Soil/Landform Unit 134

Undulating rises at Modewarre. While these slopes are long and gentle, many of the internal slopes of this landscape are short and have noticeable relief

Area:

374 ha

0.03% of CMA region

The undulating rises near Moriac are composed chiefly of

Quaternary

basalt and

alluvium

. These rises are part of the deep

regolith

profiles that have developed on Quaternary volcanics across the Western Plains. Little remnant communities exist (less than 0.3%) including Plains Grassy Woodland and Grassy Woodland. These remnants are preserved mainly as roadside reserves. The rises have a number of elements that include gentle crests, mid slopes and lower slopes. Soils on these elements tend to be alkaline

mottled

black texture contrast soils, shallow black cracking clays and neutral and alkaline yellow texture contrast soils. Slopes have moderate to poor site drainage and restricted permeability. Soils tend to be strongly

sodic

with poor surface structure and therefore

hardsetting

when dry. Land use is mainly grazing with limited cropping. Minor soil salting and gully erosion may occur.

Grazing on these texture contrast rises is a common land use

Component	1	2	3
Proportion of soil-landform unit	30%	40%	30%
CLIMATE Rainfall (mm)	Annual: 640
Temperature (^oC)	Minimum 9, Maximum 19
Precipitation less than potential evapotranspiration	October-April
GEOLOGY Age and lithology	Quaternary basalt and alluvium, Neogene fluvio-marine clay, sand and gravel
Geomorphology	6.1.4 Volcanic Western Plains with well developed drainage
LANDUSE	Uncleared areas: Nature conservation Cleared areas: Sheep and beef cattle grazing; cropping
TOPOGRAPHY Landscape	Undulating rises
Elevation range (m)	87-124
Local relief (m)	20
Drainage pattern	Dendritic
Drainage density (km/km²)	1.5
Landform	Gentle rise
Landform element	Gentle broad crest	Mid slope	Gentle lower slope
Slope and range (%)	2 (1-5)	3 (1-6)	2 (0-3)
Slope shape	Convex	Straight	Straight
NATIVE VEGETATION Ecological Vegetation Class	Plains Grassy Woodland (0.2%), Grassy Woodland (0.1%)
SOIL Parent material	In situ basalt	In situ basalt	In situ basalt and colluvium
Description (Corangamite Soil Group)	Alkaline mottled black texture contrast soils (37), shallow black cracking clays (39) and neutral and alkaline brown, grey or yellow texture contrast soils (37)	Neutral and alkaline brown, grey or yellow texture contrast soils (37)	Neutral and alkaline brown, grey or yellow texture contrast soils (37)
Soil type sites	SFS5, SW48, SW101	SW48, SW25, MM5102	SW48, SW25, MM5102
Surface texture	Fine sandy clay loam, light clay	Fine sandy clay loam	Fine sandy clay loam
Permeability	Moderate to low	Moderate to low	Low
Depth (m)	<1	<2	<2
LAND CHARACTERISTICS, POTENTIAL AND LIMITATIONS	Texture contrast; moderate nutrient holding capacity and water holding capacity (available water capacity) in upper soil. Heavy, often expansive clay subsoil, occasionally surface and subsoil. Soil depth from shallow (low available water capacity) to deep. Sodic, generally strongly, poor upper soil structure, hardsetting when dry. Moderate to poor site drainage, restricted permeability.	Texture contrast, moderate nutrient holding capacity and water holding capacity in upper soil. Heavy, often expansive clay subsoil, occasionally surface and subsoil. Soil depth from moderately deep, to deep. Sodic, generally strongly, poor upper soil structure, hardsetting when dry. Moderate to poor site drainage, restricted permeability.	Texture contrast, moderate nutrient holding capacity and water holding capacity in upper soil. Heavy, often expansive clay subsoil, occasionally surface and subsoil. Soil depth from moderately deep, to deep. Sodic, generally strongly, poor upper soil structure, hardsetting when dry. Poor site drainage with restricted permeability.

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