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

Victorian Resources Online

NECRC3

Location: North BoorhamanAustralian Soil Classification: Calcic, Mottled-Subnatric, Red SODOSOL
General Landscape Description: Level plain.Site Description: CRC-PBMDS trial site
Geology: Quaternary alluvial and aeolian deposits.

NE - CRC 3 - landscape
NECRC3 landscape
NE - CRC 3 - columnar
Columnar structure in upper subsoil (B21) horizon


Soil Profile Morphology:

Surface Soil

A1
0-12 cm
Very dark greyish brown (10YR3/2); light sandy loam; weak-moderate coarse to medium subangular blocky structure; weak to firm consistence (dry); very few (<1%) coarse (10-15 mm) manganese nodules; pH 6.8; abrupt change to:
NE - CRC  - profile
NECRC3 profile
A2e
12-17 cm
Brown (7.5YR5/4), conspicuously bleached (10YR7/1 dry); light sandy loam; massive; pH 5.6; discontinuous change to:
Subsoil
B21
17-60 cm
Yellowish red (5YR5/6) with reddish grey (5YR5/2) mottles; medium clay; strong very coarse columnar, parting to coarse prismatic and blocky structure; very firm consistence (dry); sodic caps on columnar structure; pH 7.2:
B22
60-90 cm
Reddish yellow (7.5YR6/6) with pinkish grey (7.5YR6/2) mottles; heavy clay; moderate coarse to medium subangular blocky structure; few (~2%) soft to hard medium-sized (5 mm) carbonate nodules and some manganese staining; pH 9.3:
B23k
90-140 cm
Brown (10YR5/3) with reddish yellow (7.5YR6/6) mottles; medium heavy clay; strong coarse to medium polyhedral structure; fine-earth carbonate accumulations (10-15%) common with some coarse (10 mm) nodules; pH 9.4:

Key Profile Features:
  • Strong texture contrast between surface (A) horizons and subsoil (B21) horizon.
  • Columnar structure (with hard capping) in upper subsoil.
  • Calcium carbonate at depth.

Soil Profile Characteristics:

pH
Salinity Rating
Sodicity
Dispersion
Surface
(A1 horizon)
Slightly Acid
Very Low
Non-Sodic
None
Subsoil
(B2 horizon)
Slightly Alkaline
Very Low
Sodic
Strong-Complete
Deeper subsoil
(at 90-140 cm)
Very Strongly Alkaline
Medium-High
Strongly Sodic
Strong- Complete

NE - CRC 3 - graphs

Horizon
Horizon Depth
(cm)
pH
(water)
pH
(CaCl2)
EC 1:5
Exchangeable Cations
Ca
Mg
K
Na
meq/100g
A1
0-12
6.8
6.4
0.12
6.5
0.99
0.97
0.08
A2
12-17
5.6
4.6
<0.05
1.6
0.89
0.31
0.18
B21
17-60
7.2
6.1
0.10
4.6
6.6
0.66
1.6
B22
60-90
9.3
8.4
0.27
3.6
10
1.0
3.4
B23k
90-140
9.4
8.6
0.50
3.1
12
1.1
4.8

Horizon
Horizon Depth
(cm)
Exchangeable Aluminium
(mg/kg)
Exchangeable Acidity
(meq/100g)
Field Capacity
pF 2.5
Wilting Point
pF 4.2
Coarse Sand
(0.2-2.0 mm)
Fine Sand
(0.02-0.2 mm)
Silt
(0.002-0.02 mm)
Clay
(<0.002 mm)
A1
0-12
17.7
5.4
34
38
13
9
A2
12-17
18
3.7
14.4
3.7
36
41
12
9
B21
17-60
22.4
13.7
24
27
11
35
B22
60-90
24.2
14.1
27
28
10
32
B23k
90-140
28.4
15.9

Management Considerations:

Subsoil (B) Horizon
  • The dense and coarsely structured subsoil is sodic and strongly dispersive. This indicates that root and water movement will be restricted in the subsoil. The columnar structure in the subsoil has a hard capping which will also restrict root movement. Some roots are likely to move between the columns.
  • The level of soluble salts become reasonably high in the deeper subsoil – which may restrict the growth of deeper-rooted salt sensitive species.

Notes
Soil profile described by Mark Imhof and Will Gates, (13/10/04).
Page top