Mosaic Map: NRM funded projects
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Wimmera digs deep to assess land resources
A soil pit used for collecting samples and educating farmers
More than 50 years of research into soil history has come into use once again with the Australian and State Governments supporting a project into land resource assessment in the Wimmera region.
Funding
About $128,000 of Australian Government funding has produced 1:100,000 soil landform maps that for the first time provide a complete record of the soil across the region using the same scale.
Activities
"Extensive work reviewed soils research and mapping that had been done in the region over the past 50 years," said Greg Barber, Land Projects Manager in the Wimmera Catchment Management Authority (CMA). "We checked this research for accuracy, then did additional soil sampling and mapping for quality control and to fill the gaps from areas not previously studied.
"Previously this information was difficult to track down and the mapping was at various scales. But now we've made it consistent and available on a single CD."
Primary Industry Research Victoria was contracted for the project and it drew on much previously unpublished work, including soil samples and analysis previously thought to have been lost from the public record. Results of chemical analysis, broad management recommendations and photos of soil profiles are included on the CD for each soil type - so you can literally get a visual snapshot of the different layers of soil.
"A lot of sampling is now done using soil cores taken from the ground, but with this project we also dug soil pits which were used not only for collecting samples, but were utilised for field days where local farmers could actually see and touch the soil and discuss it with experts and soil scientists," Greg said. "It makes it a lot easier to understand what was happening beneath the surface."
Achievements
This kind of imagery means the maps are highly visual and user-friendly in helping farmers, CMAs, local governments and utilities with planning. The project also produced hazard maps by interpreting data and determining the risk to soil types from issues like wind and water erosion.
"This kind of information should be of interest to utilities and infrastructure projects like the $500 million Wimmera Mallee Pipeline project, which is just starting in the region," Greg said.
For example, if the pipe is going through soils that are highly susceptible to erosion, extra care can be taken during construction to ensure erosion doesn't occur.
"We think this project has created an asset for our region," Greg said. "We're particularly proud it's captured the wealth of historical information that exists, which may have been lost. We've built on that and made it all easily available."
More information
- Greg Barber, Land Projects Manager: (03) 5382 1544 or barberg@wcma.vic.gov.au
- Wimmera CMA: www.wcma.vic.gov.au
See also
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