Soil Hydraulic Properties

Department of Sustainability and EnvironmentDepartment of Primary Industries

of the Shepparton

Irrigation Region

Published by the Department of Primary Industries, Ferguson Road, Tatura, February 2005 © Copyright State of Victoria, 2005 This publication is copyright. No part may be reproduced by any process except in accordance with the provisions of the Copyright Act 1968.

Authorised by the Victorian Government, 1 Treasury Place, East Melbourne Printed by the Department of Primary Industries, Ferguson Road, Tatura Disclaimer: This publication may be of assistance to you but the State of Victoria and its employees do not guarantee that the publication is without flaw of any kind or is wholly appropriate for your particular purposes and therefore disclaims all liability for any error, loss or other consequence which may arise from you relying on any information in this publication. Authors: Brijesh Mehta and QJ Wang ISBN 1 74146 961 9 Acknowledgments: The funding for this work was provided by Victorian Government’s Water for Growth Initiative, through the Goulburn Broken Catchment Management Authority and the Department of Sustainability and Environment. The authors would like to gratefully acknowledge Peter Clayton, Tony Cook, Ben Binger and Edward Thomas for their dedication to the collection and management of field and laboratory data, without which this report could not have been written. The authors would like to gratefully acknowledge David Robertson, Mark Wood, Matthew Bethune, and other members of the Hydrology Group at DPI Tatura for their advice and assistance. We would like to thank Alfred Heuperman, Kerry Greenwood and Ken Olsson for their support during the early stages of the study. The authors would like to gratefully acknowledge Ken Sampson, David Lawler, and Clair Haines for their contribution to the organisation of the technical workshop. We would also like to thank participants of the workshop and farmers who allowed us to conduct field measurements on their farms. We appreciate the assistance of Andy McAllister and Richard Maxwell for their support in GIS and Brendan Paterson for administrative support. We would like to thank Mike Morris, Des Whitfield, Alan Lavis and Trish Lothian for their review of this report. For more information contact: Brijesh Mehta or QJ Wang Department of Primary Industries, Tatura Phone: 03-5833 5222 For more information about DPI visit the website at www.dpi.vic.gov.au or call the Customer Service Centre on 136 186.

Soil Hydraulic Properties of the Shepparton Irrigation Region

by

Brijesh Mehta and QJ Wang

February 2005

Department of Sustainability and Environment Department of Primary Industries

Soil Hydraulic Properties of the SIR

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Contents

Foreword ............................................................................................................................................. 7 List of Abbreviations.......................................................................................................................... 8

1. Introduction 1.1 Background ................................................................................................................................. 9 1.2 Information in the Document ...................................................................................................... 9 1.3 Organisation of the Data ........................................................................................................... 10

2. Soils in the Shepparton Irrigation Region 2.1 Soil Maps of Irrigation Areas...................................................................................................... 11 2.2 Soil Types and Soil Groups ........................................................................................................ 12 2.3 Soil Horizons............................................................................................................................. 12 Figure 1 Soil surveys in the region.............................................................................................. 13 Figure 2 Irrigation areas in the region ........................................................................................ 14

Table 1. Soil types 1.1 MV irrigation area ......................................................................................................... 15 1.2 SCG irrigation area........................................................................................................ 16 1.3 RC irrigation area.......................................................................................................... 17

3. Measurement of Soil Hydraulic Properties 3.1 Soil Hydraulic Parameters .......................................................................................................... 19 3.1.1 Soil Water Holding Capacity .......................................................................................... 19 3.1.2 Saturated Hydraulic Conductivity .................................................................................. 21 3.1.3 Final Infiltration Rate .................................................................................................... 22 3.1.4 Background Soil Parameters.......................................................................................... 22

3.2 Field Measurement .................................................................................................................... 23 3.2.1 Sampling Sites .............................................................................................................. 23 3.2.2 Sampling Points ............................................................................................................ 24 3.2.3 Soil Profile .................................................................................................................... 24 3.2.4 Saturated Hydraulic Conductivity .................................................................................. 25 3.2.5 Final Infiltration Rate .................................................................................................... 25 3.2.6 Soil Sampling ................................................................................................................ 26

3.3 Laboratory Measurement........................................................................................................... 26 3.3.1 Bulk Density.................................................................................................................. 26 3.3.2 Soil Water Retention Characteristic ............................................................................... 26 3.3.3 Particle Size Distribution............................................................................................... 27 3.3.4 Chemical Analysis ......................................................................................................... 27

3.4 Data Analysis............................................................................................................................. 27

Figure 3 Sampling sites .............................................................................................................. 28

4. Pedotransfer Functions of Soil Water Retention Characteristic 4.1 Pedotransfer Function ............................................................................................................... 29 4.2 Parameter Estimation ................................................................................................................ 30 4.2.1 Soil Property Data............................................................................................................. 30 4.2.2 Fitting Parameters ............................................................................................................ 30

Contents

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4.3 Evaluation Criteria......................................................................................................................31

5. Listing by Soil Property/Irrigation Area/Soil Group/Soil Type Table 2. Particle size distribution of Horizon A 2.1 MV irrigation area..........................................................................................................33 2.2 SCG irrigation area ........................................................................................................34 2.3 RC irrigation area ..........................................................................................................35

Table 3. Particle size distribution of Horizon B1 3.1 MV irrigation area..........................................................................................................36 3.2 SCG irrigation area ........................................................................................................37 3.3 RC irrigation area ..........................................................................................................38

Table 4. Depth, bulk density and organic matter content of Horizon A 4.1 MV irrigation area..........................................................................................................39 4.2 SCG irrigation area ........................................................................................................40 4.3 RC irrigation area ..........................................................................................................41

Table 5. Bulk density and organic matter content of Horizon B1 5.1 MV irrigation area..........................................................................................................42 5.2 SCG irrigation area ........................................................................................................43 5.3 RC irrigation area ..........................................................................................................44

Table 6. EC, pH (H2O), pH (CaCl2) of Horizon A 6.1 MV irrigation area..........................................................................................................45 6.2 SCG irrigation area ........................................................................................................46 6.3 RC irrigation area ..........................................................................................................47

Table 7. EC, pH (H2O), pH (CaCl2) of Horizon B1 7.1 MV irrigation area..........................................................................................................48 7.2 SCG irrigation area ........................................................................................................49 7.3 RC irrigation area ..........................................................................................................50

Table 8. Exchangeable cations of Horizon A 8.1 MV irrigation area..........................................................................................................51 8.2 SCG irrigation area ........................................................................................................52 8.3 RC irrigation area ..........................................................................................................53

Table 9. Exchangeable cations of Horizon B1 9.1 MV irrigation area..........................................................................................................54 9.2 SCG irrigation area ........................................................................................................55 9.3 RC irrigation area ..........................................................................................................56

Table 10. Exchangeable sodium percentage (ESP) of Horizon A 10.1 MV irrigation area..........................................................................................................57 10.2 SCG irrigation area ........................................................................................................58 10.3 RC irrigation area ..........................................................................................................59

Table 11. Exchangeable sodium percentage (ESP) of Horizon B1 11.1 MV irrigation area..........................................................................................................60 11.2 SCG irrigation area ........................................................................................................61 11.3 RC irrigation area ..........................................................................................................62

Table 12. Saturated hydraulic conductivity of Horizon A 12.1 MV irrigation area..........................................................................................................63 12.2 SCG irrigation area ........................................................................................................64 12.3 RC irrigation area ..........................................................................................................65

Soil Hydraulic Properties of the SIR

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Table 13. Saturated hydraulic conductivity of Horizon B1 13.1 MV irrigation area ......................................................................................................... 66 13.2 SCG irrigation area........................................................................................................ 67 13.3 RC irrigation area.......................................................................................................... 68

Table 14. Final infiltration rate of Horizon B1 14.1 MV irrigation area ......................................................................................................... 69 14.2 SCG irrigation area........................................................................................................ 70 14.3 RC irrigation area.......................................................................................................... 71

Table 15. Water retention characteristic of Horizon A 15.1 MV irrigation area ......................................................................................................... 72 15.2 SCG irrigation area........................................................................................................ 73 15.3 RC irrigation area.......................................................................................................... 74

Table 16. Water retention characteristic of Horizon B1 16.1 MV irrigation area ......................................................................................................... 75 16.2 SCG irrigation area........................................................................................................ 76 16.3 RC irrigation area.......................................................................................................... 77

Table 17. Available water capacity of Horizon A 17.1 MV irrigation area ......................................................................................................... 78 17.2 SCG irrigation area........................................................................................................ 79 17.3 RC irrigation area.......................................................................................................... 80

Table 18. Available water capacity of Horizon B1 18.1 MV irrigation area ......................................................................................................... 81 18.2 SCG irrigation area........................................................................................................ 82 18.3 RC irrigation area.......................................................................................................... 83

6. Listing by Soil Property/ Soil Group Table 19. Particle size distribution 19.1 Horizon A ..................................................................................................................... 85 19.2 Horizon B1.................................................................................................................... 86

Table 20. Depth, bulk density and organic matter content 20.1 Horizon A ..................................................................................................................... 87 20.2 Horizon B1.................................................................................................................... 88

Table 21. EC, pH (H2O), pH (CaCl2) 21.1 Horizon A ..................................................................................................................... 89 21.2 Horizon B1.................................................................................................................... 90

Table 22. Exchangeable cations 22.1 Horizon A ..................................................................................................................... 91 22.2 Horizon B1.................................................................................................................... 92

Table 23. Exchangeable sodium percentage (ESP) 23.1 Horizon A ..................................................................................................................... 93 23.2 Horizon B1.................................................................................................................... 94

Table 24. Saturated hydraulic conductivity 24.1 Horizon A ..................................................................................................................... 95 24.2 Horizon B1.................................................................................................................... 96 24.3 Horizon B2.................................................................................................................... 97

Table 25. Final infiltration rate of Horizon B1............................................................................... 98

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Table 26. Water retention characteristic 26.1 Horizon A......................................................................................................................99 26.2 Horizon B1 ..................................................................................................................100

Table 27. Available water capacity 27.1 Horizon A....................................................................................................................101 27.2 Horizon B1 ..................................................................................................................102

7. Listing by Soil Type/ Soil Property Table 28. Physical, chemical and hydraulic properties 28.1 Alta clay loam..............................................................................................................103 28.2 Boosey loam................................................................................................................104 28.3 Boosey loam friable phase...........................................................................................105 28.4 Carag clay ...................................................................................................................106 28.5 Cobram loam ..............................................................................................................107 28.6 Congupna clay ............................................................................................................ 108 28.7 Congupna clay loam.................................................................................................... 109 28.8 East Shepparton fine sandy loam................................................................................. 110 28.9 Goulburn clay loam ..................................................................................................... 111 28.10 Goulburn loam ............................................................................................................112 28.11 Goulburn loam friable phase .......................................................................................113 28.12 Katamatite loam..........................................................................................................114 28.13 Koga clay loam............................................................................................................115 28.14 Koyuga clay loam.........................................................................................................116 28.15 Lemnos loam...............................................................................................................117 28.16 Lemnos loam friable phase..........................................................................................118 28.17 Lemnos loam semi-friable phase.................................................................................119 28.18 Moira loam ..................................................................................................................120 28.19 Moira loam friable phase.............................................................................................121 28.20 Muckatah clay loam.....................................................................................................122 28.21 Nanneella fine sandy loam ..........................................................................................123 28.22 Naring loam ................................................................................................................124 28.23 Rochester clay .............................................................................................................125 28.24 Sandmount sand..........................................................................................................126 28.25 Sandmount sand phase ...............................................................................................127 28.26 Shepparton fine sandy loam........................................................................................128 28.27 Similar range Ss to Csl.................................................................................................129 28.28 Timmering loam ..........................................................................................................130 28.29 Ulupna clay..................................................................................................................131 28.30 Waaia loam..................................................................................................................132 28.31 Waaia loam phase........................................................................................................133 28.32 Wallenjoe clay .............................................................................................................134 28.33 Wana loam ..................................................................................................................135 28.34 Wanalta loam...............................................................................................................136

8. Listing by Irrigation Area/ Soil Group /Soil Property Table 29. Physical, chemical and hydraulic properties MV irrigation area 29.1 Group 1 Sandy soils ....................................................................................................137 29.2 Group 1 Duplex soils...................................................................................................138 29.3 Group 2.......................................................................................................................139

Soil Hydraulic Properties of the SIR

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29.4 Group 3 ...................................................................................................................... 140 29.5 Group 5 ...................................................................................................................... 141 29.6 Group 6 ...................................................................................................................... 142

SCG irrigation area 29.7 Group 1 Duplex soils .................................................................................................. 143 29.8 Group 2 ...................................................................................................................... 144 29.9 Group 3 ...................................................................................................................... 145 29.10 Group 4 ..................................................................................................................... 146 29.11 Group 5 ...................................................................................................................... 147 29.12 Group 6 ...................................................................................................................... 148

RC irrigation area 29.13 Group 1 Duplex soils .................................................................................................. 149 29.14 Group 2 ...................................................................................................................... 150 29.15 Group 3 ...................................................................................................................... 151 29.16 Group 4 ...................................................................................................................... 152 29.17 Group 5 ...................................................................................................................... 153 29.18 Group 6 ...................................................................................................................... 154

9. Listing by Soil Group/ Soil Property Table 30. Physical, chemical and hydraulic properties 30.1 Group 1 Sandy soils .................................................................................................... 155 30.2 Group 1 Duplex soils .................................................................................................. 156 30.3 Group 2 ...................................................................................................................... 157 30.4 Group 3 ...................................................................................................................... 158 30.5 Group 4 ...................................................................................................................... 159 30.6 Group 5 ...................................................................................................................... 160 30.7 Group 6 ...................................................................................................................... 161

10. Listing of Pedotransfer Functions of Water Retention Characteristic Table 31. Water retention pedotransfer functions 31.1 Horizon A ................................................................................................................... 163 31.2 Horizon B1.................................................................................................................. 164

11. Selected Maps of Soil Hydraulic Properties Figure 4 Saturated hydraulic conductivity of Horizon B1 4.1 MV irrigation area ....................................................................................................... 165 4.2 SCG irrigation area...................................................................................................... 166 4.3 RC irrigation area........................................................................................................ 167

Figure 5 Final infiltration rate of Horizon B1 5.1 MV irrigation area ....................................................................................................... 168 5.2 SCG irrigation area...................................................................................................... 169 5.3 RC irrigation area........................................................................................................ 170

12. Glossary ................................................................................................................................... 171

13. References................................................................................................................................ 175