ROSEAU RIVER WATERSHED in MANITOBA Inventory and Assessment Foragriculture SOIL SURVEY PROJECTS in MANITOBA

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ORGANIC SOILS OF THE ROSEAU RIVER WATERSHED IN MANITOBA Inventory and assessment foragriculture SOIL SURVEY PROJECTS IN MANITOBA

DETAILED SURVEYS

RECONNAISSANCE SURVEYS

o o o ° o0 BIOPHYSICAL AND o °o°o° EXPLORATORY SURVEYS

ARDA boundary Project boundary

DETAILED SURVEYS Map no. Name Soil report no. D1 Pasquia° 11 D2 Portage La Prairie" 17 D3 Morden~Winkler= 18 D4 Winnipeg region' D5 Brandon region= D6 Boissevain~Melita#

RECONNAISSANCE SURVEYS Map no. Name Soil report no . R1 South Western- 3 R2 South Central* 4 R3 Winnipeg and Morris- 5 R4 Rossburn and Virden' 6 R5 Carberry° 7 R6 West-Lake* 8 R7 Grandview° 9 R8 Nelson River Basin . 10 R9 Fisher and Teulon' 12 R10 Swan River- 13 Rll South Eastern* 14 R12 Lac du Bonnet- 15 R13 Grahamdale° 16 R14 Red Rose-Washow Bay 19 R15 Boissevain~Melita# R16 Ste. Rose* R17 Waterhen$ R18 Swan Lake§ R19 The Pas§ R20 Grand Rapidsj R21 Cormorantt R22 Wekusko, Cross Lake, and Norway House$ R23 Pointe du Bois§ R24 Roseau River* R25 Red Deer Lake- R26 Soils of the York Factory Areat

BIOPHYSICAL AND EXPLORATORY SURVEYS Map no . Name . BI Lake Winnipeg, Churchill, and Nelson Rivers- in. ifPe9 B2 Churchill Transportation C.orridor§ 83 Northern Resource Information Project 54C,$ 54D,t SE'A 64A,§ 63P,§ 53M,§ 53L,§ 63H,§ 53E,§ 63A,§ 53D,§ 62P,§ 52M§ E1 Surface Deposits and Soils of Northern Manitobat E2 Exploratory Terrain Study of Northern Manitoba and Southern Keewatin, N .W.T .t

U.S.A. STATUS OF INFORMATION ` Published report and map f Interim report and map Preliminary map and legend § Field data only SRI ORGANIC SOILS OF THE ROSEAU RNER WATERSHED IN MANITOBA Inventory and assessment for agriculture

G. F. Mills, L. A. Hopkins, and R. E. Smith

Manitoba Soil Survey

Canada Department of Agriculture Manitoba Department of Agriculture Manitoba Department of Mines, Resources and Environmental Management Department of Soil Science, University of Manitoba

Published by the Canada Department of Agriculture

Monograph No. 17 1977 Copies of this publication may be obtained from INFORMATION DIVISION CANADA DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE OTTAWA KIA OC7 oMINISTER OF SUPPLY AND SERVICES CANADA 1977

Code 3M-3E 813-11 :77 Cat. A 54-3(17 ISBN 0-662-01084-1

THORN PRESS LIMITED Contract No . 07KT-OlA05-7-38813 CONTENTS

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS ...... vii SUMMARY ...... ix

PART I GENERAL DESCRIPTION OF THE ROSEAU RIVER WATERSHED

LOCATION AND EXTENT ...... l BEDROCK GEOLOGY, PHYSIOGRAPHY, AND SURFACE DEPOSITS ...... 1 Geology of underlying bedrock ...... 1 Physiographic areas and surface deposits ...... ---- ...... 1

RELIEF AND DRAINAGE ...... 1 Sprague subbasin ...... _ ...... 2 Pine Creek subbasin ...... 3 Caliento subbasin ...... 3 Stuartburn-Caribou subbasin ...... 4 Langside Gauge - Red River subbasin ...... - 4

CLIMATE AND VEGETATION . ._ ...... 4 Climate ...... 4 Vegetation ...... 5 Climatically significant ecological zones ...... 5

PART II CLASSIFICATION OF ORGANIC TERRAIN AND ORGANIC SOILS

ORGANIC TERRAIN ...... 7 Organic landforms ...... 7 Classification ...... 7

ORGANIC SOILS ...... _ ...... 7 Definition ...... 7 Peat materials ...... 8 Classification ...... 8 Soil mapping ...... 11

DESCRIPTION OF SOIL SERIES AND MAPPING UNITS ...... - - 11 Balmoral, peaty phase ...... 1 I Baynham ...... 11 Profile P21 ...... 15 Profile SJ80b ...... 15 Berry Island ...... 16 Berry Island, peaty phase ...... 16 Buffalo Bay ...... 16 Profile Su79 ...... 18 Cantyre ...... 20 Cayer ...... 20 Profile Su33 ...... 20 Crane ...... 21 Foley ...... 21 Foley, peaty phase ...... 21 Grindstone ...... 21 Grindstone, shallow phase ...... 22 Halcrow ...... 22 Haute ...... 22 Profile P58 ...... 23 Howell ...... 24 Julius ...... 24 Profile S55 ...... 25 Katimik ...... 25 Profile S105 ...... 30 Katimik, drained phase ...... 30 Kircro ...... 30 Kirci o, burnout phase ...... 31 Lamb Lake ...... 31 Macawber ...... 31 Malonton ...... 31 Malenton, peaty phase ...... _ ...... 32 Marsh Complex ...... 32 Meleb, peaty phase ...... 32 Mud Lake ...... 32 Muriay Hill ...... 32 Muriay Hill, burnout phase ...... 32 Okno ...... 32 Orok ...... 34 Overflowing ...... 34 Profile Su155 ...... 34 Rat River ...... 35 Reed River ...... 35 Santon ...... 38 Profile S106 ...... 38 Shelloy ...... 40 Profile Su40 ...... 40 South Junction ...... 40 Sprague, peaty phase ...... 40 Stead ...... 41 Profile S11 42 Sturgeon Gill ...... 44 Summerberry ...... 44 Sundown ...... 44 Sundown, peaty phase ...... 44 Wask wei ...... 44 Whithorn ...... 45 Profile SJ6 ...... _ ...... 46

PART III ORGANIC SOIL CAPABILITY FOR AGRICULTURE

INTRODUCTION ...... 49

CLASSIFICATION OF ORGANIC SOILS FOR AGRICULTURAL CAPABILITY 49 Capability classes ...... 50 Development difficulty ratings for organic soils ...... 50 Capability subclasses ...... 51

RATINGS OF ORGANIC SOILS IN THE ROSEAU RIVER WATERSHED FOR AGRICULTURAL CAPABILITY AND DEGREE OF DEVELOPMENT DIF- FICULT)' ...... 54 Class 3 ...... 55 Class 4 ...... 56 Class 5 ...... 56 Class 6 ...... 56 Class 7 ...... 57

PART IV BIBLIOGRAPHY AND APPENDIXES

BIBLIOGRAPHY ...... 59

APPENDIX I CLASSIFICATION AND DEFINITIONS OF ORGANIC LANDFORMS ...... 61 APPENDIX II ABBREVIATIONS AND SYMBOLS USED IN MAP LEGEND, FIGURES, AND TABLES ...... 65 APPENDIX III WATER CHEMISTRY AND VEGETATION 67 FIGURES 1 . Location of the Roseau River watershed in southeastern Manitoba and northern Minnesota ...... 1 2. Physiographic areas and climatically significant ecological zones in the Roseau River watershed ...... 2 3. Subbasins, peatlands, major relief, and drainage features of the Roseau River watershed ...... 3 4. A diagrammatic representation of depth relationships of tiers and control sections of Typic, Cryic, and Terric subgroups of organic and mineral soils as presented in The Systern of Soil Classification for Canada, revised edition, 1974 10 5. Aerial photograph showing location of Baynham soil series, Profile P21 ...... 15 6. Cross section of Baynham soil series, Profile P21 ...... 15 7. Aerial photograph showing location of Baynham soil series, Profile SJ806 ...... 15 8. Cross section of Baynham soil series, Profile SJ80b ...... 15 9. Aerial photograph showing location of Buffalo Bay soil series, Profile Su79 . . .. 18 10. Cross section of Buffalo Bay soil series, Profile Su79 18 11 . Aerial photograph showing location of Cayer soil series, Profile Su33 ...... 20 12. Cross section of Cayer soil series, Profile Su33 ...... _ ...... 20 13. Aerial photograph showing location of Haute soil series, Profile P58 ...... 23 14. Cross section of Haute soil series, Profile P58 ...... 23 15. Typical vegetation of the Haute soil series, Profile P58 23 16. Aerial photograph showing location of Julius soil series, Profile S55 ...... 25 17. Cross section of Julius soil series, Profile S55 ...... 25 18. Typical vegetation of the Julius soil series, Profile S55 25 19. Aerial photograph showing location of Katimik soil series, Profile S105 ...... 30 20. Cross section of Katimik soil series, Profile S105 ...... 30 21 . Typical vegetation of the Katimik soil series, Profile S105 ...... 30 22. Aerial photograph showing location of Overflowing soil series, Profile Sul 55 . .. . 34 23 . Cross section of Overflowing soil series, Profile Su155 34 24. Aerial photograph showing location of Santon soil series, Profile S106 ...... 38 25. Cross section of Santon soil series, Profile S106 ...... 38 26. Aerial photograph showing location of Shelley soil series, Profile Su40 ...... 40 27. Cross section of Shelley soil series, Profile Su40 ...... 40 28. Aerial photograph showing location of Stead soil series, Profile S11 ...... 42 29. Cross section of Stead soil series, Profile S11 ...... 42 30. Aerial photograph showing location of Whithorn soil series, Profile SJ6 ...... 46 31 . Cross section of Whithorn soil series, Profile SJ6 ...... 46 32. Typical vegetation of the Whithorn soil series, Profile SJ6 ...... 46 Plate 1. Typical vegetation of the Buffalo Bay soil series, Profile Su79 Typical vegetation of the Overflowing soil series, Profile Su155 Typical vegetation of the Santon soil series, Profile S106 Typical vegetation of the Stead soil series, Profile S11 . . . . . facing pg . 22

TABLES 1 . Area of subbasins and distribution of organic and mineral soils in the Roseau River watershed ...... 4 2. Mean monthly temperatures and total precipitation and snowfall recorded at Emerson and Sprague, Manitoba ...... 5 3. Description of climatically significant ecological zones in the Roseau River watershed ...... 6 4. Organic landform classification used in the Roseau River watershed ...... 7 5. Classification of the organic soils as mapped in the Roseau River watershed according to The System of Soil Classification for Canada (1970) ...... 9 6. Landform, vegetation, and soil relationships of the peatlands in the Roseau River watershed ...... 12 7. Estimated areas of organic soils and associated poorly drained mineral soils in the Roseau River watershed ...... 14 8. Baynham soil series, Pine Creek peatland : morphological description and physical and chemical analyses of a representative profile (P21) ...... 16 9. Baynham soil series, South Junction peatland : morphological description and physical and chemical analyses of a representative profile (SJ80b) ...... 17 10. Buffalo Bay soil series, Sundown peatland : morphological description and physical and chemical analyses of a representative profile (Su79) ...... 17 11 . Buffalo Bay soil series, South Junction peatland : morphological description and physical and chemical analyses of a representative profile (SJ77) ...... 19 12. Buffalo Bay soil series, Sundown peatland : morphological description and physical and chemical analyses of a representative profile (Su44) ...... 19 13. Caye, soil series, Sundown peatland : morphological description and physical and chemical analyses of a representative profile (Su33) ...... 21 14. Grindstone, shallow phase soil series, Moodie peatland: morphological description and physical and chemical analyses of a representative profile (M17) ...... 22 15. Haute soil series, Pine Creek peatland : morphological description and physical and chemical analyses of a representative profile (P58) ...... 24 16. Juliu; soil series, Sprague peatland : morphological description and physical and chemical analyses of a representative profile (S55) ...... 26 17 . Juliu;; soil series, South Junction peatland : morphological description and physical and chemical analyses of a representative profile (SJ21) ...... 27 18 . Katirnik soil series, Sprague peatland : morphological description and physical and chemical analyses of a representative profile (S105) ...... 27 19. Katirnik soil series, Sprague peatland : morphological description and physical and chemical analyses of a representative profile (S69a) ...... 28 20. Katiraik soil series, Sundown peatland : morphological description and physical and chemical analyses of a representative profile (Su144) ...... 29 21 . Kircro soil series, Sundown peatland : morphological description and physical and chemical analyses of a representative profile (Su195) ...... 31 22. Murray Hill soil series, Sundown peatland : morphological description and physical and chemical analyses of a representative profile (Su206) ...... 33 23 . Oknc, soil series, Sprague peatland : morphological description and physical and chemical analyses of a representative profile (S107) ...... 33 24. Overflowing soil series, Sundown peatland : morphological description and physical and chemical analyses of a representative profile (Sul55) ...... 35 25. Rat River soil series, Pine Creek peatland : morphological description and physical and chemical analyses of a representative profile (P1) ...... 36 26. Rat River soil series, Sprague peatland : morphological description and physical and chemical analyses of a representative profile (S24) ...... 36 27. Reed River soil series, Sundown peatland : morphological description and physical and chemical analyses of a representative profile (Su132) ...... 37 28 . Santon soil series, Sprague peatland : morphological description and physical and chemical analyses of a representative profile (S106) ...... 39 29. Shelli ;y soil series, Sundown peatland : morphological description and physical and chemical analyses of a representative profile (Su40) ...... 41 30. Stead soil series, Sprague peatland : morphological description and physical and chemical analyses of a representative profile (S11) ...... 43 31 . Stead soil series, South Junction peatland : morphological description and physical and chemical analyses of a representative profile (SJ46) ...... 43 32. Stead soil series, Sprague peatland : morphological description and physical and chemical analyses of a representative profile (S14) ...... 44 33. Waskwei soil series, Pine Creek peatland : morphological description and physical and chemical analyses of a representative profile (P25) ...... 45 34 . Whithorn soil series, South Junction peatland : morphological description and physical and chemical analyses of a representative profile (SJ6) ...... 47 35 . Soil properties used to determine the capability classification of organic soils . . . . 51 36 . Physical features used to determine ratings for development difficulty of organic soils ...... 52 37 . Distribution of organic soil capability classes and subclasses, and ratings for degree of development difficulty in the Roseau River watershed ...... 55

APPENDIX I AI:1 . Organic landform classification used in the Roseau River watershed ...... 61 APPENDIX III AIII :1 . Water chemistry of the peatlands in the Roseau River watershed ...... 67 AIII :2. Common and botanical names of plants ...... 68 ACKNOWLEDGMENTS The study of the organic soils of the Roseau River watershed in Manitoba was conducted as a joint project of the Canada Department of Agriculture; the Manitoba Department of Agriculture ; the Manitoba Department of Mines, Resources and Environ- mental Management ; and the Department of Soil Science, University of Manitoba . The soils were mapped by G. F. Mills, L. A. Hopkins, and L. M. Malazdrewicz. G. Skinner assisted in the field work. Miss B. Stupak assisted in the compilation of field and laboratory data and in the preparation of the narrative. The map manuscripts were compiled by J. Griffiths and N. Lindberg; R. DePape and J. Griffiths prepared the diagrams. Grateful acknowledgment is made to Mr. J. H. Day and Dr. J. A. Shields, Soil Research Institute, Ottawa, for their critical review of the text. Further acknowledgment is made to Mr. H. Tirschman and the field staff of the Southern Region, Resources Management Division, Manitoba Department of Mines, Resources and Environmental Management, for the excellent cooperation received during the course of the organic soil studies. The provision of tracked vehicles by the Manitoba Department of Mines, Resources and Environmental Management made possible the extensive field program carried out during this study. SUMMARY The Roseau River watershed lies in southeastern Manitoba and northern Minnesota. The part of the watershed in Manitoba covers about 2393 km2 and occurs in two main physiographic regions. The eastern part of the basin, which is underlain by Precambrian granitoid rock, lies in the Severn Upland division of the Canadian Shield ; the western part, which is underlain by Paleozoic limestones and sandstones, lies in the Manitoba Lowland section of the Interior Plains of North America. Relief over most of the area under study is low, and the maximum relief is about 145 m. Drainage is poorly developed. The area is drained mainly by the Sprague River and Pine Creek, which are tributaries of the Roseau River. The climate is cool, subhumid, and continental ; precipitation increases slightly and moisture deficiency decreases from west to east in the watershed. The climatic trends in the watershed are reflected by changes in the natural vegetation. Open grassland and wooded grassland are dominant in the western part of the basin, but the vegetation shifts to a dominant forest cover in the east. The part of the watershed in Manitoba consists of about 193 646 ha of mineral soils and 45 649 ha of organic soils. Mineral soils in the upland areas vary from Chernozemic Black and Dark Gray soils in the western part of the basin to Gray Luvisols in the east. Poorly drained Rego Humic Gleysols occur throughout the area. The extensive organic soil areas in the Roseau River watershed occur in seven main peatlands. The study of these peatlands shows that a wide range of ecological conditions exists, but that there is a reasonably good relationship between the three main components, organic landform, vegetation, and soil type. In describing the peatland areas of the watershed, information on organic landforms and vegetation types were combined with the soil data and integrated on one map and legend. The range of ecological conditions in the peatlands includes 15 organic landforms, I 1 vegetation types, 29 organic soil series, and 12 associated poorly drained mineral soils. In general, the organic soils comprise only moderate depths of organic materials (1 to 2 m), local areas of fairly shallow organic deposits (0.5 to 1 m), and other areas of deeper organic soils (2 to 5 m). The dominant organic soils are Terric and Typic Mesisols developed on moderately well decomposed peat underlain by lacustrine sediments . These mineral substrates range in texture from sand to clay ; clayey and loamy deposits are dominant . Fen peat and forest peat are the most common surface organic materials in the watershed, followed by forest-fen peat and sphagnum peat. Most of the organic soils are very poorly drained, and in their natural state, they become flooded in the spring and during heavy rainfalls . The peatlands in the watershed serve as catchment basins for runoff from adjacent uplands. In this manner, the peatlands are an important part of the hydrology of the watershed because they provide a year-round reservoir for water. The organic soils in the eastern half of the watershed are commonly covered with black spruce and tamarack and include local areas of cedar, balsam fir, and shrubs such as willows and swamp or dwarf birch. The organic soils in the western part of the watershed support mainly treeless areas of sedge and meadow grass vegetation ; other areas are covered by low-growing willow and dwarf birch. Each organic soil in the watershed has been classified according to its potential capability for agricultural use after reclamation . Classification is based on characteristics that most often affect the agricultural capability and development difficulty of organic soils. In general, the agricultural capability is low because difficulties of water control will probably continue to limit the use of most soils, and because many of the soils formed on forest peat have a high wood content. About 10% of the organic soils have good agricultural potential, about 80% have fair potential, and 10% have almost no potential . The development difficulty ratings of the organic soils indicate the relative degree of difficulty in reclaiming these soil areas for agriculture . The ratings, based mainly on the probable amount of reclamation needed for suitable water control, show that most areas require large reclamation projects . PART I

GENERAL DESCRIPTION OF THE ROSEAU RIVER WATERSHED

LOCATION AND EXTENT Physiographic areas and surface deposits The Roseau River watershed lies in southeastern Man- In Manitoba, the Roseau River watershed includes itoba and northwestern Minnesota. The Canadian part of parts of two physiographic areas, the Southeastern Lake the watershed covers about 2393 km2 or 210 188 ha. The Terrace (Ehrlich et al. 1953 ; Smith et al . 1964) and the location of the Roseau River basin and its extent in south- Central Lowland (Ehrlich et al. 1953). Four-fifths of the eastern Manitoba are shown in Fig. 1. basin occurs in the Southeastern Lake Terrace . This physiographic area lies generally higher than 260 m above sea BEDROCK GEOLOGY, PHYSIOGRAPHY, AND level and consists of a complex of surface deposits and topog- SURFACE DEPOSITS raphy: gently undulating ground moraine composed of medium textured calcareous till ; coarse textured outwash Geology of underlying bedrock and beach ridge deposits ; thin, coarse to fine textured The Roseau River basin occurs in two main physio- lacustrine and deltaic deposits overlying till ; and large, level graphic regions, as defined by the nature of the underlying to depressional areas of poorly drained organic deposits . bedrock formations . The eastern part of the basin, un- The western part of the Roseau River basin, less than derlain by acid intrusive rocks of Precambrian age, is in 260 m above sea level, occupies the level, low-lying expanse the Severn Upland division of the Canadian Shield. The of the Central Lowland Section. This physiographic area western part of the basin is underlain by sedimentary sand- consists mainly of fine textured lacustrine deposits and stones and limestones of Ordovician and Paleozoic age and medium to fine textured deltaic deposits. The location of occurs in the Manitoba Lowland section of the Interior the two physiographic areas in the watershed is shown in Plains of Canada (Dep . Energy, Mines, and Resources Fig. 2. 1970). The boundary between the two areas cannot be readily RELIEF AND DRAINAGE delineated, because the thick deposits of drift conceal the The River watershed gen- line of contact between the Precambrian and sedimentary Roseau drains an area of erally low relief, which ranging from slightly rocks. According to data from well borings and the has elevations published geologic maps, this contact appears to trend in more than 380 m above sea level in the eastern sections to a northeasterly direction in the vicinity of Piney and about 235 m above sea level where the Roseau River flows Moodie. into the Red River. The maximum relief in the watershed

SCALE 3 0 3 km

Fig. 1 . Location of the Roseau River watershed in southeastern Manitoba and northern Minnesota is about 145 m. The most significant topographic feature is a large upland area known as the Bedford Hills, which rises more than 330 m in elevation in the eastern part of the watershed . The terrain to the east and south of this upland is generally level to very gently undulating with poorly developed natural drainage . The area is drained mainly by the Sprague River and Pine Creek, both of which flow southward to join the Roseau River in the United States . West of the Bedford Hills, the topography is level to gently undulating. The natural drainage in this part of the watershed is by way of the Roseau River and its tributaries . Drainage has been improved to some extent by construction of new channels and development of existing water- ways . The western part of the watershed that is less than 260 m above sea level is characterized by level to very gently undulating terrain, which slopes westerly at about 1 .5 m/km . Since settlement, the natural drainage over the western part has been improved by an extensive system of ditches . However, because of the extremely level terrain, spring runoff waters and occasional flooding from the Roseau River may last for several weeks. The significant relief and drainage features and the five main subbasins of the Roseau River watershed are shown in Fig . 3. The area of the subbasins and the extent of the peatlands in each are summarized in Table 1 . Because of the relief and drainage of each subbasin and differences in climate, organic terrain is unevenly dis- tributed throughout the watershed . Drainage conditions of the organic soils in the seven main peatlands of the watershed also vary. The relief and drainage of the peatlands are described for each subbasin, beginning with those in the upper reaches of the watershed .

Sprague subbasin The Sprague subbasin is drained locally by many streams and creeks that flow from upland areas into the adjacent peatlands. These peatlands act as temporary catchment or collection areas for the drainage waters in the subbasin, which eventually flow southward into the United States by way of the Sprague River. The three main peatlands of the Sprague subbasin are the Moodie peatland, the South Junction peatland, and the Sprague peatland . Surface elevations in the Moodie peatland range from 372 m above sea level at the northwestern margin to 354 m on the southeastern margin . The surface of the peatland slopes to the southeast at about 2.1 m/km . Drainage from this peatland is through three well-developed channels flowing southeastward into the South Junction peatland . The moderately good drainage of the Moodie peatland is attributed to its position in the upper reaches of the subbasin and the sloping surface, particularly in areas at the margin of mineral soils. Elevations in the South Junction peatland range from 348 m above sea level along the northern and northwestern margins to about 337 m in the southeast at the point where the Sprague River drains from the peatland . The peatland surface slopes to the south at about 1 .1 m/km and to the southeast at about 1 .1 to 1.5 m/km . Drainage varies with position in the peatland, ranging from poor and very poor over much of the area to imperfect on some of the raised organic landforms . Surface elevations in the Sprague peatland range from about 340 m above sea level along the Campbell beaches at the northern margin to 323 m at the point where the Sprague River flows into the United States . The peatland surface slopes gently to the south at a rate of 1 .5 m/km. Distinct drainage patterns in this peatland are reflected in the surface vegetation, peat landforms, and organic soil types. The central area of the peatland is very poorly drained. Natural drainage is usually somewhat better on the more sloping surface at the margin . Drainage of the extreme southern part of the peatland has been improved by ditches provided for railroad and highway construction .

Pine Creek subbasin Drainage in the Pine Creek subbasin is provided by many streams and creeks flowing from the uplands into adjacent peatlands. Water in the peatlands drains southward by way of Pine Creek and the Pine Creek drain, and by drainage through the organic deposits found along the Canada - United States border. The two main peatlands of the Pine Creek subbasin are the Pine Creek peatland and the Sundown peatland . Elevations in the Pine Creek peatland range from about 366 m above sea level in the north to about 328 m at the Canada - United States border . The surface of the peatland thus slopes to the south at about 2.3 m/km. From the eastern margin, the rate of fall is about 4.7 m/km, decreasing to about 1 .9 m/km toward the center of the peatland . Natural drainage is by way of Pine Creek ; construction of the Pine Creek drain has helped to remove water from the peatland . Groundwater discharge from the upland areas to the east and north of the peatland maintains a fairly constant water flow into and through the peatland all year. Although drainage conditions are moderately good over parts of this peatland, more poorly drained organic soils are common in level, low-lying areas near the international boundary. Drainage is better over the eastern part of the peatland because of the greater slopes near the mineral margin . Agricultural development in the Piney area has led to improved drainage in parts of the peatland near Pine Creek. Elevations in the Sundown peatland range from 335 m above sea level at the foot of the Bedford Hills to about 316 m at the international boundary. The main part of this peatland has an almost level surface sloping to the south at 0.9 m/km . The peatland surface immediately below the Bedford Hills slopes more steeply to the south at 6.8 m/km for a distance of 2.5 km. Drainage conditions vary with position in the peatland . Parts of the western half of the peatland and the more steeply sloping areas at the northern margin have moderately good drainage . Some areas immediately below the Bedford Hills receive groundwater discharge and runoff from the adjacent uplands, but the slopes are sufficient to carry these waters to lower-lying parts of the peatland . The eastern part of the peatland is characterized by poorer drainage. Some development of stream channels has improved the drainage in the northeastern part of the area, but as the streams disappear into the organic deposits to the south, drainage becomes very poor . The more heavily forested organic soils along the international boundary may contribute to the poor drainage by impeding the southward flow of water. Some waters from the Pine Creek peatland have been diverted by way of the Pine Creek drain through the southeastern part of this peatland.

Caliento subbasin Drainage is poorly developed over much of the Ca- liento subbasin because there are no continuous water- ways. Natural drainage is through poorly drained swales, M and surface waters eventually collect in larger depressions. The subbasin may also receive water from the Rat River 'w" Table 1. Area of subbasins and distribution of organic and mineral soils in the Roseau River watershed

Organic soils Mineral soils Subbasins Subbasin Percentage of and Area Percentage Area Percentage area total peatlands (ha) of subbasin (ha) of subbasin (ha) watershed 1 .0 Sprague subbasin 1 .1 Moodie peatland 3 901 7.2 1 .2 South Junction peatland 8 302 15.4 1 .3 Sprague peatland 9 256 17.1 SUBBASIN TOTALS 21 459 39.7 32 559 60.3 54 018 22.6 2 .0 Pine Creek subbasin 2.1 Pine Creek peatland 4 324 8.4 2.2 Sundown peatland 14 659 28 .3 SUBBASIN TOTALS 18 983 35 .7 32 773 63.3 51 756 21 .6 3.0 Caliento subbasin 3 .1 Caliento peatland 2 909 12 .3 SUBBASIN TOTALS 2 909 12 .3 20 778 87.7 23 687 9.9 4.0 Stuartburn - Caribou suhbasin 4.1 Vita peatland 2 318 7 .4 SUBBASIN TOTALS 2 318 7.4 29 026 92.6 31 344 13 .1 5.0 Langside Guage - Red River subbasin SUBBASIN TOTALS 78 516 100.0 78 516 32.8 TOTAL AREA 45 669 193 652 239 321 PERCENTAGE OF WATERSHED 19.1 80.9 100.0

watershed that is periodically flushed into the area, drain- During periods of high water, drainage may occur from the ing slowly southward through the organic deposits to the north end of the peatland into the Rat River basin. west and south of Sundown . Water control measures associated with highway and railway construction have helped Langside Gauge - Red River subbasin to improve the drainage ol' the area. The Caliento peatland Elevations in the Langside Gauge - Red River sub- is the only peatland in this subbasin . basin range from about 296 to 236 m above sea level where Relief in the Caliento peatland ranges from about the Roseau River flows into the Red River. Topography of 320 m above sea level on the eastern margin to about 314 m the subbasin is level to gently undulating in the eastern half in the west. This peatland has an almost level surface to almost level in the west. The Roseau River flows through sloping very slightly to the west at 0.57 m/km. the subbasin and drainage has been improved over large The Caliento peatland has developed in a closed de- areas for agricultural development . Although much of this pression and receives water mainly from local runoff and subbasin is poorly drained, peat accumulation is not exten- some groundwater discharge . However, high water levels sive and is usually restricted to thin surface layers in the in peatlands to the north and east could contribute to wetter part of the depressions. inflow through and over the organic deposits . CLIMATE AND VEGETATION Stuartburn-Caribou subbasin The topography of the Stuartburn-Caribou subbasin Climate is level to gently undulating, with many poorly drained The Roseau River watershed is in an area of con- depressional areas. The Roseau River enters Canada in this tinental climate that is characterized by higher tempera- part of the watershed and flows to the northwest across the tures in summer and lower temperatures in winter, and a subbasin . A large number of drainage improvements have greater annual range of temperatures than the world aver- been undertaken in this area for agricultural development, age for this latitude . The climate of the area is subhumid as well as for construction of highways and secondary and most of the precipitation falls in summer . Mean annual roads. Large flood control:; such as'the Gardenton floodway air temperatures decrease from 3°C west of the Red River and its associated dikes and control structure are in opera- to about 2°C near Sprague. Annual average precipitation tion along the Roseau River immediately downstream from ranges from 51 cm in the west to 56 cm in the eastern part the international boundar} . of the watershed (Chapman and Brown 1966). Similary, The main area of organic soils in this subbasin is the precipitation in the period from May to September increases Vita peatland . It is a closed depressional area, which has from 30 to 37 cm from west to east . The average annual almost level topography. .Elevations in the peatland range moisture deficiency also shows an eastward trend, de- from about 304 to 301 m above sea level, and the surface creasing from 10 cm in the west to about 5 cm in the slopes very gently to the west and northwest . Water inflow eastern part of the basin (Chapman and Brown 1966). The is mainly local runoff and possibly some groundwater dis- range of climatic conditions in the Roseau River basin is charge . The flow of water in the Roseau River and in the shown in Table 2 by data recorded at Emerson and Sprague. Gardenton floodway is confined within these channels, although prolonged high water levels may cause groundwater to seep into the adjacent areas of the peatland . Table 2. Mean monthly temperatures and total precipitation and snowfall recorded at Emerson and Sprague, Manitoba

Emerson Sprague Lat. N 49° 00', Long . W 97° 12' Lat. N 49° 02', Long . W 95° 38' Elev . 242 m a.s.l . Elev. 327 m a.s .l .

Total Mean daily temp . (°C) Total daily temp . (°C) pptn. Snow* pptn. Snow'-` (cm) (cm) Av. Max. Min. (cm) (cm) Max . Min.

January 1 .9 19.3 -17 .7 -12 .9 -22 .4 2 .4 23 .9 -18 .1 -11 .9 -24.3 Mean 8 .5 -22.7 February 1 .3 12.4 -14.8 - 9.4 -20 .2 1 .8 16.5 -15 .6 - March 2.3 18.0 - 6.8 - 1 .4 -12 .3 2 .6 21 .3 - 7.8 - 0.9 -14.8 Av. - 3 .0 April 3 .5 9.1 3.7 9.6 - 2.1 4.0 8.6 3.2 9.3 May 5.8 0.8 1 0.8 18 .0 3 .8 6.0 1 .5 9.9 17 .1 2 .8 June 8.1 0.0 17.0 23.6 10.3 9.0 0.0 15 .6 22.4 8.8 July 8.5 0.0 20.0 26.9 12.8 8.6 0.0 18 .6 25.8 11 .4 August 6.8 0.0 18.9 26.0 12.1 8.7 0.0 17 .2 24 .6 9.9 September 5.9 0.0 13.0 19 .4 6.6 6.3 0.3 11 .5 18 .1 4.9 October 2.9 2.3 6.9 12 .8 1 .0 3 .4 1 .8 5 .8 12.2 - 0.4 November 2.3 13.5 - 3 .9 0.2 - 8.1 2.7 16 .3 - 4.3 0.1 - 8.8 December 2.0 19.8 -13.1 - 8.9 -17 .4 2.4 21 .6 -13 .7 - 8.3 -19 .1 Annual total 51.3 95.2 34.0 104.8 -35 .9 57.9 111 .8 22 .3 100.0 -55 .3 Monthly average 4.3 7.9 2 .8 8.7 - 3.0 4.8 9.3 1 .9 8.3 - 4.6 '1254 mm of snow are assumed to equal 25.4 mm of rain . Note : The data in this table were obtained from Temperature and Precipitation Tables, Prairie Provinces, 1941-1970 . Atmospheric Environment Service, Environment Canada, 4905 Dufferin Street, Downsview, Ontario.

Vegetation spruce, tamarack, white birch, and trembling aspen are common species of trees. Red and white pine, eastern white The climatic gradients across the watershed are shown cedar, and balsam fir show the influence of the northward by the changes in the natural vegetation . The open and extension of the Great Lakes - St. Lawrence Forest Region wooded grasslands that dominate the western part of the into the watershed . White elm, green ash, and black ash area change to mainly forest cover in the east . The cooler occur along riverbanks. Some poorly drained areas are temperatures, high moisture levels, and greater precipita- open meadows. tion efficiency of the eastern area provide the more boreal, humid conditions suited to the vegetation found in the Climatically significant ecological zones Sprague area. In the Central Lowland, the native vegetation is The available information on climate shows that the wooded grassland of the Aspen-Oak Section of the Boreal environment changes significantly from west to east in the Forest Region (Rowe 1972). The native vegetation of this watershed, but the information is not sufficiently detailed area, which originally consisted of tall species of grasses, to allow precise boundaries to be drawn for every difference such as big and little bluestem, switch grass, and prairie in the area. When data on vegetation and soils are com- cord grass, has been replaced by cultivated crops. Trem- bined, however, four broad climatically significant ecolog- bling aspen occurs in scattered groves throughout the grass- ical zones can be established (Fig. 2) . Some of the environ- lands, but it usually grows in association with bur oak on mental characteristics of these zones are summarized in the better drained sites above and beside the river channels . Table 3. Generalized characteristics of thermal and mois- White elm, eastern cottonwood, box-elder, green ash, and ture regimes in the soils of the Roseau River basin are bur oak form the dominant forest cover on the floodplains described on the Soil Climate Map of Canada and are and levees of the Red and Roseau rivers . summarized below (Canada Dep. Agric. 1972). The Southeastern Lake Terrace contains two vegeta- Thermal regimes tive sections . The western part of the terrace occupies a transitional zone between the grasslands of the Central Cool soil temperature 5° to 8°C Lowland and the forested lands to the east . This part is in Mean annual temperature 15° to 18°C Manitoba Lowlands Section of the Boreal Forest Re- Mean summer soil the (soil temperature more than 5°C) gion (Rowe 1972) and is characterized by mixed woods with Growing season 170 days meadow openings . Trembling aspen is the dom- more than intervening degree-days (soil temperature tree cover and other common species include jack Growing season inant 5°C) 1250 to 1388 pine, bur oak, balsam poplar, and white spruce. Hardwoods more than such as white elm, white birch, oak, and box-elder com- Moderately cold monly grow along the river terraces. Mean annual soil temperature 2° to 8°C The eastern part of the Southeastern Lake Terrace is Mean summer soil temperature 8° to 15°C than 5°C) in the Rainy River Section of the Great Lakes - St. Law- Growing season (soil temperature more rence Forest Region (Rowe 1972). This section has ele- less than 220 days Growing season degree-days (soil temperature ments of the Boreal Forest Region intermixed with com- more than 5°C) 1110 to less than 1250 ponents of the Great Lakes - St. Lawrence Forest Region, as well as some Grassland associations . Jack pine, black (continued overleaf) Moisture regimes Subhumid Soil dry in some parts when soil temperature less than 5°C in some ycars Surficial deficits in soil moisture within growing season Water deficits 2.5 to less than 6.4 cm Subaquic Soil saturated for short periods (2 to 4 months) Peraquic Soil saturated for very long periods (10 to 11.5 months); groundwater at or within capillary reach of the surface

Table 3. Description of climatically significant ecological zones in the Roseau River watershed

Zone Dominant soils Soil climate* Vegetation zone Vegetation types

6B CHERNOZEMIC AND GLEYSOLIC Rego Black soils and Humic Cool, subhumid Grassland Big bluestem, Indian grass, June grass Gleysols on lacustrine clay with significant Grassland- Fescues, oat grasses, aspen-oak Black and Dark Gray wils and subaquic aspen- Cord grasses, big bluestem, panic grasses, sedges Humic Gleysols on thin, oak transition Ash, elm, maple, oak coarse to fine textured materials overlying till 5A CHERNOZEMIC GLEYSOLIC, AND ORGANIC Dark Gray soils and Humic Moderately cold, Aspen - bur oak Bur oak - aspen Gleysols on thin, moderately subhumid Aspen - bur oak coarse to coarse textured with significant Aspen, black poplar, birch deposits overlying till subaquic Willows, sedges Mesisols developed on shallow, Ash, elm, maple, oak moderately decomposed fen peat overlying till

5B LUVISOLIC, BRUNIiOLIC, AND ORGANIC Gray Luvisols, Eutric llrunisols, Moderately cold, Mixed deciduous- Aspen, white birch, jack pine and Humic Gleysols (peaty) subhumid coniferous forest White spruce, aspen, birch, balsam fir on medium textured glacial with significant Black spruce, aspen, birch till subaquic Willows, alders, sedges, rushes Eutric Brunisols on decp coarse and peraquic White spruce, black poplar, elm, ash, maple textured outwash and beach deposits Mesisols developed on moderately decomposed fen peat overlying till

5C LUVISOLIC BRUNISOLIC AND ORGANIC G ray Luvisols on well to Moderately cold, Mixed deciduous- Aspen, birch, jack pine, white pine, red pine imperfectly drained till and humid with coniferous forest White spruce, aspen, balsam fir, birch lacustrine deposits significant Black spruce, aspen, birch Eutric Brunisols on deop, coarse subaquic Black spruce - sphagnum mosses - Labrador- textured outwash and beach and peraquic tea ; tamarack - sedges - swamp birch; cedar; deposits sedges - swamp birch Mesisols and Sphagno-Fibrisols White spruce, elm, ash, maple, black poplar developed on woody forest peat and fen peat

*Soil climate classes from the 3oil Climate Map of Canada, Soil Research Institute, Central Experimental Farm, Ottawa. The soil climate descriptions apply to well drained, medium textured mineral soils. Fine textured soils, soils on north slopes and in depressions, and organic soils are cooler and moister than normal for the zone. Conversely, coarse textured soils and soils on south slopes are expected to be warmer and drier. PART II

CLASSIFICATION OF ORGANIC TERRAIN AND ORGANIC SOILS

ORGANIC TERRAIN Classification Although many approaches have been taken to the The wide variety of organic landforms observed in the classification of organic terrain (Bellamy 1968; Radforth peatlands of the Roseau River watershed have been clas- 1961 ; Heinselman 1963, 1970; and Tarnocai 1974), no sified hierarchically into classes, subclasses, and types. The method has been devised that is completely acceptable to following criteria are used to define these categories in the all disciplines concerned with use of such areas. Organic classification system. terrain has been classified floristically according to the Class. At this generalized level of classification, the strata or layers of vegetative cover that it supports . Other criteria are site features that constitute or contribute to the methods classify it according to the surface morphology, gross external aspects of the peatland . Landform units at the that is, elevation, relief, and topography expressed in or- class level exhibit significant differences in surface mor- ganic terrain. Still other systems describe organic terrain phology, nutrient and moisture regimes, drainage regimes, in terms of water chemistry and hydrologic properties . Soil floristics, and soil type. scientists have also been studying organic terrain by char- Subclass and type . Landform classes are differentiated acterizing the physical, chemical, and morphological prop- into subclass chiefly according to the surface morphology erties of the peat materials in vertical section (Can. Dep. of the landform itself or of the confining basin . Further Agric. 1970). division at this level is the type. Types are also differentiated Classification of organic terrain on an ecological basis on the basis of surface morphology but show greater detail seems best suited to interpret developmental processes, and have a more closely defined range of morphological biological productivity, and capability for various uses. The properties . method used in this study, therefore, was to map both the The landform classification used in this study (Table 4) naturally occurring organic landforms and their associated has evolved from the work of Adams and Zoltai (1969) and vegetative and soil characteristics. The criteria used to Tarnocai (1970, 1974). Definitions of the organic landforms classify organic landforms are mainly morphological and are presented in Appendix 1. genetic. Data on the dominant vegetative communities characteristic of each organic landform supplement the landform descriptions in a manner similar to that used by Heinselman (1970). Finally, the various peat materials that criteria make up each landform are classified according to Table 4. Organic landform classification used in presented in The System of Soil Classification for Canada the Roseau River watershed (Can . Dep. Agric. 1970). Organic terrain develops in wetland areas that are Class Subclass Type characterized by humid climates and water-saturated conditions in which materials do not decompose as fast as they A. Bog 1 . Raised .l Domed build up in the form of peat. Large wetlands dominated by .2 Plateau are known as peatlands 2. Flat .1 Hummocky the buildup of organic deposits .2 Sinkhole (Heinselman 1963). The accumulation of peat, once started, .3 Conglomerate of the wetland, that may alter the physical characteristics 3 . Sloping .1 Hummocky groundwaters, is, its drainage conditions, nutrient status of Mesic influence the B. Fen 1 . Horizontal .1 and topography, and consequently further .2 Hydric factors affect the pro- development of vegetation. These 2. Patterned .1 Water track cesses within the peatland and result in differential rates of .2 String peat accumulation, topographic alignment of vegetation, .3 Wooded island and finally unique organic landforms with characteristic and fen complex morphology, vegetation, and soil type. 3. Floodplain .1 Mesic C. Swamp 1. Lowland .1 Hydric Organic landforms .2 Mesic In the Roseau River watershed, the kind and distribu- D. Marsh 1 . Catchment tion of organic landforms vary with climatic conditions, moisture regime, nutrient status of the groundwaters, and associated vegetation . Fifteen different landforms have been recognized in the watershed . The most important environmental factors that affect the distribution and kind of organic landforms have been described by Heinselman ORGANIC SOILS (1970). These factors are: Definition 1 . Location in the peatland with respect to mineral soil margins, substratum relief, and water sources Organic soils have developed dominantly from organic 2. Topography of the peat surface deposits that contain 30% by weight or more of organic 3 . Water levels and water movement matter and that have minimum depths of consolidated 4. Chemical properties of waters flowing into or out organic material as defined by The System of Soil Classifi- of the peatland cation for Canada (Can . Dep . Agric. 1970). Organic soils 5. Botanical origin, decomposition, and thickness of consist of organic residues accumulated from the cyclical peats growth and decay of hydrophytic vegetation common to 6. Natural vegetation marshes, swamps, fens, and bogs. The majority of organic soils are saturated for most of the year or are artificially Fen peat . The type of organic material classed as fen drained, but some are not saturated for more than a few peat develops in very wet fens influenced by minerotrophic days. groundwater . The vegetation of such sites is characteristic of sedges - aquatic mosses, sedges - aquatic mosses - dwarf Peat materials birch or willows, or aquatic mosses - sedges - bladderwort communities . Five main types of peat have been recognized in the Roseau River watershed . These peats, which are the parent This peat is usually moderately well decomposed, or materials of organic soils in the area, are sphagnum peat, mesic, dark brown to very dark brown, and fine to medium forest peat, forest-fen peat, fen peat, and aquatic peat. fibered with a horizontally matted or layered structure. Each kind develops under distinct ecological conditions More decomposed fen peat is very dark brown to black, largely governed by climate, physiography, chemistry of compacted, and fine fibered to amorphous. In many soils the surface layer (20 30 cm) is fibrous and well preserved ; the groundwater, and nature of underlying or surrounding to mineral soil materials . decomposition is greater at lower depths . Moderately well well Sphagnum peat. Sphagnum peat forms on very wet decomposed fen peat is nonsticky to slightly sticky; the ombrotrophic or nutrient-poor sites, which are isolated decomposed, or humic, material is slightly sticky. Unrub- from mineral-influenced groundwater . This type of peat bed fiber content of mesic fen peat is about 40 to 60%, occurs under open stands of stunted black spruce and decreasing to 20 to 40% when rubbed. More decomposed tamarack (black spruce - sphagnum mosses - Labrador-tea material usually has an unrubbed fiber content of less than or pure sphagnum mosses - Labrador-tea communities) . 30% and a rubbed fiber content of less than 10% . Fen peat The main peat source in these communities is sphagnum is usually moderately acid to neutral (pH 5.6 to 7.3). The moderately well decomposed material is fairly dense, with mosses, with smaller components of feathermosses and a bulk density . The stems and leaves of ericaceous shrubs . It may contain usually greater than 0.1 g/cm3 more woody intrusive material such as roots and stems of black decomposed material has greater density and compaction, with spruce. a bulk density usually greater than 0.2 g/cm3. Sphagnum peat is usually found in a fibric, or well- Aquatic peat. Aquatic peat occurs as basal layers in deep basins and originates in lakes or ponds The material preserved condition . It is usually light yellowish brown to . very pale brown in color, louse and spongy in consistency, is usually finely divided but poorly decomposed, amorphous, black, fairly dense, and compacted . Aquatic include and contains easily recognizable, whole sphagnum plants. peats all At lower depths, sphagnum peat becomes a reddish yellow the aquatic oozes and peats such as gyttja, sedimentary and to dark brown, compacted, horizontally layered, fibric ma- peat, copropel . terial . It usually has an unrubbed fiber content of 95%, which decreases to about 80% when rubbed . It is usually Classification extremely acid (pH less than 4.5). Bulk density values are The Organic soil classification as outlined in The Sys- usually less than 0.1 g/cm3. tem of Soil Classification for Canada (Can . Dep . Agric. Forest peat. The type of organic material recognized 1970) was used to classify the organic soils of the Roseau as forest peat usually forms on slightly better drained min- River watershed into great groups, subgroups, families, and erotrophic, or nutrient-rich, !,ites on the slopes of bogs, near series (Table 5) . Organic soil classification is based chiefly or at mineral soil boundaries . It usually occurs under pro- on the interrelationships of the main organic peat materials ductive stands of black spruce (black spruce - feathermoss ; within an arbitrarily selected control section, their depth black spruce - Labrador-tea -- mixed moss communities), or and degree of decomposition, and the texture of the under- forests of cedar or mixed cedar and black spruce. It is also lying mineral materials. The control section extends from found under less productive communities of black spruce, the surface to depths of 130 or 160 cm and is divided into tamarack, sedges, and mixed mosses . the surface, middle, and bottom tiers (Fig . 4) . If the under- Forest peat usually has a very dark brown to dark lying mineral materials occur below the middle tier, the reddish brown matrix and an amorphous to very fine fibered subgroup classification is based on the dominant kind of structure; it may have a somewhat layered macrostructure . peat material found in the middle tier ; if the mineral con- The nonsticky to slightly sticky material is interspersed at tact occurs in the middle tier, the classification is based on random with coarse to medium-sized woody fragments or the dominant peat material in the middle and surface tiers. particles from the roots, stems, and needles of black spruce The basic unit in the system of soil classification in and tamarack . There are often intrusive layers of larger Canada is the soil series . A soil series is defined as a nat- woody particles from the stems and roots of spruce and urally occurring soil body such that any soil profile within tamarack deposited as a result of cyclical fire history. the body has a similar number and arrangement of horizons Forest peat is usually raesic, with an unrubbed fiber or layers and whose color, texture, structure, consistence, content (particles less than 0.15 mm) of about 60%, which thickness, reaction, and composition, or a combination of decreases to about 25% when rubbed . Some forest peats these, are within a narrowly defined range. associated with cedar vegetation are well decomposed, or Organic soils are classified at the series level according humic. These materials are u3ually base saturated and mod- to the characteristics that are considered to have most in- erately acid to neutral (pH 5 .9 to 7.3), The matrix is fairly fluence on capability and use for various purposes . The dense throughout ; the bulk density is usually greater than following characteristics were used to recognize and differ- 0.1 g/cm3 and becomes greater as the depth increases . entiate individual soils at the series level. Forest-fen peat (woody-fen peat). Forest-fen peat 1 . The dominant or subdominant kinds of organic forms on very wet, weakly minerotrophic sites that support peat materials, or both, within the control section tamarack-fen vegetation (tainarack - sedges - mixed moss 2. The degree of decomposition of the organic ma- communities) . terials The matrix of the material is usually moderately well 3 . The depth of organic materials overlying mineral decomposed and has a fine, fibered, felt-like appearance . or bedrock substrates Wood content is usually intermediate between that of forest 4. The texture of the underlying mineral materials peat and fen peat. 5. The soil climate (thermal regime) Table 5. Classification of the organic soils as mapped in the Roseau River watershed according to The System of'Soil Classi- fication for Canada (1970)

Order Great group Subgroup Soil family Series

Organic soils Fibrisol Sphagno-Fibrisol Soils developed dominantly Organic soils with a domi- Fibrisols with uniform fibric Sphagnic, dysic, Julius from organic deposits that are nantly fibric middle tier, or organic matter derived cold, aquic saturated for most of the year, middle and surface tiers dominantly from sphagnum and contain 30% or more of if a terric, lithic, or hydric mosses throughout the middle organic matter to : contact occurs in the and bottom tiers. They lack 1 . a depth of at least 60 cm middle tier. mesic or humic subdominant surface layer consists layers . They lack terric, lithic, if the hydric, cryic, cumulo, or limno dominantly of fibric moss ; or layers in the control section . 2. to a depth of at least 40 cm for other kinds or mixed Mesic frbrisol kinds of organic material ; or Fibrisols with a dominantly Sphagnic, dysic, Whithorn 3. to a lithic contact if it fibric middle tier and a sub- cold, aquic occurs at a depth greater dominant mesic layer thicker than 10 cm but less than than 25 cm in the middle or in either 40 or 60 cm the bottom tier. Other layers are absent . Mesisol Typic rnesisol Organic soils with a domi- Mesisols with dominantly Mesic, euic, Baynham nantly mesic middle tier, mesic material throughout the cold, aquic Macawber or middle and surface tiers middle and bottom tiers. The Stead if a terric, lithic, or hydric control section lacks any terric, contact occurs in the lithic, hydric, cumulo, or Sphagnic, euic, Katimik middle tier. limno layers . cold, aquic Waskwei Santon Hydric mesisol Mesisols with a hydric layer Mesic, euic, Overflowing in the middle or bottom tier. cold, aquic Cumulo, fibric, humic, or limno layers may be present . Terric rnesisol Mesisols with a terric layer Mesic, euic, Cayer beneath the surface tier . cold, aquic, Okno Cumulo or limno layers may clayey be present but other layers are absent . Sphagnic, euic, Orok cold, aquic, Howell clayey

Mesic, euic, Shelley cold, aquic, Murray Hill loamy Summer- berry Cantyre

Mesic, euic, Rat River cold, aquic, Kircro sandy Sturgeon Gill

Mesic, euic, Crane cold, aquic, Halcrow loamy-skeletal Grindstone Lamb Lake

Harmisol Typic hrintisol Organic soils with a Humisols with dominantly Humic, euic, Buffalo Bay dominantly humic middle humic material throughout the cold, aquic tier or middle and surface middle and bottom tiers. The tiers if a terric, lithic, or control section lacks any hydric contact occurs in terric, lithic, cryic, cumulo, the middle tier. limno, or hydric layers . Table 5. - Concluded

Order Great group Subgroup Soil family Series

Organic soils (cont'd) Hr.imisol (cont'd) Terric humisol Humisols with a terric layer Humic, euic, South beneath the surface tier. cold, aquic, Junction Cumulo or limno layers may clayey be present but other layers are absent . Humic, euic, Haute cold, aquic, loamy

Humic, euic, Reed River cold, aquic, sandy

Humic, euic, Mud Lake cold, aquic, loamy-skeletal

Mineral Soil I Organic Soil I Mineral Soil I

Orthic I peaty I Terric ~ Typic I Terric I peaty I Orthic I In Cm I phase I ~ ~ I phase ~ I Cm In

Surtace Tier

^ 30 12

- 40 16

Middle Tier

- 90 36

Bottom Tier

- 130 52

Fig. 4. A diagrammatic reprl:sentation of depth relationships of tiers and control sections of Typic, Cryic, and Terric subgroups of organic and mineral soils as presented in The System of Soil Classification for Canada, revised edition, 1974

10 Organic soil series may be divided into phases, to in- 5. Topography of the peatland dicate more closely the properties that may be significant 6. Depth of organic materials to the underlying min- to man's use or management of organic terrain . Soil phases eral strata indicating depth to the substrates in Terric and Lithic sub- 7. Nature of underlying mineral materials groups, conditions of hummocky microrelief caused by The field information was plotted on panchromatic black burnouts, and areas of improved drainage were used in and white aerial photographs at a scale of 1 :15,840 and mapping the organic soils in the Roseau River watershed . transferred to a map manuscript at a scale of 1 :63,360 Soil series and soil phases are three-dimensional bodies (1 in. equals 1 mile). that occupy a geographical place in the landscape. Because soil is a continuum, there are often no sharp boundaries DESCRIPTION OF SOIL SERIES AND between series . However, we need to identify, sample, and MAPPING UNITS describe these bodies so their properties can be compared The classification of the organic soils in the Roseau and predictions can be made about their use and manage- River watershed and their relationship to organic landforms ment. Therefore, limits have been placed on the variations and vegetation types are presented in Table 6. Forty-five allowed in the characteristics that differentiate these bodies . soil separations have been recognized and mapped at the series or phases The limits are broad enough so that the series and phase level. The organic soil series and associated because cover areas sufficiently large to be mapped . Usually, poorly drained mineral soils are described in alphabetical to time and mapping scale are restricted, it is impractical order, with a general description of the profile type, organic . draw exact boundaries between one soil series and another parent material, and associated vegetation and landform Consequently, each delineated area may contain a small characteristics. Detailed vegetation descriptions, landform proportion (less than 15%) of other soil series . It can be characteristics, and morphological, chemical, and physical a taxonomic unit is seen that the concept of a soil series as data are presented for representative soil series . Abbrevia- related to, but is not exactly the same as, the soil body tions and symbols used in cross section diagrams and soil delineated on a map. descriptions are defined in Appendix II; complete scientific Organic terrain often has a complex pattern of land- names for vegetative cover are given in Table A111:2 of short dis- forms and large variations in soil properties over Appendix 111. Estimates of the area covered by the soil occur tances . In such terrain, two or more soil series often series have been summarized for each peatland and sub- in such an intricate mixture that it is not practical to show basin within the watershed (Table 7). them separately on the map. Such mixtures of soils in the Roseau River watershed are shown as one mapping unit Balmoral, peaty phase (487 ha) and called a soil complex. The proportion of each soil series in a complex is indicated on the soil map in deciles. The Balmoral soils are Carbonated Rego Humic Gley- sols developed on very strongly to extremely calcareous, Soil mapping moderately fine textured lacustrine deposits. These poorly drained soils are dominantly clay loam to silty clay loam in divided into The part of the watershed in Manitoba was texture and usually have a very thin layer (15 to 40 cm) of taken subbasins on the basis of relief and elevation data mesic fen peat on the surface. They occur in association 1 :50,000 from available topographic maps. The maps were with shallow organic soils of the Murray Hill series and are sectional sheets from the National Topographic Series of found on horizontal fens near the margins of the Sundown (1962) the Winnipeg (62H) (1958-67) and Kenora (52E) peatland . Topography of these areas is level to depressional . River Val- areas, and the map of Upper Portion of Roseau Runoff is very slow and permeability is moderately slow. ley, Manitoba, Sheets 1, 2, and 3, prepared for the Inter- national Joint Commission in 1929. The existing soil maps Baynham (4318 ha) and reports were used to delineate the location and extent of the main areas of organic soils in each subbasin of the The Baynham series consists of Typic Mesisols devel- watershed (Ehrlich et al. 1953 ; Smith et al. 1964). These oped on deep deposits of mesic forest peat underlain usually areas are designated as peatlands and provide a format for by clayey lacustrine deposits, but textures of the underlying discussion of the problems and difficulties of reclamation materials may range from sand to clay. The soils are com- for agricultural use, as well as their potential capability for monly associated with fiat and sloping bogs near the mineral agriculture after reclamation. margins of peatlands, and occur mainly in the eastern Field work was carried out between July and October, forested part of the watershed. Microtopography is some- soils 1972, and completed from June to August, 1973. Ground what hummocky and the drainage is poor. Baynham control was restricted to cut survey lines and winter roads are characterized by bog vegetation of black spruce in as- in the forested part of the watershed; open treeless areas sociation with Labrador-tea and mixed mosses, or with were surveyed on a more systematic grid system. A J-5 feathermosses as the dominant ground cover. bombardier tracked vehicle was used for transportation . The site characteristics under which soils of the Bayn- The soils were examined at frequent intervals on the tra- ham series occur are shown in Figs. 5 and 6 ; analyses of verses, and the frequency was determined by soil variability two representative Baynham soils are given in Tables 8 in the area. Inaccessible parts of the peatlands were mapped and 9. by extrapolation from the areas through which traverses had been made. During the field studies, the following information was collected for each peatland : 1 . Characterization of the dominant organic soil series or complexes and delineation of their areal extent 2. Vegetative characteristics associated with each soil and organic landform 3. Drainage characteristics of the peatland 4. Chemistry of the surface waters Table 6. Landform, vegetation, and soil relationships of the peatlands in the Roseau River watershed

Soil classification

Nutrient Soil series underlain by : status Landform Soil Undifferen- and water profile tiated Lacustrine deposits Till source Class Subclass Type Dominant vegetation Drainage Parent material type deposits Clayey Loamy Sandy Loamy A. Bog 1 . Raised .1 Domed 1 . Black spruce - Imperfect Deep (> 160 cm) o sphagnum mosses - to poor organic soils con- Labrador-tea sisting of: 2 Ploro~,~ ~_ R1~~4 ~ ....~o... ol rh7,4 _ _Y '-' Very-.~ _ _Y....d...... sphagnum mosses - ~ (> 128 cm) fibric Fibrisol (J) O lichens - Labrador-tea sphagnum peat 3. Sphagnum mosses - b) Thick (90-128 cm) Mesic Whithom Labrador-tea fibric sphagnum Fibrisol (Wh) peat overlying mesic forest or fen peat, or both c) Thin (60-90 cm) Typic Santon fibric sphagnum Mesisol, (Sn) peat overlying sphagnic mesic forest or phase fen peat or both 2. Flat .1 Hummocky 4. Black spruce - Poor Deep (>130 cm) Labrador-tea - organic soils mixed mosses consisting of: .2 Sinkhole 5. Black spruce - a) Very thin Typic Waskwei feathermosses (15-60 cm) fibric Mesisol, (Wk) .3 Conglomer- 4. Black spruce - sphagnum peat sphagnic ate Labrador-tea - overlying mesic phase & mixed mosses forest peat 6. Sedges - aquatic b) Mesic forest Typic Baynham mosses peat Mesisol (Bm) 3 . Sloping .1 Hummocky 4. Black spruce - Poor Shallow (40-130 cm) Labrador-tea - organic soils . mixed mosses consisting of: 5. Black spruce - a) Very thin Terric feathermosses (15-60 cm) fibric Mesisol, Orok Lamb sphagnum peat sphagnic (Or) Lake overlying mesic phase (Lb) forest peat b) Mesic forest Terric Okno Shelley Rat Grindstone peat Mesisol (Ok) (Sh) River (Gd) (Rr) B. Fen 1. Horizontal .1 Mesic 6. Sedges - aquatic Poor to Deep (> 130 cm) o mosses very poor organic soils 7. Sedges - aquatic consisting of: mosses - swamp a) Mesic fen peat Typic Stead Macawber birch Mesisol (Sd) (Mc) .2 Hydric 8. Aquatic mosses - b) Mesic fen peat Hydric Overflowing sedges - with a hydric Mesisol (Ov) bladderwort layer between 40 and 130 cm Shallow (40-130 cm) organic soils consisting of: a) Mesic fen peat Terric Cayer Murray Kircro Crane Mesisol (Ca) Hill (Kc) (Cr) (Mh) 2. Patterned .1 Water track 6. Sedges - aquatic Very poor Deep (> 130 cm) mosses organic soils .2 String 6. Sedges - aquatic consisting of : mosses in flarks a) Mesic fen peat Hydric Overflowing & (wet hollows) with a hydric Mesisol (Ov) 7. Sedges - mixed layer between mosses - tamarack on 40 and 130 cm strange (bog ridges) .3 Wooded 6. Sedges - aquatic Poorto b) Mesic fen peat Typic Stead island and & mosses in open fens very poor Mesisol (Sd) fen complex 4. Black spruce - (fen) feathermosses in c) Islands of very Typic Waskwei islands thin (15-60 cm) Mesisol, (Wk) sphagnum peat sphagnic overlying mesic phase forest peat (island) 3 . Floodplain .1 Mesic 6. Sedges - aquatic Poorto Shallow (40-130 cm) Cumulo Summer- mosses very poor organic soils Mesisol berry 7. Sedges - aquatic consisting of (Sm) mosses - swamp alternating layers birch of loamy alluvial materials and mesic fen peat C. Swamp 1. Lowland .1 Hydric 9. Tamarack - sedges Very Deep (> 130 cm) mixed mosses - poor organic soils swamp birch consisting of: a) very thin Typic Katimik (15-60 cm) Mesisol, (Kt) sphagnum or sphagnic forest peat phase overlying forest- fen and fen peat Shallow (40-130 cm) organic soils consisting of: a) Very thin Terric Howell Cantyre Sturgeon Halcrow (15-60 cm) Mesisol, (Hw) (Ct) Gill (Hc) sphagnum or sphagnic ' (St) forest peat phase overlying forest- fen and fen peat .2 Mesic 10 . Cedar - mixed Poor Deep (> 130 cm) mosses - black organic soils spruce - tamarack consisting of: a) Mesic to humic Typic Buffalo Bay forest peat Humisol (Bb) Shallow (40-130 cm) organic soils consisting of : a) Mesic to humic Terric South Haute Reed Mud Lake forest peat Humisol Junction (Ha) River (Mu) (Si) (Re) D. Marsh 1 . Catchment 11 . Sedges - cattail - Very Organic and mineral Rego Marsh reed grass poor deposits ; varies from Gleysol Complex well decomposed (Ms) aquatic peat to mineral soils Table 7. Estimated areas of organic soils and associated poorly drained mineral soils in the Roseau River watershed

Caliento and Stuartburn- Pine Creek Caribou Sprague subbasin subbasin subbasins m a ~s ~s a ~ a g v ,~,~ ~ g g w av v ~v ~ o o b w b ~ .y CQ'V V ~ o Lt Percent- y ~ rea age of ame ap symbol ~a v°~ti°a' ~nii ao. v~a Ua ~a (ha) area Balmoral, peaty phase Ba(P) 481 .6 481 .6 1 .06 Baynham Bm 105.2 1048.0 1200 .0 1338.0 626 .4 4317 .6 9.56 Berry Island By 127.2 127.2 0.27 Berry Island, peaty phase By(P) 1345 .6 1345.6 2.95 Buffalo Bay Bb 811.2 73.6 1184 .0 2068 .8 4.58 Cantyre Ct 18.4 18 .4 0.04 Cayer Ca 81 .6 386.8 468.4 1.03 Crane Cr 811 .2 263 .2 1074.4 2.36 Foley Fo 206 .4 206 .4 0.45 Foley, peaty phase Fo(P) 214.0 20.0 234 .0 0.51 Grindstone Gd 1415.6 155 .2 1570.8 3.44 Grindstone, shallow phase Gdsp 826.4 826.4 1.82 Halcrow Hc 44.8 42.0 86 .8 0.15 Haute Ha 44.8 23.6 450 .0 518 .4 1 .14 Howell Hw 131.6 131 .6 0.27 Julius 1 83 .6 39.6 123.2 0.25 Katimik Kt 1022 .0 1286.4 105 .6 1197 .6 3611.6 7.96 Katimik, drained phase Kt(d) 466 .0 466 .0 1.02 Kircro Kc 63.2 34.4 250 .8 676 .8 340 .8 1366.0 3.01 Kircro, burnout phase Kc(b) 106.0 106.0 0.22 Lamb Lake Lb 52.8 52.8 0.11 Macawber Mc 76 .4 830 .0 906 .4 2.06 Malonton Mn 456 .4 456 .4 1 .00 Malonton, peaty phase Mn(P) 83 .2 87.2 192.0 18.4 396 .0 358.0 1134 .8 2.50 Marsh Complex Ms 115.6 115 .6 0.25 Meleb, peaty phase Ml(P) 507.2 5.2 370.8 526.8 1410.0 3.10 Mud Lake Mu 263.6 18.4 282.0 0.61 Murray Hill Mh 1512.4 1512.4 3.33 Murray Hill, burnout phase Mh(b) 68.4 68.4 0.14 Okno Ok 139.6 610.8 1677 .6 924 .0 247.6 3599 .6 8.03 Orok Or 634 .4 368.8 1003.2 2.21 Overflowing Ov 1061 .2 74.0 937.2 2072.4 4.59 Rat River Rr 139.2 968.0 545.2 602 .8 400 .4 2655 .6 5.83 Reed River Re 136.8 158 .0 342.0 636.8 1.49 Santon Sn 663.6 176.4 272.0 1112.0 2.59 Shelley Sh 420.8 73.6 326.8 821 .2 1 .81 South Junction Si 677.2 711.2 80.0 424 .0 1892.4 4.18 Sprague, peaty phase Sr(P) 108 .4 108.4 0.23 Stead Sd 94.8 516.4 2208 .0 55 .2 2874 .4 6.40 Sturgeon Gill St 106.8 168.4 275.2 0.65 Summerberry Sm 136 .8 589.6 86 .8 88.4 901.6 2.18 Sundown Su 76.4 76.4 0.16 Sundown, peaty phase SUM 18 .4 50.0 68.4 0.14 Waskwei Wk 490 .8 644.8 321.2 405.2 1862.0 4.12 Whithorn Wh 56.0 36.4 92.4 0.20

Total Peatland 3856.0 8206.0 9148 .8 4273 .6 14489.2 2875 .6 2290 .8 45140.0 100.00 area (ha) Subbasin 21210.8 18762.8 5166.4 BAYNHAM SOIL SERIES Ve,t!clative characteristics PROFILE P21 Type : Black spruce - Labrador-tea - mixed moss cedar Typic Mesisol Canopy : Black spruce 12 m x '_''_' cm, eastern white Pine Creek subbasin, Pine Creek peatland 6-7 m x 17 cm wild Location NW 1/4 3-I-12E Ground cover : Labrador-tea, twinflower, bunchberry, lily-of-the-valley, three-leaved Solomon's-seal, water arum, bog Site characteristics cranberry, sphagnum mosses, sedges Physiography : very gently sloping areas near peatland margin Landform : hummocky sloping bog BAYNHAM SOIL SERIES Microrelief : Hummocky, many small pools with water table PROFILE SJ806 20-30 cm below peat surface Typic Mesisol Sprague subbasin, South Junction peatland Location NW I/415-1-13E

Site characteristics Physiography : gently sloping organic terrain nearly enclosed by mineral uplands on all sides Landform : hummocky flat bog Microrelief : pronounced hummocks of mixed mosses and intervening bog pools

Fig. 5. Aerial photograph showing location of Baynham soil series, Profile P21

Soil characteristics Parent material : shallow, moderately well decomposed forest peat overlying deep, well decomposed forest peat ; underlain by fine to medium textured lacustrine deposits Fig. 7. Aerial photograph showing location of Baynham soil series, Profile SJ80b

Soil characteristics Parent material : deep, moderately well decomposed forest peat underlain by coarse textured lacustrine sediments

Flat bog Lowland swornp-

cm 0 80b f 69 100 m

Fig. 6. Cross section of Baynham soil series, Profile P21 200

300 7701M,0o TI Groundwater characteristics Sand Poorly drained ; site receives strongly minerotrophic waters from adjacent upland 5 km Analysis : pH 8 .1 ; conductivity 0.3 mmhos/cm ; cations Ca 39 .0 ppm, Mg 8.5 ppm, Ca + Mg 47 .5 ppm Fig. 8. Cross section of Baynham soil series, Profile SJ80b

15 Groundwater characteristics Poorly drained; water table b~:tween 10 and 20 cm; groundwater derived from adjacent uplands and from precipitation ; weakly minerotrophic Analysis: pH 7.6 : conductivity 0.2 mmhos/cm ; cations Ca 22.0 ppm, Mg 5.8 ppm, Ca + Mg 27.8 Vegetative characteristics Type : Black spruce - Labrador-tea - mixed moss Canopy : Black spruce 6-9 m x 12 cm, tamarack 6 m x 10 cm Understory : scrub birch, willows Ground cover: red-osier dogwood, Labrador-tea, bog-rosemary, dwarf raspberry, three-leaved Solomon's-seal, swamp cranberry, sphagnum mosses, feathermosses, sundew, wild lily- of-the-valley, buck-bean, pitct.erplant, northern green orchis

Table 8. Baynham soil series, Pine Creek peatland : morphological description and physical and chemical analyses of a representative profile (P21)

Soil series: Baynham Parent material : Deep mesic forest peat overlying fine textured lacustrine deposits Subgroup : Typic Mesisol Profile no. : P21

Morphological description

Fiber content (%) Color, wet Depth Bound . Consis- Horizon (cm) ary Kind of fiber Undist. Rubbed Natural Pressed Rubbed Structure tence Of 0-15 aw feathermosses 84 32 wso Oml 15-22 forest - - l0YR 2/1 lOYR 2/2 5YR 2/1 vf Fi-0, low wood wss 22-70 cs forest 64 4 l0YR 2/1 l0YR 2/2 5YR 2/1 vf Fi, 1 f layer, low wood, 0 wss 70-140 as forest 50 6 l0YR 2/1 moist l0YR 2.5/2 5YR 2/1 vf Fi , 1 f layer & low wood, 0 wss 2.5Y 3 .5/0

Physical and chemical analyses

Exchange analysis (meq/100 g) Pyro- Bulk Depth Tex- CaC0, Org . C N C:N phos . Ash density Horizon (cm) ture (°~o) pH (%) (%) ratio Ca Mg K Na H CEC (%) (%) (g/cm3) Of 0-15 4.5 49 .4 1 .0 47.5 31 .8 10.6 6.4 0.4 27.1 76.2 11 .6 15.5 - Om1 15-22 7 .4 40.7 2 .0 20.5 123.2 39 .9 0.7 0.2 - 16 3 .9 - - 0.16 Om2 22-70 6.6 49.1 1 .7 29.2 155.3 63 .6 0.2 0.2 4.9 224.2 53.9 22.2 0.17 Om3 70-140 6.2 53.4 1 .5 36.8 156.8 64.2 0.1 0.2 9.7 231 .0 35.0 17.6 0.16 IICkg 140+ C-L 22.6 7.9 1 .1 0.1 13 .6

Berry Island (127 ha) Buffalo Bay (2069 ha) The Berry Island soils are poorly drained Carbonated The Buffalo Bay soils are poorly drained Typic Hu- Rego Humic Gleysols developed on thin, stratified, strongly misols developed on deep deposits (more than 130 cm) of calcareous sand and gravel deposits overlying medium tex- mesic to humic forest peat. They overlie lacustrine sedi- tured glacial till . A very thin (less than 15 cm) surface layer ments of various textures. The Buffalo Bay soils occur in of mesic to humic fen peat is underlain by a thin black Ah very gently sloping mesic swamp landforms in the eastern horizon . These soils occur mainly in horizontal fens of the parts of the watershed ; they support vegetation common to Vita peatland in the western part of the watershed. Topog- bogs throughout the area, as well as many herbaceous raphy is level to depressional and runoff is very slow. Per- species typical of better drained upland sites. Undisturbed meability is rapid in the surface materials but is impeded at sites are characterized by eastern white cedar in various lower depths by the underlying till . Vegetation is dominant- proportions with black spruce and tamarack . Detailed soil ly sedges and meadow grasses with local areas of reeds and and site characteristics of the Buffalo Bay series are shown rushes. in Figs. 9 and 10 and the characteristic vegetation is illustrated on the color plate facing page 22 . The morpholo- Berry Island, peaty phase (1346 ha) gical, physical, and chemical characteristics of the series are These soils differ from the normal Berry Island series detailed in Tables 10 to 12. in having thin (15 to 40 cm) surface layers of mesic to humic fen peat. Minor areas of Kircro or Crane soils may occur in association with Berry Island.

16 Table 9. Baynham soil series, South Junction peatland : morphological description and physical and chemical analyses of a representative profile (SJ80b)

Soil series : Baynham Parent material : Deep deposits of moderately well decomposed forest peat Subgroup : Typic Mesisol Profile no. : SJ80b

Morphological description

Fiber content Color, wet Depth Bound- (%) Consis- Horizon (cm) ary Kind of fiber Undist. Rubbed Natural Pressed Rubbed Structure tence Oft 0-10 mixed mosses 94 62 lOYR 4/3 10YR 7/3 10YR 5/4 m-f Fi, low wood wso Of2 10-20 mixed mosses 62 14 5YR 2/1 .5 10YR 3I2 10YR 2/2 vf-f Fi, low wood wss Om 20-140 forest 58 8 5YR 3/3-2/2 5YR 4/4 5YR 2/2 vf Fi, mod . to high wood wss Oh 140-310 forest-fen 54 2 5YR 2/2 7.5YR 3/2 5YR 2/2 vf Fi-0 wvs IiAhg 310-320 2 .5Y 2/0 (m) 0 ws IICkg 320+ 5Y 5/1 (m) 0 wss

Physical and chemical analyses Exchange analysis (meq/100 g) Pyro- Bulk Depth Tex- CaC0, Org. C N C :N phos . Ash density Horizon (cm) ture (%) pH (%) (%) ratio Ca Mg K Na H CEC (%) (%) (g/ cm3) Oft 0-10 3.8 55.0 1 .0 52.9 39.9 18 .7 3 .6 1 .0 35 .0 98 .2 5.5 9.2 - Of2 10-20 7.1 47.2 1 .4 33 .9 100.5 30.3 0.7 0.6 - 132.1 14.1 21 .4 - Om 20-140 6.7 54.4 1 .7 32 .7 121 .2 32.3 0.2 0.4 18 .5 172.6 18.3 13 .1 0.08 Oh 140-310 7.1 57.5 2.0 29.5 180.8 28.3 0.2 0.4 - 209.6 23.2 17.5 0.13 IIAhg 310-320 FSL 1 .9 7.2 28.7 2 .2 12.9 ------85.9 - I1Ckg 320+ LVFS 8.3 8.1 1 .4 0.0 45 .0 ------98.1 -

Table 10. Buffalo Bay soil series, Sundown peatland: morphological description and physical and chemical analyses of a representative profile (Su79)

Soil series : Buffalo Bay Parent material : Mesic to humic forest peat overlying medium textured Subgroup : Typic Humisol lacustrine sediments Profile no. : Su79

Morphological description Fiber content Depth Bound- (%) Color, wet Consis- Horizon (cm) ary Kind of fiber Undist . Rubbed Natural Pressed Rubbed Structure tence Of 0-25 aw mixed mosses 80 16 5YR 3/3 5YR 4/2 5YR 3/3 f-vf Fi, low nonwoody wso Oh l 25-75 aw forest 46 8 2.5YR 2/2 7.5YR 3.5/2 2.5Y 2 2'2 vf Fi-0, mod. wood wss Oh2 75-160 cs forest 58 8 10YR 2.5/2 10YR 3.5/3 10YR s.5/2 vf Fi-0, low wood wss Oh3 160-210 as fen 38 4 10YR 3/2 10YR 3.5/2 .5 10YR 3/2 vf Fi, felty, nonwoody wso IICkg 210+ 5Y 5/1 (m)

Physical and chemical analyses Exchange analysis (meq/100 g) Pyro- Bulk Depth Tex- CaC0, Org . C N C :N phos. Ash density Horizon (cm) ture (%) pH (%) (%) ratio Ca Mg K Na H CEC (%) (%) (g/cm3) Oft 0-25 7.0 52.4 1.6 32 .2 116 .4 23.0 1 .7 0.2 - 141 .3 37.8 18 .5 0.14 Ohl 25-75 6.5 55.4 2.0 27.3 178.2 68.7 0.2 0.1 8.5 255 .6 46 .2 16.6 0.15 Oh2 75-160 6.1 53.7 2.2 24.0 127.5 55.4 0.1 0.1 13.2 196.3 20.1 13 .3 0.16 OW 160-210 6.0 51 .2 2.7 19 .3 109.1 27.9 0 .1 0.1 12 .8 150 .0 50.2 24 .1 0.17 IICkg 210+ SL 6.6 3.9 ------BUFFALO BAY SOIL SERIES Vegetative characteristics PROFILE Su79 Type : Cedar - mixed moss - black spruce - tamarack Typic Humisol Canopy : tamarack 8 m X 7-10 cm, eastern while cedar 5 m X Pine Creek subbasin, Sundown peatland 7-15 cm Location NW 1/4 8-I-11 E Ground cover: Labrador-tea, pitcherplant, wild lily-of-the- valley, swamp cranberry, twinflower, bunchberry, sedges, fire- Site characteristics weed, three-leaved Solomon's-seal, sphagnum mosses, feather- Physiography : very gently sloping to level in central part of mosses, Bishop's-cap, glaucous grass-of-Parnassus peatland Landform : mesic lowland swamp Microrelief: mossy hummocks with abundant saturated microdepressions and water pools: water table about 15-30 cm below peat surface

.14g . 9. Aerial photograph showing location of Buffalo Bay soil series, Profile Su79

Soil characteristics Parent material : moderately well to well decomposed forest peat overlying a thin layer of mesic fen peat ; underlain by medium textured lacustrine sediments

Lowland swamp - Mesic * Hydric

cm g 0 Of _ _

oh I 100 I 200

Loam Oh

0 5 km

Fig. 10. Cross section of Buffalo Bay soil series, Profilc Su79

Groundwater characteristics Poorly to very poorly drained : site receives laterally flowing minerotrophic waters from a small creek in the landform Analysis : pH 7.6; conductivity 0.3 mmhos/cm ; cations Ca 40.6 ppm, Mg 7.1 ppm, Ca + Mg 47.7 ppm Table 11. Buffalo Bay soil series, South Junction peatland : morphological description and physical and chemical analyses of a representative profile (SJ77)

Soil series : Buffalo Bay Parent material : Deep mesic to humic forest peat over fen peat, underlain by Subgroup : Typic Humisol moderately fine textured lacustrine sediments Profile no.: SJ77 Location : South Junction peatland, NE 1/4 3-2-13

Morphological description Fiber content Color, wet Depth Bound- (%) Consis- Horizon (cm) ary Kind of fiber Undist. Rubbed Natural Pressed Rubbed Structure tence Of 0-25 mixed mosses 96 58 l0YR 2/2 l0YR 5/3 7.5YR 3/2 m-f Fi, low wood wso Ohl 25-50 forest 58 6 5YR 2/2 5YR 2.5/2 5YR 2/1 vf Fi-0, mod . wood ws Oh2 50-90 forest-fen 54 4 5YR 2/1 10YR 3/3 l0YR 2/2 vf Fi, low wood wss Oh3 90-220 fen 46 2 7.5YR 2/0 l0YR 3/2 7.5YR 2/0 vf Fi, low wood wss IICkg 220+ N4/(m) 0 wss

Physical and chemical analyses Exchange anal ysis (meq/100 g) Pyro- Bulk Depth Tex- CaC0, Org. C N C:N phos . Ash density Horizon (cm) ture (%) pH (%) (%) ratio Ca Mg K Na H CEC (%) (%) (g/cm3) Of 0-25 5.4 51 .7 1 .3 40 .4 77 .3 24.2 3.6 0.5 12.0 117.6 7.8 12 .0 - Ohl 25-50 6.3 52.5 1:8 28.5 187.9 32.3 0.3 0.4 13 .5 234.4 40.6 13 .5 - Oh2 50-90 6.2 59.0 2 .2 27.2 114 .1 22.2 0.1 0.4 15 .0 151.8 11 .8 8 .2 0.12 OW 90-220 6.2 58.3 2 .6 22.1 143 .4 24.7 0.1 0.4 8.0 176.6 32.6 10.1 0.17 IICkg 220+ CL 38.6 7.5 11.3 0.3 45 .0 ------81 .9 -

Table 12. Buffalo Bay soil series, Sundown peatland : morphological description and physical and chemical analyses of a representative profile (Su44)

Soil series : Buffalo Bay Parent material : Deep mesic to humic forest peat overlying fen peat, underlain Subgroup : Typic Humisol by fine textured lacustrine sediments Profile no. : Su44 Location: Sundown peatland, SE cor SE 1/4 35-10-1E

Morphological description Fiber content Color, wet Depth Bound- M Consis- Horizon (cm) ary Kind of fiber Undist. Rubbed Natural Pressed Rubbed Structure tence Om 1 0-80 cs forest, mixed mosses 24 12 l0YR 2/1 l0YR 3/2 l0YR 2/1 vf Fi, low wood wss Ohl 80-230 cs forest 54 6 l0YR 2/2 l0YR 3/3 10YR 2/2 vf Fi, mod . wood wss Oh2 230-280 cs fen 24 4 l0YR 2/1 5YR 3/3 l0YR 2/1 vf-f Fi, felty wss OW 280-300 cs forest 38 6 l0YR 2/1 5YR 2.5/2 10YR 2/1 .5 vf Fi-0, mod . wood wss Oh4 300-370 as fen 40 10 lOYR 2/1 l0YR 2.5/2 10YR 2.5/1 vf Fi, woody inclusions large wood chunks wss IICg 370+

Physical and chemical analyses Exchange analysis (meq/100 g) Pyro- Bulk Depth Tex- CaC0, Org . C N C:N phos. Ash density (cm) ture (%) pH (%) (%) ratio Ca Mg K Na H CEC (%) (%) (g/cm3) Oml 0-80 7.0 50.4 1 .3 39.1 168.3 42.6 0.3 0.0 15 .7 211 .2 25.3 21.1 0.14 Ohl 80-230 7.1 51 .4 3.3 15 .6 130.9 78.4 0.1 0.0 - 209 .4 12.5 22 .6 0.12 HorizonOh2 230-280 7.2 44.3 2.4 18 .7 108 .1 66.8 0.2 0.0 - 175.1 60.4 32 .7 0.13 Oh3 280-300 7 .1 45.5 1 .7 26.6 119.8 70.9 0.2 0.0 - 190.9 33 .0 33 .1 0.21 Oh4 300-370 7.2 47.5 1 .2 39.6 100.8 40.1 0.1 0.0 - 141.1 10 .2 34 .4 - IICg 370+ C Cantyre (18 ha) CAYER SOIL SERIES PROFILE Su33 The Cantyre series, which consists of Terric Mesisols, sphagnic phase, is developed on shallow (40 to 130 cm) fen Terric Mesisol Pine Creek subbasin, Sundown peatland or forest-fen transitional peat, underlain by medium tex- Location SE 1/4 14-1-10E tured lacustrine sediments within 130 cm of the surface. The soils usually have a very thin (15 to 60 cm) surface Site characteristics layer of fibric sphagnum peat. Physiography : level to depressional peat plain that occurs in The Cantyre soils occur in the Sundown peatland on large, unbroken expanses very poorly drained hydric lowland swamp landforms that Landform : mesic horizontal fen support open, stunted stands of tamarack with an under- Microrelief : featureless except for occasional drainage patterns story of swamp birch, leatherleaf, and mixed mosses in and small areas of open water: some burnouts which sphagnum species dominate . The soils are similar to the Howell soils, which differ only in the texture of the underlying mineral substrate, and to the Katimik soils, which differ only in the depth of organic peat accumulation .

Cayer (468 ha) The Cayer series consists of very poorly drained Terric Mesisols developed on shallow (40 to 130 cm) deposits of mesic fen peat. The surface layer of peat is usually fibric and a thin layer of humic fen or aquatic peat, or both, occur above the mineral substrate . Clayey textured lacustrine sediments with it thin, dark Ahg horizon occur within 130 cm of the surface. The Cayer soils occupy level to depressional mesic horizontal fen landforms, usually near the mineral margin of a peatland. Most of these soils are found in the nonforested peatlands in the western parts of the watershed . Vegetation is dominantly sedges and meadow grass with aquatic mosses ; a woody herbaceous cover of willows and dwarf birch occurs on better drained sites. The site and soil conditions associated with Cayer soils are indicated in Figs. 11 and 12 and analyses of a representative profile is given in Table 13.

Fig. 11 . Aerial photograph showing location of Cayer soil series, Profile Su33

Soil characteristics Parent material : moderately well to well decomposed herbaceous fen peat overlying a thin layer of well decomposed aquatic peat : fine textured lacustrine deposits occur 40--130 cm below the surface

cm 0

100

200

Fig. 12 . Cross section of Cayer soil series, Profile Su33

Groundwater characleristics

Ponded to very slowly flowing minerotrophic waters Analysis Su33 : pH 7.2 : conductivity 0.4 mmhos/cm : cations Ca 51 .4 ppm, Mg 10 .3 ppm, Ca + Mg 61 .7 ppm Analysis Su32 : pH 7.0 : conductivity 0.3 mmhos/cm ; cations Ca 34 .0 ppm, Mg 9.1 ppm, Ca + Mg 43 .1 ppm

20 Vegetative characteristics Type : sedges - aquatic mosses Understory : tamarack (burned stumps), dwarf birch Ground cover: sedges, horsetails, aquatic mosses, swamp lousewort, rush aster, chickweeds, feathermosses

Table 13. Cayer soil series, Sundown peatland: morphological description and physical and chemical analyses of a representative profile (Su33)

Soil series : Cayer Parent material : Shallow, moderately well to well decomposed herbaceous Subgroup : Terric Mesisol fen peat; fine textured lacustrine deposits 40-130 cm below Profile no. : Su33 the surface

Morphological description Fiber content Color, wet Depth Bound- (%) Consis- Horizon (cm) ary Kind of fiber Undist. Rubbed Natural Pressed Rubbed tence Of 0-30 as fen 50 14 l0YR 3/2 10YR 4/3 10YR 3/2 vf Fi, felty (matted) wso Oml 30-80 cs fen - - l0YR 3/2 l0YR 3/3 10YR 3/2 vf Fi, low wood, Structurefelty (matted) wso Om2 80-140 as fen 46 6 l0YR 2/2 10YR 2.5/2 l0YR 2/2 vf Fi, felty, low wood (matted) wso IICkg 140+ clay 2.5Y 4/0 (m)

Physical and chemical analyses Exchange analysis (meq/100 g) Pyro- Bulk Depth Tex- CaC03 Org . C N C :N phos. Ash density Horizon (cm) ture (%) pH (%) (%) ratio Ca Mg K Na H CEC (%) (%) (g/cm') Of 0-30 6.2 59.4 2.7 22.4 59.6 18 .7 0.3 0.3 7.6 86.4 14.1 12 .2 0.11 Oml 30-80 6.1 60.3 2.4 25 .5 91 .5 23.6 0.2 0.3 11 .8 127.3 13 .6 8.8 0.11 Om2 80-140 6.0 53 .0 2.6 20.6 90.5 35.2 0.1 0.2 12 .6 138.5 55.3 24 .1 0.16 1ICkg 140+ clay 17 .13 7.9 1.2 - -

Crane (1074 ha) series . These areas are level to very gently undulating, the local relief being caused by alluvial deposition from periodic very poorly drained or- The Crane series consists of flooding of the Roseau River. shallow deposits of mesic fen peat ganic soils developed on Native vegetation consists of sedges, reed grasses, and extremely calcareous, medium textured over very stony, willows. In slightly better drained areas, the with a thin fibric surface clumps of till . The soils are Terric Mesisols species are mixed stands of aspen and balsam dominantly mesic fen peat, which grades dominant layer underlain by poplar with some elm and maple. into more decomposed humic fen or aquatic peat above the begins 40 to 130 cm mineral substrate. The till substrate Foley, peaty phase (234 ha) below the surface . The Crane soils occupy level to depressional horizontal The peaty phase of Foley soils has a surface layer (15 fens in the western part of the watershed. They usually to 40 cm) of moderately well to well decomposed forest occur in areas of shallow peat accumulation near the peat- peat. The soils occur mainly in the South Junction peatland land margin, and are often associated with poorly drained in association with shallow organic deposits of the Shelley mineral soils of the Meleb series . Native vegetation on the series . They are found in flat bog landforms near the Crane soils is dominantly sedges and reed grass with some mineral margins of the peatland . willows and dwarf birch. Native vegetation consists of productive stands of The Crane soils are very similar to the Cayer soils and black spruce with an understory of ericaceous shrubs and differ only in that they have a mineral substrate of stony feathermosses . till rather than stone-free lacustrine clay. Grindstone (1571 ha) Foley (206 ha) The Grindstone series consists of poorly drained or- The Foley series consists of poorly drained Carbonated ganic soils developed on shallow deposits (40 to 130 cm) of Rego Humic Gleysols developed on extremely calcareous, moderately well to well decomposed forest peat . The soils medium textured lacustrine sediments . Surface textures are overlie very stony, extremely calcareous, medium textured very fine sandy loam and silt loam . These soils are found till within 130 cm of the surface . The Grindstone soils are in a floodplain fen along the Roseau River as it traverses Terric Mesisols composed dominantly of mesic forest peat, the Vita peatland . The Foley soils occur on slightly better which is usually slightly acidic and layered with woody logs drained areas beside the river levees and in association with and debris . Feathermosses, which are the dominant species more poorly drained Cumolo Mesisols of the Summerberry that form peat in these soils, decompose rapidly and more

21 completely than other materials and give the main soil The Halcrow soils are found on hydric lowland swamp material its very dark brown to black color. The soils are landforms, often as very poorly drained water tracks tra- very similar to those described in the Okno series, but differ versing a peatland . Native vegetation is nonproductive, open from them in that they have a mineral substrate of stony stands of tamarack with an understory of swamp birch, till rather than fine textured lacustrine material . leatherleaf, and mixed mosses dominated by sphagnum The Grindstone soils are found mainly in the central species . The sphagnum moss is usually discontinuous, and parts of the Moodie peatland on flat bog landforms . Native the actively growing areas occur as pillows and hummocks . vegetation is a productive black spruce forest with some The Halcrow soils have rough surface microrelief with tamarack, and an understory of ericaceous shrubs, includ- many pools of water between the raised hummock areas. ing Labrador-tea and leatherleaf, and feathermosses . They are similar to Howell soils, and differ only because Sphagnum species, however, occur on some very poorly they are underlain by stony till rather than fine textured drained, less productive sites. The soils developed under lacustrine sediments . this fibric sphagnum surface layer are Terric Mesisols, sphagnic phase (Lamb Lak e series), but they are limited in extent. Haute (518 ha) The Haute series consists of poorly drained organic Grindstone, shallow phase (1i26 ha) soils developed on shallow (40 to 130 cm) deposits of mesic Grindstone soils in which the stony till substrate occurs to humic forest peat. They overlie medium textured lacus- within 90 cm of the surface are mapped as Grindstone, trine sediments within 130 cm of the surface. These soils shallow phase. These Terric Mesisols are associated with are Terric Humisols that consist dominantly of well decom- poorly drained Carbonated Rego Humic Gleysols developed posed forest peat, which is usually slightly acid to neutral on extremely calcareous, mc dium textured till (Meleb, peaty and contains large amounts of logs and woody debris . phase). Soils of the Grindstone, shallow phase occur mainly Feathermosses and herbaceous plants, the dominant peat on flat bog and mesic swamp landforms at the margin of sources in these soils, are readily decomposed, particularly the Moodie peatland . These areas support productive here because of the slow but continuous percolation of stands of black spruce, cedar, and tamarack in their aerated, minerotrophic groundwaters . These well decom- natural state. Much of their vegetative cover has been posed peat materials are black to very dark brown and disturbed by logging. contain very little or no recognizable plant remains . A morphological description and physical and chem- The Haute soils occur on gently sloping mesic swamp ical analyses for a Grindstone, shallow phase soil are landforms in the eastern parts of the watershed . They are provided in Table 14. found at or near a mineral margin of a peatland where peat accumulation is shallow . Halcrow (87 ha) Native vegetation on the Haute soils consists of species The Halcrow series consists of very poorly drained common to bogs in the area as well as many herbaceous Terric Mesisols, sphagnic phase, developed on shallow (40 plants common to better drained mineral terrain . Undis- to 130 cm) mesic fen or forest-fen peat over stony, ex- turbed sites support eastern white cedar in varying propor- tremeiy calcareous, medium textured till. The surface of tions with black spruce and tamarack . The understory con- this soil usually consists of a very thin (15 to 60 cm) layer tains tall shrubs such as alders and swamp birch; the ground of fibric sphagnum peat.

Table 14. Grindstone, shallow phase soil series, Moodie peatland: morphological description and physical and chemical analyses of a representative profile (M17)

Soil series : Grindstone, shallow phase Parent material : Shallow, moderately well decomposed forest peat underlain by Subgroup : Terric Mesisol medium textured till Profile no. : M17 Location: Moodie peatland, SE cor 6-3-13 EPM

Morphological description

Fiber content (%) Color, wet Depth Bound- Consis- Horizon (cm) ary Kind of fiber Undist . Rubbed Natural Pressed Rubbed Structure tence Of1 0-5 aw sphagnum 98 56 l0YR 7/2 l0YR 7.5/2 l0YR 7/2 f Fi, fibrous wso Of2 5-20 as sphagnum, mixed mosses 88 22 l0YR 5/2 10 YR 6/3 l0YR 2.5/2 f Fi, mod . wood wso Om 20-82 as forest 56 6 10YR 2/2 l0YR 4/3 l0YR 2/2 vf Fi, low wood wss IICkg 82+ moist 5GY 6/1 +3/2 ws

Physical and chemical analyses

Exchange analysis (meq/ 100 g) Pyro- Bulk Depth Tex- CaC0, Org . C N C:N phos . Ash density Horizon (cm) ture (%) pH (%) (%) ratio Ca Mg K Na H CEC (%) (%) (g/cm3) Ofl 0-5 - 50.4 0.9 58.6 22.0 16.0 0.6 0.4 54.4 93 .3 3.3 6.4 Of2 5-20 6.8 48.8 1 .4 35.9 95 .8 41 .4 1.5 0.2 5 .1 143 .9 14 .4 20.9 0.16 Om 20-82 5 .8 49.3 1 .2 40 .4 109 .8 73.0 0.1 0.04 14.7 197 .6 38.0 18.1 0.07 IICkg 82+ SL till 33.7 7.5 0.5 -

22 cover consists of low herbaceous plants as well as some Grorardioaler c haractei istics ericaceous species and mixed mosses . Poorly drained: the highly minerotrophic waters are fed by run- A detailed description of the site conditions and soil off from adjacent upland ; springs occtu- in some areas characteristics of the Haute series are shown in Figs . 13 to Analysis : pH 8 .0 ; conductivity 0.4 mmhos/cm : cations Ca 60 .8 15 and described in Table 15 . Please note that the Haute ppm, Mg 10 .4 ppm, Ca + Mg 71 .2 ppm dominated by BulTalo soil sampled at P58 was in an area Vegetative characteristics Bay soils. Type : Cedar - mixed moss - black spruce - tamarack Canopy : black spruce I I m x 22 cm, eastern ~shite cedar 8 m HAUTE SOIL SERIES x 20 cm, tamarack I I m x 25 cm, balsam fir I I m x 20 cm PROFILE P58 Understory : alders, red-osier dogwood Terric Humisol Ground cover (low pool) : three-leaved Soloman's-seal, horse- Pine Creek subbasin, Pine Creek peatland tails, marsh-marigold, sweet-scented bedstraw, feathermosses, Location NE 1/4 21-1-12E sedges Ground cover (hummock) : Labrador-tea, dwarf raspberry, Site characteristics bog cranberry, swamp cranberry, wintergreens, round-leaved Physiography : very gently sloping areas near peatland margin orchis, sphagnum mosses Landform : mesic lowland swamp Microrelief: hummocky ; pronounced pillows of mixed moss alternating with deep pools; about 30 cm from top of hummock to depression

Profile P58 Fig. 13 . Aerial photograph showing location of Haute soil Fig. 15 . Typical vegetation of the Haute soil series, series, Profile P58

Soil characteristics Parent material : shallow, moderately well to well decomposed forest peat underlain by medium textured lacustrine deposits

Flat bog--~-Mesic lowland ------swamp

cm 0

_ _P29_ i ; loa Of ~ Sand 200 n' OhI Loam /

05 km

Fig. 14. Cross section of Haute soil series, Profile P58

23 Table 15. Haute soil series, Pine Creek peatland: morphological description and physical and chemical analyses of a representative profile (P58)

Soil series : Haute Parent material : Shallow, mesic to humic woody forest peat underlain Subgroup : Terric Humisol by medium textured lacustrine sediments Profile no. : P58

Morphological description

Fiber content (%) Color, wet Depth Bound- Consis- Horizon (cm) ary Kind of fiber Undist . Rubbed Natural Pressed Rubbed Structure tence Of 0-8 as mixed mosses, :'orest 72 32 5YR 2/1 l0YR 3/2 5YR 2/2 f-vf Fi wso OM 8-20 gw rorest 78 24 5YR 2/1 5YR 3/1 5YR 2/1 co Fi & 0, high wood wso Ohl 20-75 forest 62 12 5YR 3/2 7.5YR 6/4-5/4 5YR 2/2 m-f Fi, mod . wood wss Oh2 75-120 as iorest 58 10 5YR 2/1 5YR 3/2 5YR 2/2 vf Fi-0 ws IIAhkg 120+ 10YR 2/1 + 2.5Y 2/0 (m) 0 ws

Physical and chemical analyses

Exchange analysis (meq/ 100 g) Pyro- Bulk Depth Tex- CaC03 Org. C N C:N phos . Ash density Horizon (cm) ture I%) pH (%) (%) ratio Ca Mg K Na H CEC (%) (%) (g/cm3) Of 0-8 5.7 52 .0 1 .1 45.6 111 .9 27 .5 1 .5 0.5 5.0 146.4 18 .6 14 .8 - Om 8-20 7.3 54.1 1 .3 41 .6 128 .8 31 .8 0.6 0.5 - 161 .7 42.0 13 .1 - Ohl 20-75 7.0 54.3 1 .3 41 .1 214.6 33.3 0.2 0.4 2.0 250 .5 33 .0 10 .8 0.11 Oh2 75-120 6.8 56.4 1 .1 49.9 145.9 30.8 0.1 0.4 26.0 203 .2 38.1 10 .1 0.15 IlAhkg 120+ SiL 23.7 7.1 20.6 1 .0 20.4

Howell (132 ha) than 128 cm), fibric sphagnum peat overlying forest or fen The Howell series consists of very poorly drained or- peat, or both. They are underlain by lacustrine sediments ganic soils developed on shallow (40 to 130 cm) deposits of various textures. of mesic fen or forest-fen peat. The soils are Terric Me- The Julius soils are Sphagno-Fibrisols composed dom- sisols, sphagnic phase, with ~i very thin (15 to 60 cm) sur- inantly of extremely acid, uniform deposits of fibric face layer of fibric sphagnuni peat. They are underlain by sphagnum peat more than 128 cm deep . They occur in the fine textured lacustrine sediments within 130 cm of the forested eastern part of the watershed on domed raised bog surface. landforms. These landforms cover large elevated areas, The surface organic layers of the Howell soils are thin with convex or domed centers gently sloping toward the and discontinuous, consisting of fibric sphagnum and mixed margin . They commonly develop on drainage divides in the moss peats. The dominant mesic peat layers are forest-fen central part of a peatland, far from the influence of mine- peat over fen peat. Some of the Howell soils may consist rotrophic groundwaters . Under such conditions, the rapid entirely of forest-fen peat, or a thin fibric sphagnum sur- growth of sphagnum mosses, as well as their fairly high face layer over fen peat. For.-st-fen peat is intermediate in resistance to decomposition, results in significant accumula- wood content between fen and forest peats and consists of tion of peat and the formation of a raised organic land- the remains of sedges, aquatic : mosses, and various amounts form . of woody inclusions, such a, roots, stems, and bark from Native vegetation on the Julius soils consists of stunted tamarack, swamp birch, and alders . open stands of black spruce with an understory of Labra- dor-tea and sphagnum The Howell soils are found mosses . Julius soils on the higher on hydric lowland swamp portions of the raised landforms in the Sundown bogs are often too dry for rapid peatland. Native vegetation is growth of sphagnum dominantly low-growing, mosses and support an understory of sparse stands of tamarack with mixed mosses and lichens . an understory of swamp birch, leatherleaf, and mixed The site and soil characteristics of the Julius series are mosses . Sphagnum species, although discontinuous, are shown in Figs. 16 to 18. Profile characteristics of two rep- often dominant . The rough nucrorelief characteristic of the resentative Julius soils are presented in Tables 16 and 17. surface of the Howell soils is attributed to the pillow- or hummock-forming growth habit of the sphagnum mosses . The site and soil conditions cf the Howell series are similar to those of the Katimik soils ~,-xcept for the greater depth of organic accumulation found in the Katimik soils.

Julius (123 ha) The Julius series consist~ . of deep (more than 160 cm), poorly drained organic soils developed on very thick (more

Table 16. Julius soil series, Sprague peatland: morphological description and physical and chemical analyses of a representative profile (S55)

Soil series : Julius Parent material : Deep fibric sphagnum peat overlying moderately well Subgroup : Sphagno-Fibri;;ol decomposed forest-fen peat ; fine textured lacustrine deposits Profile no. : S55 more than 160 cm below the surface

Morphological description Fiber content Depth Bound- (%) Color, wet Consis- Horizon (cm) ary Kind of fiber Undist. Rubbed Natural Pressed Rubbed Structure tence Ofl 0-20 aw sphagnum, 98 58 5YR 4/4 7.5YR 7/2 7.5YR 6/4 m-f Fi, 0, low wood wso mixed mosses wso Of2 20-80 cw sphagnum 74 36 5YR 4/4 7.5YR 7/2 5YR 4/4 f-m Fi wss Of3 80-160 cw sphagnum 98 66 5YR 3/3 7.5YR 6/4 5YR 4/4 f Fi wss Om 160-240 aw forest-fen 50 10 5YR 3/2 5YR 4/3-4/4 5YR 3/3 f-m Fi ws IIAh 240-250 0 IICkg 250-280

Physical and chemical analyses (meq/100 g) Pyro- Bulk Depth Tex- CaC03 Org. C N C :N phos. Ash density Horizon (cm) ture (%) pH (%) (%) ratio Ca H CEC (%) (%) (g/cm3) Ofl 0-20 3 .0 54.1 0.9 60.1 10 .6 Exchange2.5 3.5analysis0.4 75.0 91 .9 12.4 9.9 - Of2 20-80 3 .1 60.3 0.6 97.3 10 .1 14 .4 0.2 0.4 108.0 133.1 4.8 5.6 0.07 Of3 80-160 3.5 60.1 0.7 87.2 19.9 Mg5.6 K0.1 0Na.5 86 .0 112 .2 5.4 3 .9 - Om 160-240 5.5 63 .3 2.1 30.0 66.7 35.1 0.2 0.8 30.0 132.8 6.7 6.2 0.12 IIAh 240-250 SL 6.4 10.1 0.2 50.5 7.3 5.9 0.1 0.1 2.5 15 .9 - 93.2 - IICkg 250-280 SL 7 .3 1 .8 0.0 60.0 9.1 11 .2 0.2 0.2 - 20.7 - 96.3 - IIICkg 280+ C

Table 17. Julius soil series, South Junction peatland: morphological description and physical and chemical analyses of a representative profile (SJ21)

Soil series : Julius Parent material : Deep, undecomposed sphagnic peat overlying moderately well Subgroup : Sphagno-Fibrisol decomposed fen peat ; fine textured lacustrine sediments more Profile no. : SJ21 than 160 cm below the surface Location : South Junction peatland, NE 1/4 31-2-14E

Morphological description Fiber content Color, wet Depth Bound- (%) Consis- Horizon (cm) ary Kind of fiber Undist. Rubbed Natural Pressed Rubbed Structure tence Of 1 0-10 aw sphagnum 100 70 5YR 4/6-4/4 5YR 7/2 5YR 4/4 m Fi, nonwoody wso Of2 10-35 aw sphagnum (forest) 84 30 5YR 3/4 5YR 5/3 5YR 3/2 .5 m Fi, nonwoody wso Of3 35-115 aw sphagnum (forest) 84 48 5YR 3/4 l0YR 7/3 7 .5YR 4/4 m-f Fi, low wood wso Of4 115-155 aw sphagnum (forest) 58 22 5YR 3/3 5YR 4/2 5YR 3/3 f Fi wss Oml 155-195 aw sphagnum (forest) 62 20 5YR 3/2 5YR 3/3 5YR 2/2 f Fi, low wood wss Om2 195-235 aw fen 40 2 l0YR 2/1 l0YR 3/3 l0YR 2.5/2 vf-f Fi wss IICkg 235+ N6/ (m)

Physical and chemical analyses Exchange analysis (meq/100 g) Pyro- Bulk Depth Tex- CaC03 Org . C N C :N phos. Ash density Horizon (cm) ture (%) pH (%) (%) ratio Ca Mg K Na H CEC (%) (%) (g/cm3) Ofl 0-10 3.3 57.1 0.7 82.7 16.4 12 .9 5 .2 0.7 83 .0 118.2 3 .9 5 0 - Of2 10-35 3.3 53.8 0.8 71.7 7 .8 6.3 1 .5 0.3 104.0 120.0 13 .4 9.5 - Of3 35-115 3.1 61 .9 0 .6 99 .9 17 .7 9.6 0.2 0.3 102 .0 129.8 8.4 3.0 0.09 Of4 115-155 4.8 62.8 1 .2 53 .2 59.1 26.0 0.1 0 .5 51 .0 136.7 9.6 4.7 - Oml 155-195 5.5 61 .8 1.5 40.7 80 .3 27.8 0.1 0.5 32.0 140 .7 5.4 5.4 - Om2 195-235 6.0 57.3 2.5 22 .6 102.5 28 .3 0.1 0.5 20.0 151 .4 20.4 11 .6 0.17 IICkg 235+ Clay 1 .0 7.0 15 .9 0.2 79.6 ------78 .7=

Table 18. Katimik soil series, Sprague peatland : morphological description and physical and chemical analyses of a representative profile (S105)

Soil series : Katimik Parent material : Discontinuous surface sphagnum peat overlying deep, Subgroup : Typic Mesisol, sphagnic phase moderately well decomposed forest-fen or fen peat, or both ; Profile no.: S105 fine textured lacustrine deposits occur more than 130 cm below the surface

Morphological description Fiber content Color, wet Depth Bound- M Consis- Horizon (cm) ary Kind of fiber Undist. Rubbed Natural Pressed Rubbed Structure tence Of 0-30 aw sphagnum 100 92 10YR 6/3 + 5/6 l0YR 8/2 l0YR 7/3 m-co Fi, low to nonwoody wso Oml 30-100 cs forest-fen 62 10 5Y 3/2 5YR 4/2 + 6/2 5YR 4/2 f-vf Fi wss Om2 100-185 as fen 84 24 7.5YR 3/2 moist 7.5YR 4/2 5YR 3/2 m-f Fi wss IICkg 185+ 5Y 4/1

Physical and chemical analyses Exchange analysis (meq/100 g) Pyro- Bulk Depth Tex- CaC0, Org. C N C:N phos . Ash density Horizon (cm) ture (%) pH (%) (%) ratio Ca Mg K Na H CEC (%) (%) (g/cm3) Of 0-30 3 .8 55.2 0.9 65.0 24.0 28.5 3.5 0.4 37.0 93.4 5.4 3 .9 - Oml 30-100 5.2 59.0 1 .8 33.1 40.1 32.3 0.5 0.5 34.5 107.9 5.4 4.9 0.09 Om2 100-185 6.2 62.2 2.4 26.3 66.4 47.5 0.1 1.0 26.5 141 .5 14 .4 6.0 0.09 IICkg 185+ C 7.2 5.1 0.1 63 .4 16.0 14.6 0.5 0.4 - 31 .5 - 87.3 -

27 Table 19. Katimik soil series, Sprague peatland : morphological description and physical and chemical analyses of a representative profile (S69a)

Soil series : Katimik Parent material : Thin, discontinuous surface layer of sphagnum and mixed Subgroup : Typic Mesisol, sphagnic phase moss peat overlying deep forest-fen or fen peat, or both ; Profile no.: S69a moderately fine textured lacustrine deposits occur more than 130 cm below the surface Location : Sprague peatland, SE cor SE 1/4 12-2-14E

Morphological description Fiber content Depth Bound- M Color, wet Horizon (cm) ary Kind of fiber Undist. Rubbed Natural Pressed Rubbed Structure Of 0-30 aw mixed mosses NS Oml 30-50 aw mixed mosses 78 20 l0YR 2/2 l0YR 3.5/2 l0YR 2/2 vf Fi, low wood, Consis- feltlike tencewss Om2 50-70 cs forest-fen 72 10 5YR 3/2 5YR 3/3 5YR 3/3 vf Fi, mod . wood, felty matrix wss Om3 70-100 cs forest-fen 42 4 5YR 3/3 5YR 3/4 5YR 3/3 vf Fi, low wood, felty matrix wss Om4 100-174 as fen 50 4 5YR 2/2 l0YR 3/2 5YR 2/2 vf Fi, nonwoody, layered & felty wss IICkg 174+ 10YR4.5/I(d)

Physical and chemical analyses

Exchange analysis (meq/100 g) Pyro- Bulk Depth Tex- Org. C N C :N phos. Ash density Horizon (cm) ture (%) (%) ratio Ca Mg K Na H CEC (%) (%) (g/cm3) Of 0-30 NS ------Om 1 30-50 CaC03 5.4 46.9 1 .4 34.2 62.6 30.9 0.3 0.4 28.3 122 .5 10.6 22.7 0.11 Om2 50-70 (%) pH5.6 57.7 1.8 31 .3 97.8 13 .3 0.2 0.3 23.6 135.2 9.0 8.5 0.11 Om3 70-100 5 .9 59 .1 2.5 23.8 100.6 24.0 0.1 0.4 20.6 145.7 9 .1 8.3 0.12 Om4 100-174 6.2 54.9 2.4 23 .3 126 .2 15 .6 0.0 0.6 18 .5 160.9 17.2 12 .1 0.12 IICkg 174+ SL 11 .1 7.5 1 .6 ------Table 20. Katimik soil series, Sundown peatland: morphological description and physical and chemical analyses of a representative profile (Su144)

Soil series : Katimik Parent material : Thin, discontinuous surface layer of sphagnum peat overlying Subgroup : Typic Mesisol, sphagnic phase deep deposits of moderately well decomposed forest-fen or fen Profile no. : Su144 peat, or both Location : Sundown peatland, SW 1/4 3-2-IOE

Morphological description Fiber content Color, wet Depth Bound- M Consis- Horizon (cm) ary Kind of fiber Undist. Rubbed Natural Pressed Rubbed Structure tence Ofl 0-2.5 aw mixed mosses 88 34 5YR 2/1 5YR 3/3 5YR 2/2 m-f Fi wso Oml 2.5-12.5 aw forest 52 16 5YR 2/1 5YR 2/2 5YR 2/1 m-f Fi, 0, low wood wss Of2 12 .5-25 cw sphagnum 80 38 5YR 4/4-2/2 l0YR 6/4 5YR 4/4 m Fi, nonwoody wso Om2 25-90 forest-fen 54 10 5YR 3/2-2/2 5YR 4/4 5YR 2/2 m-f Fi, mod . wood wss Om3 90-125 forest-fen 50 8 5YR 2/2 5YR 3/3 5YR 2/2 m-f Fi, low wood wss Oh 125-160 fen 58 4 l0YR 2/2 10YR 3/2 10YR 4/2 vf Fi-0, few woody pockets wss IICkg 160-180 N6/-N5/(m) wss

Physical and chemical analyses Exchange analysis (meq/100 g) Pyro- Bulk Depth Tex- CaC03 Org . C N C :N phos . Ash density Horizon (cm) ture (%) pH (%) (%) ratio Ca Mg K Na H CEC (%) (%) (9/cm') Of1 0-2.5 7.1 52.0 1.3 40 .0 87 .9 25.8 4.6 0.5 - 118.7 10 .8 21 .9 - Om 1 2.5-12.5 7.3 45.7 1.6 28 .2 216 .6 42.4 1 .3 0.4 - 260 .7 43 .5 12 .8 - Of2 12.5-25 7.4 57.9 0.9 66.5 180.5 29.0 0.7 0.6 - 210.9 11 .4 55.3 - Om2 25-90 7.2 57.7 1 .7 34.9 168.7 20.2 0.2 0.6 - 189.7 13.9 59 .9 0.15 Om3 90-125 6.3 59.4 2 .4 24 .9 184.1 16.9 0.0 0.5 16.0 217.5 22.2 9.4 - Oh 125-160 6.1 57.9 1 .7 34.9 200 .0 18 .7 0.1 0.6 20 .0 239.4 38.0 8.9 0.19 IICkg 160-180 VFSL 27.3 7 .8 2.3 0.0 77.7 ------91 .3 -

Table 21. Kircro soil series, Sundown peatland : morphological description and physical and chemical analyses of a representative profile (Su195)

Soil series : Kircro Parent material : Shallow, moderately well decomposed herbaceous fen peat Subgroup : Terric Mesisol underlain by coarse textured lacustrine sediments Profile no. : Su 195 Location : Sundown peatland, SE 1/4 7-10-2E

Morphological description

Fiber content (%) Color, wet Depth Bound- Consis- Horizon (cm) ary Kind of fiber Undist. Rubbed Natural Pressed Rubbed Structure tence 0-30 cs fen 58 22 5YR 2/2 7 .5YR 3/2 5YR 2/1 vf-f Fi wss 30-60 cs fen 54 6 5YR 2/2 lOYR 3/2 lOYR 2/2 vf-f Fi wss 60-90 cs fen 42 2 IOYR 3/2 lOYR 2/2 2.5YR 3/2 vf-f Fi, 0 ws 90-110 cs fen 38 - 5YR 2/1 l0YR 2/2 5YR 2/1 vf-f Fi, 0 ws

Physical and chemical analyses Exchange analysis (meq/100 g) Pyro- Bulk Depth Tex- CaC0, Org. C N C:N phos . Ash density Horizon (cm) ture (%) pH (%) (%) ratio Ca Mg K Na H CEC (%) (%) (g/cm3) Oml 0-30 6.7 56.7 2.4 24.0 116.7 26.3 0.8 0.6 12 .0 156.3 20.5 15 .0 Om2 30-60 5.9 55.5 2.4 22.8 124.7 25.5 0.2 0.4 21 .5 172.3 20.6 12 .9 0 .16 Om3 60-90 6.2 59.0 2.7 21 .9 140.6 27.8 0 .1 0.4 17 .5 186.4 35 .0 12 .5 Oh 90-110 6.2 58.1 2.9 20.2 144 .4 26.3 0.1 0.3 13.0 184.1 28 .7 10 .9 0.20 IICkg 110+ VFS 26.3 7.2 - - -

Kircro, burnout phase (106 ha) and Okno series mainly in that fibric sphagnum surface layers are present . The Kircro soils, burnout phase, occur entirely in the Vita peatland in the western part of the watershed. They occupy areas of shallow fen peat accumulation in associa- Macawber (906 ha) tion with Berry Island, peaty phase soils. The water table The Macawber series consists of very poorly drained associated with these soils is variable and may be sub- organic soils developed on deep (more than 130 cm) mesic stantially lowered for long periods. They differ from the fen peat. They are Typic Mesisols, characterized by a thin normal Kircro soils in that surface peat has been removed (usually 10 to 30 cm), dark yellowish brown layer of fibric in an irregular way by fire. The resulting burnouts and fen peat with a medium acid to neutral reaction . This hummocky microrelief are mapped as Kircro, burnout surface layer grades into very dark brown to black, me- phase. dium acid to neutral, mesic fen peat that is usually weakly granular and slightly sticky. This peat, in turn, grades into Lamb Lake (53 ha) a thin (about 10 to 30 cm), black, slightly acid to mildly . Very stony, extremely The Lamb Lake series consists of poorly drained alkaline layer of humic fen peat Terric Mesisols, sphagnic phase, developed on shallow (40 calcareous till underlies the organic deposits at depths of to 130 cm) mesic forest peat, which usually has a thin (15 more than 130 cm below the surface. to 60 cm) surface layer of fibric sphagnum peat. The sur- The Macawber soils occur on mesic horizontal fens face sphagnum peat layer is discontinuous, with a subdued in the Sundown and Caliento peatlands . The topography of hummocky microrelief . It is strongly acidic, loose, and these landforms is level to depressional and the native veg- fibrous . The underlying forest peat is a dark, moderately etation is dominantly sedges, reeds, and clumps of willows well decomposed woody material that has been dominantly and swamp birch. formed by feathermosses . A very stony calcareous till un- These organic soils are similar to those described derlies these organic deposits . under the Stead series, except that they have a mineral sub- The Lamb Lake soils are found entirely in the Moodie strate of stony till rather than lacustrine materials of various peatland. This peatland is level to depressional and char- textures. acterized mainly by flat and sloping bog landforms. The Lamb Lake soils occur near the peatland margin where Malonton (456 ha) drainage is suited to sphagnum growth and accumulation . Some are associated with Grindstone soils. Native vegeta- The Malonton series consists of poorly drained Rego tion is commonly black spruce with some tamarack in the Humic Gleysols developed on moderately to strongly cal- tree layer; the understory is characterized by Labrador-tea, careous, coarse to moderately coarse textured sediments . leatherleaf, and sphagnum and mixed mosses . Black spruce These soils occupy level to depressional areas of shallow production on the Lamb Lake soils may be somewhat less peat accumulation, which are often near a peatland margin . than that of Grindstone soils. They have a thin organic surface layer of mesic forest peat The Lamb Lake soils have developed on sites similar underlain by a very dark gray calcareous Ahkg horizon. The to those of Orok soils. Soil analyses differ from Grindstone underlying Ckg horizon is strongly mottled with iron .

31 The Malonton soils are found in a flat bog along the a black to very dark brown, slightly sticky amorphous northern edge of the Sundown peatland. The native vegeta- material . Logs and other woody debris occur in various tion and most of the organic materials on the soil surface quantities throughout the soil. in this area have been destroyed by fire. Present vegetative The Mud Lake soils occur on gently sloping mesic cover is mainly sedges with clumps of willows, dwarf birch, swamp landforms, characterized by shallow accumulations and black poplar. Drainage improvements in this area have of peat over till. These soils are under the influence of lowered the regional water table and dried the soil suffi- slowly percolating, aerobic, mineral-rich groundwaters from ciently for fires to occur. adjacent upland areas. Native vegetation on the Mud Lake soils is dominantly cedar with some black spruce and an Malonton, peaty phase (1135 ha) understory of mixed mosses and various herbaceous plants These soils differ frorr. the normal Malonton soils be- common to better drained mineral terrain. The Mud Lake soils cause they have a thin (15 to 40 cm) surface layer of mesic are very similar in site condition and soil characteristics forest or fen peat. Malonton soils, peaty phase, in the east- to those described under the Haute and South Junction ern part of the watershed occur on shallow flat bog land- series . They differ only because they have a stony till forms and are characterized by a thin surface layer of mineral substrate rather than the stone- free lacustrine mesic forest peat. The Malonton soils on these landforms materials that are characteristic of the Haute and South support black spruce fore~t with an understory of erica- Junction series . ceous shrubs and feathermosses. Malonton soils, peaty Murray Hill phase, in the western part of the watershed occur on mesic (1512 ha) horizontal fens, usually in areas of shallow organic accu- The Murray Hill soils are very poorly drained Terric mulation next to a peatland margin . Native vegetation on Mesisols developed on shallow (40 to 130 cm) deposits of these soils is sedges and reed grasses with clumps of willows mesic fen peat underlain by loamy lacustrine deposits. The and dwarf birch. surface peat is usually a thin (less than 25 cm), fibric, dark yellowish brown fen peat, which is acid to neutral in reac- Marsh Complex (116 ha) tion. This fibric peat overlies a very dark brown mesic fen peat, which in turn grades into a thin dark The Marsh Complex brown to black consists of very poorly drained humic fen peat or aquatic peat, or Rego Gleysols both, above the mineral developed on undifferentiated sand-to-clay substrate. materials. The Marsh soils occur on level to depressional The Murray Hill soils occupy level to depressional areas that are covered with water and are usually saturated mesic horizontal fen landforms in the Sundown peatland . throughout the year. The native vegetation consists entirely They occur usually near the mineral margin of the peat- of sedges, reeds, and rushes . land, where organic accumulation is shallow. Native vege- The Marsh soils have a thin surface layer of either tation on the Murray Hill soils is dominantly sedges, reed highly decomposed organic material, or mineral material grass, and aquatic mosses; a woody herbaceous with a high organic matte: content. cover of Strongly gleyed olive willows and dwarf birch is found on better drained sites . gray mineral sediments, in which a very thin Ahg horizon The landform and vegetative characteristics associated (less than 2 to 3 cm thicl .) may be present, underlie the with the Murray Hill soils are similar to those described for surface organic layer. the Cayer soils. A morphological description and analyses of a representative Murray Hill soil are given in Table 22. Meleb, peaty phase (1410 ha) The Meleb series consists of poorly drained Carbonated Murray Hill, burnout phase (68 ha) Rego Humic Gleysols dev~,,loped on stony, extremely cal- The burnout-phase soils differ from the normal Murray careous, medium textured till . These soils occupy level to Hill soils in that during years when the water table is lower, depressional areas of shallcw peat accumulation, usually at fires have removed the surface peat in some places . These a peatland margin . A thin surface layer (15 to 40 cm) of are characterized by a hummocky microrelief marked by mesic fen or forest peat occurs above a thin black Ah ho- small, steep-sided burnouts. rizon, which grades through a thin dark gray transitional layer into a gleyed, light gray, extremely calcareous C Okno (3600 ha) horizon. The Okno series consists The Meleb soils are found in mesic horizontal fens in of poorly drained organic soils developed on shallow (40 association with the Crane soils or in flat bogs in association to 130 cm) deposits of mesic forest peat underlain by fine with the Grindstone soils. Native vegetation on the hori- textured lacustrine sediments. The Okno soils are Terric Mesisols in zontal fens is mainly sedges and reed grass with clumps which a very of willows and swamp birch. The Meleb soils on the flat bog thin (less than 15 cm) fibric moss layer is underlain by landforms support productive stands of black spruce with moderately well decomposed, very dark brown, slightly an understory of Labrador-tea and feathermosses. acid to neutral, fine-fibered, slightly sticky forest peat. This material is layered with various amounts of woody logs and debris . This layer grades Mud Lake (282 ha) into black, more decomposed peat that may be of either forest or fen origin . Feathermosses, The Mud Lake soils are poorly drained Terric Humi- the dominant sources of peat in this soil, are readily de- sols developed on shallow (40 to 130 cm) deposits of mesic composed and produce the very dark brown to black color to humic forest peat. Stony, medium textured, extremely of the main soil material . calcareous till occurs within 130 cm of the surface. The The Okno soils are found mainly in peatlands in the Mud Lake soils have a very thin (less than 15 cm) fibric eastern part of the watershed . They occur in areas of surface layer of mixed mos! :es underlain by dominantly well shallow peat accumulation in flat or sloping bog landforms, decomposed forest peat that is slightly acid to neutral . usually at the margin of the peatland . Native vegetation is Feathermosses and herbaceous plants, which are the dom- productive stands of black spruce forest with an under- inant peat sources in thes~: soils, decompose readily into story of Labrador-tea and feathermosses . Sphagnum

32 species, where present, occur as hummocks on soils of the Orok series . The site and vegetation associated with the Okno series are similar to those described under the Shelley series, and differ only in the texture of the underlying mineral substrate . A representative Okno soil is described and analyzed in Table 23.

Table 22. Murray Hill soil series, Sundown peatland : morphological description and physical and chemical analyses of a representative profile (Su206)

Soil series: Murray Hill Parent material : Shallow, moderately well decomposed herbaceous fen peat Subgroup : Terric Mesisol underlain by medium textured lacustrine sediments Profile no.: Su206 Location : Sundown peatland, NF, 1/4 9-2-10E

Morphological description Fiber content Color, wet Depth Bound- (%) Consis- Horizon (cm) ary Kind of fiber Undist. Rubbed Natural Pressed Rubbed Structure tence Omi 0-30 cs fen 48 8 5YR 2/2 5YR 3/4 5YR 2/2 m-f Fi, mod . wood wso Om2 30-75 cs fen 46 2 5YR 2/2 5YR 3/3 5YR 2/1 .5 vf Fi, nonwoody wss Om3 75-90 as fen 38 2 5YR 3/3 + 2/1 5YR 3/4 5YR 2.5/2 vf Fi, low wood wss IICkg 90-100 lOYR 2.5/1(m) 0 wss

Physical and chemical analyses Exchange analysis (m eq/100 g) Pyro- Bulk Depth Tex- CaCO3 Org. C N C:N phos . Ash density Horizon (cm) ture (%) pH (%) (%) ratio Ca Mg K Na H CEC (%) (%) (g/cm3) Oml 0-30 7.3 53 .6 2.4 22.6 165.6 33.8 0.6 1 .0 - 201 .0 23.3 14.3 Om2 30-75 6.7 57.9 2.5 23 .5 146.5 39.9 0.2 0.6 13.0 200 .1 15 .2 11 .4 Om3 75-90 6.3 60.4 2.9 21 .2 149.5 29.3 0.1 0.6 12.5 191 .9 29.8 10.6 IICkg 90-100 FSL 7.0 4.3 0.1 71.2 16 .0 2.7 0.1 0.1 - 18 .9 - 96.8

Table 23. Okno soil series, Sprague peatland : morphological description and physical and chemical analyses of a representative profile (S107)

Soil series : Okno Parent material : Shallow, moderately well decomposed forest peat overlying Subgroup : Terric Mesisol mesic fen peat ; moderately fine textured lacustrine sediments Profile no. : S107 occur 40-130 cm below the surface Location : Sprague peatland, C 29-1-15E

Morphological description Fiber content Color, wet Depth Bound- (%) Consis- Horizon (cm) ary Kind of fiber Undist. Rubbed Natural Pressed Rubbed Structure tence Ofl 0-10 aw forest 84 44 l0YR 6/4 l0YR 8/2 l0YR 6/4 co Fi wso Of2 10-40 cs forest 64 12 l0YR 2/2 l0YR 4/4 IOYR 2/2 co Fi, mod . wood wso Oml 40-90 cs forest 44 12 5YR 2/2 5YR4/2 + 5YR4/4 5YR 2/2 m-f Fi wso Om2 90-140 as fen l0YR 2/2 7 .5 YR 3/2 l0YR 2/2 f Fi, nonwoody wss IICkg 140-155 0

Physical and chemical analyses Exchange analysis (meq/100 g) Pyro- Bulk Depth Tex- CaC03 Org. C N C:N phos. Ash density Horizon (cm) ture (%) pH (%) (%) ratio Ca Mg K Na H CEC (%) (%) (g/cm3) Ofl 0-10 3 .9 58.0 1 .6 35.6 83.1 33.3 1 .4 0.4 33.5 151 .7 5 .8 8.1 - Of2 10-40 5.8 55.6 1 .6 34.5 102.0 42.9 0.1 0.4 17 .0 162.5 9.4 7.0 .12 Om 1 40-90 5.7 60.3 2.0 30.1 117.4 44.4 0 .1 0.5 17 .5 180.0 13.0 10.6 .13 Om2 90-140 6.4 11 .5 0.1 82.2 14 .7 9.9 0.2 0.1 1 .2 26.1 - 93.2 - IICkg 140-155 SCL-C ------Orok (1003 ha) OVERFLOWING SOIL SERIES The Orok series consists of poorly to very poorly PROFILE Su155 drained organic soils developed on a very thin (15 to 60 Hydric Mesisol Pine Creek subbasin, Sundown peatland cm), discontinuous, fibric sphagnum layer underlain by Location SW cor NW 1/4 32-I-IOE mesic forest peat similar in composition to that found in the Okno soils. The Orok soils are underlain by fine tex- .Site chaructcrislic .v tured lacustrine sediments within 130 cm of the surface. Physiography : central axial position in large fen The Orok soils occur mainly in the eastern part of the Landform : hydric horizontal fen watershed on flat bogs. They are found in areas of shallow Microrelief : very minor ridge and swale peat accumulation near the edge of a peatland. Native vegetation is black spruce and some tamarack in the tree layer with an understory of ericaceous shrubs such as Labrador-tea and bog-rosemary . The ground cover consists of mixed mosses, mainly sphagnum species in the form of pillows and hummocks.

Overflowing (2072 ha) The Overflowing series consists of deep (more than 130 cm), very poorly drained organic soils developed on mesic fen peat. These soils are Hydric Mesisols, characterized by a thin surface mat (usually 10 to 30 em) of fibric fen peat floating over a variable depth of water or semifluid peat materials between 30 and 100 cm from the surface. Consolidated mesic to humic fen peat occurs under the hydric layers to depths of more than 130 cm. The Over- flowing soils are underlain by lacustrine sediments of various textures . The Overflowing soils occur on hydric horizontal fen landforms in very poorly drained central parts of the Sprague peatland, and represent very late stages of lake filling and accumulation of organic deposits. The Over- flowing soils also occur in the Pine Creek and Sundown peatlands on sites that have a strong subsurface flow of groundwater . The topography of these landforms is depressional to very gently sloping. Native vegetation is dominantly brown aquatic mosses ; sedges occur on slightly better drained ridges . Fig. 22 . Aerial photograph showing location of Overflowing The soil and site characteristics of the Overflowing soil series, Profile Su155 soils are shown in Figs. 22 and 23 and the characteristic vegetation is illustrate(] on the color plate facing page 22 . Soil Characteristics The morphological, physical, and chemical characteristics Parent material : very deep, moderately well decomposed fen of the series are detailed in Table 24. peat overlying medium to fine textured lacustrine sediments

I Sloping Hydric Horizontal fen lowland _ bog swomp MesiC--ie HydriC

cm 0

100

200

300

0 .5 km

Fig. 23 . Cross section of Overflowing soil series, Profile Su155

GrouridircNer characteristics Very poorly drained: grocmdwater under influence of extremely calcareous till surrounding peatland Analysis : pH 8.1 : conductivity 0.6 mmhos/cm ; cations Ca 52.0 ppm, Mg 16 .0 ppm, Ca + Mg 68.0 ppm Vegetative characteristics The site and vegetation associated with the Rat River Type : Sedges - aquatic mosses - bladderwort series are similar to those described under the Shelley series, Ground cover : sedges, scouring-rush, aquatic mosses, buck- differing only in the texture of the mineral substrate. Mor- bean, swamp lousewort, flat-leaved bladderwort, glaucous grass- phological descriptions and analyses of two representative of-Parnassus, scrub birch Rat River soils are presented in Tables 25 and 26.

Reed River (637 ha) The Reed River soils are poorly drained Terric Hu- Rat River (2656 ha) misols developed on shallow (40 to 130 cm) deposits of The Rat River series consists of poorly drained organ- mesic to humic forest peat. Moderately coarse to coarse ic soils developed on shallow (40 to 130 cm) deposits of textured lacustrine sediments occur within 130 cm of the mesic forest peat underlain by coarse to moderately coarse surface. The Reed River soils have a very thin (less than textured lacustrine sediments. The Rat River soils are 15 cm), fibric, mixed moss surface layer underlain by Terric Mesisols in which a very thin (less than 15 cm) fibric dominantly well decomposed forest peat, which is slightly moss peat layer is underlain by dominantly mesic forest acid to neutral. The dominant peat sources in these soils peat, grading into humic forest peat. The mesic forest peat are feathermosses and herbaceous shrubs, which readily is very dark brown, slightly acid to neutral, fine-fibered, decompose into a black to very dark brown, slightly sticky, sticky material layered with various amounts of logs and amorphous material . Varying amounts of logs and woody woody debris. This layer grades into black, highly decom- debris are found layered throughout the soil. posed materials, which may be either fen or forest peat in The Reed River soils occur on gently sloping mesic origin . swamp landforms, usually near the peatland margin. They The Rat River soils occur mainly in the forested areas are found where streams once flowed into the peatland of peatlands in the eastern part of the watershed. They are swiftly enough to transport the coarse textured deposits that found on flat and sloping bog landforms, usually in areas of underlie the soils, and then created a minerotrophic environ- shallow peat accumulation near the peatland margin . Native ment so that swamp landforms could develop. Native vege- vegetation is productive stands of black spruce with some tation on the Reed River soils is dominantly cedar with tamarack and an understory of Labrador-tea and feather- various amounts of black spruce and tamarack . The under- mosses . Sphagnum moss occurs occasionally and is usually story is mixed mosses and various herbaceous plants char- found as subdued raised hummocks . acteristic of better drained upland areas. .

Table 24. Overflowing soil series, Sundown peatland : morphological description and physical and chemical analyses of a representative profile (Su155)

Soil series : Overflowing Parent material : Deep, moderately well decomposed fen peat overlying medium Subgroup : Hydric Mesisol to fine textured lacustrine sediments Profile no. : Su155

Morphological description

Fiber content (%) wet Depth Bound- Color, Consis- Horizon (cm) ary Kind of fiber Undist. Rubbed Natural Pressed Rubbed Structure tence Ofl 0-10 aw fen 54 28 7.5YR 2/0 10YR 3/3-2/2 10YR 2/2 co-f Fi wso Of2 10-25 fen 40 20 l0YR 3/3 l0YR 5/4 10YR 3/3 co Fi, felty wso Om 1 + H20 25-45 gs fen 62 22 l0YR 3/2-4/3 l0YR 4/3 l0YR 3/2 f-vf Fi, felty wss Om2 45-95 fen 44 6 5YR 2/2 5YR 3/4 5YR 2/1 .5 f-vf Fi, felty wss Om3 95-165 fen 48 8 l0YR 3/2-3/3 10YR 3/4 l0YR 2/2 f-vf Fi wss Oh 165-260 fen 66 4 l0YR 3/2-3/3 l0YR 3/2 l0YR 2/2 vf-f Fi, felty wss IIAhg 260-270 fen 5Y2/ 1(m) 0 IICkg 270+ fen N6/(m) 0

Physical and chemical analyses Exchange analysis (m eq/100 g) Pyro- Bulk Depth Tex- CaC03 Org. C N C:N phos. Ash density Horizon (cm) ture (%) pH (%) (%) ratio Ca Mg K Na H CEC (%) (%) (g/cm3) Ofl 0-10 7 .5 45 .1 1 .8 25.8 96.0 20 .7 1 .0 0.9 - 118.6 14.1 22.6 - Of2 10-25 7.3 52 .3 2.3 23 .2 87.9 21 .7 0.6 0.9 - 111 .1 12.8 12 .8 - Oml + H20 25-45 7,2 58.5 2.6 22 .8 122.2 20 .5 0.5 0.7 - 143 .9 7.9 8.4 - Om2 45-95 7.2 56.2 2.5 22 .5 115 .1 23 .2 0.5 0.8 - 139.7 11 .6 7.8 0.09 Om3 95-165 6.7 62.1 2.4 26.2 84.3 20.5 0.2 0.6 3 .5 109.1 14.5 8.2 0.10 Oh 165-260 6.6 58.0 2.4 23.9 80.8 19 .7 0 .2 0.6 18 .5 119.8 23 .5 15 .7 0.11 IIAhg 260-270 L 21 .5 7 .7 12.6 0.2 74.4 ------85 .6 - IICkg 270+ SCL 39.7 7.8 3 .3 0.1 33 .0 ------85 .1 - Table 25. Rat River soil series, Pine Creek peatland : morphological description and physical and chemical analyses of a representative profile (PI)

Soil series : Rat River Parent material : Shallow, moderately well decomposed forest peat underlain Subgroup : Terric Mesisol by coarse textured lacustrine sediments Profile no. : P1 Location : Pine Creek peatland, SE 1/4 27-1-12E

Morphological description

Fiber content (%) Color, wet Depth Bound. Consis- Horizon (cm) ary Kind of fiber Undist. Rubbed Natural Pressed Rubbed Structure tence Of 0-15 as feathermosses 64 16 f Fi loose Oml 15-40 cs forest 44 nil 5YR 2/2 5YR 2/2 5YR 2.5/1 0-vf Fi, mod . wood wss Om2 40-67 cs forest 54 2 5YR 2/1 5YR 2/1 5YR 2/1 0-vf Fi, low wood wss Om3 67-98 as forest-fen 34 4 5YR 2/1 5YR 2/1 5YR 2/1 weak, fine layered, Owss IICkg 98+

Physical and chemical analysts

Exchange analysis (meq/100 g) Pyro- Bulk Depth Tex- CaC03 Org . C N C :N phos. Ash density Horizon (cm) ture (%) pH (%) (%) ratio Ca Mg K Na H CEC (%) (%) (g/cm3) Of 0-15 NS 0.14 Oml 15-40 6.8 46.6 1 .2 38 .5 216.5 35.4 0.2 0.3 3.1 255.5 82.4 23.8 0.18 Om2 40-67 6.9 49.9 1 .5 34 .2 201 .6 36.2 0.2 0.3 2.6 240.8 75.0 23 .7 0.17 Om3 67-98 6.8 45.1 1 .9 23 .5 162.2 37.8 0.2 0.3 6.1 206 .5 91 .0 31 .9 0.52 IICkg 98+ FS 7.6 0.7 0.1 7.0 ------

Table 26. Rat River soil series, Sprague peatland : morphological description and physical and chemical analyses of a representative profile (S24)

Soil series : Rat River Parent material : Shallow, moderately well decomposed forest peat over fen Subgroup : Terric Mesisol peat underlain by coarse textured lacustrine sediments Profile no. : S24 Location : Sprague peatland, NE 1/4 23-2-14E

Morphological description Fiber content Color, wet Bound. (%) Consis- orizon ary ind of fiber Undist . Rubbed Natural Pressed ubbed Structure tence Of l 0-10 cw mixed mosses 48 10 2.5 YR 2/2 l0YR 4/2 5YR 3/2 1 mpl Of2 10-45 cw mixed mosses 58 8 2.5 YR 2/2 5YR 2/2 5YR 2/2 1 copl-1 fgr, m-f woody wss Oml 45-60 cs forest peat 58 6 5YR 2/1.5 5YR 2/2 5YR 2/1 vf Fi, 0, mod, wood wss Om2 Depth60-110 cs forest peat 42 4 5YR 2/2 10YR 2/2 5YR 2/2 vf Fi, 0, high wood wss Om3 (cm)110-133 fen 42 2 lOYR 2/2 l0YR 3/2 10YR 2/2 f Fi, feltlike wso IIAhg 133-155 l0YR 2/2(m) single grained wso IICkg 155-183 l0YR 5/2(m) 0, single grained mvfr

Table 27. Reed River soil series, Sundown peatland : morphological description and physical and chemical analyses of a representative profile (Su132)

Soil series : Reed River Parent material : Shallow deposits of well decomposed forest peat underlain Subgroup : Terric Humisol by coarse textured lacustrine sediments Profile no.: Su132 Location: Sundown peatland, SW 1/4 35-1-IOE

Morphological description Fiber content Color, wet Depth Bound- M Consis- Horizon (cm) ary Kind of fiber Undist. Rubbed Natural Pressed Rubbed Structure tence Of 0-3 mixed mosses 72 26 Ohl 3-20 forest peat 44 4 Oh2 20-40 forest peat 44 4 IIAhg 40-52 IICkg 52+

Physical and chemical analyses xchange analysis (meq/100 g) Pyro- Bulk Depth Tex- CaC03 Org. C N C :N phos. Ash density Horizon (cm) ture (%) pH (%) (%) ratio Mg K Na H CEC (%) (%) (g/cm3) Of 0-3 7.7 48.4 2.4 20 .1 112.6 33.8 3 .2 0.5 12 .7 162 .8 12 .5 16.5 E 183 .3 36.3 20.6 Ohl 3-20 7.4 45.9 1.6 27.6 152 .5 30.3 0.1 0.4 6.9 Oh2 20-40 7.1 48.4 1 .7 28 .2 Ca154.5 24.2 0.1 0.5 7.4 186.7 59.1 18 .2 IIAhg 40-52 VFSL 20.1 7 .9 ------IICkg 52+ LVFS ------Santon (1112 ha) SANTON SOIL SERIES PROFILE The Santon series consists of poorly to very poorly S106 drained Typic Mesisols, sphagnic phase, developed on Typic Mesisol, sphagnic phase Sprague subbasin, dominantly mesic forest or fen peat, or both, and capped Sprague peatland Location SW cor 1/4 3-2-15E with a thin (60 to 90 cm) continuous surface layer of fibric sphagnum moss peat. Undifferentiated mineral substrates Site chaiacteristics occur more than 160 cm below the soil surface. Physiography : drainage divide on northeast margin The Santon soils occur on plateau raised bog land- of peatland formed by extensive accumulation of sphagnum peat de- forms in the forested eastern part of the watershed . These posits landforms form over large areas in which the rapid buildup Landform : plateau raised bog of peat has raised the soil surface above the influence of Microrelief : subdued relief as sphagnum accumulation has minerotrophic groundwaters . They are found usually in the masked differences between hummocks and bog pools central areas of a peatland, often near a drainage divide where they receive moisture only from the atmosphere . Growth and accumulation of sphagnum mosses on the Santon soils are rapid, but have progressed for a shorter time than on the associated Julius and Whithorn soils. As a result, the part of a raised bog where the Santon soils are found is not greatly domed, and the surface of the landform has a level, plateau-like horizon . Higher domes are found at the center of the landform . Topography is usually level, with a subdued hummocky microrelief . Rapid sphagnum growth from bog pools into pillows of sphagnum moss soon masks differences of height between hummocks and adjacent depressions . Native vegetation is dominantly stunted stands of black spruce with an understory of Labrador-tea, leatherleaf, bog-rosemary, and sphagnum mosses . The site and soil characteristics of the Santon series are shown in Figs. 24 and 25, and the morphological and chemical properties of a representative Santon soil are presented in Table 28. The characteristic vegetation is illustrated on the color plate facing page 22.

C1 .1/9 o105 Kt Fig. 24 . Aerial photograph showing location of Santon soil series, Profile S106

Soil characteristics Parent material : shallow deposits of fibric undecomposed sphagnum peat overlying thick, moderately well decomposed fen or forest-fen transition peat, or both ; fine textured lacushine sediments occur more than 160 cm below the surface

Lowland swamp - Raised bog- Plateau ~f~ Domed -

cm 0

100

200

Fig. 25. Cross section of Santon soil series, Profile S106

Groucidlvatcr characteristics Groundwater derived dominantly from precipitation ; landform raised above regional water table so waters influencing site are low in nutrients Analysis : pH 4.5 ; conductivity 0.1 mmhos/cm ; cations Ca 1.9 ppm, Mg 0.6 ppm, Ca + Mg 2 .5 ppm

38 Vegetative characteristics Type : Black spruce - sphagnum moss - Labrador-tea Canopy : black spruce 6-4 m x 5-12 cm Ground cover: Labrador-tea, leatherleaf, three-leaved Solo- mon's-seal, sphagnum mosses, swamp cranberry

Table 28. Santon soil series, Sprague peatland: morphological description and physical and chemical analyses of a representative profile (S106)

Soil series : Santon Parent material : Shallow deposits of fibric sphagnum peat overlying Subgroup : Typic Mesisol, sphagnic phase thick mesic forest-fen or fen peat, or both; fine Profile no. : S106 textured lacustrine sediments more than 160 cm below the surface

Morphological description

Fiber content (%) Color, wet epth oun Consis- orizon (cm) ary Undist . Rubbed atural ressed ubbed Structure tence Ofl 0-15 as sphagnum 100 88 IOYR 5/4 IOYR 8/3 IOYR 6/4 co Fi, sphagnum WSO Of2 15-70 sphagnum 88 60 IOYR 3/3- IOYR 5/3- IOYR 4/3-co-m Fi wso 7.5YR 5/6 IOYR 6/3 7.5YR 5/4 Om 1 70-90 dominantly sphagnum and fen 62 32 5YR 3/2 7.5YR 3/2 5YR 3/2 m-f Fi, low woody wss - wss Om2 90-150 Kindfen offiber 48 12 5YR 2/2 5YR 3/2 5YR 2/2 0, f Fi Om3 150-190 forest-fen 30 6 IOYR 2/2 IOYR 3/2 l0YR 2/2 0, mod . woody, f Fi wss Om4 190-220 fen 42 4 IOYR 2/2 IOYR 3/2 IOYR 2/2 vf Fi ws IICkg 220+ clay 5Y 2/1 - N4/0 massive

Physical and chemical analyses Exchange analysis (meq/100 g) Pyro- Bulk Depth Tex- CaC0, Org . C N C :N phos . Ash density Horizon (cm) ture (%) pH (%) (%) ratio Ca Mg K Na H CEC (%) (%) (g/cm3) Ofl 0-15 3.4 55.4 0.9 61 .6 8.1 13 .9 2.2 0.4 88.0 112.5 5 .3 5.8 Of2 15-70 3.4 56.3 0.9 66.2 12 .1 22.5 0.6 0.5 66.0 101.6 9 .7 18 .8 0.05 Oml 70-90 3.4 61.3 1.3 47 .1 18.2 15 .2 0.2 0.5 77 .0 111 .0 9.6 4.0 Om2 90-150 4.9 61.5 1 .3 48 .8 55 .6 36 .4 0.1 0.6 49 .0 141 .6 8.3 5.5 0.08 Om3 150-190 5.5 61.1 1 .9 32.8 64.1 35.4 0.1 0.7 40.0 140.2 7.1 5.0 0.12 Om4 190-220 5.7 57 .4 2.5 23 .0 77.8 39.6 0.1 0.7 24.0 142.2 30.6 19.3 IICkg 220+ C 6.5 17.4 - - 20.2 14.7 0.4 0.2 1 .6 37.1 - 89.5 Shelley (821 ha) Soil characteristics The Shelley series consists of poorly drained organic Parent material : moderately well decomposed forest peat un- soils, developed on shallow (40 to 130 cm) mesic forest derlain by medium textured lacustrine sediments peat underlain by medium textured lacustrine sediments . -Mesic~~ ~Hydric~ The Shelley soils are Terric Mesisols characterized by a Hummocky swomp flat bog -I- swomp very thin (less than 15 cm) surface layer of fibric moss underlain by moderately well decomposed very dark brown, slightly acid to neutral forest peat layered with various amounts of logs and woody debris. This layer grades cm into 0 #S black, more decomposed peat of forest or fen origin, The ~kki Qf ' k,17R III dominant peat source in the Shelley soils is feathermosses, Om which are readily decomposed and give the peat its very 100 M dark brown to black color. Om The Shelley soils occur on flat and sloping bogs, mainly 200 Loam in the eastern part of the watershed . Peat accumulation is shallow on the parts of bogs near the margin of the peat- 0 I l,5 km land. Native vegetation is black spruce with some tamarack Fig. and an understory of Labrador-tea and feathermosses . 27 . Cross section of Shelley soil series, Profile Su40 Sphagnum moss species are rare, and usually occur in the form of pillows or hummocks . The site, soil, and vegetation characteristics associated Groundwater characteristics with the Shelley series are shown in Figs. 26 and 27 . The Bog waters fairly minerotrophic because of the influence of a morphological, physical, and chemical properties of a rep- mesic swamp upslope resentative Shelley soil are detailed in Table 29. Analysis : pH 7 .3 ; conductivity 0.2 mmhos/cm : cations Ca 23.8 ppm, Mg 4 .7 ppm, Ca + Mg 29 .5 ppm SHELLEY SOIL SERIES Vegetatire characteristics PROFILE Su40 Type : Black spruce - Labrador-tea - mixed moss Terric Mesisol Canopy : black spruce 9 m x 12-15 cm Pine Creek subbasin, Sundown peatland Understory : scrub birch Location EC SE 1/4 26-1-1OE Ground cover : Labrador-tea, swamp cranberry, bog cranberry, dwarf raspberry, three-leaved Soloman's-seal, sedges, sphagnum Site characteristics mosses, bunchberry, Bishop's-cap Physiography : very gently sloping to level areas near peatland margins South Junction (1892 ha) Landform : hummocky flat bog Microrelief: hummocky ; pillows of sphagnum and mixed The South Junction series consists of poorly drained mosses with saturated microdepressions and open bog pools organic soils developed on shallow (40 to 130 cm) deposits of mesic to humic forest peat, underlain by fine textured lacustrine sediments . The South Junction soils are Terric HuIrmisols composed of dominantly well decomposed forest peat, which is slightly acid to neutral and contains large amounts of logs and woody debris. Feathermosses and herbaceous plants, the dominant sources of peat in the South Junction soils, readily decompose, resulting in a black, fibered to amorphous, slightly sticky material. The South Junction soils occur on gently sloping mesic swamp landforms at, or near, the margin of peatlands in the eastern parts of the watershed . Native vegetation on the South Junction soils consists of eastern white cedar in various proportions with black spruce and tamarack. The understory is characterized by tall shrubs, such as alder and birch, with a ground cover of low herbaceous plants, ericaceous species, and mixed mosses . The site, vegetative, and soil characteristics of the South Junction series are similar to those described under the Haute series, except for the fine textured mineral substrate .

Sprague, peaty phase (108 ha) The Sprague series consists of poorly drained Rego Humic Gleysols developed on 25 to 100 cm of moderately to strongly calcareous, coarse to moderately coarse sediments over stony, extremely calcareous, medium textured till . The Sprague, peaty phase, soils have a thin (15 to 40 Fig . 26. Aerial photograph showing location of Shelley soil cm) surface organic layer of forest-fen or fen peat, or both. series, Profile Su40 A very dark gray alkaline Ahg horizon underlies the surface layer of peat. The Cg horizon is strongly mottled with iron and is strongly calcareous .

40 Table 29. Shelley soil series, Sundown peatland: morphological description and physical and chemical analyses of a representative profile (Su40)

Soil series : Shelley Parent material : Shallow, moderately well decomposed forest peat underlain Subgroup : Terric Mesisol by medium textured lacustrine sediments Profile no.: Su40

Morphological description Fiber content Color, wet Depth Bound- (%) Consis- Horizon (cm) ary Kind of fiber Undist. Rubbed Natural Pressed Rubbed Structure tence Of 0-20 aw mixed mosses 58 12 l0YR 5 .5/2 l0YR 8/1 10 YR 5.5/2 f Fi, nonwoody wso Oml 20-67 cs forest 64 16 l0YR 2/2 10YR 4/3 l0YR 2/2 vf Fi, mod. wood wss Om2 67-140 as forest 66 16 l0YR 2/2 l0YR 3 .5/3 lOYR 2/2 vf Fi, low wood wss IICkgI 140-170 2.5Y 3/0 moist IICkg2 170+ 5Y 5.5/2 moist

Physical and chemical analyses Exchange analysis (meq/100 g) Pyro- Bulk Depth Tex- CaC03 Org. C N C:N phos. Ash density Horizon (cm) ture (%) pH (%) (%) ratio Ca Mg K Na H CEC (%) (%) (g/cm1) Of 0-20 5.7 47 .1 1 .4 34.9 105.9 40 .4 0.6 0.0 8.3 155.1 24 .3 24 .3 0.14 Oml 20-67 5 .9 52.2 1 .1 49.2 103.0 69 .7 0.1 0.0 11 .8 184.6 20 .0 15 .6 0.13 Om2 67-140 6.0 54.3 1 .6 34.2 146.3 38.4 0.1 0.0 12.5 197.3 36.9 16 .1 0.10 lICkgl 140-170 VFSL 23 .7 7.3 0.6 ------IICkg2 170 + LVFS 22.8 7.6 0.2 ------

The Sprague soils are found on mesic swamp landforms near the edge of the peatland where organic accumulation is shallow. Topography is level to depressional and runoff is very slow. Permeability is rapid in the surface materials but is impeded at lower depths by the underlying till . Native vegetation on the Sprague soils of this area is dominantly tamarack with an understory of sedges, mixed mosses, swamp birch, and willows .

Stead (2874 ha) The Stead series consists of very poorly drained organic soils developed on deep (more than 130 cm) deposits of mesic fen peat. These soils are Typic Mesisols characterized by a very thin (10 to 30 cm) surface layer of fibric fen peat that is dark yellowish brown and medium acid to neutral. The surface layer covers very dark brown, medium acid to neutral, mesic fen peat, which grades into black, slightly acid to alkaline, humic fen peat. Lacustrine deposits ranging in texture from sand to clay occur more than 130 cm below the surface. The Stead soils occur on mesic horizontal fen landforms throughout the watershed. They are commonly found in the central parts of peatlands where peat accumulation is deep . Topography of these areas is depressional to level and the native vegetation is dominantly sedges and reeds, with willows and dwarf birch on slightly better drained sites. The site and soil characteristics associated with the Stead series are indicated in Figs. 28 and 29. Vegetation typical of the Stead series is illustrated on the color plate facing page 22. Morphologic descriptions and analyses of three Stead soils are provided in Tables 30 to 32.

41 STEAD SOIL SERIES Analysis S18 : pH 6.9 ; conductivity 0 .2 mmhos/cm ; cations PROFILE SI I Ca 36 .0 ppm, Mg 4.6 ppm, Ca + Mg 40 .6 ppm Typic Mesisol Analysis S19 : pH 7.2; conductivity 0 .3 mmhos/cm : cations Ca Sprague subbasin, Sprague peatland 42.0 ppm, Mg 6 .0 ppm, Ca + Mg 48 .0 ppm Location NE 1/4 24-I-14E Vegetative characteristics Site characteristics Type : sedges - aquatic mosses Understory : dwarf birch Physiography : level to depressional axial position in large peatland Ground cover: sedges, scouring-rush, buck-bean, pitcherplant Landform : mesic horizontal fen Microrelief : subdued ridge and swale (flarks and strange) pattern residual from former water track fen

B1 .2/6 Ov

Fig. 28 . Aerial photograph showing location of Stead soil series, Profile SII

.Soil charactcristics Parent material : very deep deposits of moderately well decomposed herbaceous fen peat overlying fine textured lacustrine sediments more than 130 cm below the surface

L Lowland hydric _ ~- Horizontal fen swamp Mesic-+_ -Hydric-

cm 0

100

200

Fig. 29 . Cross section of Stead soil series, Profile SI I

Groundwater characteristics Very poorly drained : slow-flowing waters with high degree minerotrophy largely attributable to former burns of the peat surface

42 Table 30. Stead soil series, Sprague peatland : morphological description and physical and chemical analyses of a representative profile (Sll)

Soil series : Stead Parent material : Deep, moderately well decomposed fen peat underlain by fine Subgroup : Typic Mesisol textured lacustrine sediments Profile no.: S11

Morphological description

Fiber content Depth Bound- (%) Color, wet Consis- Horizon (cm) ary Kind of fiber Undist. Rubbed Natural Pressed Rubbed Structure tence Of 0-50 cs fen 56 14 5YR 3/3 5YR 3.5/2 10YR 3/4 vf Fi, nonwoody, felty wss Oml 50-95 ds fen 48 14 10YR 2/2 10YR 3.5/2 10YR 2/2 vf Fi, low wood, felty wss Om2 95-125 ds fen 46 10 5YR 2/1 10YR 2/l 5YR 2/1 vf Fi, nonwoody, felty ws Om3 125-185 as fen 60 12 5YR 2/2 10YR 3/2 5YR 2/2 vf Fi, low to nonwoody, felty wss IlCkg 185+ 5Y 5/1-6/1 (d) 0 wvs

Physical and chemical analyses Exchange analysis (meq/100 g) Pyro- Bulk Depth Tex- CaC0, Org . C N C:N phos . Ash density Horizon (cm) ture (% ) pH (%) (%) ratio Ca Mg K Na H CEC (%) (%) (g/cm3) Of 0-50 5.8 56.0 1 .9 29 .3 74 .3 50.9 0.2 0.6 21 .6 147.6 7.8 7.1 0 .10 Om 1 50-95 5 .6 57.5 1 .9 30.6 67.7 56.3 0.1 0.5 25 .8 150 .4 7.0 10.9 0.13 Om2 95-125 6.1 51 .6 1 .8 28.0 85.0 28.1 0.0 0.6 12.7 126.3 21 .3 25.8 0.14 Om3 125-185 6.0 50.7 2.0 25.7 82.4 62.4 0.1 0.6 17 .6 163.2 31 .0 39.7 0.12 IICkg 185+ C 28.0 7 .6 1 .3 ------

Table 31. Stead soil series, South Junction peatland : morphological description and physical and chemical analyses of a representative profile (SJ46)

Soil series : Stead Parent material : Deep, moderately well decomposed fen peat underlain by Subgroup : Typic Mesisol medium textured lacustrine sediments Profile no.: SJ46 Location : South Junction peatlan d, NW cor SW 1/4 12-2-13E

Morphological description Fiber content Color, wet Depth Bound- M Consis- Horizon (cm) ary Kind of fiber Undist. Rubbed Natural Pressed Rubbed Structure tence Oml 0-100 as fen 46 18 10YR 3/2 10YR 3 .5/3 10YR 2.5/2 vf-f Fi, felty wss Om2 100-175 cs fen 44 6 10YR 2/2 10YR 3 .5/3 lOYR 2/2 vf Fi, felty wss Om3 175-200 cs fen 44 4 lOYR 2/2 10YR 3 .5/2 10YR 2/2 vf Fi, felty wss Oh 200-210 as fen NS NS 10YR 2/1 moist 10YR 2/2 lOYR 2/1 vf Fi, 0, felty wss IICkg 210+ 5Y 3/1 (m) 0 wvs

Physical and chemical analyses Exchange analysis (meq/100 g) Pyro- Bulk Depth Tex- CaC03 Org . C N C :N phos. Ash density Horizon (cm) ture (%) pH (%) (%) ratio Ca Mg K H CEC (%) (%) (g/cm3) Oml 0-100 5.8 55.3 2 .7 20 .5 64 .8 19 .8 0.1 0.2 12 .7 97.7 6.0 8 .6 0.11 Om2 100-175 6.0 59.6 2.8 21.1 84 .4 33.5 0.1 0.4 13 .8 132.2 15 .8 9.6 0.11 Om3 175-200 6.0 60.0 3.0 20.1 92 .9 46.1 0.1 0.4 14 .5 154.0 40.0 14.3 0.13 Oh 200-210 6.1 49.4 2 .6 19 .3 103 .0 24.0 0.1 0.4 4.5 132 .0 - 30.8 - IICkg 210+ CL 6.2 4.2 0.3 16 .6 - - - Na- - - - 92.3 - Table 32. Stead soil series, Sprague peatland : morphological description and physical and chemical analyses of a representative profile (S14)

Soil series: Stead Parent material : Deep, moderately well decomposed fen peat underlain by Subgroup : Typic Mesisol medium textured lacustrine deposits Profile no.: S14 Location : Sprague peatland, NW 1/4 30-2-15E

Morphological description Fiber content (%) Color, wet epth ound- onsis- orizon (cm) ary Kind of fiber Undist . Rubbed Natural Pressed Rubbed Structure tence Of 0-15 as fen Om l 15-80 cs fen 46 16 10YR 3/2 l0YR 4/3 l0YR vf Fi, nonwoody, 2 .5/2 felty wss Om2 80-144 cs fen 42 6 10YR 2/2 10YR 4/3 10YR 2/2 vf Fi, nonwoody, felty wss Om3 144-190 as fen 44 8 10YR 2.5/2 10YR 3/2 l0YR 2/2 vf Fi, nonwoody, felty wss IICkg 190+ l0YR 5/1 (d)

Physical and chemical analyses Exchange analysis (meq/100 g) Pyro- Bulk Depth Tex- CaCO3 Org. C N C :N - phos . Ash density Horizon (cm) ture (%) pH (%) (%) ratio Ca Mg K Na H CEC (%) (%) (g/cm3) Of 0-15 - - - - Oml 15-80 5.1 61 .1 2.3 26.9 49 .1 22.8 0.1 0.4 26 .8 99.3 5.2 9.5 0.11 Om2 80-144 5.6 63 .3 2.4 26.8 64.6 25.1 0.1 0.8 19 .5 110.1 5 .5 6.2 0.09 Om3 144-190 6.4 50.0 2.3 21 .5 68 .7 33 .5 0.1 1 .2 10 .8 114.3 11 .0 21 .9 0.11 IICkg 190+ SiL 5.2 8.0 2.2 - -

Sturgeon Gill (275 ha) Sundown (76 ha) The Sturgeon Gill series consists of Terric Mesisols, The Sundown series consists of poorly drained Car- sphagnic phase, on shallow (40 to 130 cm) deposits of bonated Rego Humic Gleysols developed on a moderately forest-fen transition peat cr fen peat, or both, underlain to strongly calcareous, stratified outwash of sand and by coarse to moderately coarse textured sediments. These gravel and beach deposits. These soils occupy level to de- soils have a very thin (15 to 60 cm), discontinuous surface pressional areas on horizontal fen landforms at the western layer of fibric sphagnum peat. edge of the Vita peatland . Runoff is very slow and native The Sturgeon Gill soils occur in the Moodie and vegetation is mainly sedges, reed grasses, and aquatic Sundown peatlands on very poorly drained hydric swamp mosses. landforms, which support stunted open stands of tamarack A very thin (less than 15 cm) surface layer of mesic with an understory of swamp birch, leatherleaf, and mixed fen peat may occur on the Sundown soils, but peat accumu- mosses in which sphagnurn mosses are dominant . These lation has been slow and repeated fires have removed most soils are similar to the Howell series, except that they have of the organic matter. A dark gray, calcareous Ahg horizon a coarser textured mineral substrate, and to the Katimik has developed in a thin, sandy mantle, which overlies a soils, except that they have shallower organic peat accumu- strongly calcareous, iron-stained, light gray stratified sand lation. and gravelly Ckg horizon .

Summerberry (902 ha) Sundown, peaty phase (68 ha) The Summerberry series consists of poorly to very These soils occur in conditions similar to those of the poorly drained Cumulo Mesisols developed on shallow normal Sundown soils, except that Sundown, peaty phase (40 to 130 cm) deposits o1' moderately well decomposed soils have a thin (15 to 40 cm) surface layer of mesic to fen peat, alternating with layers of buried mineral materials humic fen peat. Small areas of the Kircro series may occur or organic layers with a high mineral content . Their surface with the Sundown, peaty phase soils. is a very thin layer of fibrii : fen peat; the mesic peat that alternates with buried mineral layers usually becomes more Waskwei (1862 ha) decomposed as depth increases . Medium textured alluvial sediments occur within 130 cm of the surface. The Waskwei series consists of poorly to very poorly The Summerberry soil:; are found on floodplain fens drained Typic Mesisols, sphagnic phase, developed on deep associated with Pine Creek and the Sprague River. Topo- (more than 130 cm) deposits of dominantly mesic forest graphy is depressional to very gently sloping and native peat. These soils are capped with a thin (15 to 60 cm), al- vegetation is dominantly scdges and reed grasses with a most continuous surface layer of fibric sphagnum moss woody herbaceous shrub cover of dwarf birch and willows peat . They occur in the center of peatlands in areas of deep on better drained ridges . organic accumulation, mainly on flat bog landforms . These

44 landforms are beyond the influence of strongly minerotro- Whithorn (92 ha) phic groundwaters, and poor drainage makes them suitable The Whithorn series consists of Mesic Fibrisols de- for the growth of sphagnum mosses. On these soils, sphag- veloped on dominantly extremely acid fibric sphagnum num mosses usually grow in the form of pillows or hum- moss peat with a subdominant layer or layers of mesic mocks and provide a discontinuous surface cover. The forest peat between 90 and 160 cm below the surface. This Waskwei soils may be associated with small amounts of part of the organic section often consists of thin layers of Baynham soils that have little or no fibric sphagnum on the fibric sphagnum peat alternating with thin layers of woody surface. The Waskwei soils also occur in a complex pattern mesic forest peat. More uniform mesic forest peat or mesic fens in of slightly raised black spruce islands and treeless fen peat, or both, usually occurs below 120 cm in the areas affected by slow-moving minerotrophic groundwater. organic section . Total thickness of the organic deposits in The wooded islands lie parallel to the water flow and are the Whithorn soils ranges from 2 to 4 m. The underlying raised above the influence of the minerotrophic waters, mineral sediments are dominantly fine textured but may which allows the growth of bog vegetation and the accumu- range from sand .to clay . They are usually strongly gleyed, lation of sphagnum and forest peat. The associated soils in stone-free, and calcareous . the intervening saturated fen areas are members of the Overflowing series . The mineral substrates beneath the The Whithorn soils occur on domed and plateau Waskwei soils are usually strongly gleyed, fine textured raised bogs in the eastern part of the watershed . These land- sediments but they may range from sand to clay. forms occupy extensive areas in the central part of a peat- The topography of the Waskwei soils is almost level land, often on or near a drainage divide, where they are well with a hummocky microrelief of sphagnum moss pillows removed from the influence of minerotrophic groundwater. separated by wet depressions and bog pools. The native In this situation the rapid growth of sphagnum mosses re- vegetation on these soils varies with several environmental sults in large accumulations of peat and the formation of factors, the most important of which are water regime and raised organic landforms . The Whithorn soils occur in the thickness of sphagnum mosses on the surface. The most association with Julius soils, usually on the high, central common vegetation associated with the Waskwei soils is parts of the raised bog . black black spruce forest, and the dominant species are Native vegetation on the Whithorn soils is stunted spruce with some tamarack, alders, and swamp birch in black spruce with an understory of Labrador-tea and leatherleaf, swamp cranberry, the tree layer. Labrador-tea, sphagnum mosses . The sphagnum species grow in hum- varying amounts of feather- and sphagnum mosses with mocks or pillows and cause a subdued microrelief. mosses occur in the understory. Where drainage is poor, sphagnum species are more abundant and the forest cover The site, soil, and vegetation characteristics of Whit- is less productive. Merchantable, dense stands of black horn soils are shown in Figs . 30 to 32 . The morphological, spruce occur on these soils where the water table can recede physical, and chemical analyses of a representative Whit- to some extent. horn soil are provided in Table 34 . Please note that this The morphological, physical, and chemical properties Whithorn soil was sampled from an area dominated by of a representative Waskwei soil are indicated in Table 33. Santon soils.

Table 33. Waskwei soil series, Pine Creek peatland " morphological description and physical and chemical analyses of a representative profile (P25) .

Soil series : Waskwei Parent material : Deep forest peat and some fen peat overlying medium Subgroup : Typic Mesisol, sphagnic phase textured lacustrine deposits Profile no.: P25 Location: Pine Creek peatland, NE 1/4 16-I-12E

Morphological description

Fiber content (%) Color, wet Depth Bound- Consis- Horizon (cm) ary Kind of fiber Undist. Rubbed Natural Pressed Rubbed Structure tence Of 0-25 aw sphagnum 100 62 l0YR 3/3 l0YR 3/3 + l0YR 4/3 4/3 + 7/2 f-vf Fi, fibrous wso Om 1 25-100 cs forest 58 14 5YR 2/2 5YR 2/2 5YR 3/2 vf-f Fi, mod . wood wss Om2 100-160 forest 46 2 10YR 2/2 l0YR 2/2 l0YR 3/2 vf Fi, 0, mod . wood wss IIAhg 160-200 moist 2.5Y2 .5/0 0 wvs

Physical and chemical analyses Exchange analysis (meq/ 100 g) Pyro- Bulk Depth Tex- CaC0, Org . C N C :N phos. Ash density Horizon (cm) ture (%) pH (%) (%) ratio Ca Mg K Na H CEC (%) (%) (g/cm') Of 0-25 4.5 52.3 1 .0 50.3 112 .9 27.0 1 .1 0.4 16 .5 157.9 4.7 20.0 0.06 Oral 25-100 6.5 47.9 1 .4 35 .2 163 .2 28.9 0.2 0.2 8.3 200.7 57.4 24.0 0.17 Om2 100-160 7.0 47 .0 1 .8 26.4 137.0 34 .5 0.1 0.2 2.1 173 .9 77 .2 27.7 0.17 IIAhg 160-200 SiL 8 .1 5.2 0.4 14 .0 ------89 .7 0.70

Table 34. Whithorn soil series, South Junction peatland: morphological description and physical and chemical analyses of a representative profile (SJ6)

Soil series : Whithorn Parent material : Thick fibric sphagnum peat overlying mesic forest, forest-fen, Subgroup : Mesic Fibrisol fen peat, or a combination ; fine textured lacustrine sediments Profile no.: SJ6 occur more than 160 cm below the surface

Morphological description Fiber content Color, wet Depth Bound- M Consis- Horizon (cm) ary Kind of fiber Undist. Rubbed Natural Pressed Rubbed Structure tence Oft 0-20 aw sphagnum 92 68 co-vco Fi wso Of2 20-100 sphagnum 64 18 7.5YR 4/4 7.SYR 5/4 7 .5YR 5/4 co Fi wso Oml 100-165 forest 50 6 5YR 3/4 + 3/2 5YR 3/3 5YR 3.5/3 co Fi, mod . wood wso Om2 165-220 as fen 66 8 5YR 2.5/2 5YR 2.5/2 5YR 2 .5/2 f Fi, laminated wss I1Ckg 220+ 0, 1 fgr mfr

Physical and chemical analyses Exchange anal ysis (meq/100 g) Pyro- Bulk Depth Tex- CaC03 Org . C N C :N phos . Ash density Horizon (cm) ture (%) pH (%) (%) ratio Ca Mg K Na H CEC (%) (%) (9/cm') Oft 0-20 3.3 57.6 0.7 83.6 11 .1 7.6 3 .8 0.4 85 .0 107 .9 3 .2 4.9 - Of2 20-100 3.8 60.8 1 .1 55 .2 31 .3 17 .2 0.2 0.4 70 .0 119.0 7.3 4.9 0.10 6.1 0.18 Oml 100-165 5.4 61 .7 1 .8 34.7 115.1 24 .2 0.1 0.5 32 .0 172.0 7.1 9.2 0.16 Om2 165-220 5.8 64.5 2.7 23 .5 101 .3 24 .5 0.1 0.5 12 .0 138.3 9.6 IICkg 220+ C 6.5 11 .3 0.2 49.0 29.0 9 .8 0.5 0.2 0.2 39.7 - 89.7 - PART III

ORGANIC SOIL CAPABILITY FOR AGRICULTURE

INTRODUCTION strates would not be useful as a productive land base and The organic soils in the Roseau River basin are rated, should not be reclaimed for agricultural use. by the method of Leeson et al. (1969), both for their The evaluation of organic soils for agriculture is potential agricultural capability and for the degree of diffi- carried out in two steps. First, the organic soils are placed in capability classes . This rating indicates the agricultural culty involved in developing that potential . This twofold potential of soil would approach to classifying organic soils recognizes that, in their the according to any hazards that remain after reclamation that would be natural state, most of these soils have little or no value for and therefore a continuing limitation agricultural . The second agriculture and require reclamation or development before to production they can be used for agriculture . The method of rating the step recognizes that, to be used for agriculture, most organic degree of development difficulty takes into consideration soils require development from the natural state with var- the intrinsic characteristics of the soils that affect their ious degrees of difficulty and associated economic costs. development and also the costs associated with their de- The relative degree of difficulty in carrying out development velopment . is expressed in a development difficulty rating . This rating reflects the properties and qualities of organic soils that The capability classes of organic soils reflect the po- significantly influence reclamation . The presence or ab- tential for agricultural use. They also identify the continuing sence of trees ; the content of large wood fragments ; the limitations of these soils for agriculture after reclamation, permeability, density, and degree of decomposition of peat; or if it is assumed that they have been reclaimed. and natural water all exert significant in- In Canada, no national system has yet been adopted the table levels a fluence the development for classifying organic soils for agricultural capability. The on of peatlands. Recommendations for of organic system and approach used in Manitoba are basically a mod- the development the difficulty ification of the classification for agricultural capability of soils are therefore based on both development mineral soils (Can . Dep. Forestry 1965). rating and the continuing capability of soils after reclamation . The seven-class system of soil capability classification used by the Canada Land Inventory provides a suitable framework for ranking various kinds of organic soils, as CLASSIFICATION OF ORGANIC SOILS FOR well as mineral soils, to show their relative value for agriculture. This single framework for evaluating organic and AGRICULTURAL CAPABILITY mineral soils is very important, in view of the large sums The agricultural capability of organic soils is ranked of public funds that may be required to reclaim and de- in seven classes, according to the degree of continuing limi- velop organic soils. The development of mineral soils of tation that particular hazards may place on the production equivalent agricultural capability normally does not re- of agricultural crops. Class 1 organic soils have few limita- quire such expenditures, and their management problems tions, the widest range of use, and the least risk of damage can usually be overcome by individual operators . A single when they are used for agriculture . The degree of limitation framework covering both groups of soils makes evaluations increases from Class 1 to Class 7 and the agricultural po- and recommendations for development of either group of tential decreases correspondingly from Class 1 to Class 7. soils more relevant . The first three categories contain soils that are con- Although the system may provide a framework for sidered capable of sustained production of common field evaluating organic soils, it does not provide the guidelines crops; soils in the fourth class are marginally capable of and criteria necessary for adequate interpretive judgments. supporting sustained arable culture ; the fifth class is capable Leeson et al . (1969) outlined a system of rating organic soils of use for improvable permanent pasture and hay ; the sixth that is used in Ontario; it reflects the value of organic soils class can be used only for native pasture ; and the seventh for crop production and the relative degree of development contains soils and land types considered incapable of use difficulty. These guidelines and criteria have been adopted, for arable culture or permanent pasture. Although the soils but modified to suit conditions in Manitoba, and particular- in the first four classes can be used for cultivated crops, it ly in the Roseau River basin. should be noted that they may be equally useful for perennial forage Water table control is the main reclamation require- crops or pasture. Soil areas in all classes may be ment for the agricultural development of organic soils. suitable for uses other than agriculture. capability Optimum water table control is necessary for successful The classification for organic soils consists of the capability class and the capability subclass . The class crop production and for the long-term maintenance of the . If water regime is not manipulated correctly, rating is a grouping of subclasses that have the same re- soil itself the lative the organic soil base may be lost through increased rates degree of limitation or hazard . The subclass is a grouping of soils with similar kinds of limitations and of subsidence, potentially irreversible physical damage to the soil, and increased hazards of wind erosion and fire hazards . damage. Even when water control is at optimum levels The Classification of Organic Soils for Agricultural Capability is based on certain assumptions that must be (with the water table usually 45 to 90 cm below the surface) understood by those using capability maps or making for both crop production and the slowest rates of subsidence, soil loss through subsidence can continue at rates of capability ratings for various crops. 2 to 5 cm annually. The capability ratings therefore take 1 . Capability ratings for drained areas assume con- into account the eventual loss of the organic soil base, and tinued subsidence rates of 2 to 5 cm annually . Therefore, reflect the potential for continuing use of such areas based the depth of the organic layer and the nature of under- on the character of the underlying mineral materials. Shal- lying mineral material are taken into account in evaluating low organic soil areas underlain by unsuitable mineral sub- organic soils for agriculture.

49 2. The organic soil vapability grouping is an inter- applicable soil features in Table 35 are added together. This pretive classification designed to assess individual organic total is subtracted from 100 to arrive at the guide numbers soils in terms of their limitations to development for, and used to place the soil in the appropriate capability class. production of, cereal grain;, forage, and pasture . A description of the manner in which the various features 3. It is assumed that soils will receive good manage- of organic soils affect the capability for agriculture is pre- ment, including drainage, control of subsidence and wind sented in the section on subclass limitations. erosion, and the crop-growing and conservation practices Capability subclasses are designated as needed to that are feasible under a mechanized system of agriculture. indicate the kind of limitation imposed by each soil feature. 4. The soils within a capability class have similar For example, if the only limitation a soil has is climate, a degrees of soil limitation, but not necessarily similar kinds designation of Class 2C can be used . If depth is the limiting of limitation . The subclass provides information on the factor, Class 2D or 3D can be used to indicate that depth kind of limitation or hazard and the class indicates the is the limitation . Usually, no more than two subclass limi- intensity of the limitation. Organic soils in Class I have tations are used to describe a soil . If the soil must be placed the least limitations and Class 7 soils have the most severe in Class 4 or lower because of the cumulative severity of ones . more than two limitations, only the two main limiting 5. Organic soils that have been reclaimed and de- factors are indicated . veloped for agriculture are classified according to any continuing limitations that may affect the production of agricultural crops. Soils in the natural state are classified not Development difficulty ratings for organic soils only according to agricultural capability but also according As well as evaluating potential to the apparent degree capability, the system of difficulty of reclamation and de- attempts to establish the velopment. relative degree of difficulty in carrying out reclamation or development on organic soils. 6. Location, distance to market, efficiency of trans- Development difficulty ratings recognize that two organic portation, financial state of the market, farm size, and soils may have similar agricultural capability according to sociological influences do not constitute criteria for capa- their continuing limitations, but one may need much bility groupings . more extensive reclamation than the other. The ratings 7. Capability classes are based and capability definitions are on evaluations of organic soils in their present subject to change or natural as new information and methods con- state, and are important in cerning the manipulation establishing priorities for the of organic soils become available. areas of soils to be reclaimed . At present, capability Three relative degrees of groupings of organic soils do not difficulty in overcoming limitations have the or hazards to use are benefit of exten;.ive regional research or expe- recognized. rience in management for agriculture, as is the case with mineral soils. Minor development difficulty . Only minor reclamation is required to overcome limitations to use of soils rated Capability classes 1 . Minor reclamation is considered to consist of work that can be carried out by a single operator and that does not The seven capability classes for organic soils, together require cooperation among several . Such operations would with guide numbers to aid in the proper placement of the include leveling rough surfaces, removing woody surface soils, are given below. layers, and land clearing . Class 1 (85-100). Organic soils in this class have no Major development difficulty, reclamation limitations because of wate:r, topography, or soil pH, warranted . and Major reclamation is required are deep and level . They an.- located in areas for soils rated 2, and is that have mild warranted when soil or warmer soil temperature;.. potential is high. Major reclamation needs cooperation Class 2 (70-80). Organic soils between adjoining operators or outside in this class have one financial limitation that somewhat r(;stricts assistance, or both . Major reclamation operations their use. The limitation include may be soil temperature, coarse drainage, construction of water control works, or fragments, woody layers, correction of salinity, depth, or slope. very low or very high pH. Class 3 (55-65). Organic soils in this class have Major development difficulty, reclamation seldom moderately severe limitations that restrict the range of warranted . Organic soils rated 3 can be developed only crops or require special management practices. through very large reclamation projects . Major reclamation Class 4 (40-50) . Organic soils in this class have limi- is seldom warranted because the hazards are serious enough tations that severely restrict the range of crops or require to constitute some continuing limitation that reduces the special development and management practices . agricultural capability. Class 5 (25-35) . Oi ganic soils of this class have Many features of organic soils that affect their agri- severe limitations that restrict the production of perennial cultural capability also affect the degree of development forage or other specially adapted crops. Large-scale recla- difficulty experienced in reclaiming them and the costs of mation is not feasible .* maintaining their productive capacity. The relative im- Class 6 (]0-20). Organic soils in this class are portance of these soil properties may be adjusted when capable of producing only indigenous crops and improve- development difficulty is rated. Other factors such as vege- ment practices are not feasible . tative cover, inundation, and surface roughness must also be Class 7 (Less than 10). Organic soils of this class evaluated . The features of organic soils important to rating have no potential for agriculture. the degree of development difficulty are listed in Table 36. To determine the capability rating for an individual The relative limitation that each feature places on reclama- organic soil, the relative penalty values assigned to the tion often depends on organic materials and soil types; in other cases, it depends on the physiographic position of the *In the foregoing definitions, the term "feasible" implies that it soil area compared with that of other organic and mineral is within present-day economic and technological possibility soils. In all cases, the applicable feature is ranked by means for an individual farmer to make such improvement and it of penalty values according to its relative effects on devel- does not require a major reclamation project to do so. opment difficulty.

50 Table 35. Soil properties used to determine the capability classification of organic soils Penalty value Symbol Soil property and guidelines to use guidelines

C THERMAL REGIME - soil temperature classes as defined in The Soil Climates of Canada . Can. Dep. Agric. 1972 Mild MAST::: 8-15°C, MSST ::' 15-22°C 0 Cool MAST 5-8°C, MSST 15-18°C 0 Cold MAST 2-5°C, MSST 8-15°C 35 Very cold MAST-7- <2°C, MSST 5-<8°C 60 Extremely cold MAST <-7°C, MSST <5°C 90

W EXCESS WATER - refers to groundwater level and flooding Adequate drainage provided for optimum crop yields and a water table sufficiently high to 0 prolong the life of the soil (45-90 cm) Marginal less than adequate; yields and choice of crops reduced (water table 30-45 cm or 35 90-120 cm) None no control measures (water table <30 cm or > 120 cm) 55

L COARSE WOOD FRAGMENTS (Wood >10 cm diam, volume % within depths of 130 cm) None fen peat, < 1 % 0 Moderate forest-fen and sphagnum peats, 1-5% 10 High forest peat, >5% 25

H DEGREE OF DECOMPOSITION - as related to permeability Mesic forest-fen and forest peat 0 Mesic to humic forest peat 10 Fibric sphagnum peat and humic aquatic peat 20

F NATURE OF SURFACE MATERIALS - fertility as related to soil reaction Forest, forest-fen, and fen peats, pH 4.5 to 7.5 0 Sphagnum peats, pH <4.5 20 Fen peats, pH >7.5 10

SALINITY None conductivity 0-4 mmhos/cm 0 Slight conductivity 4-8 mmhos/cm 20 Moderate conductivity 8-12 mmhos/cm 50 High conductivity 12-16 mmhos/cm 75 Excessive conductivity >16 mmhos/cm 80

D DEPTH OF ORGANIC MATERIALS AND NATURE OF SUBSTRATEt Deep to very deep deposits underlain by sandy, loamy, or clayey stone-free lacustrine sediments 0 Shallow deposits underlain by loamy lacustrine sediments 0 Shallow deposits underlain by clayey lacustrine sediments 10 Shallow deposits underlain by sandy lacustrine sediments 20 Shallow to very deep deposits underlain by skeletal loamy till, marl, or diatomaceous earth 30 Shallow to very deep deposits underlain by bedrock 50

*MAST = mean annual soil temperature ; MSST = mean summer soil temperature. ,Penalty values for shallow depth of organic materials relates to the eventual loss of the land resource through subsidence. Shallow organic soils underlain by clays, sands, stony till, marl, or bedrock have limited capability for agriculture when the organic layer has disappeared . These soils are therefore downgraded for shallow depth as well as for the underlying materials .

To determine the relative degree of development diffi- Capability subclasses culty of a specific soil, penalty values of the features found The intrinsic physical and chemical properties of in that soil are added together and subtracted from 100. organic soils, which are important for evaluating agricul- This figure is used as a guide to place the soil within one of tural capability and for estimating the degree of difficulty the ranges of values established for each degree-of-devel- for development, have been described by Leeson et al. opment-difficulty group. The following ranges of penalty (1969) . These factors are discussed in the following sec- values for each group were used in the Roseau River Basin : tions as they apply to the organic soils of the Roseau River 1 . > 70 Minor development difficulty watershed . The effects of each factor on agricultural capa- 2. 25-69 Major development difficulty, reclama- bility have been weighted by means of the relative penalty tion warranted values indicated in Table 35 . Similarly, the effects of the 3. 0-24 Major development difficulty, reclama- various soil features on the degree of difficulty in reclaim- tion seldom warranted ing organic soils are ranked by means of penalty values shown in Table 36 .

51 Table 36. Physical features used to determine ratings for development difficulty of organic soils

Symbol Physical features and guidelines to use Penalty value

V Vegetative cover light; grasse ;+, reeds fens 0 moderate ; brush, small trees hydric swamps 10 raised bogs 10 heavy; many large trees transitional bogs 20 mesic swamps 20 W Excess water Underground seepage and surface runoff from surrounding raised bogs 10 highlands into undrained depressional organic soil areas transitional bogs 10 mesic swamps 10 hydric swamps 15 mesic fens 20 hydric fens 40 I Inundation Overflowing from nearby large bodies of water or poorly none 0 drained rivers slight 10 severe 20 T Surface roughness Mounds, hummocks, ridges, and holes none 0 holes and mounds (30-60 cm microrelief) 10 holes and mounds (>60 cm microrelief) 20 L Coarse wood fragments Wood > 10 cm diam, percentage by volume within < 1% ; fen peat 0 depths of 130 cm 1-5% ; forest-fen peat, sphagnum peat 10 >5% ; forest peat 20 H Degree of decomposition permeability and hydraulic conductivity mesic fen peat, forest-fen peat 0 mesic to humic forest peat 10 fibric sphagnum peat 20 humic aquatic peat 20 D Depth of organic materials shallow to deep (30-130 cm) 0 very deep (> 130 cm) 20

Thermal regime . Organic soils are generally cooler may incur a slight hazard to crop production through lower than adjacent mineral soils. This limitation on agricultural crop yields, but crop loss is not a threat. Organic soils with use is expressed to various degrees, depending on regional cold thermal regimes are so adversely affected that even the climate, moisture regime of the organic soils, and their best organic soil of the area has a continuing moderately physiographic position in the landscape . Although there severe to severe climatic limitation that restricts the range are daily and seasonal temp~:rature variations in the surface of possible crops. Increasing probability of crop loss may layers of organic soils, the mean annual soil temperature be expected as the climate becomes colder . (MAST) is lower and the amplitude of temperature fluctua- tion is less than in adjacent mineral soils. Because of these Excess water. Reclamation and management of or- differences in thermal regime, crops on organic soils are ganic soils for agricultural use always involve control of the damaged by cold more often than similar crops grown on water table to some degree . The moisture regime of organic nearby mineral soils. Organic soils have a shorter growing soils in their natural state usually restricts plant growth to season than adjacent mineral soils, because cool air drains indigenous species . Most organic soil areas, because they into the depressional areas where they occur and the organic are lower lying than surrounding areas, are characterized materials also have an imulating effect preventing heat by excess water for at least part of the year. Improper transfer from the soil to the air during periods when the manipulation of the water regime of an organic soil could air temperature is cooler than the temperature of the soil . result in a high rate of subsidence, potential irreversible The thermal regime of unfrozen organic soils does not physical damage to the soil, and increased hazards of wind cause problems in their development for agriculture, but erosion and fire damage. Excess water in organic soils results in various degrees of hazard to crop production . affects the degree of difficulty for development and also Organic soils with mild thermal regimes present no limita- poses a continuing limitation to agricultural use after re- tion to agricultural use. Those with cool thermal regimes clamation .

52 The relative degree of difficulty with which organic allows good runoff, but they often receive additional run- soil areas can be properly drained depends on the source off from adjoining areas. Hydric swamps have high average of excess water and location of the organic soil area with water table levels for longer periods because of their posi- respect to surrounding physiographic features, the degree tion near the central, depressed parts of a peatland . The of water control necessary for the crops to be grown, the water table levels associated with mesic and hydric fens kind of organic soil, and the nature of the underlying usually limit the control of excess water most severely. materials. Coarse wood fragments . Woody inclusions in the Organic soil areas at the margins of mineral soils form of trunks, stumps, and branches occur in various usually are not as seriously limited by excess water as are quantities in most forested organic soils. Such coarse wood the central parts of a peatland . Organic soils near the peat- fragments can interfere with ditching or tile drain installa- land margin often slope very gently away from the mineral tion and cultivation practices . The difficulty experienced in soil areas. Runoff waters, therefore, pass through or over the development of organic soils depends on the amount them and collect in the more depressed parts of the peat- and size of woo_dy inclusions . The degree of limitation on land. Also, the organic soils on the edge of the peatland are the agricultural use of organic soils also depends on the usually shallower than those in the center. For any drain- hardness of the wood and its resistance to decomposition . age scheme, less water has to be removed from the shallow The woody inclusions in organic soils formed under hard- soils than from the deeper organic deposits . wood forest limit development more seriously than woody The water table levels and related conditions of aera- material mainly from softwood species . tion necessary for plant growth vary with the kind of vege- The degree of limitation on agricultural capability tation or crop to be grown. For example, most pasture, imposed by the wood content is best evaluated by classify- forage, and grassland crops can withstand a higher water ing the various peat materials in terms of certain broad table than vegetable crops can. Various studies have shown ranges of wood content. The wood content of fen peats that a water table of 60 to 90 cm is desirable for many field is commonly very low or absent and presents no problems and vegetable crops, and common grain crops require water for development and no limitations for agricultural use. levels deeper than 90 cm (Stephens 1955). Forest-fen and sphagnum peats have larger amounts of The kind of organic materials affects the permeability woody inclusions and are downgraded because they are of the soil and, therefore, the success of any drainage harder to develop than the fen peats. The intermediate scheme . In general, the moderately well decomposed peats wood content of these peats presents a moderate limitation have the best transmission rates for water. The more de- on agricultural use. Organic soils developed on forest peats composed peats have lower permeabilities and restrict may have very high concentrations of wood in the profile. water movement so that response to drainage control is The wood content of these soils is a serious problem for slow . Fibric, undecomposed organic materials have rapid development and also imposes a continuing limitation on permeabilities that can lead to overdraining and possible agricultural use. droughtiness . decomposition . The degree of decomposi- The nature of the substrates, especially where they Degree of tion of organic materials in the soil profile affects per- occur close to the soil surface, influences the drainage of meability, capillary rise of water, and rate of subsidence. organic soils. If the underlying materials are permeable, Undecomposed (fibric) materials are more permeable than difficulties can arise because artesian water may flow freely moderately well decomposed (mesic) and well decomposed into the area to be developed. Under these conditions, it materials . Similarly, the capillary rise of water is difficult to apply different levels of water control to (humic) peat becomes higher as the degree of decom- individual adjoining fields in the same peatland . If perme- in the soil profile The degree of decomposition of organic able substrates are close to the surface, drains are very position increases . importance in lower parts of the effective and can be spaced far apart. Where organic soils materials is of greater of the surface layers (upper are underlain by impermeable subsoils, there is not much profile, because the properties drainage is improved (Leeson et seepage into or out of the peatland but field drains must be 30 cm) alter rapidly once more closely spaced . al. 1969). To evaluate the effects of excess water on agricultural The degree of decomposition and the associated per- capability, three levels of water control are proposed meability of organic soils depend on the dominant kinds of (Table 35). Adequate water control is defined as a water organic materials that form them . Soils developed from table maintained at 45 to 90 cm deep . This level of water undecomposed sphagnum peat may be so permeable that control imposes little or no limitation on agricultural pro- they become too well drained, which can cause excessive duction. Marginal water control, because of a continuing rates of subsidence and droughty conditions for crop limitation of either excessive wetness (water table main- growth . Well decomposed forest peats or aquatic peats are tained at 30 to 45 cm) or excessive droughtiness (water much less permeable and more difficult to drain. Humic table always between 90 to 120 cm) may cause small crop organic materials are as slowly permeable as fine textured losses that become more serious as they occur more fre- mineral soils, so that they are slow to respond to water quently . The absence of water control, where natural con- control. Although humic peats are characterized by a high ditions prevail (water table less than 30 cm), and excessive capillary rise, crops growing on them may suffer from water control, or overdrainage, are downgraded more physiological drought because they retain their water tight- severely in their effect on agricultural potential . ly . Moderately well decomposed fen and forest-fen peats, The degree of difficulty in providing adequate water and some forest peats, are most desirable for agricultural control is related to particular organic landforms whose development as they avoid the extremes of permeability characteristic water regimes result from their position in that cause water control problems in fibric and humic peat the peatland or the proximity of mineral soil areas (Table materials . 36). Raised bogs, because their surface organic layers are Because undecomposed peat materials decompose above the groundwater table, usually present only small faster than humic peats, fibric organic soils suffer the most problems of water table control. Transitional bogs and shrinkage . Adequate water level control is therefore more mesic swamps may have a very gently sloping surface that important on these soils to minimize subsidence loss .

53 The effect of degree of decomposition of organic soils by shrinkage that results from drying, compaction, oxida- on their agricultural capability is evaluated according to tion, erosion, and burning. The effect of each of these the main kinds of organic materials present. Moderately factors on the rate of subsidence is accentuated after drain- well decomposed fen and forest-fen peats have the least age. Studies have indicated that, after the first rapid sub- limitations on agricultural use with respect to degree of sidence, organic soils continue to subside at rates of 2 to 5 decomposition . The low hydraulic conductivity of moder- cm annually . Subsidence rates are slowest when the amount ately well to well decomposed forest peats imposes a of drainage is controlled . The degree of difficulty experi- moderate limitation on drainage. However, these limita- enced in maintaining the water table at levels that are best tions are not as severe as the rapid permeability and exces- for both crop production and minimum subsidence varies sive subsidence potential o1' fibric sphagnum peat. A severe with the factors described in the section Excess water. limitation on use for agriculture is also imposed by very The importance of the depth of organic materials to well decomposed aquatic peat materials, which are almost their agricultural potential is related to the continuous use impermeable and very difficult to drain. Fibric sphagnum of such land areas for agricultural production . Organic peats and humic aquatic peats present the two extremes soils underlain by bedrock or extremely stony till materials in permeability and the greatest problems in reclamation for unsuitable for sustaining arable culture should not be re- agriculture. claimed for agricultural use. These soils are downgraded Nature of surface materials. Organic soils are gen- according to the shallowness of organic materials, because erally deficient in phosphorus and potassium and some the underlying very stony till or bedrock is too close to the micronutrients such as bcron and copper . Most organic surface. Such organic soils, even with the best water con- soils require applications of fertilizers to produce agri- trol, will ultimately disappear and the land base will be cultural crops successfully, and any differences between the eventually lost from production . levels of plant nutrients in various organic soil types are The situation is very different for organic soils un- probably not significant . However, because the soil types derlain by stone-free mineral materials. When such soils differ in reaction, they vary in the availability of plant are evaluated, the limitation imposed by the shallow depth nutrients . Organic soils with surface materials that range of organic material is not as important because the under- in reaction from pH 4.5 to 7.5 are the most desirable for lying materials can sustain arable culture themselves. In crop production . Such soil:; include most of the forest and many instances, these shallow organic soils are the most forest-fen peats and many of the fen peats. Any tendency desirable to cultivate, because the surface organic layers to an acidic soil reaction can be corrected with small disappear fairly quickly and expose the more fertile mineral amounts of lime. Most of the plant nutrients required for substrates . crop production are available in this pH range. Inundation . Some of the limitations on agricultural The conditions of low pH commonly found in organic use of organic soils attributable to excess water may arise soils developed from deep sphagnum peats may lead to from inundation or overflow from nearby large bodies of toxic levels of some trac : elements and deficiencies of water or poorly defined rivers . The degree of difficulty others . Soils with reaction values of less than pH 4.5 can experienced in reclamation and the expense of maintenance produce only a restricted range of crops, and high inputs of imposed by this factor are usually related to the proximity lime are needed to correc'i the condition. These soils are of the organic soil area to a lake or river and the hydrologic downgraded in capability because of the difficulties in over- characteristics of these water bodies. coming nutrient limitatiow, imposed by the low pH level. Surface roughness . Increasing development difficulty Some organic soils developed from fen peats in a is imposed by increasing amounts of surface roughness strongly calcareous environment have a high soil reaction and greater amounts of microtopographic change over with a pH greater than 7.5 . Such alkaline soil conditions short distances. Surface roughness in organic soils may be may occur where marl is present in the soil profile and caused by fire, water, wind, erosion, or frost action . Fen groundwater saturated witb calcium or magnesium flows in peats in their natural state usually have no problems asso- from areas of limestone bedrock or high-lime till. Nutrient ciated with microtopography. Partly drained fen areas in deficiencies of phosphorus, manganese, and boron may be which fires have caused burnouts are more difficult to de- accentuated on this kind of organic soil. velop. The surface roughness of most soils associated with Salinity . Because of their physiographic position, forested organic landforms is severe enough to retard the certain areas of organic soils may possess, or are likely to movement of land-clearing machines . develop, salt concentrations of sufficient magnitude to Vegetative cover. The light vegetative cover asso- affect crop growth or limit the range of crops that might be ciated with treeless fens imposes no difficulty on develop- grown. Organic soils with no or only slight accumulations ment of the underlying organic soil . A forest cover con- of soluble salts, which are not restrictive to plant growth, sisting of open stands of large trees or fairly dense stands have no limitation of salinity . These soils may have con- of stunted tamarack or spruce on hydric swamps and raised ductivities ranging from 0 lo 4 mmhos/cm . Soils with light bogs presents a moderate degree of development difficulty . accumulations of salts, of 4 to 8 mmhos/cm, and moderate More serious difficulties are caused by the closed stands of accumulations of salts, of 8 to 12 mmhos/cm, have more heavy black spruce forest on mesic swamps and flat or severe limitations on plant growth and are downgraded sloping bogs . accordingly . Lower capability classes are applied to soils with high concentrations of soluble salts, of 12 to 16 mmhos/cm, and excessive amounts of salts, of more than RATINGS OF ORGANIC SOILS IN THE 16 mmhos/cm, because introduced species cannot grow ROSEAU RIVER WATERSHED FOR on them and the native ve;;etation is not useful . AGRICULTURAL CAPABILITY AND Depth of organic materials and nature of underlying DEGREE OF DEVELOPMENT DIFFICULTY substrates . An evaluation of the agricultural potential of The climate of the Roseau River watershed presents organic soils after reclamation must take into account that no limitation to the production of agricultural crops on such soils are subject to subsidence. Decreases in elevation mineral soils. However, the shorter growing season on most of the organic soil surface through subsidence are caused organic soils is slightly hazardous to crop production and

54 causes lower crop yields but not complete crop loss. There Murray Hill ; Summerberry ; Kircro, burnout phase; and are no soils in Classes 1 or 2 in this climatic area because Murray Hill, burnout phase. The smooth, level, organic of the cold thermal regime of organic soils (Table 35). The deposits range in depth from 60 cm to more than 3 m in distribution of organic soil capability classes and subclasses places . Their degree of decomposition and the nature of and ratings for the degree of development difficulty are plant residues from which the peat has been derived are given in Table 37. normally very uniform . These soils usually range from medium acid to neutral in reaction and have a high water- holding capacity. The movement of water within them is Class 3 moderately slow and similar to that in a uniform, medium Organic soils in Class 3 have moderately severe limi- textured mineral soil . They are usually underlain by calcar- tations that restrict the range of crops that can be grown eous, clayey, lacustrine sediments . or that require special development and management prac- The shallow members of this group, the Cayer and tices. Kircro soils, are rated as having a minor degree of devel- Class 3W. These are poorly to very poorly drained opment difficulty . For these soils, lowering and controlling soils that are derived from moderately decomposed fen the water table between 45 and 90 cm of the surface is peat. The soils in this subclass are Cayer; Kircro; Stead; not a major reclamation problem.

Table 37. Distribution of organic soil capability classes and subclasses, and ratings for degree of development difficulty in the Roseau River watershed

Capability class, subclass, and degree of Area Percentage development difficulty rating Soil (ha) of area .04 3 W-1 Cayer 468 .4 1 3 W-1 Kircro 1366.0 3 .03 3 W-1 Murray Hill 1512 .4 3.35 3 W-2 Kircro, burnout phase 106.0 0.23 3 W-2 Murray Hill, burnout phase 68.4 0.15 3 W-2 Summerberry 901.6 2.00 3 W-2 Stead 2874 .4 6.37 Total Class 3 7297 .2 16.17 9.56 4 WL-2 Baynham 4317 .6 4 WL-2 Buffalo Bay 2068 .8 4.58 4 WL-2 Haute 518 .4 1.15 4 WL-2 Okno 3599 .6 7.97 Orok 1003 .2 2.22 4 WL-2 5.88 4 WL-2 Rat River 2655 .6 Reed River 636 .8 1.41 4 WL-2 1 .82 4 WL-2 Shelley 821 .2 South Junction 1892.4 4.20 4 WL-2 4.13 4 WL-2 Waskwei 1862.0 4 WD-2 Macawber 906 .4 2.00 Total Class 4 20 282.0 44.93 5 WD-1 Crane 1074 .4 2.38 5 WD-1 Halcrow 86.8 0.19 5 W-2 Cantyre 18 .4 0.04 5 W-2 Katimik 3611 .6 8.00 5 W-1 Katimik, drained phase 466 .0 1 .03 5 W-2 Howell 131 .6 0.30 5 W-2 Sturgeon Gill 275 .2 0.61 Total Class 5 5664 .0 12.55 6 WF-2 Julius 123.2 0.27 6 WF-2 Santon 1112 .0 2.46 6 WF-2 Whithorn 92.4 0.20 6 WD-2 Grindstone 1570.8 3.48 6 WD-2 Grindstone, shallow phase 826 .4 1 .83 6 WD-2 Lamb Lake 52.8 0.12 6 WD-2 Mud Lake 282 .0 0 .63 Total Class 6 4059 .6 8 .99 7 Rr Marsh Complex 115.6 0.25 7 W Overflowing 2072 .4 4.59 Total Class 7 2188 .0 4.84 Total area of organic soils 39 490 .8 87 .49 Area of associated poorly drained mineral soils 5649 .2 12.51 Total area 45 140.0 100.00

55 The deeper Stead soils are rated as having a major Class 5 degree of development difficulty. Most of these soils nor- Organic soils of Class 5 have severe limitations that mally occur in the center of large peatland areas and usual- restrict their use to the production of perennial forage or ly serve as catchment basins to adjacent shallow Cayer other specially adapted crops. soils and upland mineral soils. Because of this, major re- Class 5WD . These poorly drained organic soils are clamation is required to remove large volumes of water. derived from thin deposits of fen or forest-fen peat that overlie very stony to excessively stony, extremely calcar- Class 4 eous till . The soil series in this subclass are Crane and Halcrow . Organic soils of Cla,,s 4 have severe limitations that These soils, usually 60 to 130 cm thick, have restrict the range of crops or that require special develop- agronomic characteristics and degrees of development ment and management practices. difficulty similar to those of the Cayer and Kircro soils. Class 4WD. These are poorly to very poorly drained However, because stones from the underlying till would add to the management if soils derived from moderately decomposed fen peat. Ma- tasks the organic materials were lost because of subsidence cawber soils are in this subclass . Such soils are very similar or other causes, their suitability for agriculture is further to the Stead soils in the organic sections . They differ in that limited . Their their substrate is very stony, extremely calcareous glacial degree of development difficulty is minor. How- ever, if the till rather than fine textured, lacustrine material. The organic deposit is very shallow, less than 60 cm thick, the smooth, level organic deposits are 130 cm to more than underlying stony till would certainly increase the 3 m thick and are uniform in terms of the plant residues difficulty of providing adequate drainage and water control in from which they are derived, their degree of decomposi- these soils. tion, their medium acid tc neutral reaction, and their high Class 5W. These poorly drained organic soils are derived from fen and forest-fen water-holding capacity. Water movement is moderately peats that overlie sandy to clayey, calcareous slow. Although the organic section is uniform and suitable lacustrine sediments. The soil series in this subclass are for agricultural development, the soils are underlain by Katimik, Howell, Cantyre, Sturgeon Gill, and Katimik, drained very stony to exceedingly stony till that can contribute to phase. These organic soils, usually 60 cm management problems if the organic layer is lost through to 3 m thick, have agronomic properties similar subsidence or other causes. to the Cayer and Stead soils, but they have greater degrees of development Like the Stead soils, Macawber soils have a major difficulty because they occur in depressional water degree of development difficulty. These soils occur in the tracks or flowages across a peatland . central, depressional parts of peatlands and serve as catchment basins to adjacent shallow organic soils and upland Class 6 mineral soils . Major reclamation, therefore, is required to Organic soils in remove large volumes Class 6 are capable only of producing of water from the peat itself and indigenous crops also the and improvement practices are usually not runoff from surrounding uplands. feasible . Class 4WL. These poorly drained organic soils are Class 6WD. These poorly drained organic soils are derived from moderately well to well decomposed forest derived from shallow, usually 60 to 130 cm thick, forest peat. The soil series in this subclass are Baynham, Orok, peats that overlie very stony to excessively stony, extremely Okno, Buffalo Bay, Rat South River, Junction, Waskwei, calcareous till. The soil series in this subclass are Grind- Haute, Shelley, and Reed River. The densely tree-covered, stone; Grindstone, shallow phase; Lamb Lake; and Mud hummocky surfaced, woody organic deposits range in Lake. They have agronomic characteristics and degrees thickness from 60 cm to more of than 3 m. They are found development difficulty similar to those of the Baynham on slightly better drained, and elevated areas or very gently Okno soils. However, because stony till usually occurs sloping to nearly level close bog landforms near the margins of to the surface, their value for agricultural peatlands. use and development is considerably lower. Forest peat is derived from black spruce and some Class 6WF. These poorly drained tamarack, organic soils are feathermosses, ericaceous shrubs, and other derived from thick layers of herbaceous extremely acid, fairly unde- plants . The peat material is usually very dark composed sphagnum mosses brown to nearly that commonly overlie black, and has an amorphous structure. smooth, clay textured, calcareous In sediments . The soils in some places it has layers of coarse, woody fragments this subclass are Julius, and Whithorn, and Santon . These or- roots, stems, and branches of black spruce and tama- ganic deposits are usually rack. The found on sites that are isolated peat is usually >trongly acid to neutral in reac- from mineral-influenced tion . Water groundwater. The soils occur movement in these soils varies from moderately under open stands of stunted slow and slow black spruce and tamarack . in the dense, well decomposed layers to very Sphagnum mosses and ericaceous rapid in the shrubs such as bearberry coarse, woody, less well decomposed layers . and Labrador-tea form the dominant The underlying vegetation . lacustrine soils are stone-free and usually Sphagnum moss peat is usually moderately calcareous . found in a well preserved or fibric state. It is usually light yellowish brown and These soils are rated to have a major degree of devel- loose in the layers near the surface; entire sphagnum plants opment difficulty because of the dense forest cover, excess are readily identified. The material is usually extremely water from surrounding uplands, the hummocky surface, acid to very strongly acid. At lower depths, sphagnum peat and particularly the rather high content of coarse woody becomes reddish yellow to dark brown, extremely to strong- material in the soil itself. This woody material is much ly acid, compacted, and horizontally layered, and it has a more resistant to decomposition than herbaceous residues very low volume weight. This material contains some and contributes significanlly to a rough, uneven seedbed. woody material. In thick deposits, those ranging from 1.5 The high degree of decomposition in some layers of these to more than 3 m, the sphagnum is often underlain by soils contributes to poor water movement and consequently forest or fen peat, or both. Nutrient supply for plant growth limits the satisfactory control of the water table at 45 to is very low in these soils. Water movement, particularly in 90 cm below the surface. the surface layers, is very rapid .

56 The soils are rated to have a major degree of development difficulty and, normally, development is not practical because the value of these soils for agriculture is not high.

Class 7 Organic soils of Class 7 have no potential for agriculture. Class 7W. These very poorly drained organic soils are derived from deep (usually more than 130 cm) fen peat underlain by stone-free lacustrine sediments. The soils in this subclass are Overflowing and Marsh Complex. The occurrence of extensive floating mats of peat, layers of water or semifluid peat, and areas of open water precludes the use and development of these soils for agriculture. The loss of the organic layers of these soils through subsidence or other causes would make them completely unsuitable for plant growth . The rating of these soils for the degree of development difficulty is major and development is not justified. PART IV

BIBLIOGRAPHY AND APPENDIXES

BIBLIOGRAPHY International Roseau River Engineering Board. 1972 . Plan of study, coordinated water use and control, Roseau River Adams, G. D., and Zoltai, S. C. 1969. Proposed open water and basin, Manitoba, Minnesota . wetland classification in Guidelines for Biophysical Land Hanbuch der Klimatologie, 1264, Koppen, W., and Geiger. 1936 . Classification . Dep . Fisheries and Forestry . Pub]. Bond 1, Teil C Gebuder, Borntradger, Berlin . Ottawa . Leeson, B., compiler. 1969 . An organic soil capability classifi- Atkinson, H. S., Giles, G. R., MacLean, A. J., and Wright, T. R. cation for agriculture and a study of the organic soils of 1958. Chemical methods of soil analyses . Can. Dep . Agric., Simcoe County . Conducted under the Federal-Provincial Chem. Div. Publ. 169, Ottawa. Rural Development Agreement, ARDA . Soil Sci . Dep., Bellamy, D. J. 1968 . An ecological approach to the classification Ontario Agric. College . Guelph, Ont . Proc. 3rd Int. Peat Congr., Quebec, of European mines. Lynn, W. C., and McKinzie, W. E. 1971 . Field tests for organic Canada . Aug. 18-23, 1968 . pp. 74-79. soil materials . U.S. Dep. Agric., Soils Conserv . Serv., Lin- Boelter, D. H. 1965. Hydraulic conductivities of peats. Soil Sci . coln, Neb. 100 :227-231 . MacFarlane, I. C. 1969 . Muskeg engineering handbook . Muskeg Canada Department of Agriculture . 1970. The system of soil Subcommittee, Natl. Res . Counc., Univ . Toronto Press. classification for Canada . Queen's Printer, Ottawa . 249 pp. 297 PP. Canada Department of Agriculture . 1972. The soil climates of Map of upper portion of Roseau River valley, Manitoba . 1929 . Canada . Soil Res. Inst ., Central Experimental Farm, Sheets 1, 2, and 3, prepared for the International Joint Ottawa, Ontario. Commission . Canada Department of Agriculture . 1974. The system of soil National Topographic Series . Winnipeg (62H) (1958-67) and classification for Canada . Revised ed. Queen's Printer, Kenora (52E) (1962) areas, 1 :50,000 sectional sheets . Com- Ottawa . 255 pp. piled by the Surveys and Mapping Branch, Dep. Mines and Canada Department of Energy, Mines and Resources. 1970 . Technical Surveys, Ottawa . Physiographic regions of Canada. Map 1254A, Geological Peech, M., Alexander, L. T., Dean, L. A ., and Reed, J. F. 1947. Survey of Canada, Ottawa . Methods of analysis for soil-fertility investigations . U.S. Canada Department of Forestry . 1965. Soil capability classifi- Dep. Agric. Circ . 757 . cation for agriculture : Canada Land Inventory Rep . No . 2. Pheeney, P. E. 1970 . Construction diagrams and operations Queen's Printer, Ottawa . 16 pp. manual for piston type sampler . Univ . New Brunswick, Canada Soil Survey Committee. 1973. Revised system of soil Muskeg Res . Inst., Fredericton . 25 pp . classification for Canada : A provisional collection of offi- Radforth, N. W. 1961 . Organic terrain . Pages 115-139 in Soils cial and tentative definitions for use by Canadian pedolog- in Canada . Royal Soc . Can . Spec . Publ. 3. University of ists . Can . Dep. Agric., Soil Res. Inst., Central Experimental Toronto Press. Farm, Ottawa . (Mimeogr) . Rowe, J. S. 1972. Forest regions of Canada . Publ . 1300, Canada Chapman, L. J., and Brown, D. M. 1966. The climates of Cana- Dep. Environment, Can. Forestry Serv., Ottawa . 172 pp. da for agriculture . Can . Dep. Forestry and Rural Develop- Scoggan, H. J. 1957. Flora of Manitoba . Bulletin No. 140. ment, Canada Land Inventory Rep . No. 3, Queen's Printer, Canada Dep . Northern Affairs and National Resources, Ottawa. 24 pp. National Museum of Canada, Ottawa . 619 pp. Ehrlich, W. A., Poyser, E. A., Pratt, L. E., and Ellis, J . H. 1953 . Smith, R. E., and Ehrlich, W. A. 1964. Soil survey of the south- Reconnaissance soil survey of Winnipeg and Morris map eastern map sheet area . Soils Rep . No . 14. Manitoba Soil sheet areas. Manitoba Soil Surv., Soils Rep . No. 5. Mani- Surv., Manitoba Dep. Agric., Winnipeg . 108 pp. toba Dep. Agric., Winnipeg . 111 pp. Stephens, J. C. 1955. Drainage of peat and muck lands. Pages Farnham, R . S., Brown, S. L., and Finney, H. R. 1970 . Some 539-556 in Water. Yearb. Agric., U.S . Dep. Agric., Was- laboratory methods for analyzing organic soils. Univ . hington, D.C . Minnesota, Dep. Soil Sci., St. Paul, Minn . Tarnocai, C. 1974. Peatland forms and vegetation . Pages 3-20 Heinselman, M. L. 1963 . Forest sites, bog processes and peat- in J . H. Day, ed . Proc . Can . Soil Surv. Comm. Organic land types in the glacial Lake Agassiz region, Minnesota . Soil Mapping Workshop, June 3-7, 1974, Winnipeg, Man . Ecol. Monogr. 33 :327-374. Soil Res. Inst ., Central Experimental Farm, Ottawa . Heinselman, M. L. 1970. Landscape evolution, peatland types and the environment in the Lake Agassiz peatlands natural area, Minnesota . Ecol. Monogr. 40:235-261 . APPENDIX I

CLASSIFICATION AND DEFINITION OF ORGANIC LANDFORMS

Introduction transition mires are influenced by flowing groundwater area of the mire. Wetlands are areas where wet soils are prevalent, with derived from the immediate catchment There is usually an insufficient supply of mineral soil a water table near or above the ground surface. They may water with restricted drainage, resulting in peat accumula- contain organic or mineral soils or shallow open waters, tion with components of both bog and fen. Usually the usually with characteristic kinds of wetland vegetation. water table is below the peat surface. Wetlands become dominated by organic terrain under hu- Minerotrophic. Wetland sites that receive mineral mid climates and water-saturated conditions in which plant addition to precipitation, from flowing or residues do not decompose as fast as they accumulate in nutrients, in percolating groundwater that has been in contact with the form of peat. Environmental factors such as climate, mineral . They are equivalent to the Reophilous mire moisture regime, nutrient status, water quality, availability soil of Bellamy (1968), but broader . Minerotrophic sites in- of seeds, and frequency of disturbance influence the wetland clude fen, marsh, and swamp classes . vegetation that in turn begins the deposition of peat . Large wetland areas dominated by the buildup of Landform definitions organic deposits are known as peatlands (Heinselman 1963). The accumulation of peat, once started, may alter the The classification of the various landforms recognized physical characteristics of the wetland, that is, the drainage in the Roseau River watershed is given in the text (Table conditions, nutrient status of groundwaters, or topography, 4). For convenience, it is repeated in Table Al : 1 . The terms and so may further influence vegetation development . The used are then defined as summarized by Adams and Zoltai effect of these factors on the processes within a peatland (1969) and Tarnocai (1974). result in differential rates of peat accumulation, topographic alignment of vegetation, and finally unique organic landforms with characteristic morphology, vegetation, and soil Table AI:1. Organic landform classification used in the type. Roseau River watershed

Class Subclass Type Classification The wide variety of organic landforms observed in the A. Bog 1 . Raised .1 Domed peatlands of the Roseau River watershed have been classi- .2 Plateau fied hierarchically into classes and types. The criteria used 2. Flat .1 Hummocky to define these two categories in the classification system are .2 Sinkhole as follows : .3 Conglomerate the Class. At this generalized level of classification, 3. Sloping .1 Hummocky criteria used are site features that constitute or contribute to the gross external characteristics of the peatland. Land- B. Fen 1 . Horizontal .1 Mesic form units at the class level exhibit significant differences .2 Hydric in surface morphology, nutrient and moisture regimes, 2. Patterned .1 Water track drainage regimes, floristics, and soil type. .2 String Subclass and type. Landform classes are differen- .3 Wooded island and tiated into individual landforms mainly according to surface fen complex morphology of the landform itself or of the confining basin. 3. Floodplain .1 Mesic Further division at this level is recognized as the type. Types are differentiated on the basis of more detailed aspects of C. Swamp 1 . Lowland .1 Hydric surface morphology and a more closely defined range of .2 Mesic morphological properties . D. Marsh 1 . Catchment Peatland water definitions factors influencing vegetation type and rate of The key Organic landforms associated with ombrotrophic conditions peat accumulation are the source and nutrient status of peatland waters and the topography within the peat- A. Bog : A tract of confined organic terrain or a peatland. As vegetation type and rate of peat buildup covered or peat-filled area in a restricted drainage directly influence the development of various organic land- situation where the water table usually lies just forms, it is useful to consider the kind and source of waters below the surface . A nutrient-poor, acid site usually that contribute to their formation. This is accomplished in with a consolidated surface carpet of mosses support- a general way outside the classification system by references ing tree and shrub vegetation . to the degree of minerotrophy and source of water, as A1 . Raised bog : A convex bog with an elevated central follows : area caused by peat accumulation . This raised area Ombrotrophic (Heinselman, 1970). Acid peatlands, is usually isolated from the local water table, and usually with convex surfaces, that depend upon precipita- water is supplied by rainfall or capillary action. A tion for water and minerals . Peat accumulation or relief nutrient-poor site with a carpet of sphagnum mosses . prevents the inflow of mineral soil water and results in a Water usually collects in a marginal channel or lagg. condition of low pH and mineral deficiencies . A1 .1 Domed bog : Atypical raised bog with a con- Transitional. Peatlands or bogs intermediate between vex or dome-shaped center that slopes toward the raised and low bog types. According to Bellamy (1968), the margins .

61 A1 .2 Plateau bog: An elevated peat plateau vary- supplied only during short periods of seasonal ing from 0.5 to 2 m high, with a fairly flat flooding. Subjected to seasonal surface water surface. The elevated ombrotrophic surface is loss and lowering of the water table. Mesic caused by peat accumulation. The plateaus fens are characterized by tussocks of sedges, are several hectares to several kilometres wide, grasses, and usually a thick covering of scat- and they are often tear-shaped, and surround- tered willows, dwarf birch, or a sparse tree ed by minerotrophic peat. The plateaus are layer. usually forested . B1 .2 Hydric fen : A fen common on floodplains and in retention basins where surface water is Organic landforms associated with transitional held for long intervals, and the peat substrate nutrient conditions is usually perennially saturated. Hydric fens Bogs receiving a mixtur~-- of waters from ombrotrophic are characterized by a concave surface with and minerotrophic sites. An acid site developed on mixed hummocks, sedge tussocks, or low ridges, and woody and moss peats, with a water table below the sur- often support stands of tamarack or willows. face, indicating a discernible flow. Usually this site supports However, the vegetation may be predominant- forest growth as well as areas of fen vegetation . ly aquatic mosses, sedges, reeds, and grasses. A2. Flat bog: A bog with small differences in the eleva- B2. Patterned fen: Similar to aapa fen. A gently slop- tion of the peat surface, and usually developed on ing complex fen with elevated ridges, mounds, or low-lying flat land. "islands." The elevated parts of the patterned fens A2.1 Hummocky bop : A flat or semi-ombrotro- are often ombrotrophic and have intervening wet phic bog type with a prominent microtopo- terraces or hollows with fen vegetation, oriented in graphy of moss hummocks and small hollows, patterns relating to water flow. which hold seasonal water. Not as wet as the B2.1 Water track fen : A component of patterned sinkhole type. This bog may support heath, fen occupying a concave tract of peatland that shrub, or forest cover. marks the path of subsurface mineral water A2.2 Sinkhole bog : A bog type influenced by min- flow. The peat is usually well decomposed. eralized groundwater, with hummocks of Tamarack and shrubs may be present. B2.2 ombrotrophic moss vegetation and wet micro- String fen : Equivalent to string bog. A series depressions . The peat is usually poorly decom- of alternate rib-like or sinuous, low bog ridges posed on the hummocks, but well decomposed (strange) and intervening wet sedgy hollows in the sinkholc-like depressions. These de- (flarks) oriented across the slope of the peat- pressions usually contain flushes of fen vegeta- land. The ridges may be parallel or they may tion . occur in a webbed or net-like pattern. Tama- A2 .3 Conglomerate bog: A series of small (several rack, dwarf birch, and willows may occupy the hundred metres) to large "islands" or plateaus ridges . of raised bogs, each delineated by narrow B2.3 Wooded island and fen complex: Equivalent strips of mineiotrophic peatland and many to a string bog and island complex (Heinsel- flashets or pools. Sometimes these raised bogs man 1963). A form of patterned fen with in- are arranged in parallel strings in association terspersed linear and tear-shaped "islands" of with long narrow pools. forest peat. The islands have long axes with A3 . Sloping bog : Equivalent to a hanging bog . A bog tails pointing downslope. The islands may be occupying a slope that is receiving mineralized water. very small to a kilometre or more in diameter, The internal lateral movement of water is restricted and they are usually semi-ombrotrophic peats by the accumulation o1' peat and bog vegetation dom- with bog vegetation and black spruce - tama- inates . Common in more humid areas and found rack forests. in the Precambrian Shield . B3. Floodplain fen: A fen located on a river or lake A3.1 Hummocky bop : A flat or semi-ombrotro- floodplain, and subjected to periodic flooding, often phic bog type with a prominent microtopo- for long periods. graphy of moss hummocks and small hollows, B3.1 Mesic floodplain fen : Subjected to seasonal inundation which hold seasonal water. This bog may sup- from overflowing rivers, and ac- port heath, shrub, or forest cover. companied by alluvial deposition. C. Swamp: A swamp is a forested wetland, usually with shallow Organic landforms associated with minerotrophic conditions or well decomposed peat often mixed with mineral soils; it has an unconsolidated vegeta- B. Fen A : rich, wet peatland where the water table is tion mat and waters are slightly acidic. A minero- at the surface most of the time, and where the peats trophic site influenced by fluctuating or flowing and waters are slightly acid to alkaline in reaction. waters, although the substrate usually is continually Usually covered by a sward of sedges, grasses, or waterlogged. Includes the term "Carr" for shrub- reeds, with some shrubs and occasionally a sparse covered wetlands, and is related to fens and marshes. tree layer. Mosses are present but usually subordin- Includes wetlands with layers of trees or shrubs, or ate, and sphagnum mosses are not abundant . both, occupying more than 25% of the area. B1 . Horizontal fen: A fen occupying a large tract of C1 . Lowland swamp: A swamp that occupies a large, fairly flat lowland, which receives soligenous water poorly drained tract of lowlands where the water is from surrounding mineral soils. Usually horizontal supplied by groundwater flow, seepage, or runoff. fens have a featureles ; microtopography except for Often located on glacial lake beds or level till plains . drainage patterns or small areas of open water. C1 .1 Hydric swamp: Equivalent to weakly mine- B1 .1 Mesic fen: A 11at fen type common to flood- rotrophic swamp (Heinselman 1970). A swamp plains or lowlands where the water is usually developed on a concave peat surface flooded for most of the season. Sluggish water move- Mosses are present on hummocks but sphag- ment with deep pools, and large hummocks of num mosses are not abundant . This type sup- sphagnum mosses (pH 4.5 to 6.0). The peat ports rich swamp forests of white cedar, speck- is of variable thickness and has slightly decom- led alder, black ash, balsam fir, tamarack, posed mixtures of sedges, mosses, and wood and black spruce . components . This type supports swamp forests D. Marsh: An open, flat or depressional area covered of tamarack, birch, and willows and an under- by less than 25% woody cover and subjected to sea- story of shrubs, sedges, and mosses . sonal flooding and a gravitational water table. A rich C1 .2 Mesic swamp: Equivalent to minerotrophic site usually associated with alluvium, or with lakes or swamp (Heinselman 1970). A swamp devel- ponds. A marsh is characterized by unconsolidated oped on a slightly concave peat surface, which graminoid mats, which are frequently interspersed receives strong water movement or percola- with open water, or by a closed canopy of grasses, tion from margins or mineral sources. The sedges, or reeds. Usually there is little peat accumula- water table is frequently above the peat sur- tion, and the substrate can vary from shallow, well face, which is hummocky and has many small decomposed peat to mineral soils. Waters are usually pools. Waters are circumneutral (pH 6.0 to alkaline. 6 .5 +) and are fairly high in calcium and mag- D1 . Catchment marsh: Occurs in topographically de- nesium . The peats are thick (0.3 to 2 m), black, fined basins. The water source may be runoff, over- woody, and moderately to well decomposed. flow surface drainage, or groundwater discharge. 1

APPENDIX II

ABBREVIATIONS AND SYMBOLS USED IIV MAP LEGEND, FIGURES, AND TABLES

Descriptive data* Analytical soi1 data

Organic horizons PH Hydrogen ion concentration Org. C Organic carbon Of: A fibric layer has a rubbed fiber content of more N Total N than 4/10 of the organic volume and an unrubbed C:N ratio Carbon-to-nitrogen ratio fiber content of more than 2/3 of the organic meq/100 g Millequivalents per 100 g volume. Ca Calcium Om: A mesic layer has a rubbed fiber content of more Mg Magnesium than 1/10 if the unrubbed fiber content is between K Potassium 1/3 and 2/3 of the organic volume. Na Sodium Oh: A humic layer has a rubbed fiber content of less H Hydrogen than 1/ 1O of the organic volume. CEC Cation exchange capacity Pyrophos. (%) Sodium pyrophosphate solubility, Horizon boundary percentage absorbance Distinctness: a-abrupt, c-clear, g-gradual, d-diffuse Form: s-smooth, w-wavy, i-irregular, b-broken Cross sectional diagrams Fiber content Peat parent mciterial code Undist: undisturbed, unrubbed Rubbed: disturbed, rubbed Sphagnum peat Color Munsell Soil Color Charts (1954) were used as a guide in Forest peaf describing the colors of the soils.? IIIIIIIIIIIII m-moist color when used on a mineral horizon - Soil structure Forest-fen peat m------Fibered: Fi .. Grade structureless Fen peat -1 ...... or amorphous O ...... weak 1 moderate 2 strong 3 Vegetation code Fiber size very fine vf (0.15- 1.0 mm) Code Coriziiioii Naine Botariical iiaiiie class fine f (1.0- 2.0mm) bS black spruce Picca riinriaria medium m (2.0- 5.0mm) bP black poplar Poprrlirs 6alsarnifera coarse CO (5.0-10.0 mm) bF balsam fir A bies balsariiea very coarse vco (10.0-20.0 mm) eC eastern white cedar Tliuja occideritalis Kind platy Pl tA trembling aspen PopLllus ti~er?lrrloitles granular gr tL tamarack Larix lariciiia wB white birch Betrrla papyrifera Consistence Wet: nonsticky wso slightly sticky wss Vegetative syrnbol sticky ws very sticky wvs black spruce 4 Moist: friable mf r very friable mvfr tamarack 6 Wood content class (by volume) nonwoody 2% low Wood 2-1070 cedar 3 mod. Wood 10-30% high Wood 30-60% sedges * very high Wood 60 + %

Texture deciduous trees S-sand, Si-silt, C-Clay, L-loam, Co-coarse, 9 M-medium, F-fine, VF-very fine :*The System of Soi1 Classification for Canada, 1970. Can. Dep. Agric. fMunsell Color Company Inc., Baltimore, Maryland, USA

65 APPENDIX III WATER CHEMISTRY AND VEGIETATION

Table AIIk1. Water chemistry of the peatlands in the Roseau River watershed Sample Conductivity Ca Mg Ca+Mg no. PH (rnrnhos/cm) (pprn) (pprn) Wrn)

Sprague peatland South Junction peatland (cont'd) S 16 7.1 0.3 46.4 5.5 52.9 SJ 89 7.6 0.5 65.0 12.0 77.0 18 6.9 0.2 36.0 4.6 40.6 90 7.7 0.4 50.0 11.0 61.0 19 7.2 0.3 42.0 6.0 48.0 93 7.7 0.4 43.0 10.0 53.0 24 7.3 0.2 39.6 6.5 46.1 95 8.2 0.4 50.0 9.8 59.8 48 6.8 0.1 14.0 6.0 20.0 96 8.3 0.4 52.0 11.0 63 .O 50 6.2 o. 1 4.6 4.4 9.0 52 5.5 0.1 4.8 1.4 6.2 Moodie peatland 53 4.5 o. 1 3.2 5.2 8.4 M7 7.1 0.3 29.2 5.9 35.1 55 4.1 o. 1 4.0 0.7 4.7 10 7.5 0.3 36.4 7.6 44.0 57 4.6 0.1 3.6 1.O 4.6 11 7.3 0.3 36.4 8.2 44.6 58 4.7 o. 1 2.8 1.2 4.0 17 7.1 0.2 17.4 4.4 21.4 59 6.0 o. 1 6.4 1.6 8.0 18 7.1 0.2 18.0 4.6 22.6 64 7.0 0.3 42.0 5.8 47.8 19 7.2 0.2 16.2 4.4 20.6 66 7 .O 0.2 30.8 5.0 35.8 20 7.3 0.2 14.4 4.1 18.5 70a 6.4 o. 1 8.0 2.4 10.4 21 6.9 0.2 16.1 6.0 22.1 70b 6.4 o. 1 5.6 2.2 7.8 23 7.4 0.2 17.4 4.9 22.3 71a 6.6 0.1 7.6 2.9 10.5 25 7.5 0.2 18.4 5.2 23.2 71b 6.9 0.1 13.2 5.3 18.5 30 7.4 0.2 18.0 4.8 22.8 72 6.6 0.1 11.6 4.1 15.7 34 7.3 0.2 24.2 5.8 30.0 77 4.7 0.1 6.0 1.4 7.4 81 5.4 0.1 7.2 3.1 10.3 Pine Creek peatland 1os 5.4 o. 1 5 .O 1.3 6.3 P1 8.1 0.4 54.8 9.5 64.3 106 4.5 o. 1 1.9 0.6 2.5 2 80 0.4 47.0 8.3 55.3 107 7.0 o. 1 8.3 4.2 12.5 5 7.9 0.3 34.0 7.0 41.0 8 8.2 0.3 37.0 6.8 43.8 South Junction peatland 10 8.2 0.3 40.0 8.3 48.3 SJ 1 7 .O 0.2 17.6 12.8 30.4 14 8.1 0.3 35.0 7.8 42.8 1 7.5 0.2 13.0 6.7 19.7 15 7.9 0.2 26.0 5.8 31.8 3 5.9 0.1 4.4 1.9 6.3 19 8.4 0.3 43.0 9.5 52.5 3 6.6 0.1 3.7 2.0 5.7 20 8.2 0.3 31.0 7.3 38.3 6 4.2 0.1 3.2 1.O 4.2 21 8.1 0.3 39.0 8.5 47.5 6 4.8 0.0 1.6 1.1 2.7 25 8.1 0.4 50.8 9.8 60.6 7 6.9 0.1 11.0 3.4 13.4 28 8 .O 0.4 60.8 10.4 71.2 7a 6.0 0.0 3.0 1.3 4.3 31 8.1 0.3 34.0 7.4 41.4 7b 7.8 0.3 32.0 8.4 40.4 40 8.1 0.4 50.8 9.8 60.6 8 6.6 0.1 7.2 2.9 10.1 42 8.5 0.3 46.0 7.8 53.8 11 4.5 0.0 2.8 0.7 3.5 13 4.3 0.1 2.8 0.7 3.5 Sundown peatland 14 4.2 0.1 2.8 0.7 3.5 su 4 7.3 0.3 24.0 7.1 31.1 16 4.8 0.1 3.2 1.2 4.4 11 IL0 0.5 55.8 11.2 67.0 17 4.5 o. 1 3.2 1.2 4.4 12 E..2 0.4 45.4 9.1 54.5 21 5.0 o. 1 4.0 1.2 5.2 14 Ï.6 0.3 35.0 7.9 42.9 21a 4.6 o. 1 4.0 0.9 4.9 17 7'.5 0.4 38.0 9.6 47.6 21b 4.2 o. 1 1.O 0.5 1.5 22 8.0 0.4 41.4 9.4 50.8 35 6.3 0.1 6.4 1.7 8.1 23 7.6 0.3 41.4 8.8 50.2 36 5.0 0.1 6.4 1.9 8.3 32 ?.O 0.3 34.0 9.1 43.1 39 6.4 0.1 6.4 2.4 8.8 33 ?.2 0.4 51.4 10.3 61.7 40 6.4 0.1 6.8 2.4 9.2 37 '1.4 0.2 27.0 6.7 33.7 46 7.5 0.3 30.8 9.8 40.6 38 '1.1 0.2 23.0 4.6 27.6 49 7.5 o. 1 6.8 3.8 10.6 40 '7.3 0.2 23.8 4.7 28.5 50 6.9 o. 1 6.0 3.4 9.4 43 '1.7 0.4 47.0 8.5 55.5 58 6.2 0.3 40.4 7.2 47.6 44 '1.5 0.4 54.4 9.5 63.9 66 7.8 0.2 21.0 4.6 25.6 44a '7.8 0.4 46.0 8.8 54.8 72 7.7 0.3 28.0 7.6 35.6 47 3.1 0.4 44.0 8.4 52.4 75 7.9 0.3 26.0 8.0 34.0 49 '7.7 0.4 37.4 7.9 45.3 78 7.8 0.3 28.0 6.7 34.7 53 7.2 0.3 38.0 5.8 43.8 80a 7.9 0.4 35.0 8.7 43.7 61 7.1 0.2 30.0 5.4 35.4 80b 7.6 0.2 22.0 5.8 27.8 67 7.4 0.2 22.6 3.5 26.1 83 7.8 0.5 56.0 12.0 68.0 71a 8.1 0.4 48.6 9.7 58.3 87 7.7 0.4 43.0 9.8 52.8 71b 7.8 0.4 46.0 8.9 52.9 88 7.8 0.5 56.0 13.1) 69.0 73 7.6 0.3 40.0 8.0 48.0

67 Table AlJkl. - Concluded Table AIIk2. Common and botanical namcs of plants - Kind Common name Botanical name

Trees balsam fir A bies bolsaniea Sundown peatland (cont'd) balsam poplar Populu:, balsainifera su 79 7.6 0.3 40.6 7.1 47.7 black ash Frawinus nigra 80 7.9 0.3 43.2 8.8 52.0 black spruce Picea inariana 82 7.7 0.3 36.0 8.9 44.9 box-elder Acer neguiido 85 8.0 0.4 45.8 10.3 56.1 bur Oak Quercu:~rnacrocarpa 87a 7.9 0.4 45.2 9.7 54.9 eastern cottonwood Populu~deltoides 87b 8.1 0.4 45.2 9.8 55.0 eastern white cedar Tliuja occidentalis 91 7.3 0.3 36.0 8.5 44.5 green ash Fi,awiriu s peri iiqIvan ica 96 7.6 0.4 49.8 8.5 58.3 var. siibintegerrirna 102 7.9 0.4 51.2 10.1 61.3 jack pine Piiius bmiksiana 119 8.0 0.4 42.4 9.2 51.6 maples Acer spp. 120 7.7 0.4 45.4 9.5 54.9 red pine Pirius resitiosa 123 7.9 0.4 161.8 9.5 71.3 speckled alder Alnits rugosa 125 7.6 0.3 :!8.4 7.6 36.0 tamarack Lnrix la6ciria 127 7.7 0.3 24.0 6.4 30.4 trembling aspen Populus trenzitloides 128 8.0 0.3 27.4 5.9 33.3 white birch Betrrla papyrifera 129 7.7 0.2 17.0 5.2 22.2 white elm Ulinus cimericaria 130 7.6 0.2 '1 2.0 4.3 16.3 white pine Piiius sirobus 131 7.8 0.3 29.0 7.0 36.0 white spruce Picea gliirrca 132 8.0 0.5 67.4 11.9 79.3 134 7.8 0.3 :!9.0 7.3 36.3 Shrubs alders AIiius spp. 136 7.3 0.2 9.4 4.2 13.6 bearberry A rctostaphylos uva-ursi 137 7.8 0.3 27.8 6.5 34.3 blueberry Vaccitiiiiin airgustifoliuii7 138 7.8 0.3 :!3.8 5.9 29.7 bog cranberry Va~ciriir~~rnvitis-idaea 139 7.5 0.3 5'0.4 7.4 27.8 bog-laure1 Kalni ia polifolia 143 7.9 0.5 61.6 10.8 72.4 bog-rosemary Aiidrom~?da~Iaucophylla 144 8.4 0.4 '18.0 9.4 57.4 dewberry RUDUSpiibesceïis 155a 8.1 0.6 li2.0 16.0 68 .O fly honeysuckle Loiiicera villosa 155b 8.0 0.9 9.0 22.0 31.0 Labrador-tea Ledum groerilandicuin 160 7.9 0.7 'i6.0 21.0 77.0 leatherleaf Clrarnaec'aphiie calyculata 162 7.5 0.3 LlO.0 8.9 48.9 red-osier dogwood Cornus stoloiiifera 190 7.9 0.4 4.1 .O 11.0 52.0 scrub or dwarf birch Betula glandulosa 198 7.9 0.4 4.1 .O 11.0 52.0 shrubby cinquefoil Poteritillti fruticosa 20 1 7.9 0.5 57.0 13.0 70.0 sourtop blueberry Vacciniuin inyrtilloides 205 7.9 0.5 5 6.0 11.0 67.0 swamp birch Betirla glniidulosa 208 7.8 0.4 43.0 11.0 54.0 var. glmidulifera 212 7.9 0.6 59.0 16.0 75.0 swamp cranberry Vacciniccw oxvcoccus 215 7.9 0.4 42.0 10.0 52.0 twinflower Lirinaea 5orealis 219 8.1 0.3 41.0 8.7 49.7 wild black ciirrant Ribes ainericairuriz 22 1 8.5 0.4 54.0 10.0 64.0 wild red raspberry Ritbus stt.igos~ts 224 8 .O 0.4 46.0 11.0 57.0 willows Saliw spp. 225 8.1 0.5 60.0 12.0 72.0 226 8.2 0.5 60.0 14.0 74.0 Forbs aiethusa Arctliusa bulbosa arrow-leaved colt's-foot Pe tasites rag it fatils Bishop's-cap Mitella i~,!tda bladderwort Utricularia vulgaris blue flag Iris versic,olor blue monkeyflower Miinrtlus riiigeiis buck-bean Meiryariiltes trifolinta bunchbe rry Cornus ciinadensis calapogon Calapogoii pulchellus closed gentian Geiitiaria aridrewsii common skullcap Scutellaria epilobiifolia false dragonhead Physostegia virginiana field mint Meritha a weiisis fireweed Epilobiuii! angustifoliuni flat-leaved bladderwort Utricularia interniedia flat-topped white aster Aster uiiiliellatrrs fringed gentian Geritiana crinita glaucous grass-of-Parnassus Parriassia glauca gras-leaved stitchwort Stellaria graniiriea goldenrods Solidago spp. indian pipe Monotropa uiiiflora Joe-Pye weed Eupatoriu.'n rnaculaiorn Kalm's lobelia Lobelia kalnzii leafy white orchis Habenaria dilatata mad-dog skullcap Scritcllaria lateriflora marsh bellflower Carn pan ula apariiioides marsh cinquefoil Poteritilla ualustris 1

Table AIII:2 - Concluded

Kind Common name Botanical name

Forbs marsh marigold Caltlia palustris (cont’d) norîhern bedstraw Galium boreale northern green orchis Habenaria liypcrborea one-sided wintergreen Pjlrola securida pink lady slipper Cypripedium acaule pitcherplant Sarraceriia purpurea purple-stemmed aster Aster puiiiceus rose pogonia Pogoiiia opliioglossoides round-leaved orchis Orchis rotuiidifolia rush aster Aster juriciforrnis rushes JUWUS spp. showy lady slipper Cypripeduin regiiiae spotted touch-me-not lmpu fieris bipora starflower Trientalis borealis sundew Drosera roturidifolia sweet-scented bedstraw Galirrin trif7orurn swamp lousewort Pedicularis lariccolata three-leaved Solomon’s-seal Sinilaciria trifolia turtlehead Chelorie glabra water arum Calla palristris wild strawberry Fragaria virgiriiana yellow lady slipper Cypripediurn calceolus wintergreens Pyrola spp. Grasses big bluestem A ridropogoir gerardi cattail Typha latifolia cord grass Spartiria spp. fescues Fesiuca spp. Indian grass Sorgliastruriz riutam June grass Koeleria cristata little bluestem Aiidropogoii scoparius oat grasses Darithonia spp. panic grasses Pariicurn spp. prairie cord grass Spartiria pectiriata sedges Carex spp. switch grass Paiiicirm virgatum tawny bog-Cotton Eriophoruin virgiriicum tufted bog-Cotton Eriophorrrrn spissrirn Ferns interrupted fern Osmirrida claytoniana marginal shield-fern D ryopteris rnarginalis scouring-rush Eq~iisrturnhyemale woodland horsetail Eq~risaturnsylvaticum Mosses broom moss Dicrariurn scoparium feathermosses Hyp~irirnspp. Mnium Miiiurn spp. plume moss Hypiirirn crista- castrerisis moss Hylocoriiium splerideris ribbed bog moss A rtlacornriircin palustre reindeer moss Cladoriia rarigiferina Schrebers moss Pleuroziurn schreberi sphagnum mosses Sphagiium spp.

69 CONVERSION FACTORS FOR METRIC SYSTEM Approximate Imperia1 units conversion factor Results in: LINEAR inch x 25 millimetre (mm) foot x 30 centimetre (cm) yard x 0.9 metre (m) milc x 1.6 kilometre (km) AREA square inch x 6.5 square centimetre (cm2 square foot x 0.09 square metre (m2 1 acre x 0.40 hectare (ha) VOLUME cubic inch x 16 cubic centimetre lcm31 cubc foot x 28 cubic decimetre (dm3E cubic yard x 0.8 cubic metre (m31 fluid ounce x 28 millilitre (mi) pint x 0.57 litre (1) quart x 1.1 litre (1) gallon x 4.5 litre (1) WEI G klT ounce x 28 gram (9) pouiid x 0.45 kilogram (kg) short ton (2000 Ib) x 0.9 tonne (t) TEMPE RATURE degrees Fahrenheit (OF-32) x 0.56 or (OF-32) x 5/9 degrees Celsius ("Cl PR ESSU R E pounds per square inch x 6.9 kilopascal (kPa) POWE Fi hors1.p= ower x 746 watt (W) x 0.75 kilowatt (kW) SPE ED feet per second x 0.30 metres per second (m/s) mile!; per hour x 1.6 kilometres per hour (km/h) AGRICULTURE gallons per acre x 11.23 litres per hectare (ilha) quarts per acre x 2.8 litres per hectare (1/ha) pints per acre x 1.4 litres per hectare (k/ha) fluid ounces per acre x 70 millilitres per hectare (ml/ha) tons per acre x 2.24 tonnes per hectare (t/ha) pounds per acre x 1.12 kilograms per hectare (kg/ha) ounces per acre x 70 grams per hectare (g/ha) plants per acre x 2.47 plants per hectare (plants/ha)