Maximum clay% to 2m soil depth DSM data of the Fitzroy catchment WA, Darwin catchments and Mitchell catchment Qld generated by the Northern Australia Water Resource Assessment

Maximum clay% to 2m soil depth is one attribute of soils chosen to underpin the ringtank suitability assessment of the Northern Australia Water Resource Assessment (NAWRA) through the digital soil mapping process (DSM). This data indicates the maximum clay content reached in the soil profile to 2m depth expressed as a percent and is derived from analysed soil site data and environmental covariates. Clay percent is a parameter applied in the ringtank suitability rules in relation to construction and engineering properties for ringtanks. This raster data provides improved soil information used to identify opportunities and promote detailed investigation for a range of sustainable regional development options. A companion dataset and statistics reflecting reliability of this data are also provided and can be found described in the lineage section of this metadata record. Processing information is supplied in ranger R scripts and attributes were modelled using a Random Forest approach.
The DSM process is described in the CSIRO NAWRA published report ‘Digital soil mapping of the Fitzroy, Darwin and Mitchell catchments. A technical report from the CSIRO Northern Australia Water Resource Assessment to the Government of Australia'. The ringtank suitability assessment and results of the ringtank analysis this dataset underpins is described in the CSIRO NAWRA published report ‘Assessment of surface water storage options in the Fitzroy, Darwin and Mitchell catchments. A technical report to the Australian Government from the CSIRO Northern Australia Water Resource Assessment, part of the National Water Infrastructure Development Fund: Water Resource Assessments. CSIRO, Australia. Petheram et al 2017.'