Soils of the - Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada

VINOD SOILS
Location and Extent : Vinod soils occupy scattered areas on the lowlands of Delta Municipality and in th e
Serpentine-Nicomekl Valley. About 150 ha of pure map units and 740 ha of soil complexes dominated by Vino d
soils are mapped . The complexes are mainly with Richmond soils and lesser areas are complexed wit h
McLellan, Goudy, Lulu and Spetifore soils .
Topography and Elevation : Vinod soils are nearly level to very gently undulating with slopes less than 2
percent . They occur either as slight depressions in areas of better drained, miheral soils or as slight ridges i n
areas of organic soils . Elevations lie below 3 m above sea level .
Parent Material and Texture : Vinod soils have developed from shallow (15 to 40 cm thick), well-decomposed
organic material that overlies moderately fine textured deltaic deposits . The surface is usually humic i n
decomposition while subsurface and subsoil textures are silty clay loam or silty clay. Medium or fine san d
sometimes occurs below 1 m . The subsurface and subsoil are saline and, where the organic surface is relativel y
shallow, some of the underlying mineral soil has been mixed by cultivation with the organic material . The mineral
material also generally contains substantial amounts of compounds high in sulphur .
Soil Moisture Characteristics : Vinod soils are poorly to very poorly drained . They are moderately to slowl y
pervious and have high water holding capacity and slow surface runoff . The watertable is usually near, an d
sometimes at the surface, during the winter and early spring, then recedes slightly during the summer . In th e
slightly depressional areas, temporary surface ponding is common during and after heavy rain, particularly i n
winter.
General Soil Description : Vinod soils generally have a black, cultivated, mucky (humic) surface laye r
about 20 cm thick which is friable and soft . It is underlain (where the organic deposits are deep enough) by
about 15 cm of firm, compact, dark reddish brown organic material (plow pan) containing some silty minera l
material . The organic material is then underlain by about 30 cm of grayish-brown to gray, massive, silty to claye y
material containing common, yellow mottles, vertical remains of old roots and occasional vertical crack s
containing organic matter from above . This zone then grades to dark gray or gray, massive, silty materia l
containing common, yellow mottles and vertical old root remains in the upper part as well as hard, brownis h
tubules around old root channels . Below about 1 m, bluish to greenish-gray sand sometimes occurs . Soi l
reaction is extremely acid throughout . Soil classification is Rego Gleysol :saline and peaty phase .
Commonly Associated Soils : Richmond, Goudy and McLellan soils usually occur in close associatio n
with Vinod soils . Richmond and Goudy soils differ from Vinod soils by consisting of 40 to 160 cm of well -
decomposed organic material ; Goudy soils are also strongly saline in the subsurface and subsoil layers .
McLellan soils differ from Vinod by lacking a shallow organic surface layer. McLellan soils likely were similar at
one time to Vinod soils but decomposition and subsidence of the organic surface layer has occurred to such a n
extent that the organic layer is no longer distinct .
Vegetation : Most areas of Vinod soils are cleared and cultivated ; perennial crops are mostly hay and pasture ;
annual crops are mainly vegetables although oats and other field crops are also grown . Rooting is confined
mainly to the upper 50 cm by the high watertables and the dense, saline subsoil .
General Land Use Comments : (1) The main agricultural limitation of Vinod soils is high watertable s
during the winter and spring which severely damage perennial crops and retard spring cultivation . Artificia l
drainage installation will improve this problem . Salinity in the subsurface is also potentially limiting for som e
crops, especially where the organic surface is thin . Subsoiling helps to break up the plow pan that is present i n
some areas as well as improving rooting depth, water movement and aeration . Irrigation is beneficial for shallo w
rooted crops during most summers and also assists in leaching some of the salts from the subsurface . (2) Vinod
soils are poorly suited for urban uses . High groundwater tables preclude basements and other excavations ;
variable (usually low) soil bearing strengths probably require special foundation considerations and septic tan k
effluent disposal is severely restricted . Surface flooding in some areas is a hazard and underground utility an d
other installations are likely to suffer severe corrosion if not adequately protected .
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