Pakipaki

7,8 - Pakipaki

Soil Properties

Parent material	Ngaruroro river water deposit (alluvium) 1850 BP (150 AD) from Taupo pumice eroded from the mountains. The deposit is up to 10m thick, covered by younger alluvium in most of the Plains, but at the surface between Bridge Pa and Pakipaki.
Characteristic site and soil features	The pumice alluvium was deposited into a saline lagoon and is made up of contrasting layers of lapillae, coarse ash, and fine silts which are impermeable. Salts are present in the subsoils in the Pakipaki area. 7,  remnant ridges in between erosion channels with  lapillae or large pumice floaters in topsoil. 8,  on old flood plain of Ngaruroro with mostly ashy  topsoil but with some greywacke mixed in. Clay  loam topsoils in flood plain of Awanui stream.
Associated soils not shown within map unit at map scale but separated out in more detailed maps. - Sample Location	9, 22   D, E
Natural drainage and depth to gley and hence to water table after wet periods	7,   imperfect - 30-60cm 8,  poor  -<30cm
Potential rooting depth, texture, and limiting layer	7,  15-30cm ash+lapilli on compact impermeable  Taupo pumice alluvial silt and sand 8,  20-30cm ash on compact impermeable Taupo  pumice alluvial silt and sand      15-25cm clay loam on compact impermeable     pumice silt in Awanui stream flood plain
Available water capacity (AWC)	7,  ash+lapillae - 10-20mm 8,  ash - 15-25mm
Infiltration rate	7,  very rapid 8,  rapid
Permeability rate	Slow to very slow
Susceptibility to pugging and compaction when wet	Very low
Susceptibility to wind erosion when dry	7, 8,  extremely high
Unfavourable soil characteristics	7,  susceptible to wind erosion if cultivated,       pumice pieces on surface,very rapid infiltration       very low AWC,       45-60cm to slowly permeable pumice, very low            fertility, cobalt deficiency  8,  as above but rapid infiltration,       30-45cm to slowly permeable pumice, low fertility

 

Soil Management

Artificial drainage: drain spacing	7, 8,  60-80m apart if cross ripped to a depth of 1.2m           10-20m apart if not cross ripped
Cultivate when moist to avoid wind erosion	7, 8
Irrigation:- Recommended method Dripper spacing for continuous wetted strip Amount and frequency	7, 8,  sprinkler to prevent waterlogging            if 4 l/hr drippers used 7,      20cm 8,      30cm 7,      little (5-10mm), often to prevent waterlogging 8,      little (7-12mm), often to prevent waterlogging

 
Pakipaki soil (7) (photo D. Bloomer)