%	15%	35%
CLIMATE Rainfall (mm)	Annual: 395
CLIMATE Rainfall (mm)	Annual: 395
Temperature (^oC)	Minimum 8, Maximum 22
Precipitation less than potential evapotranspiration	September–April
GEOLOGY Age and lithology	Neogene marine sand and silt (Parilla Sand); Quaternary aeolian dune sand (Lowan Sand); Quaternary paludal silt and clay
GEOLOGY Age and lithology
Geomorphology	5.1.3 Linear dunes sub-dominant of the Calcareous North West Dunefields and Plains
LANDUSE	Uncleared areas: nature conservation Cleared areas: dryland cropping; sheep grazing
LANDUSE
TOPOGRAPHY Landscape	Gently undulating rises
TOPOGRAPHY Landscape	Gently undulating rises
Elevation range (m)	77–144
Local relief (m)	15
Drainage pattern	Dendritic
Drainage density (km/km²)	0.7
Landform	Rises
Landform element	Rise crest	Rise slope	Drainage line	Playa	Plain
Slope and range (%)	4 (1-7)	14 (5-37)	5 (2-9)	11 (3-15)	4 (2-9)
Slope shape	Straight	Straight	Convex	Straight	Concave
NATIVE VEGETATION Ecological Vegetation Class	Low Rises Woodland (28.3%), Ridged Plains Mallee (19.3%), Riverine Chenopod Woodland (11.7%), Plains Woodland (10.4%), Other (28.1%)
NATIVE VEGETATION Ecological Vegetation Class
SOIL Parent material	Sand and silt	Marine and aeolian sand and silt	Alluvial gravel, sand and silt	Swamp silt and clay	Aeolian sand and silt
SOIL Parent material	Sand and silt	Marine and aeolian sand and silt	Alluvial gravel, sand and silt	Swamp silt and clay	Aeolian sand and silt
Description (Corangamite Soil Group)	Sodic red texture contrast soils (27)	Calcareous gradational soils (26) and sodic red texture contrast soils (27)	Cracking clay soils (29)	Cracking clay soils (29)	Calcareous gradational soils (26) and sodic yellow and grey texture contrast soils (28)
Soil type sites	TopCrop2, LS17, TopCrop1, WIA3	TopCrop4, TopCrop2, LS17	WLRA126, WLRA127	WLRA126, WLRA127	TopCrop4, LS17, WAR3
Surface texture	Sandy loam	Sandy clay loam	Fine sandy clay loam	Fine sandy clay loam	Sandy clay loam to clay loam
Permeability	Moderate	Moderate	Slow	Slow	Moderate
Depth (m)	> 1.5	> 2	> 2	> 2	> 2
LAND CHARACTERISTICS, POTENTIAL AND LIMITATIONS Critical land features, processes, forms
	Hardsetting (weakly structured) surface susceptible to sheet and rill erosion along with wind erosion. Dispersive and deep subsoils susceptible to gully erosion where exposed. Soils are prone to compaction at critical moisture contents.	Moderately well drained soil with dispersive subsoil subject to erosion where exposed. Surface soil may be susceptible to sheet and wind erosion where weakly structured (hardsetting).	Drainage lines can be subject to periodic inundation especially in low lying areas. Surfaces are slightly vulnerable to sheet erosion and wind erosion. Soils may be susceptible to compaction.	Plains are subject to periodic inundation and waterlogging. Surfaces are slightly vulnerable to sheet erosion and wind erosion. Soils may be susceptible to compaction.	Moderately well drained soil with dispersive subsoil subject to erosion where exposed. Surface soil may be susceptible to sheet and wind erosion where weakly structured (hardsetting). Soils compact at critical moisture contents.

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