Your gateway to a wide range of natural resources information and associated maps

Victorian Resources Online

LSWW16

WLRA - soil pit WW16- landscape
Clay flats near Benayeo

    Site Code
LSWW16
WLRA - soil pit WW16- profile
Endocalcareous-Endohypersodic, Self-mulching, Grey VERTOSOL

    Location

North of Benayeo, western Victoria

    Landform

Plain

    Geology

Quaternary swamp and lake deposits:
paludal silt and clay

    Element

Plain

Horizon
Depth (cm)
Description

A1

0–10

Dark greyish brown (10YR4/2);
light clay; moderate coarse polyhedral structure; self-mulching surface condition (particularly evident after cultivation); strong consistence when dry; pH 8.6:

B21

10–20

Grey (10YR5/1) with slight brownish yellow (10YR6/8) mottles;
medium clay; moderate coarse prismatic, parting to moderate coarse blocky structure; smooth ped fabric; strong consistence when dry (complete dispersion when worked); pH 8.4:

Note: Within the upper subsoil there is a discontinuous bleached A2 horizon with a fine sandy clay loam texture.


B22

20–40

Medium clay; lenticular structure and some slickensides; smooth ped fabric; pH 8.7:

B23

40–60

Medium clay; lenticular structure and some slickensides; smooth ped fabric; complete dispersion; pH 8.8:

B24

60–80

Medium clay; smooth ped fabric; pH 9.0 ;

B25

80–130

Medium heavy clay; strong fine lenticular, parting to very fine lenticular structure; smooth ped-fabric; pH 9.3:

B26

130–180+

Heavy clay; some slickensides; smooth ped fabric; few soft and hard calcareous and silica nodules; pH 9.1.

Management Considerations

  • Uniform clay throughout profile.
  • Alkaline profile, strongly sodic subsoil and increased salinity at depth.
  • Plant Available Water Capacity (PAWC) is considered to be low (estimated at 70 mm) for this site profile based on an Effective Rooting Depth (ERD) of 40 cm. Rooting depth will be restricted by subsoil conditions, such as; strongly sodic (Exchangeable Sodium Percentage >20%), high soluble salt levels (Chloride >0.1%), poor structure (eg. massive or very coarse, columnar or prismatic), very high carbonate (lime) content (not applicable to all plant species ) or hard rock.
  • Self-mulching surface when cultivated.
  • Uneven drainage, due to gilgai micro-relief.
  • Lenticular structure and slickensides indicate high shrinking and swelling of the clay subsoil, which results in surface cracking and gilgai micro-relief.
  • Very poor site drainage.



Horizon
Depth (cm)
pH (water)
pH (CaCl2)
EC
dS/m
NaCl
%
Exchangeable Cations
cmol-/kg
Wilting Point
(pF4.2)
Coarse Sand
%
Fine Sand
%
Silt
%
Clay
%
Ca
Mg
K
Na
A1
0–10
8.6
7.9
0.14
22
5.6
1.5
0.8
20.3
7.4
28.6
7
48
B21
10–20
8.7
7.8
0.2
25.9
6.1
20.4
5
58
B21
10–20
8.4
7.1
0.06
6.8
2.8
0.4
0.9
8.5
14.4
47.4
12
21.5
B22
20–40
8.7
7.5
0.25
15
13
1.6
6.4
4.6
15.7
8
62.5
B23
40–60
8.8
8
0.32
<0.05
13
14
1.6
8.4
B24
60–80
9
8.2
0.27
B25
80–130
9.3
8.5
0.74
0.07
9.2
14
1.3
12
B26
130–180+
9.1
8.6
1.1
0.16
Page top