GBLRA023

Location: Benalla

Australian Soil Classification: Vertic (Sodic), Eutrophic, Grey CHROMOSOL
Northcote Factual Key: Dy2.22

General Landscape Description: Alluvial Plain.
Site Description: Flat plain.
Geology: Quaternary Alluvium.
Land Use: Pasture includes Phalaris sp.
Map Unit: Burns CFg
Native Vegetation: Red Gum (Eucalyptus camaldulensis).

Soil Profile Morphology:

Surface Soil

A1	0-10	Dark greyish brown (10YR4/2); loam (organic) coarse sandy; moderate very fine sub-angular blocky structure; rough ped fabric; firm consistence dry; pH 5.3; clear change to:
A2	10-20	Light olive brown (2.5Y5/3), (2.5Y6/3 dry); light clay, fine sandy; massive to weakly structured; rough ped fabric; firm consistence dry; organic staining present; pH 5.6; gradual change to:
Subsoil
B21	20-40	Dark greyish brown (10YR4/2); medium heavy clay; possible lenticular structure breaking to strong fine sub-angular blocky and lenticular structure; smooth ped fabric; very firm consistence moderately moist; pH 6.2; gradual change to:
B22	40-70	Dark greyish brown (10YR4/2); heavy clay; possible lenticular structure breaking to strong fine sub-angular blocky and lenticular structure; smooth ped fabric; very firm consistence moderately moist; pH 7.1.

Soil Profile Characteristics:

	pH	Salinity Rating	Sodicity	Dispersion
Surface (A1 horizon)	Strongly Acid	Medium	Non-Sodic	None
Subsoil (B21 horizon)	Slightly Acid	Low	Non-Sodic	None¹
Deeper Subsoil (at 40-70 cm)	Slightly Alkaline	Low	Strongly Sodic	Strong²

¹Strong dispersion after remoulding. ²Complete dispersion after remoulding.

GBLRA023 Graphs

The surface horizon is strongly acid. The upper subsoil is slightly acid becoming slightly alkaline at depth.

The salinity rating is medium in the surface. The subsoil has a low salinity rating.

The surface is non-sodic. The upper subsoil is non-sodic becoming strongly sodic with depth.

The clay content increases sharply at the A/B interface.

Chemical and Physical Analysis:

Horizon	Horizon Depth (cm)	pH (field)	pH (water)	pH (CaCl₂)	EC ds/m	Organic Carbon g/100g	Total Nitrogen %	Exchangeable Cations				Exchangeable Acidity meq/100g	Coarse Sand (0.2-2.0mm)	Fine Sand (0.02-0.2mm)	Silt (0.002-0.02mm)	Clay (<0.002mm)
								Ca	Mg	K	Na
								meq/100g
A11	0-10	6.0	5.3	4.6	0.19	3.2	0.27	3.4	1.9	0.5	0.3	15	8	34	26	21
A12	10-20	6.5	5.6	4.5	0.1			2.3	2.1	0.4	0.3	8	7	36	26	26
B21	20-40	7.0	6.2	4.9	0.12			3.3	6.5	0.5	1.1	9.6	4	21	16	52
B22	40-70	8.0	7.1	6.0	0.19			4.6	9.1	0.4	2.8		4	22	15	54

Profile Described By: Nathalie Baxter and Mark Hocking (1998).

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