Victorian Resources Online (archived)
Series K
The soil series is characterised by having a conspicuously bleached A2 ‘subsurface' horizon, followed by dark grey to greyish or reddish brown subsoil. In the present survey, this series consists of one soil type:
Type K
Profile Morphology:
Surface Soil - A1 horizon
- 5-10 cm thick.
- Very dark grey to grey brown.
- Medium to heavy clay, occasionally slightly sandy.
- Moderately friable to non-friable.
Surface Soil - A2 horizon
- 3-15 cm thick.
- Dark grey to greyish brown (when moist), conspicuously bleached near white (when dry).
- Sandy clay loam to clay loam or light clay
- Structureless, massive (ie. apedal).
- Slightly friable to moderately friable.
Subsoil
- Very dark greyish brown to reddish brown, becoming gradually lighter with depth. Colour mottling may occur (or increase) at about 50-70 cm.
- Heavy clay.
- Moderately friable to non-friable. However, friability may increase in the deep subsoils.
- Trace to slight amounts of soft and/or hard CaCO3.
Analytical Data for Selected Depths Down the Profile:
Depth | pH | Total Soluble Salts | Sodium Chloride | Moisture Retention @ 15-Bar | Moisture Retention @ 1/3-Bar |
- | - | % | % | % | % |
A | 7.8 | 0.194 | 0.134 | 16.2 | 27.9 |
B | 8.8 | 0.110 | 0.037 | 26.7 | 45.0 |
C | 9.1 | 0.335 | 0.120 | 27.1 | 48.2 |
Occurrence:
Type K occurs mainly in lake-beds, drainage lines and extensive depressions. It also occurs in some gilgai depressions in the gently undulating gilgaied plains.
