Site IS1

Location: Kewell.

Soil Type: Minor Type C

Australia Soil Classification: Endocalcareous-Endohypersodic, Self-Mulching, Grey VERTOSOL

Northcote Factual Key: Ug 5.28
Great Soil Group: grey clay

General Description: Playa plain within a gently undulating plain.
Geology: Quaternary Woorinen Formation: aeolian dune sand, calcareous clay

Soil Profile Morphology:

Surface Soil

A11	0-20 cm	Dark grey (7.5YR4/0) light clay; subplastic; cracking, self-mulching surface condition; weak subangular blocky structure; very weak consistence dry, slightly sticky consistence wet; pH 8.0:
A12	20-35 cm	Dark grey (7.5YR4/0) light clay; subplastic; weak subangular blocky structure; very weak consistence dry, slightly sticky consistence wet; pH 8.4; sharp change to:
Subsoil
B21k	35-80 cm	Light brownish grey (2.5Y6/2) light clay; plastic; weak subangular blocky structure; strong consistence dry, moderately sticky consistence wet; contains a slight (2-10%) amount of hard and soft carbonate; pH 9.0; gradual change to:
B31k	80-110 cm	Pale olive (5Y6/3) medium clay; plastic; weak subangular blocky structure; strong consistence dry, moderately sticky consistence wet; contains a moderate (20-50%) amount of soft and hard carbonate; pH 9.3; gradual change to:

B32k	110-150 cm	Pale olive (5Y6/3) with yellowish brown (10YR5/6) mottled medium clay; plastic; weak subangular blocky structure; strong consistence dry, moderately sticky consistence wet; contains a moderate (20-50%) amount of soft and hard carbonate; pH 9.5; gradual change to:
B33k	150-205 cm	Pale olive (5Y6/3) with yellowish brown (10YR5/6) mottled heavy clay; plastic; strong coarse blocky structure; strong consistence dry, slightly sticky consistence wet; contains a slight (2-10%) amount of soft carbonate; pH 9.5.

Soil Profile Characteristics:

Horizon	Sample Depth cm	pH		EC dS/m	Sodium Chloride %	Exchangeable Calcium cmol-/kg	Exchangeable Magnesium cmol-/kg	Exchangeable Potassium cmol-/kg	Exchangeable Sodium cmol-/kg	Exchangeable Aluminium mg/kg	Exchangeable Acidity cmol-/kg	Field Capacity -30^okPa	Permanent Wilting Point -1500^okPa	Coarse Sand %	Fine Sand %	Silt %	Clay %
Horizon	Sample Depth cm	H₂O	CaCl₂	EC dS/m	Sodium Chloride %	Exchangeable Calcium cmol-/kg	Exchangeable Magnesium cmol-/kg	Exchangeable Potassium cmol-/kg	Exchangeable Sodium cmol-/kg	Exchangeable Aluminium mg/kg	Exchangeable Acidity cmol-/kg	Field Capacity -30^okPa	Permanent Wilting Point -1500^okPa	Coarse Sand %	Fine Sand %	Silt %	Clay %
A11	0–20	8.0	NA	0.14	0.01	24.6	4.4	2.8	0.1	NA	3.8	NA	19.6	14	18	15	51
A12	20–35	8.4	NA	0.19	0.01	25.1	5.6	1.9	0.2	NA	2.8	NA	22.9	12	15	9	61
B21	35–80	9.0	NA	0.22	0.01	15.3	5.9	1.5	0.9	NA	NA	NA	18.0	10	12	9	43
B31	80–110	9.3	NA	0.47	0.05	9.4	8.7	1.9	4.4	NA	NA	NA	19.5	9	10	4	49
B32	110–150	9.5	NA	0.77	0.11	5.2	9.6	2.2	8.4	NA	NA	NA	20.2	8	10	6	52
B33	150–205	9.5	NA	0.11	0.17	NA	NA	NA	NA	NA	NA	NA	23.0	8	11	5	53

Note: NA=not assessed.

Management Considerations:

Cracking clay profile.
Friable self mulching surface.
Surface and subsurface soil are darker than subsoil, more organic matter and very high calcium percentage.
Lighter coloured subsoil also has less clay than surface soil, poorer internal drainage.
Subsoil is strongly sodic and salinity increases at depth.
Landform element, playa plain: poor site drainage.

Profile Described By: John Martin, Nabil Badawy, Ron Cawood, Geoff Pope, John Galea, John Turner (1970).

Reference: "Major Agricultural Soils of the Wimmera Irrigation Area". John Martin, Mark Imhof, Lourey Ruth, Rob Nink, Karen DePlater, Paul Rampant, Sonia Thompson, S. Alexander. Department of Natural Resources and Environment, Victoria. 1996.

Page top