Victorian Resources Online (archived)

EGW9

Location: Orbost River flats

Australian Soil Classification: Melanic, Eutrophic, Black DERMOSOL

Map Unit: River flats (rf)
Previous Site Name: EG9

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 – 25 cm	Very dark grey (10YR3/1); clay loam; strong medium polyhedral structure, weak consistence moist; pH 5.9 clear change to:
A12	25 – 55 cm	Black (10YR2/1); clay loam; moderate medium polyhedral structure; firm consistence moist; pH 6.3; changes to:
A13	55 - 70 cm	Clay loam; pH 6.4; changes to:
Deep Subsoil
D	70 – 105 cm	Very dark grey (10YR3/1); clay loam; weak to very weak coarse prismatic structure; firm consistence moist; pH 6.7.

Key Profile Features:

Lack of texture contrast throughout the soil profile.

Soil Profile Characteristics:

-	pH	Salinity	Sodicity	Dispersion
Surface Soil (A11 horizon)	Moderately Acid	Very Low	Non Sodic	None
Subsoil (50-57 cm)	Slightly Acid	Very Low	Non Sodic	None¹
Deeper Subsoil (70 -105 cm)	Slightly Acid	Very Low	Non Sodic	None²

¹ Moderate dispersion after remoulding (20 hrs). ²Complete dispersion after remoulding (20 hrs).

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
A11	0-25	5.9	5.0	0.12	2.8	0.25	<10	14	7.6	6.4	0.84	0.96	1	28	30	35	40.6	23.3
A12	25-55	6.3	5.3	0.07	2.5	0.19	<10	14	10.0	7.1	0.22	0.63	1	27	33	29
A13	55-70	6.4	5.4	0.08	2.2	0.14	<10	13	8.8	7.9	0.19	0.78	2	28	33	29
D	70-105	6.7	5.5	0.07			<10	9.5	6.9	8.3	0.15	0.84	1	34	31	29

Management Considerations

Whole Profile

There are no impeding layers in the profile which allows plant roots deep penetration.

Surface (A11) Horizon

The relatively deep surface soil is moderately well structured and is friable when moist. Soil consistence when moist is also weak for this horizon. As a result of these attributes the surface soil will provide excellent seed germination conditions and few other limitations to root and water movement.
The nutrient holding capacity of this soil is high (based on the sum of the exchangeable calcium, magnesium and potassium cations)
Potassium levels are high and no response to potassium fertilizer would be expected. However below 25 cm the levels are quite low.

Subsoil Horizons

The subsoil is non-sodic and reasonably well structured. Root and water movement will not be significantly restricted as a result.

Profile Described By: Ian Sargeant (2000)
Sampled Using: Auger

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