Soil Science Commons^™

The Use Of Bauxite Residue As A Soil Amendment In The Peel-Harvey Coastal Plain Catchment - Report On Results Of 1995 Environmental Monitoring Program, Mark Rivers

Natural resources published reports

This report was submitted in accordance with the recommendations of the Environmental Protection Authority (EPA) who have stated that a monitoring program shall be undertaken by Agriculture Western Australia within six months of the widespread use of bauxite residue as a soil amendment. Although this widespread use of bauxite residue has not yet formally commenced, pre-emptive monitoring has been undertaken in order to gain some understanding of the general environmental characteristics of the Peel-Harvey catchment and, in particular, the characteristics and quality of the water flowing through the catchment.

It represents the second annual report submitted to the EPA describing …

Western Australian Salinity Action Plan, Agriculture Western Australia, Department Of Conservation And Land Management, Department Of Environmental Protection, Water And Rivers Commission

Natural resources published reports

Salinity is one of the State's most critical environmental problems, threatening major economic and social consequences. It is preventable and, in the long term, reversible. Complete elimination is not realistic, but we can dramatically reduce its impact.

Salinity is caused by replacing deep-rooted native plants with shallow-rooted crops and pastures. More rainfall passed below the root zone and accumulates as groundwater so that watertables rise. The groundwater mobilises natural salts in the soil as it rises and carries them towards the surface, eventually degrading land and streams.

Managing Pastures For Long-Term Prosperity, Hugh Pringle, Jenny Riches

Natural resources published reports

A Workshop held by the Sandstone Land Conservation District Committee

Lake Mason Station

April 1994

A workshop hosted by Sandstone Land Conservation District Committee (LCDC) was held at Lake Mason station on 28 April 1994. This workshop was based on two previous workshops hosted by the Kalgoorlie and north-eastern Goldfields LCDCs in May 1991 (Pringle et al. 1992). The success of the earlier workshops prompted the rangeland survey team in association with the Sandstone LCDC and the Kalgoorlie District Office of Agriculture Western Australia to initiate the project.

The aims were to provide a summary of local wisdom regarding pasture …

Bulletin 4329 - Environmental Hazards Of Farming In Western Australia, Greg Hamilton, Ian Foster, Philip M. Goulding

Bulletins 4000 -

This Bulletin is one of a series on crop establishment practices which minimise soil disturbance and improve stubble retention. In partnership with primary producers, Agriculture Western Australia 1s focussed on improved and profitable farming which conserves or improves the quality of the State's soil resources.

Agricultural land in Western Australia is naturally fragile and susceptible to degradation. Salinity and wind erosion are the most visible and significant forms of degradation, but all forms are present over large areas of agricultural land (House of Representatives Enquiry into Land Degradation in Western Australia, 1988).

The fragility of Western Australia's soils has been …

Esperance Region Catchment Planning Strategy, John Platt, Brendan Nicholas, Rod Short, Stephen Gee

Natural resources published reports

The Esperance Region Catchment Planning Strategy project was initiated by the Esperance Land Conservation District Committee.

This report provides a reference document for farmers and other land managers such as government agencies and local government, and should help them to strategically focus their catchment planning activities.

It will help land managers to identify the major catchments and land systems in their area, management issues for long term sustainability, and a regional strategy for catchment planning.

Catchment planning involves both technical and social processes.

Technically it is a process of planning the sustainable use of water resources within a catchment.

Soils Of The Weaber Plain, East Kimberley, Western Australia, J C. Dixon

Resource management technical reports

The Weaber Plain, north-east of Kununurra, is one of three "black soil" plains in the Kimberley area of Western Australia. It comprises about 15,000 hectares of irrigable land, part of which is known as Stage 2 of the Ord River Irrigation Area (ORIA). The area was surveyed in 1977 following a similar survey of the nearby Keep River Plain and preceding a survey of the Ivanhoe Plain, which has since been developed commercially. Map units and soil series used in those reports have also been used for this rep ility in crop selection, preferring high water use crops.

Soils Of The Ivanhoe West Bank East Kimberley Western Australia, C Grose, N Schoknecht

Resource management technical reports

A brief assessment of the soils of 2,064 ha of land on the Ivanhoe West Bank and their suitability for irrigated agriculture was conducted in May-June 1994. Sandy or loamy soils occur on broad levees adjacent to the Ord River, and areas of 'black soil' and 'red soil' plains occur behind these levees. Some areas of the red soil plain and levees are deeply dissected, and occasional active erosion is evident.

Soils Of The Knox Creek Plain East Kimberley Western Australia And Northern Territory, C Grose, Noel Schoknecht

Resource management technical reports

An assessment of the soils and landforms of approximately 12,000 ha in the Knox Creek Plain in Western Australia and the Northern Territory was conducted in May and June 1994. Seventeen map units were identified and their soils, landform and vegetation characteristics were described. Grey or brown cracking clays predominate on the plain, however variable red or brown soils on the coarser alluvium of remnant levees are common in the south and south-east.

Soils Of The Mantinea Loop Ord River Valley East Kimberley Western Australia, N Schoknecht, C Grose

Resource management technical reports

A brief assessment of the soils of 1,186 hectares in the Mantinea Loop, and their suitability for irrigated agriculture, was conducted in June 1994. Four map units based on soil, landform and vegetation were identified. The soils are mainly calcareous brown fine sandy loams. The landform is an alluvial plain, with numerous small depressions and channels caused by the meandering and flooding of the Ord River.

Geraldton Region Land Resources Survey, L Gary Rogers, National Landcare Program (Australia)

Land resources series

This report presents results from soil and landform mapping at a scale of 1:250,000 for approximately 2.1 million hectares of the wheat-sheep belt of Western Australia. The study area corresponds with the Geraldton advisory district for Agriculture Western Australia and is the northern extent of the wheatbelt. The area covers parts of three major geological regions of Western Australia: the Perth Basin, Carnarvon Basin and the Yilgarn Craton. Fifty-one soil-landscape systems have been identified, some of which have been divided into subsystems, and are illustrated on the accompanying maps. The landform, parent material, rainfall, land use, native vegetation and soils …

Wellington-Blackwood Land Resources Survey, Peter J. Tille, Georgina Wilson, National Landcare Program (Australia)

Land resources series

This report presents descriptions to accompany land resource maps of the Wellington- Blackwood district, east of Bunbury in the south-west of Western Australia. The maps cover an area of about 760,000 hectares and are presented as two map sheets at a scale of 1:100,000. Four different physiographic zones cover the survey area: • The Western Darling Range Zone occupies the major portion of the area and consists of a deeply dissected lateritic plateau overlying crystalline rocks. Three soil-landscape systems containing 24 subsystems have been identified and mapped within this zone. • The Eastern Darling Range Zone is in the south-east …

No-Till Sowing : Helping To Keep Cropland Soils In Place, Kevin Bligh, Paul Findlater

Journal of the Department of Agriculture, Western Australia, Series 4

Repeated erosion of tilled land can ;ower crop and pasture yields because of reduced available moisture and nutrient storage. Kevin Bligh and Paul Findlater look at the causes of water and wind erosion and the role of no-till sowing in minimising erosion.

Soil Information Sheets For Part Of The Jerramungup Agricultural Area, Tim D. Overheu, Landcare Western Australia, Jerramungup Land Conservation District Committee

Agriculture reports

Each sheet summarises information on the soil's characteristic properties, and associated land use suitability and management. A photograph of a representative profile is provided for each soil. Technical terms are defined in soil sheet glossary. Information is presented under the following headings: soil series and groups, occurence, native vegetation, soil profile description, characteristic soil properties, soil classification and agricultural land use and management.

Land Capability Assessment For The Wellington-Blackwood Survey, Peter J. Tille

Resource management technical reports

This report has been produced to provide more detail on the land capability assessments presented in the Wellington-Blackwood Land Resources Survey (Tille 1996). In that report, the land capability of each of the soil-landscape subsystems has been summarised with a brief description. Capability ratings are provided here for each of the map units (including subsystem phases) which appear on the two map sheets (Tille et al. 1996) accompanying the Wellington-Blackwood Land Resources Survey.

Soil Information Sheets For The Mount Beaumont, Mallee And Esperance Agricultural Areas, Department Of Agriculture And Food, Landcare Western Australia, Esperance Land Conservation District Committee, Mount Beaumont / Howick Catchment Group (W.A.)

Agriculture reports

Each sheet summarises information on the soil's characteristic properties, and associated land use suitability and management. A photograph of a representative profile is provided for each soil. Technical terms are defined in soil sheet glossary. Information is presented under the following headings: soil series and groups, occurence, native vegetation, soil profile description, characteristic soil properties, soil classification and agricultural land use and management.

Soils Of The Mount Beaumont Area, G G. Scholz, Henry Smolinski

Land resources series

Mount Beaumont Mount Beaumont is approximately 100 km north-east of Esperance in the south-east of Western Australia. In 1982 an area of 35,000 ha of virgin Crown Land was released for agriculture (identified as Mount Beaumont Stage I) and later it was proposed to release a further 33,600 ha (Mount Beaumont Stage II). Following development of the first stage, doubts arose about the suitability of the soils for agriculture, so the Department of Agriculture (now Agriculture Western Australia) surveyed the soils of the Mount Beaumont Stage II area before further land release. The survey indicated severe limitations to production and …

Soil Acidity. A Reference Manual., Linda Leonard, Mike D. Bolland

Natural resources published reports

This publication is intended as a guide for consultants, development officers and field representatives for the extension of soil acidity in Western Australia.

Most Western Australian soils are naturally acidic. Acid peaty sands in the high rainfall area of the South West are the only W.A. soils in which natural acidity has been treated routinely before productive agriculture was introduced. There are approximately 100, 000 hectares of acid, peaty sands scattered through coastal districts between Pemberton and Rocky Gully districts.

No-Till Sowing Systems In North America With Relevance To Western Australia, K J. Bligh

Resource management technical reports

No abstract provided.

Bulletin 4307 - Grass Control In Pastures Using Herbicides, Alexandra Wallace

Bulletins 4000 -

This Bulletin discusses three methods for herbicide control of grasses in pastures:

• pasture manipulation, in the early stages of pasture growth;
• spray-topping late in the growing season; and
• hay freezing, late in the growing season.

Soil Salinity Assessment Using The Em38: Field Operating Instructions And Data Interpretation, D L. Bennett, Richard George, Arjen Ryder

Agriculture reports

The Geonics EM38® is a portable instrument designed to take in situ field measurements of soil conductivity to about 1.5 m depth. If used correctly, the EM38 allows rapid, reliable estimates of soil salinity to be obtained from large areas without intensive soil sampling. The meter is very useful for delineating the extent and relative severity of saline areas. Although soil salinity has the dominant effect on the EM38 signal, other soil physical factors such as clay content, moisture content and temperature can affect the response. If the EM38 measurements are to be related to plant performance and used for …

Making Horticulture Sustainable, Bob Paulin, Neil Clifton Lantzke, Ian Mcpharlin, Murray Hegney

Journal of the Department of Agriculture, Western Australia, Series 4

Sweet crunchy carrots, luscious strawberries at very reasonable prices, crisp green vegetables - these are just a few of the horticultural products that Western Australians take for granted and eat almost every day. But is their future availability guaranteed as population grows, suburbia spreads and environmental concern increases?

Cooperative Landcare Venture Revisited, Kate Mcinnes

Journal of the Department of Agriculture, Western Australia, Series 4

Four years ago, the Journal of Agriculture reported on a unique partnership forged in 1989 between the Department of Agriculture Alcoa of Australia Limited and six catchment groups located in the Avon River catchment.

Kate McInnes reports on progress with the Avon Catchment Landcare Project.

Storm : [Wind Erosion In The Great Southern], Dan Carter

Journal of the Department of Agriculture, Western Australia, Series 4

On Thursday 11 May 1995, a low pressure system with central barometric pressure of 990 hPa formed of south-western Australia. This depression directed gale force winds over the South-West Land Division for some seven hours.

Dan Carter reports on the widespread damage to soils and property, and management practices that would have reduced the problem.

Land Resources Of The Bencubbin Area, Gerard J. Grealish, John Wagnon

Land resources series

This survey of the Bencubbin area is part of the Agriculture Western Australia's regional land resource mapping program, and covers approximately 1.5 million hectares in the Merredin, Trayning, Koorda, Mount Marshall, Mukinbudin, Westonia and Nungarin Shires of Western Australia. The climate is Mediterranean, with hot dry summers and cool winters. Land is used for winter cereal production and grazing, and about 60% is cropped each year. Wheat is the main crop and is grown in rotation with lupins, field peas, barley and medic pasture. This report provides primary and interpreted information on the character and capability of the land, for …

Rangeland Reference Areas : Summary Of Cooperative Project Between The Western Australian Department Of Agriculture And The Environmental Protection Authority, D A. Blood

Resource management technical reports

The development of agriculture in south-western Australia has been characterised by the replacement of deep-rooted, perennial species of native vegetation with shallow-rooted, annual species. Except for the high rainfall areas, the native vegetation was able to intercept and transpire nearly all of the rainfall resulting in low stream flows and recharge to a groundwater system which was typically deep and restricted to the major valleys. The lack of surface or groundwater movement out of inland catchments used large quantities of cyclic salts to become stored in the regolith. Although annual crops and pastures can be high water users, they are …

Land Management Report For The Kent River Catchment, Sue Kelly

Natural resources published reports

The Kent River Catchment is located in the South-West of Western Australia, approximately between latitudes 34° 15' and 35° 10' South and longitudes 116° 45" and 117° 50° East. The north-eastern boundary of the catchment stretches to the Albany Highway at Tenterden, and from there the catchment curves towards Rocky Gully before continuing to the South Coast (Figure 1.1.1). The catchment is located within the Shires of Cranbrook, Plantagenet and Denmark.

The Kent River Catchment is part of Basin 604, which is the Water Authority descriptor for the Kent, Bow and Kordabup River catchments collectively. Basin 604 has a total …

Soil Information Sheets For Ravensthorpe And Part Of The Jerramungup Agricultural Areas, Tim D. Overheu, Landcare Western Australia.

Agriculture reports

The soil information sheets produced for the Ravensthorpe Land Conservation District provide an easy reference guide to the soils for part of the Jerramungup and Ravensthorpe agricultural areas, and provide land use and soil management recommendations. Soil data are shown on the front of the sheet, and land use and land management information is given on the back. The information should be used as a guide, and encourage the user to seek further information through the relevant people and organisations.

Kimberley Landcare Teachers Resource Kit. Cross Curriculum Resources For Upper Primary And Lower Secondary Students, Carolyn Davey, Philip Belfrage

Natural resources published reports

The project has been funded by the National Landcare Program and administered by the Department of Agriculture.

The project was established to improve community awareness and education of landcare and management issues in the Kimberley.

The Kimberley has a diverse and often fragile environment that requires careful management. To care for this land we need to understand the dynamics of its environment, appreciate how important the land is to us and recognise how our interactions effect all components.

The resources in the kit will provide the understandings needed for the development of lifestyles that integrate knowledge and appreciation of the …

A Guide To Floodplain Cattle Fencing, Department Of Agriculture, Western Australia, Main Roads, Western Australia

Animal production and livestock published reports

A seminar and workshop was held at Fitzroy Crossing in October 1993 to address the consequences of flooding to landholders and communities.

Damage to flood plain fencing was identified as one of the major concerns to landholders.

An outcome from the workshop was the decision to draw on local knowledge and collate information on options for fence and floodgate designs.

This information was to be made available to land holders and other interested parties - hence this publication.

Miscellaneous Publication 39/94 - Horticulture On The Swan Coastal Plain - A Study Of Grower Concerns, Department Of Agriculture, Western Australia, Water Authority, Western Australia, Csiro, Australia

Horticulture published reports

This study reports on issues, concerns and desired actions expressed in 60 interviews with people directly involved in horticulture on the Swan Coastal Plain in the region between Gingin and Mandurah. I stress that in compiling this report every effort has been made to avoid biasing or changing the information provided by growers.

These interviews were conducted over ten days during April 1994.

The study also presents information on what is currently being done to address some of these concerns by the Department of Agriculture and the Water Authority of Western Australia as well as other agencies and organisations and …