Soils of the - Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada

LICKMAN SOILS (LK)
Location and Extent : Lickman soils occur in small, scattered lowland locations in the eastern half of the ma p
area . About 250 ha of Lickman soils and 170 ha of soil complexes dominated by Lickman soils are mapped . Th e
complexes are mainly with Sardis and Bates soils .
Topography and Elevation : Lickman soils vary from gently undulating to undulating with slopes between 1
and 5 percent and usually occupy the topographically highest parts of the related landscapes . Elevation s
range from 5 to 15 m above sea level .
Parent Material and Texture : The parent material of Lickman soils is medium-textured, stone-free ,
deposits of local streams which flow across various parts of the lowlands . The deposits, which overlie sand, ar e
usually at least 50 cm thick although small areas where the deposits are between 20 and 50 cm thick also occur .
Surface and subsurface textures are usually silt loam or loam, varying sometimes to fine sandy loam or sand y
loam . The subsoil is mostly fine sandy loam in the upper part, changing to sand below depths of 50 cm or more .
Soil Moisture Characteristics : Lickman soils are moderately well to well drained . They are moderatel y
pervious and have moderate water holding capacity and slow surface runoff . A temporary groundwater tabl e
usually develops in the lower part of the subsoil during and after heavy rains and during periods when the wate r
levels in adjacent streams are high .
General Soil Description : Lickman soils have a dark grayish brown or grayish-brown, friable, cultivated ,
silty surface layer about 20 cm thick . The surface is underlain by about 10 cm of grayish-brown, friable, partiall y
leached, weakly structured, silty material . In turn, this is underlain by a moderately blocky, slightly cla y
enriched, firm to friable, dark grayish brown, silty or fine sandy zone about 30 cm thick . The clay enrichmen t
usually occurs as thin bands or lenses . A gradual change to loose, medium or fine sand occurs below about 6 0
cm . Soil reaction grades from medium or strongly acid in the surface to slightly acid in the subsoil (1 :1 HAD). Soi l
classification is Eluviated Eutric Brunisol . Lickman soil :shallow variant occurs in scattered areas . It is similar to
the described Lickman soil except that the sandy subsoil occurs between 20 and 50 cm of the surface rathe r
than below 50 cm as is the usual case .
Commonly Associated Soils : Bates, Hopedale, McElvee and Sim soils are often closely associated wit h
Lickman soils . Bates soils differ from Lickman soils by being imperfectly drained and usually have a darke r
coloured surface . Hopedale, McElvee and Sim soils all differ by being poorly drained ; Sim soils also have a
black surface. All usually lie in somewhat lower landscape positions compared to Lickman soils .
Vegetation : Most Lickman soil areas are cleared and cultivated . Scattered remnants of forest include coas t
Douglas-fir, western hemlock, black cottonwood, vine and bigleaf maple and red alder, understoried by a
variety of shrubs and forbs . Rooting is unrestricted to at least 100 cm depth .
General Land Use Comments : (1) Lickman soils are suited for most agricultural crops . Droughtiness ,
however, is a problem during most growing seasons, particularily in areas mapped as shallow variant, an d
irrigation is required for good production . Management of Lickman soils as individual parcels is often difficul t
because of very irregular soil boundaries and small individual areas . (2) Lickman soils provide some of th e
better building sites on the lowlands because they usually occur in the topographically highest landscap e
positions. Septic tank effluent disposal is usually efficient although some restrictions may occur durin g
occasional high watertables .
118