Soils of the - Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada

ELK SOILS (EK)
Location and Extent : Elk soils mainly occur along the margins of Matsqui and Glen Valleys with small ,
scattered areas elsewhere in the map area. These are about 140 ha of pure map units and 220 ha of soi l
complexes dominated by Elk soils . The complexes are mainly with Isar and Harrison soils .
Topography and Elevation : Gently to moderately sloping with slope gradients below 8 percent is the usua l
topography of Elk soils . Elevationally, they range between 10 and 50 m above sea level .
Parent Material and Texture : The parent material of Elk soils is moderately coarse to medium-texture d
alluvial fan deposits . Surface and subsurface textures vary from gravelly sandy loam to silt loam with the latte r
being most common . Subsoils range from gravelly sand to gravel or gravelly loamy sand . The soils are usuall y
moderately stony, especially in the subsurface and subsoil .
Soil Moisture Characteristics : Elk soils are poorly drained . They are rapidly to moderately pervious an d
have moderate to slow surface runoff and moderate water holding capacity . Runoff and seepage from highe r
adjacent lands as well as seepage from adjacent streams passes through Elk soil areas and moderate floodin g
sometimes occurs during heavy, prolonged rains .
General Soil Description : Elk soils generally have a cultivated, loamy surface layer about 15 to 20 cm thic k
which is friable, dark grayish brown to black in colour and contains between 15 and 25 percent organic matter .
Underlying this is about 15 cm of grayish, friable, weakly structured, loamy material containing many t o
common, reddish or brownish mottles and variable amounts of gravel and stones . Below about 40 cm dept h
transition to variably coloured, loose, often stratified gravels and sands containing reddish and yellowis h
mottles occurs . Soil reactions vary from strongly to very strongly acid (1 :1 H 2 O) . Soil classification is Rego Humic
Gleysol .
Commonly Associated Soils : Isar and Harrison soils often are closely associated with Elk soils . Isar soil s
differ from Elk soils by being well to moderately well drained and having little or no soil profile development (lac k
the dark coloured surface layer) . Harrison soils differ by being well drained and reddish-brown in colour .
Vegetation : Substantial areas of Elk soils are cleared for agricultural uses . Uncleared areas support a variet y
of moisture tolerant species including black cottonwood, western red cedar, red alder, willow, blackberry, skun k
cabbage and sedges . Rooting is mainly limited to the upper 50 cm of soil by coarse subsoil textures an d
saturated soil conditions .
General Land Use Comments : (1) Elk soils are mainly used for forage and pasture ; other crops are als o
possible if runoff and seepage from higher areas and adjacent streams is controlled . During dry summers ,
supplemental irrigation is required for good production . (2) Elk soils are generally poorly suited for urban an d
related uses . High watertables prevent basements and other excavations and septic tank efficiency is impaired .
Potential for groundwater contamination exists due to incomplete filtration of effluent by the coarse subsoi l
textures . Occasional flooding in some areas also discourages use as building sites .
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