The Soils of Elgin County - Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada
The Soils of Elgin County - Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada The Soils of Elgin County - Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada
INTRODUCTIONThe soil resource information contained in thisreport and shown on the soil maps was compiledfrom information gathered during a resurvey ofElgin County. The original soil survey for theCounty was completed in 1929 and consisted of asingle soil map published at a scale of 1:126,720, or1 centimetre on the map being equal toapproximately 13 kilometres on the ground (1) .There was no accompanying soil report.The decision to resurvey Elgin County wasmade as part of an ongoing program in Ontario toprovide improved information about the soilresources ofthe province. The field work requiredfor the resurvey of Elgin County was started in1982 and completed in 1989 . Three preliminarysoil maps (2,3,4), and preliminary agriculturalcapability interpretations (5) were made availableduring this time period .The final soil report consists of two volumes.Volume 1 contains an outline of the physiographicsetting of the soils, generalized descriptions of thesoils, soil interpretations and an appendix whichcontains generalized analytical information forselected soils. Volume 1 also contains a secondappendix which contains information that willassist in identifying the soils at field sites.Volume 2 contains detailed morphological,physical and chemical descriptions of typical soils,and also tables of statistical means andengineering test data. In addition to the soilreport, there are three soil maps published at ascale of 1 :50,000, or 1 centimetre on the map beingequal to approximately 0.5 kilometres on theground .The information contained in this report andshownon the soil maps should be used in place ofall previously published soil information for theCounty .HOW TO USE THE SOIL REPORT AND MAPSThe soil maps and report provide basic soilsinformation for both land management and landuse decision makers . Most of the information canbe placed into one of two categories: (a) the natureand properties of the soils, and (b) interpretive soilinformation including general agriculturalcapability, suitability for selected field andhorticultural crops, and erosionpotential bywater .To use the soil maps and report mostefficiently, the following steps are suggested :1 . Locate the area of interest in the 'Soil MapIndex" (Figure 1). Determine the appropriatesoil map for the area.2. Locate your site on the appropriate soil map.Natural and cultural features on themap suchas streams, roads, lot and concession numbers,should aid in locating the site .3. Note the map symbol or symbols shownwithin the boundaries of themap delineationsfor your site. An explanation of how tointerpret a map symbol appears on the soilmaps under the heading 'Key to the MapSymbols".4. Consult the map legend to obtain informationfor the map symbol . The legend providesinformation for the soil types, land units, orslopes represented in the symbol.
5. More detailed information for a specific soiltype can be obtained from Volume 1 of the soilreport, where a generalized description of eachsoil is presented. Included in thesedescriptions are comments on soil variabilityand land use. Generalized statisticalinformation is presented in Appendix 1 ofVolume 1 .6. For detailed morphological, physical andchemical descriptions of typical soils, as wellas tables of statistical means and engineeringtest data, refer to Volume 2 of the soil report.7 . For interpretations such as soil capability forcommon agricultural field crops, soilsuitability for various field and horticulturalcrops, and soil erosion interpretations, refer toVolume 1 .8. If soil information is needed to make landmanagement or land use decisions for areassmaller than 12 ha (30 acres), the informationin this report should be used in conjunctionwith additional on-site investigations . Theinformation in Appendix 2 of Volume 1 willassist in identifying the soils at field sites .It is important to understand that all soilsexhibit a range of properties. Also, because of themap scale and nature of the soil mapping, manysoil boundaries may only be approximatelylocated . There could also be inclusions of soil ornonsoil components within any map delineation .Such inclusions could occupy up to 20% of thedelineation.Figure 1.Soil map index for Elgin CountySOUTHDORCHESTERJ X-1e5 Ps\'i.DUNWICHSHEET 2SOUTHWOLDYARMOUTHMALAHIDEBAYRAMSHEET 3ALDBOROUGHSHEET 1LAKE ERIE
- Page 1 and 2: The Soils ofElgin CountyVolume 1Min
- Page 3 and 4: ACKNOWLEDGEMENTSThe completion of t
- Page 5 and 6: Southwold Soils (SO) . . . . . . .
- Page 7: LIST OF FIGURES1 . Soil map index f
- Page 11 and 12: Table 1 .Climate data for Elgin Cou
- Page 13 and 14: Figure 4.Generalized geologic map o
- Page 15 and 16: Table 2.Correlation of major soils
- Page 17 and 18: Figure 6.Schematic landscape cross-
- Page 19 and 20: HOW THE SOILS WERE MAPPED AND CLASS
- Page 21 and 22: of soil profiles and horizons which
- Page 23 and 24: GENERAL DESCRIPTIONS OF THE SOILSSo
- Page 25 and 26: Table 3.Soils and land units mapped
- Page 27 and 28: Figure 11 .Soil textural groups and
- Page 29 and 30: phase (BN.T) soils were mapped in c
- Page 31 and 32: underlying fine textured materials
- Page 33 and 34: atings for selected special crops a
- Page 35 and 36: Conservation tillage practices, par
- Page 37 and 38: clay. The Ap horizons commonly have
- Page 39 and 40: Gobles soils were frequently mapped
- Page 41 and 42: Kelvin soils are susceptible to com
- Page 43 and 44: Soil Moisture CharacteristicsMiddle
- Page 46 and 47: soils which occur in the eastern po
- Page 48 and 49: Bluish gray or gray gley colours ar
- Page 50 and 51: Stanley till, Tavistock till phase
- Page 52 and 53: to neutral in the Ap horizons, to m
- Page 54 and 55: tillage practices, particularly no-
- Page 56 and 57: Organic (OR)Organic land units usua
INTRODUCTION<strong>The</strong> soil resource information contained in thisreport <strong>and</strong> shown on the soil maps was compiledfrom information gathered during a resurvey <strong>of</strong><strong>Elgin</strong> <strong>County</strong>. <strong>The</strong> original soil survey for the<strong>County</strong> was completed in 1929 <strong>and</strong> consisted <strong>of</strong> asingle soil map published at a scale <strong>of</strong> 1:126,720, or1 centimetre on the map being equal toapproximately 13 kilometres on the ground (1) .<strong>The</strong>re was no accompanying soil report.<strong>The</strong> decision to resurvey <strong>Elgin</strong> <strong>County</strong> wasmade as part <strong>of</strong> an ongoing program in Ontario toprovide improved information about the soilresources <strong>of</strong>the province. <strong>The</strong> field work requiredfor the resurvey <strong>of</strong> <strong>Elgin</strong> <strong>County</strong> was started in1982 <strong>and</strong> completed in 1989 . Three preliminarysoil maps (2,3,4), <strong>and</strong> preliminary agriculturalcapability interpretations (5) were made availableduring this time period .<strong>The</strong> final soil report consists <strong>of</strong> two volumes.Volume 1 contains an outline <strong>of</strong> the physiographicsetting <strong>of</strong> the soils, generalized descriptions <strong>of</strong> thesoils, soil interpretations <strong>and</strong> an appendix whichcontains generalized analytical information forselected soils. Volume 1 also contains a secondappendix which contains information that willassist in identifying the soils at field sites.Volume 2 contains detailed morphological,physical <strong>and</strong> chemical descriptions <strong>of</strong> typical soils,<strong>and</strong> also tables <strong>of</strong> statistical means <strong>and</strong>engineering test data. In addition to the soilreport, there are three soil maps published at ascale <strong>of</strong> 1 :50,000, or 1 centimetre on the map beingequal to approximately 0.5 kilometres on theground .<strong>The</strong> information contained in this report <strong>and</strong>shownon the soil maps should be used in place <strong>of</strong>all previously published soil information for the<strong>County</strong> .HOW TO USE THE SOIL REPORT AND MAPS<strong>The</strong> soil maps <strong>and</strong> report provide basic soilsinformation for both l<strong>and</strong> management <strong>and</strong> l<strong>and</strong>use decision makers . Most <strong>of</strong> the information canbe placed into one <strong>of</strong> two categories: (a) the nature<strong>and</strong> properties <strong>of</strong> the soils, <strong>and</strong> (b) interpretive soilinformation including general agriculturalcapability, suitability for selected field <strong>and</strong>horticultural crops, <strong>and</strong> erosionpotential bywater .To use the soil maps <strong>and</strong> report mostefficiently, the following steps are suggested :1 . Locate the area <strong>of</strong> interest in the 'Soil MapIndex" (Figure 1). Determine the appropriatesoil map for the area.2. Locate your site on the appropriate soil map.Natural <strong>and</strong> cultural features on themap suchas streams, roads, lot <strong>and</strong> concession numbers,should aid in locating the site .3. Note the map symbol or symbols shownwithin the boundaries <strong>of</strong> themap delineationsfor your site. An explanation <strong>of</strong> how tointerpret a map symbol appears on the soilmaps under the heading 'Key to the MapSymbols".4. Consult the map legend to obtain informationfor the map symbol . <strong>The</strong> legend providesinformation for the soil types, l<strong>and</strong> units, orslopes represented in the symbol.
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