Soils of the - Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada

ADDINGTON SOILS (AG)
Location and Extent : Addington soils occur only between Sturgeon Slough and the south end of Pitt Lak e
and on Siwash Island and Addington Point . These are about 510 ha of pure map units and 200 ha of soi l
complexes dominated by Addington soils . The complexes are mainly with Sturgeon soils .
Topography and Elevation : The topography is gently undulating to slightly depressional with slopes les s
than 2 percent . Addington soils lie below 3 m above sea level .
Parent Material and Texture : Addington soils have developed from shallow organic accumulation s
overlying mixed Fraser, Alouette and Pitt River alluvium . The surface consists of 15 to 40 cm of moderately t o
well-decomposed organic material . This overlies silt loam or loam which grades to medium or fine sand below
about 100 cm of the soil surface .
Soil Moisture Characteristics : Addington soils are very poorly drained . They are moderately pervious bu t
the groundwater table is either near or above the soil surface for much of the year. They also have high wate r
holding capacity and slow surface runoff . Runoff accumulation from adjacent highlands and seepage (as wel l
as some flooding) from Pitt River and Pitt Lake are usual .
General Soil Description : The surface layer consists of 15 to 40 cm of grayish-brown to black, muck y
organic material containing many roots and with some silt and very fine sand admixed . Underlying this is a
zone, usually 50 to 75 cm thick, of massive, olive-gray to grayish-brown, silty material containing a few, fin e
reddish mottles . Below about 100 cm depth, massive, dark gray sands occur . Soil reaction varies from extremel y
acid in the surface to very strongly acid in the subsoil . Soil classification is Rego Gleysol:peaty phase.
Commonly Associated Soils : Widgeon and Sturgeon soils usually occur in close association wit h
Addington soils . Widgeon soils differ from Addington soils in that they consist of 40 to 160 cm of partially -
decomposed organic material . Sturgeon soils are slightly better drained than Addington soils, the surfac e
organic layer is well decomposed and the subsoil textures are usually silt loam or silty clay loam .
Vegetation : All areas of Addington soils are essentially in a natural state and support reeds, sedges, ree d
canary grass, skunk cabbage, hardhack, sweet gale and other water tolerant species . A variable moss laye r
(thin) is usually present on the soil surface . The rooting depth is generally restricted to the upper 60 cm by hig h
watertables .
General Land Use Comments : (1) All areas of Addington soils are undeveloped and extensive artificia l
drainage works are required before these soils can be used for arable agriculture . They however have som e
grazing potential in their present state . (2) Addington soils have low bearing strengths and very high watertables
which makes road and building construction difficult . They are not suitable for excavations or septic tanks . (3) I n
their present state Addington soils are unsuited for wood production because of excessive wetness an d
common inundation . (4) Parts of the Addington soils areas are presently used for waterfowl production an d
refuge and this type of enterprise could, perhaps, be expanded .
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