Te Awa

9 - Te Awa

Soil Properties

Parent material	Water deposit (alluvium) from greywacke and/or sandstone or limestone overlying Taupo pumice alluvium
Characteristic site and soil features	Active flood plain of Ngaruroro and local streams from limestone hills (Awanui, Louisa in the south).Recent flood deposits of <100cm clay loam overlying Taupo pumice alluvium. (Soil units 13-16 distinguished from 9 by having >100cm greywacke alluvium over Taupo pumice alluvium for)
Associated soils not shown within map unit at map scale but separated out in more detailed maps. - Sample Location	7, 8,   D, E
Natural drainage and depth to gley and hence to water table after wet periods	Imperfect 30-60cm
Potential rooting depth, texture, and limiting layer	9,  30-60cm clay loam on impermeable Taupo      pumice alluvial silts and sands 9a, 60-99cm clay loam on impermeable Taupo      pumice alluvial silts and sands
Available water capacity	9,  35-75mm 9a, >75mm
Infiltration rate	Non-compacted - moderate if compacted - slow
Permeability rate	Slow
Susceptibility to pugging and compaction when wet	9,  extremely high to very high 9a, very high
Unfavourable soil characteristics	9,  heavy topsoil - easily compacted and        difficult to work in wet conditions       slow infiltration       perched gley on slowly permeable ashy silt        at  30-60cm 9a, as above except       slowly permeable ashy silt at > 60cm

 

Soil Management

Artificial drainage: drain spacing	9, 9a,  20-40m
Cultivate when moist to avoid compaction	9, 9a
Irrigation:- Recommended method application rate Dripper spacing for continuous wetted strip Amount and frequency	9,  sprinkler to prevent waterlogging 9,  slow <4mm/hr to prevent surface ponding or  run off 9,9a,  60cm if 4 l/hr drippers used 9,   if only 30cm to pumice alluvium little (15-25mm),        often to prevent waterlogging

 
Te Awa clay loam (9a) (photo E. Griffiths)