IS9

Location: Murtoa

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

Northcote Factual Key: Ug5.25
Great Soil Group: grey clay
Soil Type: Kalkee Clay.


General Landscape Description: Hillslope of a gently undulating plain.
Geology: Pliocene Parilla Sand: marine sand and silt.

A1	0-10 cm	Dark greyish brown (10YR4/2); light clay; subplastic; cracking and self-mulching surface condition; weak coarse granular structure; very weak consistence dry; slightly sticky consistence wet; pH 8.5; sharp boundary to:
Subsoil
B21	10-45 cm	Dark grey (10YR4/1); medium clay; subplastic; weak coarse subangular blocky structure; strong consistence dry; slightly sticky consistence wet; pH 9.1:
B22	45-95 cm	Dark grey (10YR4/1); medium clay; subplastic; weak coarse subangular blocky structure; strong consistence dry; slightly sticky consistence wet; very few (<2%) hard carbonate segregations; pH 9.3:
B23	95-110 cm	Grey (10YR5/1); medium clay; subplastic; weak coarse subangular blocky structure; strong consistence dry; slightly sticky consistence wet; very few (<2%) hard carbonate segregations; pH 9.2:
B24	110-145 cm	Grey (10YR5/1) with reddish yellow (7.5YR6/6) mottles; medium clay; subplastic; weak coarse subangular blocky structure; strong consistence dry; slightly sticky consistence wet; very few (<2%) hard carbonate segregations; pH 9.2; gradual boundary to:
B31	145-190	Reddish yellow (7.5YR6/6) with greyish brown (10YR5/2) mottles; heavy clay; plastic; moderate coarse subangular blocky structure; strong consistence dry; moderately sticky consistence wet; very few (<2%) hard carbonate segregations; pH 9.0; gradual boundary to:
B32	190-220	Reddish yellow (7.5YR6/6) with red (2.5YR4/8) mottles; heavy clay sandy; plastic; moderate coarse blocky structure; strong consistence dry; moderately sticky consistence wet; very few (<2%) hard carbonate segregations and few (2-10%) weathered sandstone; pH 8.9.

Horizon	Sample Depth cm	pH H2O	EC dS/m	Sodium Chloride %	Exchangeable Calcium cmol-/kg	Exchangeable Magnesium cmol-/kg	Exchangeable Potassium cmol-/kg	Exchangeable Sodium cmol-/kg	Organic Carbon %	Exchangeable Acidity cmol-/kg	Total Nitrogen %	Permanent Wilting Point -1500okPa	Coarse Sand %	Fine Sand %	Silt %	Clay %
A1	0–10	8.5	0.18	0.01	31.2	3.9	1.7	1.2	0.9	2.5	0.11	22.6	12	17	9	58
B21	10–45	9.1	0.22	0.02	26	8	1.4	2.9	0.48		0.05	34.1	16	16	8	59
B22	45–95	9.3	0.43	0.05	20	11.3	1.3	8.4	0.39		0.05	28.2	15	14	9	58
B23	95–110	9.2	0.7	0.09	17.4	12.6	1.6	12.9	0.29		0.04	30.4	9	15	9	59
B24	110–145	9.2	0.9	0.1	16.5	12.2	1.5	13.1	0.22		0.03	28.7	7	12	9	62
B31	145–190	9.0	1.16	0.15								28.2	9	12	8	62
B32	190–220	8.9	1.01	0.12								20.6	28	12	8	50

• Cracking (vertic) clay soil, high clay content decreasing at depth (with sandstone inclusions).
• Highly alkaline soil, decreasing at depth.
• Friable, self-mulching surface, subplastic (seems lighter than lab data would suggest).
• High calcium levels in surface and upper subsoil, decreasing with depth.
• Sodic subsoil, becoming strongly sodic below 60 cm.
• High salt levels below 95 cm.
• Moderate site drainage.