Baw Baw (BB)

	Area: 84 sq. km (0.4%) Areas of Baw Baw land system occur in the west of the East Victorian Uplands on plateaux in the subalpine zone. The surfaces of these plateaux are derived from the etch surface which existed below the Mesozoic deeply weathered regolith. Erosion has exposed the fresh granodiorite which is being preferentially dissected along joints in the rock. The terrain is hilly with short, steep slopes, small alluvial flats and frequent bogs. Rocky outcrops, including exfoliating tors, are common. Low temperature and high rainfall combine to produce soils which are friable and acidic, with very high concentrations of organic matter in the topsoil and little textural change down the profile. In spite of excellent infiltration characteristics, surface run-off can occur when the subsoil is frozen or where the soils are relatively shallow.	Shrubby woodland of Eucalyptus pauciflora (white sallee) and open heath with outcrops of granite tors on the low rounded hills of the Baw Baw Plateau
This part of the subalpine tract carries mainly shrubby woodland I or open forest I on more-protected sites. Open heath occurs on rocky and/or exposed sites. A different species composition of open heath occurs on the colluvial footslopes and alluvial flats. Closed sedgeland grows with Sphagnum cristatum in the hogs.

CLIMATE Rainfall, mean (mm) Temperature, mean (^oC) Seasonal growth limitations	Annual 1500 – 2500; lowest January or February (80 - 120); highest August or September (180 - 250) Annual 4-8; lowest July (-2 – 0), highest February (11 – 13) Temperature <10⁰C (av.): April – October Rainfall < potential evapotranspiration: February, frequent winter snow
GEOLOGY Age, lithology	Devonian: Baw Baw and Toorongo granodiorite
PHYSIOGRAPHY Landscape Elevation range (m) Relative relief (m) Drainage pattern Drainage density (km/km²)	Hilly terrain with joint-based dissection patterns 950 – 1560 160 – 280 Rectangular 1.1
PRESENT LAND USE	Mostly uncleared: mostly within Baw Baw National Park with main uses being nature conservation and recreation – bushwalking and skiing. Small portion cleared for ski runs and ski village.

A study of the land in the Catchment of Gippsland Lakes - Vol 2 - land system Baw Baw- cs

A study of the land in the Catchment of Gippsland Lakes - Vol 2 - land system Baw Baw- graph

LAND COMPONENT Percentage of land system Diagnostic features	1 60 Steep short slopes, often with rock outcrop	2 25 Crests and less steep upper slopes, often with rock outcrop	3 15 Footslopes and flats, often with peat hogs and drained by small streams
PHYSIOGRAPHY Slope %, typical and (range) Slope shape	20 - 30. (15 - 60) Straight to convex	10 - 15, (0 - 30) Convex	<1, (0 - 5) Straight
SOIL
Parent material	Granodiorite		Colluvium and alluvium
Description	Friable black or very dark, organic sandy loam to sandy clay loam, merging into dark brown or dark greyish brown sandy loam to sandy clay loam. May be stony. Variable depth		Black fibrous peat or muck of varying depth overlying mineral soil. Footslopes with soil similar to components 1 and 2 but not stony.
Classification	Alpine Humus Soils/Brown Earths Uc5.21. Uc6.11, Um6.12, Um7.11		Acid Peats, Humic Gleys. Alpine Humus Soils O, Uc5.21
Surface texture	Sandy loam to sandy clay loam		Variable
Surface consistence	Soft to slightly hard		-
Depth (m)	0.5 - 1.2		>1.0
Nutrient status	Low to moderate		Very low
Available soil water capacity	Moderate to high		High to very high
Perviousness to water	Moderate to rapid		Moderate
Drainage	Good		Very poor to somewhat poor
Exposed stone (%)	Variable; 0 - 40		0 - 5
Sampled profile number	5	-	3.4
NATIVE VEGETATION Structure of vegetation and characteristic species of dominant stratum (+ Predominant species)	Variable — mainly shrubby woodland I or open forest I, usually of E. pauciflora; occasionally E. glaucescens or Nothofagus cunninghamii. On exposed and/or rocky sites, open heath of Pultenaea muelleri, Helichrysum hookeri and Grevillea australis. Minor occurrences of herbfield of Poa spp., Celmisia asteliifolia and Stylidium graminifolium		Open heath with Richea continentis, Epacris paludosa, E. microphylla and Baeckea gunniana bordering bogs with closed sedgeland of Calorophus lateriflorus, Carex gaudichaudiana. Carex appressa and Sphagnum cristatum

Disturbance	Affected process and trend	Primary resultant deterioration			Casual activities	Primary off-site process
Disturbance	Affected process and trend	Form	Susceptibility of components	Incidence with components	Casual activities	Primary off-site process
Alteration of vegetation: — reduction in leaf area, rooting depth and/or perenniality	Reduced transpiration. resulting in: a) increased deep percolation and leaching b) decreased fog drip c) increased rate of snowmelt d) increased depth of soil freezing	Nutrient loss - - Solifluction	Not determined - - l; low	Not determined - - Not determined	Removal of trees Removal of trees Removal of trees Removal of trees	Increased movement of water to groundwater; increased base-flow of streams Decreased base-flow of streams Increased spring and decreased summer stream flow -
Increased exposure of surface soil	Increased overland flow and soil detachment. Increased frost heave and soil detachment	Sheet and rill erosion Wind, sheet and rill erosion	12; low 1.2; moderate	Uncommon Uncommon	Clearing, burning, overgrazing, road building and other earth-moving activities, trafficking by stock and vehicles.	Increased flash flows and sediment load. Increased sediment load
Increased physical pressure on soil	Increased compaction With reduced infiltration	Structure decline Sheet and rill erosion	12; moderate - high 3: high 1,2; low	Uncommon; locally severe near construction sites, ski slopes and tracks Uncommon	Increased trafficking by vehicles and humans As for sheet and rill erosion above	- Increased spring and decreased summer stream flow
Increased soil disruption	Increased soil break-up	Gully and rill erosion Streambank erosion	1,2; high 3; moderate	Uncommon: locally severe along tracks Uncommon; locally severe	Trafficking by vehicles and humans Trafficking by stock (in the past) and humans	Increased sediment load. Increased sediment load and turbidity
Comments: In the past, stock have compacted the moss (Sphagnum spp.) in component 3 caused channelling, drainage of bogs and loss of peat. Regeneration and of vegetative cover is slow and difficult because the unfavourable climate.

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