GUELPH, ONTARIO - Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada

The action of ice and water was such that the deposits were badly deformed.
As a result the topography of soils developed on these materials consists of’
irregular steep slopes.
Glacio-fluvial materials occur most commonly in the western portion of
the County.
6. Outwash
Outwash materials are scattered throughout the County and are
commonly found in the vicinity of th e stream courses.
most
Outwash is t)he term used for stratified drift that is stream built. Such
material is well sorted and the average grain size diminishes downstream while
the degree of roundness rapidly increases. The material is usually sand and
gravel deposited in smooth gently sloping outwash plains and terraces.
The deptJh of the outwash material is quite variable. It may vary in depth
from one to twenty feet; in some cases it is underlain by compact till while in
other places, particularly in the northern part of the County, it is underlain
by bedrock.
7. Limestone Bedrock
The limestone bedrock outcrop occurs most commonly on the Bruce Peninsula.
In some localities a shallow covering of till, outwash or organic material
may occur over the bedrock. In such areas shallow soils may have formed.
Therefore, the area delineated as the limestone bedrock varies widely in texture,
t)opography and drainage.
The composition of the limestone
several bedrock formations.
8. Organic
also varies since the area is made up of
The humified remains of trees, herbs and mosses make up organic surface
deposits. Organic deposits are common in Bruce County, one of t’he best
examples being the Greenock swamp situated in Greenock Township. The
organic deposit’s occurring in Bruce County are usually well decomposed and
are designated as muck. They are underlain by sand, clay or marl. Their
reaction is approximately neutral and the topography is level to depressional.
Relief
The elevation of t’he land in Bruce County is indicated by the brown contour
lines on the enclosed soil map. The altitude ranges from 600 to 1,025 feet
above sea level. The highest part of the County is in the Walkerton district
from where the elevation falls toward Lake Huron.
One of the important factors related to soil formation and soil management
is the topography or relief of the land. The degree of slope influences drainage;
run-off of surface water, and erosion, and in some instances restricts the use
of farm machinery. The average slope of the topographic classes and the total
area of each slope group are given in Table 4. The major distribution of the
topographic classes in Bruce County are shown in Figure 6.
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