Publication Date

6-2002

Document Type

Report

DPIRD Collections

Natural resources, Grains and field crops

Publisher

Department of Agriculture Land Management Services

Abstract

This report identifies the major soil types within the Lake Magenta Catchment and provides soil physical and chemical data relevant to catchment hydrology and land use. The catchment contains part of the Lake Magenta Nature Reserve and four adjoining farms that together have a total area of 9940 hectares. The head of the catchment is situated on a major drainage divide associated with the Fitzgerald and Gardiner River drainage systems. Runoff from the catchment converges into a first order stream of the Fitzgerald River. Vegetation is predominantly mallee shrubland with Proteacea shrubland and heath associated with valley floors and drainage lines. The dominant soils are shallow loamy and sandy duplex soils. Associated soils are grey clays and gravelly duplex soils with minor areas of sandy duplex and deep sands occurring within or bordering drainage lines. The soils are characteristically strongly sodic and mildly saline, having an average electro-conductivity of 60mS/m (1:5 H20) within the upper 60cm of the clay layer. Soil erosion, waterlogging and salinity are significant hazards that are evident on all properties within the catchment. These limitations are reducing agricultural production and also impacting on the Magenta reserve. The development of a catchment model using spatial soils data should generate management options specific to the Magenta catchment and similar landscapes within the Mallee zone.

Number of Pages

21

Disciplines

Agriculture

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