Victorian Resources Online (archived)

EGW119

Location: Orbost South

Australian Soil Classification: Melanic, Eutrophic, Black DERMOSOL

Map Unit: River flats (rf)
Previous Site Name: EG119

General Landscape Description: Alluvial plain
Site description: Level plain >1% slope
Land Use: Grazing
Native Vegetation: Riparian forest
Geology: Recent sediments

Soil Profile Morphology:

Surface soil
A11	0 – 30 cm	Very dark greyish brown (10YR3/2); clay loam, (high in organic matter); strong medium polyhedral structure; weak consistence moderately moist; pH 6.1; gradual change to:
A12	30 – 70cm	Dark greyish brown (10YR4/2) distinctly mottled with fine common dark brown (7.5YR3/4) mottles ; fine sandy clay loam; moderate medium polyhedral structure; weak consistence moist; pH 6.4; clear change to:
Subsoil
D	70 – 110cm	Very dark grey (10YR3/1); silty clay loam; weak to moderate coarse prismatic structure; firm consistence moderately moist; pH 5.5.

Key Profile Features:

Uniform textures throughout.

Soil Profile Characteristics:

-	pH	Salinity	Sodicity	Dispersion
Surface soil (A11 horizon)	Slightly acid	Very low	Non sodic	None¹
Subsoil (A12 horizon)	Slightly acid	Very low	Non sodic	None²
Deep subsoil (D horizon)	Strongly acid	Very low	Non sodic	None

¹ Slight dispersion after remoulding. ² Strong dispersion after remoulding.

Chemical and Physical Analysis:

Horizon	Horizon Depth (cm)	pH (water)	pH (CaCl₂)	EC dS/m	Organic Carbon %	Total Nitrogen %	Exchangeable Aluminium ppm	Exchangeable Acididty meq/100g	Exchangeable Cations				Coarse Sand (0.2-2.0 mm) %	Fine Sand (0.02-0.2 mm) %	Silt (0.002-0.02 mm) %	Clay (<0.002 mm) %	Field Capacity % w/w	Wilting Point % w/w
									Ca	Mg	K	Na
									meq/100g
A1	0-30	6.1	5.2	0.09	2.2	0.24	11	12.0	8.1	5.5	0.5	0.53	0	32	39	25	35.2	20.3
A12	30-70	6.4	5.5	0.08			11	9.2	8.5	5.9	0.21	0.56	0	44	26	22	30.7	14.1
D	70-110	5.5	4.7	0.13			42	16.0	4.6	4.0	0.22	0.62	1	40	26	25

Management Considerations

Whole profile

The plant available water content of this soil is moderate (65 mm based a rooting depth of 70 cm).

Surface soil (A horizons)

The deep surface soil is well structured
Infiltration of water into the well structured surface soil would be quite high. This horizon is also very well drained
The nutrient holding capacity of the soil is high (based on the sum of the exchangeable cations)
Potassium levels are moderate to high and any response to potassium fertilizer is unlikely
The soil is slightly acid and unlikely to respond to lime.

Profile Described By: David Rees and Grant Boyle, 2000.

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