SOILS REPORT No. 12 1961 Report of DETAILED-RECONNAISSANCE SOIL SURVEY of FISHER AND TEUEON MAP SHEET AREAS BY L. E. PRATT, W. A. EHRLICH F. P. LECLAIRE AND J. A. BARR With two Soi1 Maps, one covering Townships 21 to 25 in Ranges 7 west to 4 east of the Principal Meridian, designated as the “Fisher Map Sheet Area,” and one covering Townships 15 to 20 in Ranges 7 west to 5 east of the Principal Meridian designated as the “Teulon Map Sheet Area,” prepared by the Manitoba Soi1 Survey. MANITOBA SOIL SURVEY CANADA DEPARTMENT of AGRICULTURE, MANITOBA DEPARTMENT of AGRICULTURE AND CONSERVATION, LANDS BRANCH, MANITOBA DEPARTMENT of MINES AND NATURAL RESOURCES, AND .DEPARTMENT OF SOIL SCIENCE, THE UNITIERSITY OF MANITOBA. Report published by the Manitoba Department of Agriculture and Conservation. Maps published by the Canada Department of Agriculture. Preface THE DETAILED-RECONNAISSANCE SOIL SURVEY of the Fisher and Teulon Map Sheet Areas is the twelfth of a series of reports devoted to the description of the soils of Manitoba as determined through the work of the Manitoba Soi1 Survey. The abject of the survey was to obtain the essential facts about the soils of the area-their kind, distribution and agricultural features. The publication consists of two parts, two colored soi1 maps and a report. The survey of the Fisher and Teulon map areas is called a detailed-reconnaissance survey because the kind of soi1 separations that are shown on the soi1 maps vary in different portions of the mapped area. Soi1 series and phases of series are shown separately wherever it is possible on the scale of mapping. This is mainly within the lake basin and terrace region where the soils:are often uniform over large continuous areas. In the majority of the till plain area various soi1 series occur in intricate patterns and cannot be shown separately on the scale of mapping. Here the map units are mostly complexes of two or three series that occur within the outlined areas. However, where ind.ividual series occupy continuous areas larger than approximately 40 acres they are shown separately. Soi1 associations, which have been the common mapping unit in previously surveyed areas in Manitoba, are used in this report only in the sketch map showing general soi1 areas (Figure 11). The soi1 maps included in this report indicate the distribution and area of the soi1 series, phases and complexes. They are published at the scale of 1: 100,000 or approximately +5 of an inch equals one mile. Township and Range numbers are shown along the margin of the maps. Soi1 series, phases and complexes are identified by color and letter designations. Complexes are colored the same as one of the included series, usually the best drained member. A key to the color and letter designations appears in the descriptive legend at the bottom of the maps. The report describes the cultural and physical features of the map areas and the formation, character, capabilities and limita- tions of the soils. The report is divided into four parts. Part 1 describes the location and extent of the area, the population distribution and the transportation and market facilities. Part II describes the physical features including relief, drainage, geology, climate and vegetation. Part III presents a key to the soils of the area, describes the general soi1 areas, and gives a detailed description of the physical, morphological and agronomie features of each series. Part IV presents a grouping of the soils into soi1 agronomie groups, a table indicating the adaptability of each soi1 to regional crops, and outlines the history of settlement and present land-use. Acknowledgments THE SOIL SURVEY of the Fisher and Teulon map sheet areas was conducted as a joint project of the Canada Department of Agriculture; the Manitoba Department of Agriculture and Conservation; the Lands Branch, Manitoba Department of Mines and Natural Resources; and the Department of Soi1 Science, The University of Manitoba. Acknowledgment is made to Dr. A. Leahey, Canada Depart- ment of Agriculture and Dr. R. A. Hedlin, Department of Soi1 Science, The University of hlanitoba, for their critical review of the report, and to Dr. P. 0. Ripley for his review of the Agriculture section of the report. The soils were mapped by L. E. Pratt, F. P. Leclaire, J. A. Barr, R. E. Smith, G. Emmond and W. Janke under the direction of W. A. Ehrlich. Those assisting in the field work were: J. Friesen, J. Giles, J. Manns, G. Shaw, H. Smallwood, D. Stammen, and F. Wilson. Mrs. Helen E. Gallagher assisted in the recording of field and laboratory data and in the preparation of the report. The final drafting and printing of the soi1 maps was undertaken and financed by the Research Branch, Canada Department of Agriculture, and the printing of the report was undertaken and financed by the Manitoba Department of Agriculture and Con- servation. Summary THE DETAILED-RECONNAISSANCE SOIL SURVEY of the Fisher and Teulon Map Sheet Areas covers 3,707 square miles in the southern Interlake district of Manitoba. This district comprises the portion of the Manitoba Lowlands between Lake Manitoba and Lake Winnipeg. It is well known locally for the general high-lime content and stoniness of the soils. The topography is level to gently undulating and much of the land has a distinctive low ridge and swale form with a general north-west to south-east linear pattern. The climate is sub-humid with a definite summer maximum of precipitation. Slow surface drainage affects the soi1 moisture regime over much of the area. The native vegetation is dominantly aspen woods, with some bur oak in the southern portion and white spruce in the northern portion. The mapped area may be divided into two main regions on the basis of physical features and agricultural value. Approximately 65 percent of the area consists of a stony till plain with many features that tend to restrict its agricultural use. The glacial till is very high in lime carbonate content, having been derived mainly from the underlying limestone rocks. In some places the limestone bedrock is exposed at the surface or covered by only a few inches of glacial drift. The soils belong to the Isafold and Garson associations. They are a11 very stony and have very thin surface horizons. The other 35 percent of the mapped area consists of a glacial lake basin and terrace area with lacustrine soils of much greater agricultural value. These soils range in texture from sand to clay. Some are imperfectly to poorly drained and high in lime content, while others on higher land are well-drained and degraded under woods. Over much of the area the lacustrine sediments are thin and are underlain with high-lime till. Most of the cultivated land is within the lake basin and terrace area in the eastern part of the map areas. The Teulon, Arborg and F isher Branch districts are the centers of grain production along with some dairying and livestock farming. Within the till plain, the farmers depend mainly on livestock, dairying and poultry production for their livelihood. The grain grown in the scattered areas of cultivated land is principally oats and barley for livestock feed. While some large ranches exist, particularly along the shore of Lake Manitoba, most herds are small. The carrying capacity of the bush covered land is low and very little pasture improvement has been attempted. Contents Page Preface ........................... .................. Acknowledgments ..................................... Summary ........................................... PART 1 GENERAL DESCRIPTION OF AREA A. LOCATION AND EXTENT. 11 B. POPULATION.................... ...< .< __ __ 11 C. TRANSPORTATION AND MARKETS . 11 PART II PHYSIOGRAPHIC FACTORS AFFECTING SOIL FORMATION A. RELIEF AND DRAINAGE. 15 B. GEOLOGY AND SOIL PARENT MATERIALS 15 (i) Geology of the Underlying Rocks. 15 (ii) Surface Deposits and Physiographic Areas. 15 C. CLIMATE. 18 (i) Temperature. 18 (ii) Precipitation 20 D. VEGETATION.. 20 PART III SOILS A. THE SOIL PROFILE. 24 B. SOIL CLASSIFICATION, . 25 C. SOIL MAPPING.. 26 D. GENERAL SOIL AREAS. 26 E. DESCRIPTION OF SOIL SERIES AND MAPPING UNITS. 29 Agassiz Series 31 Alluvium . 32 Arborg Series. 32 Arnes Series. 33 Ba Imora I Series 35 Berlo Series. 36 Chatfield Complex 37 Contents-Continued Page Clarkleigh Series. .................................................... 38 Deep Peat ........................................................... 40 Fisher Series. ........................................................ 41 FoleySeries .......................................................... 41 Framnes Series. ...................................................... 41 Fyala Series ......................................................... 43 Garson Series, ....................................................... 44 Hodgson Series. ..................................................... 46 Inwood Series. ....................................................... 47 Isafold Series ....................................................... 49 LakelandSeries ....................................................... 50 Leary Complex ....................................................... 54 Ledwyn Series. ....................................................... 54 Lundar Series ........................................................ 55 Malonton Series. .................................................... 59 Marsh Complex ....................................................... 60 MelebSeries ......................................................... 61 Morton Complex. ....................................................