MySoil: Ironstone gravels (Southern Wheatbelt)

Ironstone gravel soil with predominately sandy or loamy matrix over a less permeable layer which can be either loam, clay or reticulite (mottled sandy loam or clay loam).

Broad scale map (1:250 000) of the Southern Wheatbelt Agzone showing the distribution of ironstone gravel soils. The distribution is scattered with Corrigin area showing predominatly 25–50% and Lake King area showing 10–25% and Cranbrook region 3–10%.
A stylised diagram of the soil profile showing the topsoil and subsoil layers for deep sandy gravel. Ironstone gravel soil, with a predomintly sandy matrix, usually over clay or cemented gravels at >80cm.
Soil pit showing the profile of deep sandy gravel in the Southern Wheatbelt region.

Summary

Table 1 Ironstone gravels summary
Occurrence Southern Wheatbelt (10%)

Soil Groups of Western Australia (WA)

301 Deep Sandy Gravel (gravel 0 to 80 cm +) (Forest gravel)

302 Duplex Sandy Gravels (gravel 0 to 30–80cm)(Gairdner gravel)

303 Loamy Gravel (Jarrah Gravel)

Also known as

 Forest gravel, Gairdner gravel, Jarrah gravel
Australian soil classifications

301 - Ferric or Ferric-Petroferric Tenosol, Ferric Kandosol, Ferric Chromosol

302 - Ferric Chromosol, Ferric Sodosol, Ferric Kandosol

303 - Ferric Kandosol, Ferric Chromosol, Ferric Dermosol

Distinguishing features

Topsoil

  • Yellow, brown or grey sandy or loamy soils.
  • Acidic to neutral pH throughout profile.
  • Increasing gravel with depth.

Subsoil

  • Gravels dominant feature (>20% by weight) and can be unconsolidated (pea, buckshot) or cemented (conglomerate).
  • Gravels overly semi permeable clays or clay loams or reticulite at depth depths >80 cm (301) or 30 to 80 cm (302).

Constraints

The following data has been derived from actual site samples taken. These results are recorded in this Excel spreadsheet.

Table 2 Common management constraints key
Rating Implications
Not applicable (n/a)

No constraints identified
Minor

Minor constraint - reduces crop yields in some years
Major

Major constraint - reduces crop yields in most years
Severe

Severe constraint - will always reduce crop yields
Table 3 Management constraints for ironstone gravels

Soil Groups of WA

301 Deep sandy gravel*

301 Deep sandy gravel*

302 Duplex sandy gravel*

302 Duplex sandy gravel*

303 Loamy gravel*

303 Loamy gravel*
Cnstraints Topsoil Subsoil Topsoil Subsoil Topsoil Subsoil
Acidity and aluminium toxicity Minor n/a Minor

n/a

 Minor

n/a
Salinity

n/a

n/a

n/a

n/a

n/a

n/a
Sodicity and alkalinity

n/a

n/a

n/a

 Major

n/a

 Minor
Boron toxicity

n/a

n/a

n/a

n/a

n/a

n/a
Poor nutrient retention Severe Severe

n/a

 Minor

n/a

n/a
Aggregate stability

n/a

n/a

n/a

 Major

n/a

 Major
Compaction and hard layers

n/a

n/a

n/a

n/a

n/a

n/a
Hard setting and crusting

n/a

n/a

n/a

n/a

n/a

n/a
Water repellence Minor

n/a

 Minor

n/a

n/a

n/a
Low plant available water

Severe

 Severe Major Major Minor Minor
Water-logging (seasonal)

n/a

n/a

 Minor Minor

n/a

n/a
Wind erosion (seasonal)

n/a

n/a

n/a

n/a

n/a

n/a
Water erosion (seasonal)

n/a

n/a

n/a

n/a

n/a

n/a

*Note - Data derived from site identifications (ID's).

  • Soil Group of WA - 301 Deep sandy gravel site ID includes: FFS 0135, FFS 0136, COR 1642, COR 1784.
  • Soil Group of WA - 302 Duplex sandy gravels site ID includes: COR 0085, TBO 0551, NYA 1024, KLC 0160, NYA 0490, NYA 0726, SC2 NDL2, COR 1780.
  • Soil Group of WA - 303 Loamy gravels site ID includes: NYA 0728, KLC 1590, KLC 2337, COR 1787.

Further information

Department of Agriculture and Food (2013) Report card on sustainable natural resource use in agriculture, Department of Agriculture and Food, Western Australia.

McArthur, WM (2004) Reference Soils of South-western Australia (Reprint). Department of Agriculture, Western Australia.

Moore, G (2004) Soil Guide: A Handbook for Understanding and Managing Agricultural Soils. Bulletin 4343. Department of Agriculture, Western Australia.

Overheu, TD (1995) Soil Information Sheets for Ravensthorpe and part of the Jerramungup Agricultural Areas. Department of Agriculture, Western Australia and Landcare Western Australia.

Percy, H (2003) Nyabing-Kukerin Area Land Resource Survey. Land Resources Series No. 18. Department of Agriculture, Western Australia.

Sawkins, D (2010) Landscapes and Soils of the Katanning District. Bulletin 4817. Department of Agriculture and Food, Western Australia.

Sawkins, D (2011) Landscapes and Soils of the Lake Grace. Bulletin 4825. Department of Agriculture and Food, Western Australia.

Stoneman, TC (1990) An Introduction to the Soils of the Lake Grace Advisory District. Bulletin 4178. Western Australian Department of Agriculture.

Stoneman, TC (1991) An Introduction to the Soils of the Narrogin Advisory District. Bulletin 4221. Western Australian Department of Agriculture.

Stoneman, TC (1991) An Introduction to the Soils of the Katanning Advisory District. Bulletin 4202.  Western Australian Department of Agriculture.

Schoknecht, N and Pathan, S (2013) Soil Groups of Western Australia. Resource Management Technical Report 380. Department of Agriculture and Food, Western Australia.

Stuart-Street, A (2005) Tonebridge-Frankland Area Land Resource Survey. Land Resources Series No. 19. Department of Agriculture, Western Australia.

Verboom, B and Galloway, P (2004) Corrigin Area Land Resource Survey. Land Resources Series No. 20. Department of Agriculture, Western Australia.

See also

MySoil

Further information

Soils

Topics

Page last updated: Wednesday, 18 November 2015 - 9:32am