Soil/Landform Unit - Longerenong prior stream plains

WLRA Landform Longerenong prior stream plains

Darlot Swamp and Two Mile Creek north of Longerenong

Area: 11 324 ha

0.48% of CMA region

Prior stream floodplains south-west of Murtoa comprise this relatively flat to gently undulating landscape. Occurring within the plains with leveed channels of the older

alluvial

plains (4.2.1), soils can be quite variable on landform components including rise and side slopes, level plains and alluvial flats along with drainage lines.

Self-mulching

massive

cracking clays (

Vertosols

), sodic red, brown, grey and yellow texture contrast soils (

Sodosols

) along with sandy equivalents are predominant soil types and reflect geomorphology and today’s microtopography of these floodplains. Woodlands such as Shallow Sands Woodland, Plains Woodland, Riverine Chenopod Woodland, Riverina Woodland, Low Rises Woodland and Floodplain Riparian Woodland dominate remnant vegetation. Land use is mixed between irrigated cropping and dryland cereal cropping with sheep grazing a minor enterprise. Occassionally these plains will flood in significantly wet seasons.

Prior stream floodplain landscape near Murtoa
	Darlot Swamp

Component	1	2	3	4
Proportion of soil-landform unit	10%	60%	20%	10%
CLIMATE Rainfall (mm)	Annual: 460
CLIMATE Rainfall (mm)	Annual: 460
Temperature (^oC)	Minimum 8, Maximum 21
Precipitation less than potential evapotranspiration	September–April
GEOLOGY Age and lithology	Quaternary fluvial gravel, sand and silt; Quaternary fluvial silt, sand and minor gravel (Shepparton Formation)
GEOLOGY Age and lithology
Geomorphology	4.2.1 Plains with leveed channels of the Older Alluvial Plains
LANDUSE	Uncleared areas: nature conservation Cleared areas: dryland cropping; sheep grazing; pasture and cereal horticulture
LANDUSE
TOPOGRAPHY Landscape	Floodplain
TOPOGRAPHY Landscape	Floodplain
Elevation range (m)	126-155
Local relief (m)	1–2
Drainage pattern	Deranged–Dendritic
Drainage density (km/km²)	1.2
Landform	Gentle rise slopes and plains	Prior stream floodplains
Landform element	Rise and side slope	Level plain	Alluvial flat	Drainage line
Slope and range (%)	2 (0-7)	1 (0-3)	0 (0-1)	0 (0-1)
Slope shape	Convex	Straight	Straight	Concave
NATIVE VEGETATION Ecological Vegetation Class	Riverine Chenopod Woodland (31.5%), Shallow Sands Woodland (16.9%), Low Rises Woodland (15.3%), Plains Woodland (11.1%), Other (25.1%)
NATIVE VEGETATION Ecological Vegetation Class
SOIL Parent material	Fluvial gravel, sand and silt	Fluvial gravel, sand and silt	Fluvial gravel, sand and silt	Fluvial gravel, sand and silt
SOIL Parent material	Fluvial gravel, sand and silt	Fluvial gravel, sand and silt	Fluvial gravel, sand and silt	Fluvial gravel, sand and silt
Description (Corangamite Soil Group)	Sodic red texture contrast soils (25)	Cracking clay soils (23) and sodic red texture contrast soils (25)	Cracking clay soils (23)	Cracking clay soils (23)
Soil type sites	WIA16, WIA14, WLRA105	WIA11, WIA12, WIA16	WIA11, WIA12, WIA17, HOR04	WIA11, WIA12, WIA17, HOR04
Surface texture	Fine sandy loam	Sandy clay loam - light clay	Light clay	Light clay
Permeability	Slow	Slow	Very slow	Very slow
Depth (m)	> 2	> 2	> 2	> 2
LAND CHARACTERISTICS, POTENTIAL AND LIMITATIONS Critical land features, processes, forms	Hardsetting soil slightly susceptible to sheet and rill erosion. Soils are prone to compaction at critical moisture contents. Subsoil susceptible to gully erosion when exposed due to dispersive (sodic) nature. Slight susceptibility to acidification of surface soil.	Plains susceptible to inundation and waterlogging during flood events. Surface soils are generally not friable and susceptible to compaction (less structure).	Flat areas susceptible to inundation and waterlogging, especially from flood events, but localised can be variable due to micro relief (gilgai). Surface soils are generally not friable and are susceptible to compaction (less structure).	Drainage lines are seasonally inundated and waterlogged. Surface soils generally not friable and are susceptible to compaction (less structure).

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