Resource Book, Part a of Land Management Manual Waggamba Shire
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Queensland Government Technical Report This report is a scanned copy and some detail may be illegible or lost. Before acting on any information, readers are strongly advised to ensure that numerals, percentages and details are correct. This report is intended to provide information only on the subject under review. There are limitations inherent in land resource studies, such as accuracy in relation to map scale and assumptions regarding socio-economic factors for land evaluation. Before acting on the information conveyed in this report, readers should ensure that they have received adequate professional information and advice specific to their enquiry. While all care has been taken in the preparation of this report neither the Queensland Government nor its officers or staff accepts any responsibility for any loss or damage that may result from any inaccuracy or omission in the information contained herein. © State of Queensland 1991 For information about this report contact [email protected] Queensland Department of Primary Industries Training Series QE90014 LAND MANAGEMENT MANUAL WAGGAMBA SHIRE PART A RESOURCE INFORMATION Queensland Department of Primary Industries Brisbane 1991 ISSN 0812-0005 AGDEX 500, 510, 570 Distribution of this document is unrestricted ThIs publication should be referenced as follows: 1. Whole publication Thwaites, R.N. and Macnish, S.E. (eds) (1991), Land management manual Waggamba Shire, Queensland Department of Primary Industries and Waggamba Conservation Committee, Parts A to C, Queensland Department of Pr,mary Industries Training Series QE90014. 2.. Chapter in publication For example Burgess, J. (1991), Land evaluation, ~n Part A of Thwmtes, R.N. and Macnish, S.E. (eds), Land Management Manual Waggamba Shire, Queensland Department of Primary Industries and Waggamba Conservation Committee, Queensland Department of Primary Industries Training Series QE90014, Brisbane, 53 - 63. © Queensland Government Queensland Department of Primary Industries GPO Box 46 Brisbane 4001 CONTENTS Page List of tables V List of figures Vl List of contributors VII Acknowledgments VIII Summary IX 1. INTRODUCTION 2. WAGGAMBA SHIRE LAND USE by G.S. Salmond 1. Introduction 2. Current land use of the sture 3. CLIMATE by P.J. Cooper 7 1. Introduction 7 2. Ramfall 7 3. Temperatme 8 4. Evaporation 10 5. Wmd 10 4. GEOLOGY by B.K. Slater 12 1. Introduchon 12 2. Major geological features 12 3. Geological history 12 4. Geology and sod relahonstnps 16 5. VEGETATION by P.J. Cooper 18 1. Introduction 18 2. Vegetahon descrlphons for each LRA 18 3. Vegetahon classes and species hst 22 6. WATER RESOURCES IN WAGGAMBA SHIRE by M. W. Pearson 26 1. Introduction 26 2. Surface water resources 27 3. Groundwater resources 27 4. Imgatlon development 29 5. Flooding 31 6. Water quahty 32 7. LAND RESOURCES: LAND RESOURCE AREAS AND SOILS by J. W. Burgess 33 1. Land Resource Areas 33 2. Sods 37 3. DlstlngmshIng characteristics of the soils In Waggamba Shire 42 8. LAND EVALUATION by J. W. Burgess 53 1. Introduction 53 2. The land sultablhty class~ficahon 54 3. Land smtabIhty 56 4. Recommended land use 56 ooo 111 Page 9. AGRICULTURAL SYSTEMS by D.S. Blacket 64 1. Introduction 64 2. Agricultural systems 64 3. Irrigated agriculture 66 4. Dryland agriculture 70 5. Sown pastures 79 6. Native pastures 84 7. Cleating and managmg woody plants 86 10. LIVESTOCK MANAGEMENT by J.D. Bertram 91 1. Beef cattle and L.B. Dunlop 91 2. Sheep and goats 94 11. SOIL CONSERVATION MANAGEMENT AND PLANNING by A.D. Muller 97 1. Introduction 97 2. Runoff control structures 97 3. Pastures and stubble for soil protection 101 4. Property planning 101 12. NATURE CONSERVATION ON RURAL PROPERTIES by A. Don 105 1. Introduction 105 2. Why conserve wildlife on rural properties? 105 3. Bas~c principles 106 4. Conservation guidehnes 108 5. Conclusion 110 APPENDIXES Sod profile analys~s data 111 Summary soft and site mformat~on 139 II. 1 Dlstlngulshmg morphological characteristics of the major soils 140 11.2 Summary of important site characteristics within the soil profile 152 II.3 Summary of ~mportant chemical characteristics within the soil profile 160 11.4 Summary of surface sod fertlhty 164 11.5 Important agronomic characteristics of the soils (at type site only) 166 III Land smtablhty and sod limitations to land use 167 II. 1 Soil limitations for dryland croppmg 170 II.2 Soil limitations for annual forage cropping 171 II.3 Sod limitations for perenmal forage cropping 172 II.4 Soil hmitations for sown pastures 173 II.5 Soft limitations for native pastures 174 II.6 Sod hmitat~ons for flood ~mgated cropping 175 IV Pasture condition and key pasture species for the 177 Land Resource Areas of Waggamba Shire GLOSSARY 181 REFERENCES 189 iv LIST OF TABLES Table Title Page 2.1. Cultivated area of Waggamba Shire 2.2. Shire land use (1987-89) 2.3. Gross income revenue from major agricultural industries 2.4. Production of major crops (5 year average to March 1989) 2.5. Livestock production for Waggamba Shire 3.1a. Date of first frost for year at Goondiwindi before July 15 3.lb. Date of last frost for year at Goondiwindi after July 15 4.1. Stratigraphy of major geological units exposed in Waggamba Shire 14 4.2. Major substrates for soil formation and associated soil attributes 17 5.1. Classes and terms used for vegetation description in this manual 23 5.2. List of species found in Waggamba Shire and their common names 24 6.1. Flow statistics for the Macintyre and Weir Rivers 27 6.2. Catchment rainfall and runoff for the Macintyre and Weir Rivers 27 6.3. The Border Rivers Irrigation Project 30 6.4. Water harvesting opportunities 31 8.1. Soils recommended for i~ rigated cropping or pastures 54 8.2. Soils recommended for dryland cropping, sown pastures and native pastures 54 8.3. Limitations to land use considered in the land suitability evaluation 55 8.4. Suitability class and recommended land use for irrigated agriculture 57 8.5. Suitabilily class and recommended land uses for dryland agriculture 60 9.1. Soils recommended for irrigated cropping or pastures 65 9.2. Soils recommended for dryland cropping, sown pastures and native pastures 65 Table Title Page 9.3. A comparison of the effect of different levels of stored soil moisture on wheat yield for four soils in Waggamba Shire 74 9.4a. Examples of crop rotations for long-term dryland cropping soils only 76 9.4b. Examples of crop rotations for short-term and long-term dryland cropping soils 76 9.5. Examples of pasture rotations on sown pasture soils and dryland cropping soils 84 9.6. Potential regrowth on cropping and sown pasture soils 87 9.7. Potential regrowth on native pasture soils unsuitable for development 87 10.1. Recommended stocking rates for cattle and sheep 92 LIST OF FIGURES Figure Title Page 2.1. Waggamba Shire sheep and cattle numbers, 1963-90 3.1. Fluctuation of average annual rainfall about the mean for the period 1942-83 at Goondiwindi 3.2. Average monthly rainfall and Class A-pan evaporation for Goondiwindi 10 3.3. Average monthly minimum and maximum temperatures for Goondiwindi 11 4.1. Geology of Waggamba Shire 15 6.1. The Border Rivers basin, including the Weir Rivers system, showing dams and weirs 26 6.2a. Mean monthly flows for the Macintyre River at Goondiwindi 28 6.2b. Mean monthly flows for the Weir River at Talwood 28 6.3. Simple cross-section of the geology underlying Waggamba Shire showing the major aquifers 29 6.4. Current and projected growth in irrigated area in Waggamba Shire, 1981-95 30 6.5. Current and projected growth of on-farm storage in Waggamba Shire, 1987-95 31 9.1. A typical pasture production response from ageing buffel grass growing on a moderately fertile soil 83 10.1. Theoretical model relating financial return to short-term stocking rate 93 vi LIST OF CONTRIBUTORS John Bertram Extension Officer, Beef Cattle Husbandry Branch, QDPI, Goondiwindi David Blacket Extension Agronomist, Agriculture Branch, QDPI, Goondiwindi Jon Burgess Land Resources Officer, Land Resources Branch, QDPI, Goondiwindi 1 Peter Cooper Temporary Experimentalist, Land Resources Branch, QDPI, Goondiwindi Alan Don Area Manager: Metropolitan, Southern Region, QNPWS, Moggill Lloyd Dunlop Senior Project Coordinator, Sheep and Wool Branch, QDPI, Goondiwindi Dr. Des McGarry Soil Scientist, Land Management Research, QDPI, Indooroopilly Doug Muller District Advisor, Land Conservation Branch, QDPI, Goondiwindi Mark Pearson Technical Officer, (stream control advisory), Water Resources Commission, QDPI, Goondiwindi Greg Salmond Extension Agronomist, Agriculture Branch, QDPI, Goondiwindi Dr. Richard Silcock Principal Scientist, Pasture Management Branch, QDPI, Toowoomba Brian Slater Land Resources Officer, Land Resources Branch, QDPI, Roma Editing and production: Stuart Macnish Manager (Resource Information Systems), Land Resources Branch, QDPI, Indooroopilly Robin Thwaites Land Resources Officer, Land Resources Branch, QDPI, Indooroopilly x now at QDPI, Mackay vfi ACKNOWLEDGMENTS Many people have been involved with the production of this manual. Their efforts, advice and willingness to parlicipate are very much appreciated. We wish to mention, in particular, Sheryl Crofts and Shaun Buikstra for the drafting of the diagrams and other graphics, and Christine Smith for dealing with all the word processing load that producing this manual has entailed. **o VIII SUMlVIARY Farm planning for optimum production with minimum land degradation requires the specification of management requirements for both production and erosion control. This specification should be related to a defined land resource base and should be suitable for use by both the farmer and farm planner. Information of this nature is required for the maintenance of long-term agricultural productivity in Waggamba Shire. This report identifies and describes areas with similar land resources (named Land Resource Areas) for Waggamba Shire as well as the soils that equate to agricultural management units that occur in each Land Resource Area.