Characterisation of Soil Physical Properties Across Seven Representative Sites at Boorowa Farm

This dataset contains soil physical property measurements from seven indicative sites across the CSIRO Boorowa Agricultural Research Station, each corresponding to a distinct soil type. The purpose of the data collection was to better understand the soil water holding potential of the different soils present on the farm.

The measurements reported here are based on soil samples collected from each site, rather than in-field measurements. While in situ determinations of drained upper limit (DUL) and crop lower limit (CLL) were made during the 2020 winter cropping season, they are not included in this dataset.

The collection includes:

Soil texture

Total and organic carbon

Total nitrogen and sulfur

Soil bulk density

Soil water retention data from both intact and repacked cores

van Genuchten (1980) model parameters fitted to develop soil water retention curves

Soil water retention measurements were conducted at the CSIRO Soil Physics Facility using standard methods (McKenzie et al., 2002):

Suction tables (Method 504.01) for pressure potentials ≤ 600 cm

Pressure plates (Method 504.02) for pressure potentials at 5 and 15 bar

Water potential values were recorded in centimeters of water column, with approximate conversions to bars provided as a reference:

10 cm (~0.01 bar), 30 cm (~0.03 bar), 50 cm (~0.05 bar), 100 cm (~0.1 bar), 340 cm (~0.33 bar), 600 cm (~0.59 bar), 5099 cm (~5 bar), and 15,296 cm (~15 bar)

These data provide foundational information for evaluating soil hydraulic properties and supporting water management, modelling, and agricultural research across the site.