Soil/Landform Unit - Kiata rises

Gently undulating rises towards Kinimakatka along the Western Highway

Area: 64 586 ha

2.76% of CMA region

Gently undulating rises north of the Little Desert form a significant portion of the ridges with sand and flats (5.5.1). The rises are part of the North West Dunefields and Plains with the landscape dominated by low gentle rises, plains and drainage depressions. The rises are composed of Parilla Sand with a veneer of Woorinen Formation and Lowan Formation (

aeolian

sand, silt and clay) that has led to the development of red

sodic

texture contrast soils (

Sodosols

) with brown, yellow and grey equivalents located lower in the topographic sequence. Cracking clays are found on plains and drainage depressions. While land use is dominated by cereal cropping and sheep grazing, hardsetting soil surfaces on these texture contrast soils makes them vulnerable to sheet and rill erosion, as well as wind erosion where exposed. Woodland and mallee vegetation communities such as Parilla Mallee, Plains Savannah, Plains Woodland, Ridged Plains Mallee, Lowan Sands Mallee and Low Rises Woodland dominate remnant vegetation. Sandstone Ridge Shrubland is also found along sandstone ridges and rises.

Rise trending north north-westerly with revegetation works
	Undulating rises with roadside remnant vegetation

Component	1	2	3	4
Proportion of soil-landform unit	10%	55%	30%	5%
CLIMATE Rainfall (mm)	Annual: 425
CLIMATE Rainfall (mm)	Annual: 425
Temperature (^oC)	Minimum 8, Maximum 22
Precipitation less than potential evapotranspiration	September–April
GEOLOGY Age and lithology	Quaternary paludal silt and clay; Neogene marine sand and silt (Parilla Sand); Quaternary aeolian dune sand (Lowan Sand)
GEOLOGY Age and lithology
Geomorphology	5.5.1 Prominent ridges and oriented swales of the 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)	84–183
Local relief (m)	10–15
Drainage pattern	Dendritic
Drainage density (km/km²)	0.2
Landform	Low rises		Plains	Drainage depressions
Landform element	Ridge crest (gentle crest)	Side slope	Lower slope (undulating plain)	Drainage line
Slope and range (%)	3 (2-6)	2 (1-5)	3 (0-5)	1 (0-3)
Slope shape	Convex	Linear	Straight	Concave
NATIVE VEGETATION Ecological Vegetation Class	Low Rises Woodland (32.9%), Ridged Plains mallee (17.2%), Plains Woodland (16.1%), Shallow Sands Woodland (14.9%), Other (20.0%)
NATIVE VEGETATION Ecological Vegetation Class
SOIL Parent material	Marine sand and silt	Marine sand and silt	Marine sand and silt	Alluvial sand and silt, paludal silt and clay
SOIL Parent material	Marine sand and silt	Marine sand and silt	Marine sand and silt	Alluvial sand and silt, paludal silt and clay
Description (Corangamite Soil Group)	Sodic red texture contrast soils (35)	Sodic red texture contrast soils (35)	Sodic brown, yellow and grey texture contrast soils (36) and grey and brown cracking clay soils (37)	Grey and brown cracking clay soils (37)
Soil type sites	LS15, LS8, LS23	LS15, LS8, LS23	LS2, LS13, LS3	LS3, LSWW9, LSWW5
Surface texture	Sandy clay loam	Sandy clay loam	Sandy clay loam to medium clay	Medium clay
Permeability	Moderate	Moderate	Slow	Slow
Depth (m)	1.6	1.6	> 2	> 2
LAND CHARACTERISTICS, POTENTIAL AND LIMITATIONS Critical land features, processes, forms	Hardsetting soil surface (weakly structured) susceptible to sheet and rill erosion, and wind erosion where exposed. Dispersive and deep subsoils susceptible to gully erosion. Compaction of soil dependent upon depth of force and moisture content.	Hardsetting soil surface (weakly structured) susceptible to sheet and rill erosion, and wind erosion where exposed. Dispersive and deep subsoils susceptible to gully erosion. Compaction of soil dependent upon depth of force and moisture content.	Susceptible to wind and sheet erosion where exposed. Well drained surface soil abruptly over structured subsoil. Susceptible to compaction where hardsetting with restricted drainage. Sodic subsoil vulnerable to erosion where exposed.	Susceptible to periodic inundation and waterlogging in lower areas, but can be variable due to micro relief (gilgai). Surface soils friable and only slightly susceptible to wind erosion. Soils susceptible to compaction at critical moisture contents.

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