Soils of the - Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada

SANDEL SOILS (SA)
Location and Extent : Sandel soils occur mainly on the lowlands of south Delta Municipality with lesser area s
also found in the Serpentine-Nicomekl valley. About 280 ha of pure map units and 550 ha of soil complexe s
dominated by Sandel soils are mapped . The complexes are mainly with Spetifore, Embree, Vinod and Kitte r
soils .
Topography and Elevation : Sande) soils vary from nearly level to gently undulating ; slope gradients are
under 3 percent . All areas lie at elevations less than 3 m above sea level .
Parent Material and Texture : The parent material of Sandel soils are medium-textured, stone-free, mixed
marine and freshwater deltaic deposits, underlain usually by sand below 1 m or more . Surface and subsurfac e
textures are mostly silt loam, occasionally varying to loam or silty clay loam . The upper subsoil textures ar e
similar except that thin, sandy lenses are also sometimes present . In the lower subsoil the textures usually grad e
to sand, loamy sand or alternating bands of sand and silt . Below about 80 cm depth saline conditions ar e
encountered and substantial amounts of compounds high in sulphur are present .
Soil Moisture Characteristics : Sandel soils are poorly to very poorly drained. They are moderately
pervious and have high water holding capacity and slow surface runoff . The watertable is near, and sometimes
at, the soil surface during most of the winter but gradually recedes to about 75 cm or more during the summer .
Surface ponding is common during heavy, prolonged rains .
General Soil Description : Sandel soils generally have a gray to dark gray, friable, silty, cultivated surfac e
about 20 cm thick, sometimes containing a few, faint, reddish or brownish mottles . It is abruptly underlain b y
about 20 cm of dark grayish brown to grayish-brown, massive, friable, silty material which cracks vertically o n
drying and contains common, prominent, dark reddish brown or strong brown mottles . This zone grades to
about 40 cm of grayish-brown or dark grayish brown, massive, silty material that contains occasional vertica l
cracks, common, distinct, yellow to dark brown mottles and hard, reddish-brown tubules around old roo t
channels . Under this is grayish-brown or dark gray, massive, usually water saturated, silty to sandy materia l
containing common, yellow to yellowish-red mottles and reddish-brown, hard tubules around old root channels .
This zone is usually saline . The latter two zones are also high in sulphur compounds . Soil reaction is extremely
acid throughout and soil classification is Rego Gleysol:saline phase .
Commonly Associated Soils : Embree, Goudy, Spetifore and Kitter soils are all closely associated in th e
landscape with Sandel soils . Embree and Spetifore soils differ from Sandel soils by having black, organic matte r
enriched surfaces . Embree soils also contain organic strata in the subsurface . Kitter soils differ by occupyin g
slightly higher topographic positions and having slightly clay enriched, strongly mottled subsurface layers . Th e
subsoils of Kitter soils are also usually non-saline . Goudy soils differ by consisting of 40 to 160 cm of organi c
material .
Vegetation : Essentially all areas of Sandel soils are cleared and cultivated . The remaining "natural" vegeta -
tion along fences and other similar locations includes blackberry, hardhack, sedges, willow and others toleran t
of poor drainage . Rooting is mainly confined to the upper 60 cm by the high watertables . Saline subsoi l
conditions are usually sufficiently deep to have little effect on most shallow rooted crops .
General Land Use Comments : (1) Poor drainage and high watertables are the main agricultural limitatio n
of Sande) soils . These particularly effect perennial crops during the winter months but also limit crops durin g
other parts of the year. Artificial watertable control is required for good production of most crops . Extreme soi l
acidity is also a limitation-this can be improved by liming or similar practices . Sandel soils often occupy
relatively small areas intimately mixed with other soils which makes them difficult to manage individually . (2 )
Urban or similar uses are poorly suited for Sandel soils . Variable (usually low) soil bearing strengths may
necessitate special foundations . Basements and other excavations will probably contain water during substan -
tial parts of the year. Efficient septic tank effluent disposal is severely impaired by high watertables whil e
underground utility and other installations are likely to corrode severely if not adequately protected .
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