Soils of the - Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada

BUCKERFIELD SOILS (BK)
Location and Extent : Buckerfield soils occur only in Sumas Valley, mainly in the western part . There are
about 710 ha of pure map units and 310 ha of soil complexes dominated by Buckerfield soils . The complexes '
are mainly with Vye, Bates and Vedder soils .
Topography and Elevation : Topographically, Buckerfield soils vary from slightly depressional to gentl y
undulating and occasionally, undulating . Slope gradients are less than 4 percent . Elevations range between 5
and 10 m above sea level .
Parent Material and Texture : Buckerfield soils have developed from moderately fine-textured lacustrin e
deposits, often underlain by sandy material below 1 to 2 m depth . The deposits are often stratified an d
sometimes contain one or more, thin, old, buried surfaces . Surface textures vary from silty clay loam to silt loa m
and subsurface textures are silty clay loam or silty clay . In the subsoil below about 75 cm gradation to silt loa m
occurs and further change to fine loamy sand or sand is common below 1 m .
Soil Moisture Characteristics : Buckerfield soils are poor to moderately poorly drained with the uppe r
slopes of the undulations being slightly better drained than the depressions . They are moderately to slowl y
pervious with the subsurface clayey layer being most restricting . Water holding capacity is high and surfac e
runoff is slow. Watertables rise to near the surface during the winter and surface ponding sometimes occurs .
General Soil Description : Buckerfield soils have a silty, cultivated surface that is about 20 cm thick, friabl e
and dark grayish brown or very dark gray in colour . The surface is underlain by about 50 cm of very firm, clayey
material containing moderate amounts of vertical cracks and many yellowish-red or yellowish-brown mottles .
This zone then grades to a massive, dark gray, silty layer about 20 cm thick which, in turn, is underlain by loose ,
gray, medium or fine sand at depths greater than 100 cm . Reaction varies from moderately acid in the surface t o
slightly acid or neutral in the subsoil (1 :1 H 20) . Soil classification is Orthic Humic Gleysol .
Commonly Associated Soils : Vye, Bates and Vedder soils usually occur in close association wit h
Buckerfield soils, either as part of soil complexes or in adjacent map polygons . Vye and Bates soils differ fro m
Buckerfield soils by being imperfectly rather than poorly drained (they occupy slightly higher landscap e
positions) . Additionally, Vye soils contain a well defined clay accumulation layer in the subsurface . Vedder soils ,
although having similar poor drainage as Buckerfield soils, have a lighter coloured surface which contain s
lesser amounts of organic matter .
Vegetation : Most Buckerfield soil areas are cleared and used for agriculture . A few, small, uncleared area s
support mainly deciduous species including black cottonwood, maple and willow . Rooting depths are usually
restricted to about 60 cm by high watertables and clayey subsoil layers .
General Land Use Comments : (1) Buckerfield soils are presently used mostly for forage production and
a variety of field crops . These moderately to highly fertile soils are limited mainly by high watertables during the .
winter months and other rainy periods . Artificial drainage to control the high watertables makes these soil s
suitable for most crops . (2) Soil bearing capacities are variable (mainly low) requiring special consideratio n
during building and other construction . Septic tank disposal fields usually function poorly because of hig h
watertables and slow permeability. (3) Buckerfield soils appear to be moderately to well suited for the growth o f
black cottonwood . Yearly production of wood is estimated to be about 9 to 12 m 3/ha .
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