Victorian Resources Online (archived)
Site IS1
Location: Kewell.
Soil Type: Minor Type C
Australia Soil Classification: Endocalcareous-Endohypersodic, Self-Mulching, Grey VERTOSOL
Northcote Factual Key: Ug 5.28
Great Soil Group: grey clay
General Description: Playa plain within a gently undulating plain.
Geology: Quaternary Woorinen Formation: aeolian dune sand, calcareous clay
Soil Profile Morphology:
Surface Soil
| A11 | 0-20 cm | Dark grey (7.5YR4/0) light clay; subplastic; cracking, self-mulching surface condition; weak subangular blocky structure; very weak consistence dry, slightly sticky consistence wet; pH 8.0: | |
| A12 | 20-35 cm | Dark grey (7.5YR4/0) light clay; subplastic; weak subangular blocky structure; very weak consistence dry, slightly sticky consistence wet; pH 8.4; sharp change to: | |
| Subsoil | |||
| B21k | 35-80 cm | Light brownish grey (2.5Y6/2) light clay; plastic; weak subangular blocky structure; strong consistence dry, moderately sticky consistence wet; contains a slight (2-10%) amount of hard and soft carbonate; pH 9.0; gradual change to: | |
| B31k | 80-110 cm | Pale olive (5Y6/3) medium clay; plastic; weak subangular blocky structure; strong consistence dry, moderately sticky consistence wet; contains a moderate (20-50%) amount of soft and hard carbonate; pH 9.3; gradual change to: | |
| B32k | 110-150 cm | Pale olive (5Y6/3) with yellowish brown (10YR5/6) mottled medium clay; plastic; weak subangular blocky structure; strong consistence dry, moderately sticky consistence wet; contains a moderate (20-50%) amount of soft and hard carbonate; pH 9.5; gradual change to: | |
| B33k | 150-205 cm | Pale olive (5Y6/3) with yellowish brown (10YR5/6) mottled heavy clay; plastic; strong coarse blocky structure; strong consistence dry, slightly sticky consistence wet; contains a slight (2-10%) amount of soft carbonate; pH 9.5. | |
Soil Profile Characteristics:
Horizon | Sample Depth cm | pH | EC dS/m | Sodium Chloride % | Exchangeable Calcium cmol-/kg | Exchangeable Magnesium cmol-/kg | Exchangeable Potassium cmol-/kg | Exchangeable Sodium cmol-/kg | Exchangeable Aluminium mg/kg | Exchangeable Acidity cmol-/kg | Field Capacity -30okPa | Permanent Wilting Point -1500okPa | Coarse Sand % | Fine Sand % | Silt % | Clay % | |
H2O | CaCl2 | ||||||||||||||||
A11 | 0–20 | 8.0 | NA | 0.14 | 0.01 | 24.6 | 4.4 | 2.8 | 0.1 | NA | 3.8 | NA | 19.6 | 14 | 18 | 15 | 51 |
A12 | 20–35 | 8.4 | NA | 0.19 | 0.01 | 25.1 | 5.6 | 1.9 | 0.2 | NA | 2.8 | NA | 22.9 | 12 | 15 | 9 | 61 |
B21 | 35–80 | 9.0 | NA | 0.22 | 0.01 | 15.3 | 5.9 | 1.5 | 0.9 | NA | NA | NA | 18.0 | 10 | 12 | 9 | 43 |
B31 | 80–110 | 9.3 | NA | 0.47 | 0.05 | 9.4 | 8.7 | 1.9 | 4.4 | NA | NA | NA | 19.5 | 9 | 10 | 4 | 49 |
B32 | 110–150 | 9.5 | NA | 0.77 | 0.11 | 5.2 | 9.6 | 2.2 | 8.4 | NA | NA | NA | 20.2 | 8 | 10 | 6 | 52 |
B33 | 150–205 | 9.5 | NA | 0.11 | 0.17 | NA | NA | NA | NA | NA | NA | NA | 23.0 | 8 | 11 | 5 | 53 |
Management Considerations:
- Cracking clay profile.
- Friable self mulching surface.
- Surface and subsurface soil are darker than subsoil, more organic matter and very high calcium percentage.
- Lighter coloured subsoil also has less clay than surface soil, poorer internal drainage.
- Subsoil is strongly sodic and salinity increases at depth.
- Landform element, playa plain: poor site drainage.
Profile Described By: John Martin, Nabil Badawy, Ron Cawood, Geoff Pope, John Galea, John Turner (1970).
Reference: "Major Agricultural Soils of the Wimmera Irrigation Area". John Martin, Mark Imhof, Lourey Ruth, Rob Nink, Karen DePlater, Paul Rampant, Sonia Thompson, S. Alexander. Department of Natural Resources and Environment, Victoria. 1996.
