ACTGOV Soil Landscapes




This digital soil landscape product contains natural resource mapping for the Australian Capital Territory. The project was completed by the Office of Environment and Heritage (NSW). The project was funded by the ACT Government to enhance knowledge of soils, landscapes and physical constraints to land use in the urban and rural environment. The information will assist in informed decision making, planning and environmental modelling throughout the catchment.
55 soil landscape map units have been described for the ACT. Each unit is an inventory of soil and landscape information with relatively uniform land management requirements, allowing major soil and landscape qualities and constraints to be identified.
The GIS product shown here provides location of each of the soil landscape map units - including the soil landscape code and name. For more detailed information please see the full soil landscape reports for each unit, as well as the final report (see datasets.seed.nsw.gov.au). Detailed spreadsheets can be used to join more detailed information to the GIS also available on request.
Lineage:
The mapping undertaken by the NSW Government was created using:


existing published soil landscape mapping (Canberra and Michelago 1:100,000 map sheets);

new soil landscape mapping (part Brindabella and Tantangara 1:100,000 map sheets).
For all datasets, provisional soil landscapes were established firstly on the dominant geomorphic processes responsible for the formation of the landscape and secondly on the geological parent material. Elevation, aspect, vegetation patterns and human disturbance were other factors considered when defining units. 
For existing mapping, the boundaries of these provisional soil landscapes were mapped using stereoscopic interpretation of 1:40,000 scale black and white and 1:25,000 scale colour aerial photographs (Canberra) and 1:40,000 scale black and white aerial photographs only for Michelago. LANDSAT thematic mapper and radiometric imagery were used to assist with perception and charting of provisional soil landscapes. These boundaries were transferred onto 1:25 000 topographic base maps. After field checking boundaries and detailed investigations of the soil, the provisional landscapes were confirmed, amalgamated or sub-divided.
For new mapping on the Brindabella and Tantangara sheets, the boundaries were captured by digitizing directly to screen at around 1:10,000 scale using ArcGIS. Ultra-high resolution (10 cm) aerial photographic imagery provided a base layer during the capture process. In addition the following data were used to assist delineate soil landscapes boundaries: ADS digital aerial imagery, radiometric imagery, SPOT 5 satellite imagery, climate data, 1 second DSM and DEM elevation data from the Shuttle Radar Topographic Mission (SRTM), 1:100,000 scale geological mapping, 1:25,000 topographic maps and DTDB digital terrain models.
Soils have been examined and described in detail at over 500 sites in the ACT. This includes 79 new detailed sites to fill data gaps for this project. At each site, soil morphological data and site information were recorded on Soil and Land Information System (SALIS) cards or digitally collected via the eDIRT field data collection system. Sufficient field work was undertaken within each soil landscape to identify the range of soils present and to enable their distribution within the landscape to be described. To best knowledge none of the sites were randomly sampled. Sample intervals were selected to be morphologically representative examples of each soil material present in each type profile i.e. soil horizons.
A comprehensive suite of soil tests have been analysed for many of the representative type soil profiles within the ACT.
A desktop review of published soil landscape units has occurred resulting in some minor amendments to the existing linework.
Positional Accuracy:
Observations and soil profiles were located using handheld GPS or using 1:25,000 topographic maps. Soil boundaries on this 1:100,000 scale map product is generally accurate to within 100 m on the ground but variations will occur especially where soil boundaries are gradual. The scale of use of this dataset is 1:100,000.
Attribute Accuracy:
Soil landscape map units are defined by unique combinations of soil type, topography, geology, native vegetation, land use, existing erosion/land degradation and constraints to development. The land and soil attributes in this product were mainly assessed using field observations, remote sensing interpretation (satellite, radiometric and aerial photos) and laboratory analysis of dominant soil type profiles.
Logical Consistency:
Map unit concepts and polygons, major soil types and soil landscape descriptions have been field verified by a peer soil scientist for many map units especially in published mapping areas and accessible terrain. All units have some level of field investigation and checking. ArcGIS was used to ensure all polygons in the shape file are topologically correct. All polygons have a unique identifier.
Completeness:
All polygons in the GIS layer are labeled with a soil landscape MasterCode and MasterName. PDF reports and spreadsheet data have been supplied for each map unit.
Additional Metadata:
Soil Landscape of the Michelago 1:100 000 sheet metadata https://datasets.seed.nsw.gov.au/dataset/soil-landscapes-of-the-michelago-1-100000-sheet54b12
Soil Landscape of the Canberra 1:100 000 sheet metadata https://datasets.seed.nsw.gov.au/dataset/soil-landscapes-of-the-canberra-1-100000-sheet07dcf
Soil Landscapes of the Australian Capital Territory project report:
Cook, W., Jenkins, B., Young, M., Murphy, C., Milford H.B. and Muller, R. (2016) Soil Landscapes of the Australian Capital Territory, Office of Environment and Heritage, Queanbeyan, NSW: https://www.act.gov.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/0003/2539317/soil-landscapes-of-the-australian-capital-territory-2016.pdf
Available Format Type(s):
DIGITAL Product including: vector data stored as an ESRI shapefile/ESRI geodatabase; soil landscape attributes as PDF reports and MS Excel spreadsheets. SALIS soil profiles as PDF reports (via eSPADE) and MS Excel Spreadsheet. Derivative limitation data as MS Excel spreadsheet
Vector data, reports and SALIS profiles on display through OEH’s eSPADE spatial viewer https://espade.environment.nsw.gov.au
Vector data and reports available through ACT Government’s ACTMAPi spatial viewer https://www.actmapi.act.gov.au/
Fit for purpose: The soil landscape map and report describes reconnaissance soil landscape information mapped at 1:100,000 scale and does not negate the need for site assessment at a scale suitable to any potential land use or development under consideration.

Tags: act, biodiversity, brindabella, canberra, conservation, ecology, environment, erosion, gdc0b1360df, geology, hgl, land-cover, land-management, land-resources, land-use, landscape, michelago, nature, nature-conservation-act, open-data, science, soil, soil-conservation, soil-mapping, soil-profile, soil-survey, tantangara, topography
Organization: ACT Government Geospatial Data Catalogue (ACTmapi)