The Soils of Brant County - Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada

Soil DescriptionsGeneralized descriptions of all the soils in Brant Countyare included in this section ofthe report . The descriptions arearranged in alphabetical sequence and include general informationon soil profile characteristics including parent materialand textures, soil moisture characteristics, associated soils andland use and management .Mean horizon values for selected parameters of BrantCounty soils are included at the end of this section in Table 7 .More detailed morphological, chemical, physical and engineering test data for representative soil pedons are included inVolume 2 of this report .Many of the soil names used in this report have beenretained from the old soil map for Brant County. Althoughthere are strong similarities between the new and old soildescriptions, they are not identical due to the more detailedmapping of this survey. Also, because ofincreasing intensity ofland use in recent years, it is now necessary to establish moreprecise limits when describing soil properties . Care should betaken to recognize these differences between old and new soildescriptions when common soil names have been used .Alluvial Soils (ALU)General Soil Description Alluvial soils have developedin materials deposited during flood stages of rivers andstreams . The texture and drainage of these soils are variableover short distances . On small, non-cultivated floodplains, noattempt has been made to differentiate soil textures, and alluvialsoils have been mapped as Undifferentiated Alluvium (1-ALU) . Textural differentiation has been attempted in a generalway on larger floodplains being cultivated for agriculturalcrops. Alluvial soilswith sand and graveltextures weremappedas 2-ALU ; loams, silt loams and sandy loams as 3ALU ; andsilty clay loams and silty clays as 4ALU.The surface horizons of alluvial soils generally arebetween 20 and 30 cm thick . Organic matter contents are usuallyhigh, except in areas - where recent erosion or depositionhas occurred, and often range from 3 to 7% . Textures of topsoiland subsoilare variable, both laterally and with depth . Freecarbonates may occur at anydepth andoften still remain in thesurface horizon of recently flooded soils . Soil reaction is usuallyneutral to mildly alkaline . Soil classification varies with theage of the deposit and drainage . Alluvial soils which are welldrainedusually are either Humic Regosols or Melanic Brunisols. Poorly drained alluvial soils are most commonly HumicGleysols .Soil Moisture Characteristics Alluvial soils have a widerange of drainage conditions, but most are either imperfectlyor poorly drained due to the nearness of the groundwater tableto the surface of the soil for long periods each year. They arealso subject to flooding or seepage of water from adjacent valleyslopes which causes additional wetness . Permeability,water-holding capacity and surface runoff vary widelydepending on soil textures .Commonly Associated Soils Soils which most commonlyoccur with Alluvial soils are the well-drained and moderatelywell-drained soils on valley slopes adjacent to thealluvial floodplain . They include Brantford (BFO), Smithville(SHV), Haldimand (HIM), Fox (FOX) and Burford (BUF)soils . Brantford, Smithville and Haldimand soils are developedon clayey textured glaciolacustrine materials, and are mostcommonly associated with the 4ALU map unit . Fox . soils aredeveloped on glaciolacustrine sandy materials and Burfordsoils from glaciofluvial gravels . Bothtend to be associated withfloodplains mapped as the 2-ALU map unit .Land Use and Management Most alluvial soils remainin their natural condition comprising native grasses, shrubs orwooded vegetation . Their major limitations to agricultural useare risk of flooding and poor drainage. The larger, higherfloodplains, especially along the Grand River, are sometimesused for agricultural crops where the risk of flooding is lowanddrainage is better thannormal . Corn, spring grain or vegetablecrops may be grown in these areas .Ayr Soils (AYR)General Soil Description Ayr soils have developed on asandy or loamy veneer 40-100 cm thick overlying outwashgravelly sand . They are poorly drained .The surface Ah horizons consist of20-25 cm of fine sandyloam or silt loam of high organic matter content . The underlyingB horizons are also sandy loam or silt loam in texture, arestrongly mottled and extend to at least 50 cm depth . A transitionalzone with characteristics of both B and C horizonsoccurs between 50-75 cm . This isunderlain by calcareous gravellysand Ck horizons, which is the parent material, at a depthof approximately 75 cm . The gravel content of the parentmaterial is at least 20-25%, and it is strongly calcareous . Soilreaction is near neutral in the surface horizon and is moderatelyalkaline in the subsoil . Soil classification for Ayr soils isOrthic Humic Gleysol .Soil Moisture Characteristics Ayr soils are poorlydrained . They are subject to fluctuating water table levels withsignificant periods of saturation in, the B horizon during thewinter and spring . The soil materials are highly permeable andthe water table level recedes significantly to 1 m or beyond duringdry growing season conditions . Surface runoff from Ayrsoils is minimal due to their low landscape position and rapidpermeability.Commonly Associated Soils Camilla soils commonlyoccur with Ayr soils where the slope increases and drainage issomewhat improved . This combination of soils is found in theAYR 2 map unit . Granby soils may also occur with Ayr soilswherethe sandyveneer exceeds 100 cm in depth . This situationoccurs in map unit AYR 3 .Land Use and Management A wide range of land usetypes may be found on Ayr soils . Land use may range frompasture or woodland in the natural, undrained condition, totobacco, vegetable crops or corn where drainage has beenimproved with subsurface tile. The major limitations to agriculturaluse of Ayr soils are poor drainage and low fertilitylevel .Berrien Soils (BRR)General Soil Description Berrien soils have developedon a sandy lacustrine veneer 40-100 cm thick overlying clayeylacustrine or glacial till deposits . They are imperfectlydrained .Surface Ap horizons of Berrien soils consist of 20-25 cmof sandy loamtexture. They are relatively low in organic matterwith contents around 2.0% . Underlying B horizons also aresandy or loamy in texture and extend to the contact with theclayey subsoil . Distinct or prominent mottles occur near theclay contact . Transition to clayey subsoil occurs abruptly atabout 50 cm . This is marked by clay loam or silty clay texturesand very firm or hard consistency. Ck horizons are usuallyencountered at about 75 cm and are silty clay, strongly calcare-26