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Shepparton & Katandra Soil Survey No. 54 | Soil Survey of Part of Shepparton Irrigation District, Victoria | CSIRO Soil Surveys

Photo: Air
Air photo used in the detailed soil

survey - east of Tatura.
    Soil Surveys of the Shepparton Irrigation Region

    The soils of the Shepparton Irrigation Region have been described in soil surveys by Butler et al. (1942), Skene and Freedman (1944), Johnston (1952), Skene and Poutsma (1962), Skene (1963) and Skene and Harford (1964). Soil survey was carried out by soil auger with holes 20 m to 400 m apart at depths between 1.2 m and 2.1 m. The surveyors then examined the horizons of the profile and noted their texture, colour, thickness, and the presence of lime and gypsum. The main irrigated and dryland enterprises of the region undertaken at the time of the surveys are listed in the table below.

Survey
County
Irrigation area
Irrigated Agriculture
Dryland
Agricul-
ture
Area (ha)
Reference
Soils and Land Use in the Rochester and Echuca Districts, Victoria.
Rodney
Gunbower
Bendigo
Rochester
Echuca East Campaspe
fat lambs dairy
orchards
wheat
sheep (wool)
106 838


Skene and Harford
(1964)
Soils and Land Use in the Deakin Irrigation Area, Victoria.
Rodney
Deakin
fat lambs dairy
wheat
sheep (wool)
60 703
Skene (1963)
Soils and Land Use in Part of the Goulburn Valley, Victoria.
Rodney
Moira
Rodney,
Tongala-Stanhope,
North Shepparton,
South Shepparton.
fruit
dairy
fat lambs
tomatoes
vegetables
peaches
pears
apricots
wheat
sheep (wool)
225 817
Skene and Poutsma
(1962)
The Soils of the Western Part of the Murray Valley Irrigation Area and their Classification for Irrigation.
Moira
Murray Valley West




Johnston (1952)
Soil Survey of Part of Shepparton Irrigation District, Victoria.
Moira
Shepparton


9 898
Skene and Freedman (1944)
Soil Survey of Part of the County of Moira, Victoria.
Moira
Murray Valley East


82 279
Butler et al. (1942)

These soil surveys grouped the soils into six different categories depending on their suitability to grow certain crops. These groupings were based on the common crops that were normally grown on irrigated soils at that time. The groupings of soils are similar for the three surveys. In all three surveys Group VI soils were not recommended for irrigation because they were swampy or had uneven surfaces making layout for irrigation impractical.
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