The Alfred Bog

107 Pages·2005·4.93 MB·English

bird and hale ltd. AIRPHOTO INTERPRETATION
BIOPHYSICAL INVENTORY AND
CONSULTING ENGINEERS AND BIOLOGISTS ENVIRONMENTAL ASSESSMENT
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REFUSE AND SOLID
1263 BAY STREET - . WASTE SYSTEMS
TORONTO, ONTARIO
M5R 2C1 REMOTE SENSING
416-925-1147
S.J. GLENN BIRD, M.A.Sc., P.Eng., O.L.S.
MEMBER: Association of
IAN M. HALE, M.A.Sc., P.Eng. Consulting Engineers of Canada
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31Ge7NW8881 63.4497 ALFRED 010
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THE ALFRED BOG
l PEATLAND INVENTORY
AND EVALUATION
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l prepared for
586565 Ontario Inc.
l c/o Hardee Farms International Inc
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by
l Bird and Hale Limited
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November, 1984.
File No. 84-135
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Exectutive Summary
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Study Area Location
l The Alfred Bog is located in Alfred and Caledonia Townships
in Prescott County. It is situated between Highways 17 and
417 and is accessible from Ottawa by driving east for
l approximately one hour on Highway 17 to the town of Alfred
and then south 5 km.
The total area of the bog is reported to be approximately
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4,000 hectares, of which 1,500 hectares are owned by Hardee
Farms International Limited. The latter portion of the bog
forms the study area (shown on Key Map 1).
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Objectives
l The primary objectives of this study are, to inventory the
peat resources of the study area and to determine the
potential for development of these resources for the
extraction of fuel and horticultural peat and agricultural
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use.
l Study Method
The objectives of the study were accomplished through; review
l of available published data, detailed field investigation,
laboratory analysis of peat and agricultural soil samples,
and evaluation of the data acquired to determine the
development potentials of the peat resources.
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Potential for Utilization
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The general criteria that affect the overall utilization
potential of the peat resources of the study area are:
l access, climate, topography, drainage, vegetation, stump
content, and previous uses and modifications. Summaries of
these criteria follow.
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Access
The Alfred Bog is located approximately 75 km from Ottawa and
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110 km from Montreal. Access is available via numerous hard
and loose surface all weather roads. A Canadian Pacific
Railway line is located 5 km north of the study area.
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The proximity and accessibility to these potential markets
enhance the development potential of the peat resources.
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Climate
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The climate is conducive to the harvest of peat resources t
Southern Ontario has been rated as having the most favourable
conditions within Ontario for traditional peat harvesting
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Climatic conditions are also acceptable for production of a
l wide range of field crops.
Topography
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The domed and elevated nature of the study area will
facilitate development of an effective drainage network and
l grading of production fields to promote good site drainage.
l Drainage
The existing municipal drainage network and drainage ditches
within the study area should be suitable as drainage outlets.
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Potential appears to be good for improving site drainage
through clearing and extension of existing, and construction
of additional, drainage ditches.
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Vegetation
l The open, as opposed to treed, nature of the majority of the
study area will minimize the cost of clearing the pentland
surface.
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Stump Content
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The stump content of the peat is low and is anticipated to
pose only minor constraints to development.
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Previous Uses and Modifications
Historically, portions of the Alfred Bog have been used for
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agriculture and for peat extraction. The associated
modifications, such as draining and clearing, should be
permitted to continue. However, measures should be taken to
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ensure that detrimental environmental impacts to adjacent
lands do not occur.
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Potential for Extraction of Fuel and Horticultural Peat
The specific criteria that determine the suitability of the
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study area for the extraction of fuel and horticultural peat
are described below.
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Area and Depth
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The Hardee Farms property has a total area of 1,500 hectares
of which 1,479 hectares are considered to be suitable for
l development of peat extraction operations (i.e. area with
peat depth in excess of 1.2 m). The peat depth ranges from
1.2 to 7.1 metres and the average depth is 4.5 metres. The
l suitable area and average depth are far in excess of those
considered necessary for development of peat extraction
operations.
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Volume
l The Hardee Farms holdings are estimated to contain a total of
approximately 67.36 million cubic metres of peat in the area
that is considered suitable for development of peat
l extraction operations.
Fuel Peat Extraction
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Potential is good for extraction of a large volume of good
quality fuel grade peat from the Hardee Farms holdings on the
l Alfred Bog. It is estimated that a total volume of 56.72
million cubic metres of fuel grade peat is available for
harvest. This would produce an estimated 28.36 million
l cubic metres of final product (milled fuel peat at 507o
moisture content). This fuel peat has an average calorific
value of 4813 calories per gram, an average ash content of
5.757o, and an average sulfur content of Q.044%.
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Horticultural Peat Extraction
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All of the peat in the study area (67.36 million cubic
metres) is suitable for horticultural use. Two types of
l horticultural peat occur, these are sphagnum peat moss (6.94
million cubic metres) and reed-sedge peat (60.42 million
cubic metres).
The sphagnum peat moss occurs as a continuous surface stratum

across the majority of the property, it ranges from O to 1.3
metres and averages 0.5 metres in depth. An estimated 6.94
million cubic metres of sphagnum moss peat occur in the study
I area. This should produce approximately 1,62 million cubic
metres of good quality horticultural sphagnum moss peat at
507o moisture content.
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An estimated total of 60.42 million cubic metres of reed-
sedge peat occur. This should produce approximately 28.36
million cubic metres of harvested final product at 5070
l moisture content. This is the good qualitiy fuel grade peat
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referred to in the previous section, however it is also
suitable for uses as horticultural peat.
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Potential For Agricultural Use
l The study area can be made suitable for agricultural use
through, draining, clearing of surface vegetation, liming and
fertilization. These are standard management techniques for
agricultural use of peatlands.
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Recommendations
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It is recommended that an economic feasibility study be
conducted prior to development of the study area for the
l previously described uses. This study should include
determination of the bog development costs and market
analysis.
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If development for any, or all, of the described uses is
determined to be economically feasible a development plan
should be prepared. This plan should include preparation of
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a drainage plan and determination of the environmental impli
cations that are specific to the intended use.
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IV
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l 3IG(S7NWe0ei 63.4497 ALFRED 010C
TABLE OF C
l EXECUTIVE SUMMARY i
1. INTRODUCTION l
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1.1 Study Area Location l
1.2 Objectives l
1.3 Scope 3
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2. PROCEDURES
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2.1 Preliminary Investigations 4
2.2 Field Investigations 4
l 2.3 Data Analysis 6
3. OBSERVATIONS AND CONCLUSION
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3.1 Climate 9
3.2 Geology and Geomorphology 11
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3.3 Peatland Formation 12
3.4 Area and Shape 12
3.5 Topography 14
l 3.6 Drainage 14
3.7 Vegetation 17
3.8 Peat Characteristics 21
i) Peat Depth 21
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ii) Peat Type 23
iii) Peat Humification 23
3.9 Peat Volumes 24
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3.10 Stump Content 24
3.11 Previous Modifications and Uses 25
3.12 Present Use 27
l 3.13 Potential For Utilization 27
i) Potential for Fuel Peat Extraction 29
ii) Potential for Horticultural Peat Extraction 32
iii) Potential for Agriculture 35
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APPENDICES
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Appendix A Ground Photographs 37
Appendix B Site Data Record Sheet 41
l Appendix C - Keys to Peatland Classification 43
Appendix D Peat Type Classification 55
Appendix E Identification of Peat Types 59
Appendix F Laboratory Results 61
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Appendix G Von Post Scale of Decomposition
(Humification) 74
Appendix H Calculation of Stump Content 77
l Appendix I Classification of Peat and Peat Moss 79
Appendix J References 81
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Table of Contents cont'd page
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TABLES
Table l - Climatic Data Summary 10
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Table 2 - Summary of Vegetation Cover Types 18
Table 3 - Tree Cover Analysis 19
Table 4 - Dominant Vegetation Species 22
l Table 5 - Average Peat Depths 21
Table 6 - Peat Volumes 24
Table 7 - Fuel Peat Characteristics 31
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FIGURES AND MAPS
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Key Map I - Alfred Bog Study Area 2
Key Map II - Past and Present Extent of the
Alfred Bog 13
l Figure l - Drainage Ditch Profiles 16
Dwg. No. l - Base Map Inside Back Cover
Dwg. No. 2 - Elevation Map "
l Dwg. No. 3 - Isopach Map "
Dwg. No. 4 - Peatland Classification Map "
Peat Type and Peat Humification Profiles:
B200S to B2200N "
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B2400N to B4800N "
B5000N to B7400N "
LOGO "
l L1000N "
L2000N "
L3000N "
L4000N "
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L5000N "
L6000N "
L7000N "
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INTRPPUCTION
1 1.1
Study Area Location
The Alfred Bog is located in Alfred and Caledonia Townships
1 in Prescott County. The total area of the bog is reported to
be approximately 4,000 hectares (Cuddy, 1982), of which 1,500
hectares are owned by Hardee Farms International Limited.
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The legal description of the Hardee Farms holdings is:
Township of Alfred -
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Part of the Gore, Concession X
Lots 7,8,9, and Gore, Concession XI
1 Lots 3-7 inclusive, and Gore, Concession XII
Part of Lots 4 and 5, Concession XIII
1 Township of Caledonia -
Lots 19 to 24 inclusive, Concession III
Part of Lots 19, 20, 21 and
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Lots 22, 23 and 24, Concession IV
Part of Lots 23 and 24, Concession V
1 The Alfred Bog is located between Highways 17 and 417 and
is accessible from Ottawa by driving east for approximately
one hour on Highway 17 to the town of Alfred and then south
1 5 km. The locations of the Alfred Bog and the study area
are shown on Key Map 1.
1.2 Objectives
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The primary objectives of this study are:
i) to inventory the type, depth, degree of humifica
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tion, and volume of peat contained in the Hardee
Farms International Limited holdings on the
Alfred Bog.
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ii) to prepare surface and bottom contour maps of the
peatland within the study area.
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iii) to map the vegetation communities that occur on
the deposit (i.e., bog, fen, swamp, marsh), and
determine the dominant species and character
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istics.
iv) to undertake a preliminary evaluation of the
1 effects of ditching on the peatland.
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Key Hap I
Alfred Bog
Study Area
SCALE l : 63,360
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Scope
This project was designed to survey the peat resources of
l the Hardee Farms holdings on the Alfred Bog. The informa
tion contained in this report was acquired through review
of existing documents, airphoto interpretation, field
l investigation, and peat sample analysis.
Preliminary evaluation of future uses of the Bog resources
is based on physical and biological information obtained
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during this study and does not include social or economic
considerations.
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