Soils of the - Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada

(M)
General Land Use Comments : (1) Monroe soils are well suited for most agricultural crops althoug h
adverse topography may be somewhat limiting in a few areas . Irrigation is beneficial during dry summers t o
maintain good production . If land levelling is undertaken, care should be taken to avoid exposing the sand y
subsoil material since this will lower the soil's water holding capacity. A suggested method is to stockpile th e
silty upper material, level the underlying sand, then spread the stockpiled soil . Monroe soils usually occupy
relatively small, individual areas with convoluted boundaries making them difficult to manage as discrete units .
(2) Monroe soils are among the better building sites on the Fraser River floodplain . The soils are relatively wel l
drained although variable bearing strengths may require special foundation construction . Septic tanks usuall y
function well. Where not dyked, Monroe soil areas are susceptible to flooding during the Fraser River freshe t
period . (3) Monroe soils are well suited for the production of forest crops such as black cottonwood and dat a
from a limited number of plots indicates this species potentially produces between 12 and 15 m 3/ha of wood pe r
year. Production of black cottonwood and hybrid European poplars should be considered for relativel y
inaccessible areas such as the islands in the Fraser River, or undyked areas susceptible to flooding .
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