32 Black, brown and grey sodic and strongly sodic texture contrast soil on Quaternary alluvium

These soils are found on Quaternary alluvium, within the volcanic plains and sedimentary terrain, mainly in low-lying areas such as swamps or terraces.

The soils derived from the basic volcanic plains tend to be dark, mottled at depth with a fine sandy clay loam surface soil (about 20 cm depth) with no bleached subsurface horizons, over a coarse structured dark moderate to heavy clay which is mottled with depth. These subsoils are often highly alkaline and strongly sodic and may have some manganiferous gravel. The soils derived from Neogene sediments tend to have a sandier component throughout and lighter colours. Surface soils (15 cm) overlie massive bleached subsurface horizons (to 30 cm), occasionally some ferruginous gravel abruptly overlies coarse structured hard mottled (brown grey and red) light medium clay, with a high fine sand component grading into sediments at about 150 cm. These soils may even be sodic near the surface, making them very hardsetting and the subsoils are strongly dispersive.

Notable characteristics include: a degree of sodicity, abrupt texture contrast, hardsetting nature and position in landscape (terrace, older alluvial plains or low-lying swamps). Some may be regarded as waterlogged soils.		CLRA Soil Unit 32


Soil Sites
Site Code
Soil-landform unit
Component
ASC
FK
1:100 000 mapsheet
FlatEutrohpic, Mottled-Hypernaric, Brown SodosolDy3043T7821 - Sorrento
CLRA45
FlatMelanic, Mottled-Subnatric, Brown SodosolDy3.42T7821 - Sorrento
Simple slopeMelanic, Mottled-Mesonatric, Black SodosolDd2.42T7621 - Colac
Lower slopeEutrophic, Mottled-Subnatric, Black SodosolDd2.32T7621 - Colac
Simple slopeMagnesic, Mottled_Mesonatric, Brown SodosolDy3.42T7622 - Ballarat
MM283
FlatFerric, Mottled-Hypernatic, Brown SodosolDy3.43T7521 - Corangamite
MM347
FlatMelacic, Subnatric, Black SodosolDd1.31T7521 - Corangamite
OTR492
Lower slopeEutrophic, Mottled-Subnatric, Brown SodosolDy3.41T7721 - Geelong
FlatVertic (& Calcic), Mesonatric, Black SodosolDd2.43T7621 - Colac
FlatVertic (& Calcic), Mottled-Mesonatric, Black SodosolDd2.23T7621 - Colac
SW95
FlatVertic (& Calcic), Mottled-Hypernatric, Black SodosolDd2.13T7721 - Geelong
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