Soil/Landform Unit - Vectis undulating rises and low hills

WLRA Landform Vectis undulating rises and low hills

Low rises with subdued plains near Vectis East

Area: 13 293 ha

0.57% of CMA region

This terrain including rises, low hills, (dunes) plains and occurs west-north-west of Horsham. This low rise/low hill and plain complex is part of the North West Dunefields and Plains

calcareous

dunefields. This complex of

Quaternary

aeolian

and lacustrine sediments encompasses depressions and sand plains and is bound to the east by the

self-mulching

clay Kalkee plains. Rise and low hill upper and lower slopes are dominant landform elements. Drainage is aligned to the terrain, draining west to the Wimmera River. Soils include brown and yellow grey

sodic

texture contrast soils (

Sodosols

) with grey and brown cracking clay soils (

Vertosols

) on plains and in local depressions. Red sodic texture contrast soils (Sodosols) occur on the crests and gentle rise slopes. Sheet and rill erosion along with wind erosion can be a threat where topsoils are light textured and exposed. This unit is used for grazing (sheep, beef cattle) and dryland cropping. Vegetation consists of a range of woodland, shrubland and mallee vegetation including communities such as Low Rises Woodland, Ridged Plains Mallee, Plains Woodland, Lignum Swampy Woodland and Riverine Chenopod Woodland. Plains Savannah has also been recorded.

Dryland cropping is a major landuse of the plains
	Looking south towards Mount Arapiles

Component	1	2	3	4	5	6
Proportion of soil-landform unit	8%	15%	30%	20%	25%	2%
CLIMATE Rainfall (mm)	Annual: 450
CLIMATE Rainfall (mm)	Annual: 450
Temperature (^oC)	Minimum 8, Maximum 21
Precipitation less than potential evapotranspiration	September–April
GEOLOGY Age and lithology	Quaternary paludal silt and clay; Quaternary fluvial gravel, sand and silt, Quaternary aeolian dune sand (Lowan Sand); Quaternary aeolianites and evaporates (Yamba Formation )
GEOLOGY Age and lithology
Geomorphology	5.1.3 Linear dunes sub-dominant of the Calcareous North West Dunefields and Plains
LANDUSE	Uncleared areas: water supply; nature conservation Cleared areas: sheep and beef cattle grazing; dryland cropping
LANDUSE
TOPOGRAPHY Landscape	Undulating rises and low hills
TOPOGRAPHY Landscape	Undulating rises and low hills
Elevation range (m)	103–158
Local relief (m)	20–40
Drainage pattern	Dendritic
Drainage density (km/km²)	0.5
Landform	Moderately undulating rises and low hills			Gently undulating rises		Drainage depressions
Landform element	Gentle crest	Upper slope	Lower slope	Gentle rise slope	Flat	Drainage line
Slope and range (%)	2 (0-5)	8 (3-15)	4 (2-10)	3 (1-10)	0 (0-1)	2 (0-12)
Slope shape	Convex	Convex	Straight	Convex	Straight	Concave
NATIVE VEGETATION Ecological Vegetation Class	Low Rises Woodland (40.0$), Ridged Plains Mallee (17.7%), Plains Woodland (16.2%), Riverine Chenopod Woodland (8.9%), Other (15.7%)
NATIVE VEGETATION Ecological Vegetation Class
SOIL Parent material	Aeolian sand, marine sand and silt	Aeolian sand, marine sand and silt	Fluvial gravel, sand and silt	Marine sand and silt	Paludal silt and clay	Alluvial gravel, sand and silt
SOIL Parent material	Aeolian sand, marine sand and silt	Aeolian sand, marine sand and silt	Fluvial gravel, sand and silt	Marine sand and silt	Paludal silt and clay	Alluvial gravel, sand and silt
Description (Corangamite Soil Group)	Sodic red texture contrast soils (27)	Sodic red texture contrast soils (27)	Sodic yellow and grey texture contrast soils (28)	Sodic red texture contrast soils (27) and cracking clay soils (34)	Cracking clay soils (34)	Cracking clay soils (34)
Soil type sites	TopCrop2, LS17, TopCrop1, WIA3	TopCrop2, LS17, TopCrop1, WIA3	LS17, WAR33, WLRA128	TopCrop2, LS17, WIA6	WIA6, WIA9, WIA5	WIA6, WIA9, WIA5
Surface texture	Sandy loam	Sandy loam	Loamy sand	Sandy loam to light clay	Medium clay	Medium clay
Permeability	Moderate	Moderate	Slow to moderate	Moderate to slow	Slow	Very slow
Depth (m)	> 1.5	> 1.5	> 2	> 3	> 3	> 3
LAND CHARACTERISTICS, POTENTIAL AND LIMITATIONS Critical land features, processes, forms	Hardsetting surface susceptible to sheet and rill erosion along with wind erosion. Dispersive and deep subsoils susceptible to gully erosion on steeper slopes. Soils are prone to compaction at critical moisture contents.	Hardsetting surface susceptible to sheet and rill erosion along with wind erosion. Dispersive and deep subsoils susceptible to gully erosion on steeper slopes. Soils are prone to compaction at critical moisture contents.	Wind erosion along with sheet and rill erosion occur on hardsetting surfaces with little organic matter. Subsoils are dispersive and susceptible to gully erosion on steeper slopes. Soils compact at critical moisture contents.	Hardsetting surface susceptible to sheet and rill erosion along with wind erosion. Dispersive and deep subsoils susceptible to gully erosion on steeper slopes. Clayey surface soils are friable and only slightly susceptible to wind erosion due to self-mulching nature. Soils may be susceptible at critical moisture contents and have variable resilience to compaction.	High clay content results in restricted soil drainage, but can be variable due to micro relief (gilgai). Surface soils are friable and only slightly susceptible to wind erosion due to self-mulching nature. Soils may be susceptible at critical moisture contents and have variable resilience to compaction.	High clay content results in restricted soil drainage, but can be variable due to micro relief (gilgai). Surface soils are friable and only slightly susceptible to wind erosion due to self-mulching nature. Soils may be susceptible at critical moisture contents and have variable resilience to compaction.

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