Natural Resource Management in NSW

Soils in NSW

Soil Survey in NSW

Soil Landscape Derivative Maps

Available Soil Landscape Derivative Maps

Each soil landscape map and report is published with a number of derivative maps. Derivative maps combine and filter soil landscape information to show how soil and land varies in its behaviour or suitability for specific purposes. They are custom-made and of special interest. Derivative maps cost from $400 for the first copy and from $16.50 (including GST) for subsequent copies, plus postage. Prices quoted are current at the time of printing and are subject to change at the regional office’s discretion. These may include but are not limited to:

• Urban land capability
• Limitations to urban development
• Major physical limitations to urban development
• Soil and landscape limitations to urban development
• Physical capability for paved local roads and streets
• Rural land capability
• Degree of physical limitations to rural development
• Limitations to cultivation on quality agricultural land
• Propensity to soil structure decline on cropping and grazing lands
• Soil fertility
• Foundation stability
• Limitations for building foundations (slabs)
• Capability for construction of small farm dams
• Capability for agro-forestry
• Capability for farm forestry
• Capability for on-site effluent absorption
• Trench system
• Sub-surface irrigation system
• Irrigation system
• Mound bed system
• Capability for septic tank trench disposal
• Ease of installation of underground services
• Soil capacity to assimilate pollutants
• Water erosion risk
• Off-site phosphorus export hazard
• Dryland salinity hazard
• Sodic soils, saline materials and salinity hazard
• Soil acidification risk
• High watertables
• Seasonally waterlogged, inundated or flooded areas
• Soil profile permeability or highly permeable soils
• Lands prone to land slip
• Mass movement— occurrence or potential
• Native vegetation distribution as determined by soil landscapes
• Regional soils and associated forest types
• Surface soil pH.

This is not an exhaustive list. If you are interested in a custom derivative map, it is best to contact the senior GIS (Geographic Information System) officer through the relevant regional head office, or discuss your needs with the Soils Quality Officer. Derivative maps portray interpreted information to provide a broad scale perspective on a particular land use or issue at the scale published. They indicate what can be expected but should not be relied upon for critical land use decisions for specific sites. In such cases, there is no substitute for site and soil inspection.