21. Sodic, grey texture contrast soils/Modern floodplains: Meander belt below flood level

These soils have developed on alluvium of Recent unconsolidated material in the North West Dunefields and Plains, predominantly on the Wimmera River floodplain. This soil has a slightly acidic to neutral surface, grading to alkaline in the subsoil.

The surface soil is usually a grey sandy clay loam. It is weakly structured and hardsetting. It occasionally overlies a bleached subsurface horizon, generally thin. There is a clear change to a grey (occasionally light grey) light clay. This is weakly structured (coarse ped size) and sodic. At depth this grades into alluviual regolith. The sodicity increases with depth and minor carbonate nodules are visible below the upper subsoil. The profile depth is 2 m or more with variable depths of the surface horizons (generally 5-10 cm for the topsoil) and 10 cm for the subsurface (A2 horizon).

Notable features include:

• Texture contrast soil, variable surface friability (generally hardsetting).
• Strong consistence (strength) when dry.
• This soil has subplastic subsoil and likely to be vertic.
• The pale subsoil indicates poor drainage, often sodic at depth.