EIA-REP-325d-12 _BB_ - 201.09.14.pdf - SAHRA

Land capability Assessment
According to the parent material maps the study area has Arenite and sedimentary sandstone parent material.
According to the 1:250 000 land types map the specific ecotope for the area under investigation have
mesotrophic and eutrophic soils on a plinthic catena with some duplex and gleyic soils on the valley bottom.
The topography of the area is a typical gentle rolling landscape with slopes of 2-3%, with drainage areas and
wetlands in the valley bottom.
The soil investigation on the proposed area was done with a soil auger on a grid system. Profile pits were also
opened on representative soil management units. Applying these criteria where possible to the soils that were
mapped based on the limitations of the soils’ chemical and physical characteristics and the site constraints. A
combination of these variables was then used to obtain the land capability and agricultural potential of the soils.
The major soil forms that occur on the proposed development are as follow:
On the crests and mid-slopes the typical catena is Glencoe soils followed by Avalon soils on the lower mid- and
foot-slopes and then Westleigh, Longlands, Katspruit and Rensburg soils associated with wetlands.
Glencoe (Gc)
The Glencoe soils have an Orthic A Horizon over a Yellow Brown Apedal B Horizon over Hard Plinthite. The
average depth of the Glencoe soils range from 30-60cm on the crests to 60-90cm on the mid-slopes. Subdominant
to Glencoe soils are Clovelly soils with hard rock in the sub-soil.
Avalon (Av)
The Avalon soils have an Orthic A Horizon over a Yellow Brown Apedal B Horizon over Soft Plinthite. The
average depth of the Avalon soils Glencoe soils range from 60-90cm on the mid- and foots-lopes. Sub-dominant
to Avalon soils are Longlands soils on the foot-slopes.
Westleigh (We)
The Westleigh soil has an Orthic A Horizon over a soft Plinthic B horizon with some signs of wetness in the subsoil.
The depth ranges from 0—60cm depending on the wetness of the soil. Sub-dominant to the Westleigh soils
are Longlands, Katspruit and Rensburg soils forms all associated with wetland conditions.
The following table is a summary of the management units and their land capability potential.
EIA-REP-325d-11
October 2012
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