Information

North-east Victoria SGS National Experiment site: water and nutrient losses from grazing systems on contrasting soil types and levels of inputs

Level 1 General description

Purpose:

To determine the effects of pasture on water and nutrient losses on two sites in north-east Victoria.

Methods (brief)

Three paddock scale treatments measuring water and nutrient loss and pasture and animal production were carried out on two sites (Maindample and Ruffy) from 1998 to 2000. Treatments were as follows:

  • Control – unsown pasture receiving approximately 5 kg phosphorus (P)/ha.year
  • Medium input – sown pasture receiving approximately 10 kg P/ha.year
  • High input – sown pasture receiving >22 kg P/ha.year

 

Soil descriptions

Key findings (brief)

Pastures at Maindample created a larger soil water deficit (120 mm) compared with Ruffy (70 mm). The treatments with the maximum soil water deficit differed between the two sites (high input at Maindample, control at Ruffy)

Maindample lost an average of 166 mm water annually, 110 mm of which was lost by means of surface runoff. Ruffy, however lost the majority of water through deep drainage (110 mm of 128 mm annually).

Concentrations of P in water were highest from the high treatments at both sites, averaging 0.91 (Maindample) and 0.83 mg P/L (Ruffy) in surface runoff. Average soil water NO3-N concentrations ranged from 3 to 26 mg N/L, unacceptable for aquatic health. 

 

Various clippings

Location

‘Wolverton’, Maindample (36o59’S; 145o59’E) and ‘Dropmore’, Ruffy (37o00’S; 145o27’E)

 

Site layout

Related studies

N/A

Key references and sources of this data synthesis

These data summaries have been extracted from:

       i. Ridley AM, Christy BP, White RE, McLean T and Green R. (2003). North-east Victoria SGS National Experiment site: water and nutrient losses from grazing systems on contrasting soil types and levels of inputs. Australian Journal of Experimental Agriculture. 43: 799 – 815.