Victorian Resources Online (archived)

Site WW16

Location: Serviceton

Australian Soil Classification: Endocalcareous-Endohypersodic, Self-Mulching, Grey VERTOSOL
Northcote Factual Key: Ug5.2
Great Soil Group: grey clay

Site WW16 Landscape

General Landscape Description: This soil type occurs on the flat clay plains below the low rises of the gently undulating plains. It is a variation of the soil found on the Southern Cracking Clay Plains land system (WW10 has been used to represent the whole unit on the map). Note the rise with Yellow Gum in background of photograph where the land system changes to Yellow Gum Plains and Rises.

Soil Profile Morphology:

Surface Soil

A1	0-10 cm	Dark greyish brown (10YR4/2) light clay, moderate polyhedral structure (peds 20-50 mm); self-mulching surface condition (particularly evident after cultivation); strong consistence when dry; pH 8.6:	Site WW16 Profile
Subsoil
B21	10-20 cm	Grey (10YR5/1) with slight brownish yellow (10YR6/8) mottles medium clay; moderate prismatic structure (peds 50-100 mm) parting to moderate blocky structure (peds 20-50 mm); smooth faced peds; strong consistence when dry; complete dispersion when worked; pH 8.4: Note: Within the upper subsoil there is a discontinuous bleached A2 horizon with a fine sandy clay loam texture.
B22	20-40 cm	Medium clay; lenticular structure with some slickensides; smooth faced peds; pH 8.7:
B23	40-60 cm	Medium clay; lenticular structure and some slickensides; smooth faced peds; complete dispersion; pH 8.8:
B24	60-80 cm	Medium clay; smooth faced peds; pH 9.0:
B25	80-130 cm	Medium heavy clay; strong lenticular structure (peds 10-20 mm parting to 2-5 mm); smooth faced peds; pH 9.3:
B26	130-180+ cm	Heavy clay; some slickensides; smooth faced peds; few (2-5%) soft and hard calcium carbonate/silica and carbonate nodules.

Soil Profile Characteristics:

Horizon	pH	Salinity	Sodicity	Dispersion	Internal Drainage	Hydro-phobicity
Surface (A1 horizon)	strongly alkaline	low	non-sodic	nil	imperfectly drained³	nil
Subsoil (B21 horizon)	strongly alkaline	low	sodic¹	moderate²	-	-
Deeper subsoil (at 1 metre)	very strongly alkaline	medium-high	strongly sodic	strong	-	-

¹ Estimate.
² Complete dispersion after remoulding.
³ Some areas may be better drained.

Key Profile Features:

Self-mulching surface when cultivated.
Uniform clay throughout profile.
Uneven drainage due to gilgai micro-relief.
Alkaline pH throughout profile.
Strongly sodic subsoil at depth.
Soil salinity increases at one metre depth.
Lenticular structure and slickensides indicate high shrinking and swelling of the clay subsoil resulting in surface cracking and gilgai micro-relief.

Soil Restrictions and Management Prescriptions:

Feature	Result	Management Prescription
Sodic clay subsoil.	Poor water and air movement into the subsoil resulting in waterlogging (impeded internal drainage). Poor root growth into the subsoil reducing the volume of the soil able to be exploited.	Gypsum applications if the subsoil is close to the surface and topsoil textures are light. Dryland cropping. Include deep rooted crops in the rotation, minimum tillage and stubble retention.
Alkaline subsoil.	Potential nutrient imbalance. Unsuitable for alkaline intolerant plants. May indicate subsoil sodicity.	Grow alkaline tolerant plants.
Soil salinity at depth.	Poor or no plant growth for deeper rooted species. Indication of waterlogging (impeded internal drainage) or high water table.	Increase plant water use throughout the catchment.

Land Suitability Rating Table:

LAND USE	SUITABILITY CLASS	MAJOR LIMITING COMPONENT
Wheat	2	Climate, soil
Canola	2	Climate, soil
Chickpeas	3	Soil
Lentils	3	Soil
White clover seed	3	Soil
Lucerne for seed production	3	Soil
Viticulture	3	Soil
Apples	3	Soil
Potatoes	3	Soil
Carrots	3	Soil
Onions	3	Soil
Sweet corn	3	Soil
Radiata Pine	3	Climate
Blue Gum	3	Climate

Land Suitability Assessment and Primary Limitations:

*Wheat*	Climate	2	Moderate frost risk, slightly high rainfall.
	Landscape	1	No major limitation.
	Soil	2	Slightly alkaline pH.
*Canola*	Climate	2	Moderate frost risk.
	Landscape	1	No major limitation.
	Soil	2	Slightly alkaline pH.
*Chickpeas*	Climate	2*	Moderate frost risk, moderate to high rainfall.
	Landscape	1	No major limitation.
	Soil	3#	Impeded internal drainage.
*Lentils*	Climate	2	Moderate frost risk, slightly high rainfall.
	Landscape	1	No major limitation.
	Soil	3#	Impeded internal drainage.
*White clover seed*	Climate	1	No major limitation.
	Landscape	1	No major limitation.
	Soil	3	Alkaline pH.
*Lucerne for seed production*	Climate	1	No major limitation.
	Landscape	1	No major limitation.
	Soil	3#	Impeded internal drainage.
*Viticulture*	Climate	2	Moderate frost risk.
	Landscape	1	No major limitation.
	Soil	3#	Impeded internal drainage.
*Apples*	Climate	2	Moderate frost risk, slightly high mean maximum January temperature.
	Landscape	1	No major limitation.
	Soil	3	Alkaline pH.
*Potatoes*	Climate	2	Slightly high mean maximum January temperature.
	Landscape	1	No major limitation.
	Soil	3	Alkaline topsoil pH.
*Carrots*	Climate	1	No major limitation.
	Landscape	1	No major limitation.
	Soil	3	Alkaline topsoil pH.
*Onions*	Climate	2	Moderate frost risk.
	Landscape	1	No major limitation.
	Soil	3	Clay topsoil, alkaline topsoil pH.
*Sweet corn*	Climate	2	Slightly low mean monthly temperature (October - March).
	Landscape	1	No major limitation.
	Soil	3#	Impeded internal drainage.
*Radiata Pine*	Climate	3	Low rainfall.
	Landscape	2	Wind erosion hazard.
	Soil	2	Slightly impeded internal drainage.
*Blue Gum*	Climate	3	Low rainfall.
	Landscape	2	Wind erosion hazard.
	Soil	2	Slightly impeded internal drainage.

* Some areas may have higher rainfall.
# Some areas may be better drained.

Profile Described By: Mark Imhof, Nathalie Baxter (09/01/97).

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