Soil/Landform Unit - Powers Creek sand plains

WLRA Landform Powers Creek gently undulating sand plain

Gently undulating sand plains near Langkoop that have been selectively cleared as a part of past pastoral runs

Area: 7853 ha

0.34% of CMA region

Occurring south-west of Edenhope and adjoining the Glenelg Hopkins CMA boundary, this low gently undulating sand plain complex is part of the low ridge tops with remnant aeolian sands and orientated depressions division (5.5.2) within the North West Dunefields and Plains. This sand plain abuts the dissection of Mosquito Creek and is bound to the north by a less undulating plain (Apsley). The plain includes lower and upper slopes of very gentle rises, drainage depressions and swamps. Site drainage is slow to very slow but moderately well drained on the slopes.

Sodic

brown, yellow and grey texture contrast soils (

Sodosols

) with grey cracking clay soils (

Vertosols

) are major soils. Some of these soils are seasonally wet. Topsoils are often hardsetting and shallow. Sesaonal inundation and waterlogging can also be issues on the heavier soils. Grazing (sheep) is generally the common land use enterprise in conjunction with occasional broadacre cereal cropping. A number of vegetation communities have been recorded including Plains Woodland, Shallow Sands Woodland, Damp Heathland, and Seasonally Inundated Shrubby Woodland.

Lower slope of gently undulating sand plains near Langkoop
	Remnant vegetation on gently undulating sand plains

Component	1	2	3	4	5
Proportion of soil-landform unit	10%	20%	60%	5%	5%
CLIMATE Rainfall (mm)	Annual: 640
CLIMATE Rainfall (mm)	Annual: 640
Temperature (^oC)	Minimum 8, Maximum 20
Precipitation less than potential evapotranspiration	October–April
GEOLOGY Age and lithology	Quaternary aeolian dune sands, paludal silt and clay; Neogene marine sand and silt (Parilla Sand)
GEOLOGY Age and lithology
Geomorphology	5.5.2 Low ridges and oriented swales of the North West Dunefields and Plains
LANDUSE	Uncleared areas: nature conservation Cleared areas: dryland cropping; sheep and beef cattle grazing
LANDUSE
TOPOGRAPHY Landscape	Gently undulating sand plains
TOPOGRAPHY Landscape	Gently undulating sand plains
Elevation range (m)	112–178
Local relief (m)	3
Drainage pattern	Dendritic
Drainage density (km/km²)	0.2
Landform	Undulating plains			Drainage complex
Landform element	Upper slope	Lower slope	Plain	Swamp	Drainage depression
Slope and range (%)	3 (1-10)	2 (1-7)	0 (0-1)	0 (0-1)	1 (0-5)
Slope shape	Convex	Convex	Straight	Concave	Concave
NATIVE VEGETATION Ecological Vegetation Class	Plains Woodland (21.5%), Shallow Sands Woodland/Plains Sedgy Woodland/Seasonally Inundated Shrubby Woodland/Damp Sands Herb-rich Woodland Mosaic (19.3%), Damp Sands Herb-rich Woodland (15.8%), Heathy Herb-rich Woodland (6.2%), Other (36.4%)
NATIVE VEGETATION Ecological Vegetation Class
SOIL Parent material	Aeolian sand and silt	Marine sand and silt	Marine sand and silt	Paludal silt and clay	Marine sand and silt
SOIL Parent material	Aeolian sand and silt	Marine sand and silt	Marine sand and silt	Paludal silt and clay	Marine sand and silt
Description (Corangamite Soil Group)	Sodic brown, yellow and grey texture contrast soils (38)	Sodic brown, yellow and grey texture contrast soils (38)	Sodic brown, yellow and grey texture contrast soils (38)	Grey and brown cracking clay soils (37)	Grey and brown cracking clay soils (37)
Soil type sites	LSWW11, LSWW17, LSWW13	LSWW11, LSWW17, LSWW13	LSWW11, LSWW17, LSWW13	LS3, LSWW9, LSWW5	LS3, LSWW9, LSWW5
Surface texture	Loamy sand	Loamy sand	Loamy sand	Medium clay	Medium clay
Permeability	Moderate	Moderate	Slow to moderate	Very slow	Very slow
Depth (m)	1.3	2	> 2	> 2	> 2
LAND CHARACTERISTICS, POTENTIAL AND LIMITATIONS Critical land features, processes, forms	Slopes susceptible to wind and sheet erosion where exposed. Susceptible to compaction where hardsetting. Upper soil is susceptible to acidification.	Susceptible to wind and sheet erosion where exposed. Susceptible to compaction where hardsetting.	Susceptible to wind and sheet erosion. Susceptible to compaction where hardsetting and restricted drainage. Upper soil is susceptible to acidification.	Susceptible to seasonal inundation and waterlogging in swamps. Surface soils friable and only slightly susceptible to wind erosion. Soils susceptible to compaction at critical moisture contents.	Susceptible to seasonal inundation and waterlogging. Surface soils friable and only slightly susceptible to wind erosion. Soils susceptible to compaction at critical moisture contents.

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