Detailed Soil Survey of the Mount Revelstoke Summit Area.

SOIL SUSCEPTIBILITY TO EROSIONSoil susceptibility to erosion refers to the expected rate andamount of soil loss by either wind or water following removal ofvegetation .Similarities between the soils of the small summit area resultin a fairly uniform erosion hazard .Most of the soils have developedon the sandy loam glacial till deposits that cover much of the area .Surface horizons are finer textured due to the higher content of siltsizedmaterial, which is largely volcanic ash .This volcanic ash, andthe muscovite particles which are abundant in many of the soils, act toincrease erosion hazard .These materials have very little ability tobind soil particles together and the low density volcanic ash is easilytransported by running water .The low clay content and lack of carbonatecements in the granodiorite-derived tills also contribute to erosionsusceptibility .The textures, low bulk densities, and weak structure of thesesoils result in high infiltration and percolation rates which reduces theamount of overland flow of water and thus somewhat reduces erosion hazard .If the soils are compacted by heavy use erodibility will increase .Thehigh organic matter content in the deep Ah horizons of many of the soilsacts to resist compaction due to moderate pressures by reinforcing soilaggregate stability .The eluvial (Ae) horizons of the soils of map units 9 and 10are very susceptible to erosion due to a lack offines and absence ofcementing agents such as iron and aluminum oxides .The Bf horizons ofthese soils are often indurated and cemented with iron and aluminum