Muskeg field program: Mer Bleue peat bog

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Muskeg field program: Mer Bleue peat bog

NATIONAL

R E S E M C H

COUNCIL

CANADA

DIVISION O F BUILDING R E S E m G H

MUSKEG F I E L D PROGRAM

-

MER

B m U E PEAT BOG b.$r

Ivan @. MacParlane

Internal Report

No.

384

of the

Division sf Building Research

OTTAWA September 1964

PREFACE

The value of laboratory studies of the properties of undisturbed peat is limited by the complexity sf the material and by sampling difficulties. T h e r e is consequently a r e a l need for full-scale f i e l d testing far strength and csmpreeeibility sf the natural peat. Fortunately, the M e r B l e w peat bog, which is located within a reasonable distance of the Building R e s e a r c h Centre, contains a rather c ~ r n r n o n class 0% peat and is therefore

an ideal location for field studies. A s a first step in such etudies a portion of the bog has been surveyed and sounded, Tkie r epork describes the area, indicates the most suitable location far study, and oratBPnes the nature of the proposed t e s t s .

The author of this report is a civil engineer in the Soil Mechanics Section whose w o r k with the Division concerns

research on o r g a n i c terrain,

oetaw %I

September 1

96

4

R.

F, Legget Director

TABLE

OF

CONTENTS

Page

PHTRODUCTION

. . .

P

PROPOSED F I E L D TEST PROGRAM

. . .

2

CONCLUSIONS AND RECB NDATZBNS

. . .

6

W P E N B I X A

.

NOTES

ON

THE MER B U U E PEAT BOG FROM MINES BRANCH BULLETIN N o

.

1.

1909

MUSKEG FTSLD PROGRAM

-

MER BLEUE PEAT BOG

T h e M e r Bleue Peat Bog is a S g c ~ w % i n e d B e muskeg a r e a approximately 8 eqaare milee in size, located about

9.

5 miles east

of

the

centre sf the City s f Ottav~a. Situated on the northwest edge 0 4 the bog is the hamlet s f Blackburn Statism, and on

the

southeast edge i s located the village of Garlisbad Springs. The Canadian P a c i f i c Railway main line t s hIIoatreak s k i r t s the n o r t h e r n edge of the bog and the Canadian National Railway line is located wear the southern e d g e .

The bag is bisected by the Gloucester -Cumbarland Township line

(Figure I ) .

The Mer Bletle P e a t Bog is m z h l y wasteland and at present is not being utilized t o any g r e a t extent. Aerial photsgraphs

(Figure 2) show that some of the f a r m s on the p e r i p h e r y have encroached on i t v e r y slightly, t o t h e extent of a. few a c r e s . The

central p a r t of the bog is the p r o p e r t y sf the Department of National Defence and during the Second World War an a r e a one mike in diameter w a s used by the

EX. C.

A. F.

as a bsmbing rar-gee A large p a t of the west end of the bog is now p a r t of the National Capital Commission

Green Bekt a r e a and is t o b e c o m e a b i r d s a n c t u a r y and g a m e r e s e r v e

(%I.

The e a s t e r n p a r t of the bog is individuaP8y owned by s e v e r a l 08 the

bed

% B F ~ B I S .

F i r e s have o c c u r r e d r e g u l a r l y on t h e bog in the p a s t 58

y e a r s and recently, during the s u m m e r of 1955, a rather extensive f i r e occurred. T h i s f i r e as well as sporadic f i r e s which o c c u r r e d since thew burned a Barge a r e a of %Be bog. Nevertheless, it has been noted that fairly l a r g e expanses of the bog still show no s i g n s of recent f i r e s , s o evidently w e r e not affected by the 1 9 5 5 conflagration,

although w e r e probably burned over by e a r l i e r fires, T h e r e is ass

doubt, therefore, that the present s u r f a c e vegetation m o r e or less r e f l e c t s the f i r e h i s t o r y of the bog.

T h e elevation of the edge s f the Mer BHeue P e a t Bag is about 225 ft above sea Bevel. Local geology indicates t h a ~ the bog is deposited in the depression of a former r i v e r channel QactuaPfy, a delta). Ridges along both the north and south extremities sf the bog a r e quite evidently beach lines. 1t is a so-called Pshighmcps%r38 type bog, with t h e c e n t r e being of oPightHy higher elevation than the edges. T o r e a c h the

$02,

it

is n e c e s s a r y t o wade for s e v e r a l f e e t through a water -filled, low-lying a r e a around the p e r i p h e r y ( h o w as a "lagg") until the higher l e v e l

Soma of the Mer Bleue is treeless, but a fairly large

proportion

of

the

area, particularly a& the centre, is

quite

heavily

wooded. Much of this tree growth is scrub, u p to 1 5 %t hi&,

but

there are s o m e areas where

the

trees a r e dense in g r o w t h and w e l l

over % 5 bt high. In the open areas the predominant vegetation is

low

woody

shrubs (less than 2 ft highband m o s s e s . Incidentally, the name

of

the

M e r Bleue Peat Bog apparently springs from

the

fact that

during

the

blueberry

season it is

veritably

a "blue sea, D B f o r blueberry b u ~ h e s

are owe of the predominant vegetative features of these open areas,

Generally, the m o s s , which is knee-deep in places, 9s fairly h u m r n ~ c k y and '8epringyit so that walking

is

quite difficult

until

onme

acquires

the technique of the &bog trotting gait. @ Occasisnal patches $of faiz1y

limited area) of short grass and m s e s also occur, so the area offers a fairly

good

range of muskeg types.

Drainage Pattern

As

can be noted f r o m Figures B and 2 , the M e r BPeue

Peat

Bog is

naturally drained at the west end by several small streams and at the east end

by

two extensive m a n - m a d e ditches

draining

into Bear

Brook. It is understood that these ditches w e r e dug during the 1 9 3 0 e s

as a '%make-work" project &a alleviate local unempls%p~9lean$ rather

thaw

as a serious attempt to reclaim the area. T h e c o s t

is

reputed to have been $ 6 0 , O O O , This work

has

w o w

been

undone

by beavers.

The long

ditch adjacent to t h e township line was observed to be %argely choked with shrubs and bushes at the south end, and at the north end to

be

compketdy filed w i t h water. This ditch is about 4 ft deep, with sloping sides, and is about 10 ft wide at

the

tap,

PROPOSED F I E L D TEST PROGRAM

A

laboratory test program to determine

the

engineering characteristics of peat has been underway at the Division s f Building Research for some time.

It

is not always possible, however, $0

extrapolate laboratory results to fit field conditions. It wae considered, therefore, that it would b e useful to set up a field test program so that model and full-scale shear strength and settlement tests could be carried out concurrent with the laboratory program, to c h e c k orat the latter

results. This field program

will

be carried out in three stages:

The objectives w i l l be to:

1. 85tain a vehicle for access, such as a DeMuekeg B u g g y ,

"

8%~t'8 or s n W ~ a s e h . $'

2 , G a t r y out a s u r v e y of the

M a r

BPeue Peat Boge

(a) Lay out s proposed line for 3 survey, p f sferably a north-

easreh, east-wee& grid system; grid p ~ f n t ~

$

mils apart.

(b] Probe fst depth and t y p e of peat at the

grid

points. Determine

t y p e of u~%$erlyHng mineral soill. G l e e sbf y surface vegetation.

3. Select areas of various muskeg type8 for vane shear and cone penetrometer testing.

[a) Conduct vane ehear smd eons pesetresmster t e s t s 1x1 these areas.

(b) Obtain peat samples for water content, or ganfc content and ~ p e c i f i c gravity determinations.

4 Select an area for the proposed detailed t e ~ t program. F e n c e it off if necessary.

The program will be continued as %a%Bows:

1. F r o m within the large test area, select a specific area (or areas)

far proposed load teete.

2. Gsaadaect load tests an the muskeg, using tanlee filled

with

watep on

gravel pads, or a similar loading system.

(a$ Obeerve load-deflection -time.

($1

U s e various load increments. { c ) Use variou~ s i z e s of loaded area.

M o r e detailed t e a t s w i l l %a carried o u t :

1 , Second s e r i e s s f load t e a t s .

[a) ImstaBI pfezometere to measure pare-water pressures,

(b) 1nezstal.l lateral movement gauges.

( c ) Install settlement plates at various depths in the peat.

2 , Field shear t e s t s .

fa)

Load peat

to failure

-

in different

muskeg

t y p e s ,

if possible.

(b)

Analyze the

failure, Check

calculated shear

values with vane

shear,

cone

pe~etrometer

and

labor

ator

y values.

arUndiaturbed'D

peat

samples

will be sbtained throughout the

profile of

the

deposit %or laboratory cornpressHon

and sheer teetfng,

for

routine index teats,

B&C.

STAGE I: SUMhAER

1962

-

FIELD WORK

Vehicle

After considerable investigatieaw

it

was learned that

a

Bombardier

B.

B. Carrier (amphibious)

awned by the National

Research

Cauncill,

Divisf

on sf Mechanical Engineering, coab%d

be

obtained

on loan,

This

vehicle provided generally eatisfacterr

y transportation over the

bog but

it

had

variolas defect8 which might militate against

the purchaee

of

this particular model

by

the Division of Building Reeeareh.

C s n s f der

-

able maintenance

w a s

requfr

ed,

particularly to the eHectricai gystem,

The

motor

H B

compBete1y

enclosed in

a watertight compartment,

making

access for

repaire

very difficult. The motor

also

had

a

tendency

$0

overheat,

e s

that the vehicle could be driven

only

Psr an hour

or 80

at

the

most before

it

had to be allowed

to

c o d off. T o

its advantageB however,

is

the track system, which gave

little

trouble, even

w h e n

travelling

o%*er

burned-over terrain containing tree stumps. Nevertheless,

it was

necessary

to

clean the tracks

of moss

and other

debris

at

least once each

day and often more frequently, depending

upon

the type of terrain.

Arrangemente

w e r e

made

to leave

the vehicle overnight and

weekends in the farmyard

of

Mr. John Lauthier,

a tenant

in

the

last

house

an

the

Dolman

Ridge Road,

Survev of Mer Bleue Peat Boa

The M e r Bleue Bog wae found to be

m o r e

heavily

wooded

than originally anticipated, ss that

it was

not possible to adhere strictly

$0

the

$-mile

grid system

-

at

least withoat extensive bush work.

Although the vehicle could negotiate in fairly heavy bush, quite

extensive

areas

had tree growth too large

for the Bcsmbardier to get

through,

In

addition, past

fires

had

left

forests

of

dead tree trunks

and

stumps which were extremely hard and brittle. These

areas

were

an

e%Bective sftank

traps'

and it

was

considered expedient to avoid them for

dear

0%

track

damage

or puncturing of

tires.

As

it was, on

one excursion

into the fringe

of

a burned-aver area,

a dead

tree

got caught in the

track,

backlashed,

and

crashed

through

the windshield of

the B ~ m b a r d i e r .

Consequently, it w a s found necessary t o scale dawn some-

what the actual extent 0% the surveyg and t o vary the distances between

the grid points w h e r e appropriate.

An

attempt w a e made to tie in g r i d points with some location easily Identifiable from a e r i a l photographs.

In general, g r i d points were maintained in a north-aorrth and east -west relationship ueing a simple compass. Distances w e r e m e a s u r e d by counting the t r a c k rev04~tions af the Born4CBba.r dier. F i g u r e

1

indicates

the %ocat%an of the points where depth probes were made, and Table

I

surnmarisee the field fnf~rrnation obtained, Figures 3 to 'I p o r t r a y

typicah areaka sf the PA@$ BBeue P e a t Bogo

Time

did not permit s complete survey of the Bog during the ~ u m m e r e The eelobelc between Balman and Bortbwick

Ridges

on the w e s t

and

the large expanee sf

bog

between the two ditches on the east

end were untouched. In both cases, access w a s difficult f r o m the

"sheadquarters" a r e a on Dolman Ridge. Heavy t r e e growth prevented easy accesa in the c a s e of the lobe of bog between the t w o ridges; the

width and depth of water in the ditch at the w e s t and retarded a c c e s s to that area. The Bobe'sf bog to the north of Dolman Ridge a l s o is bisected by a ditch which can create difficulty for the Bsmbardier, even though it is not very deep or wide. Since this survey w a s c a r r i e d out, It haa

been learned that a eimilar survey w a s conducted in

1908 (29.

The

resulte of this early survey provide vary useful confirmatory information and are included as Appendix A s f this report.

Vane Shear and Cone Penetrometer T e s t s

A s e r i e s of vane shear and cone penetrometer t e s t s w e r e

c a r r i e d out in a single muskeg t y p e , at two grid points: 10-3N a n d

18-5M, 1% w a s originally intended to conduct such measurements at

other grid points in various muskeg t y p e s , but time d i d n s t p e r m i t this.

The

r e s u l t s s f theee t e s t s a r e shown in F i g u r e s 8 t o Bl. The vane used was a medium-size vane as deecribed 3x1 a previoue paper (31, F r i e t ~ s n corrections were m a d e for these t e s t s , but w e r e found to be. insignificant for the depths involved f o r this particular type of muskeg.

The

cone penetrometer is a Soiltest rnodei

CN-970,

with a cone size as follows:

diameter at base

-

2 . 8 4 c m , height

=

5. Bb c m . Penetrometer readings were taken w h e r e limited muskeg a r e a s Qa f e w square feet in size] of

different coverage types were adjacent to each sther. Depth of cone penetrometer meaeearementa were limited by the length of the rods

available. Vane teste w e r e c a r r i e d out only in the predominant vegetative

type.

Figur e e 8 and I 8 show the vane shear -depth relationship for predominantly amon-woody fine-fibroue peate. An increase in shear

strength with depth i s observed dawn t o a depth of about 2* f t , followed

by a decline in strength. The shear strength i n c r e a s e s again at the transitional zone between the peat and the mineral s a i l substratum.

The cone penetrometer tests are h a r d l y extensive enough t o permit any definite eonaclueione t o be drawn. Nevertheless, it was

possible to make a preliminary assesamen$ sf this instrument. It is

mach simpler and fzster ts u s e than $8 the vane, and in

this

r e g a r d it

has t o commend it. It does nots however, r e f l e c t sxact1y tb.e same trend of ahease strength with depth ae does the vane. A continuing increase in cane penetration P eeistance is indicated somewhat beyond that point at which the vane ~ h e a r ~ t a s t e show a deerease in strength. Assuming that the vane apparatus i s an adequar-,a device for refleeting the conditions that actually exist, it m a y w e l l be that the cone pane- treatmeter

-

at least of the small sf ze used

-

may not be appropriate far

all peat conditions. F u r t h e r csmparat-kva t e s t s will have to be carried

out to ~o~afbrm this.

Figure

9

indicates the cone penetration reaiatance in three

different muskeg t y p e s . These curves r e p r e s e n t an average of the r e s u l t s of t h r e e t e s t s in the s a m e area. The greatest r s s i e t a n c e to

penetration i s indicated for the PI muskeg, the l e a s t for BI, with E I intersmediate. This is opposite to what might normally be expected. The relationship in Figure

B O is

m o r e logical, however, except that

the va;buee for the

EH

area ape abnormally high, which indicate the poseibilbty 0% a log (or heavy root mesh) below the 36-in. depth.

60NC

EUSIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS

From t h i s greliminar y survey, it appears that the most appropriate location for a proposed t e s t site would be immediately north s f the Dolman Ridge Road, in

the

vicinity of g r i d point

EO

-2E

-1 5, where the depth t o minerah soil is 18 ft.

This

i s an E I muekeg azea, and is easily accessible from the road. Far a possible t e s t site in FH

muskeg, the a r e a immediately east of Dolman Ridge would be appropriate (Figure 21. Finah choice of a suitable site, however, slkaodd await

completion of the sulrvey.

Ira the vicinity of the above-mentioned sites t h e r e would be little difficulty in obtaining a building t o ehelter a vehicle, znd even one for a field k e a d w a r t e r s, Many of the houses along the Dolman Ridge Road are empty a n d a r e offered f o r rent. They a r e s m e d by

the National Capitall Csmmissioaa who have expropriated the land for the Green Belt. E%ectricity and telephone s e r v i c e s w ~ u l d l also be eanven- iently available.

All

faci%i&iee would have $0 be negotiated for with the

The method

of load application for the f i e l d settlement teats muet essentially be simple and portable, yet effective,

The

u s e

of a t e s t f i l l sf g r a v e l or s a ~ a d may b e an u%tima%a poesibility, but it is advisable to utilize initially a simpler method of l o a d appliestisn.

It is suggested that a farm of "sPfpan5 could poesibly be used, which could act both as a rneane of carrying equipment, when attached to a vehicle, and I B a method of appP$Pi;ng a Load. It hecsa9%d be

designed t o a e e o m m s d a t e flexible tanks of water so theht the load cauld

be varied. The bearing surface could be a plate, e. g. a 36-in. diameter,

3

-in. thick plywood plate, reinforced by aluminum alloy channel@,

Other platee of larger diameter could also be uaed. If the ~ 1 f p e is ~ I B D

sf a BPghtwei&t aluminum alloy, it esuld be attached t c s the plate and

left in

that

position for the duration of

the

%a&. A pump would supply

wafer to four tanks fn the ~Bipe, with the water being metered to p a ~ m i t control sf the exact weight desired. Water tube levels attached to each c o r n e r of the ~ l p e , and leading to an adjacent control panel, wokpPd

help to assuss the operator of an even dietribution sf the load.

A

small hole in the bearing plate and fn the bottom 0% the d i p e would give access 4,s eattlernent gauges and to piezometers, F o r future guidance, a

schematic drawing incorporating theee euggeetione is shown in Figjar e %

2.

References

(1) Montreal Gazette?

24

Jane 196%.

(2)

~ ~ e t r k ! r n ,

E,

and S. A, Anrep, Investigatisn of Canada during the season

1908-1909.

Canada Dept, of Mines, Mines Branch, Bulletin No.

1

{Report #SO), Ottawa,

1909,

) MacFarlane, I.

G.

and

A,

Rutka, An evaluation of pavement performance over rnea~lleeg in Northern Ontario. Highway

TABLE 1

T OF FIELD SUWYE Y DATA Depth

G r i d Surface of Slabsoil

DRZ-EL BFE at edge af FK 4 Fins s a n d

BR3-Nk F9 a 3 Sand

DR3-%.89 FI a

$4

Bandy able Very wet; water at e u r k c e

5 G r a y silty clay

a 6 Blue -gray firm

r i l t y cloy EFIat edge of BEI G r a y eHay

Fairly soft clay

Patchy TI, a EI hummocks C l a y Sand Silty sand Fine sand

Very wet; water at surfsee

Very wet; water at surface

Very wet; wzter at aurfaee El; patches of Ff BE%; FH patches F i n s eand Gray sand Sand Fine sand

Very lpboggylC and wet aeea

V a r y w e t and soft zrea

Very wet s r e a

FI; El h u m r n o ~ k ~ a

Quite wet; did cone and vane

t a r t s

G r a y sand

Shaky

-

Bike a floating bog

Sand

IF; between FI

and BFH

BParxt: and cone t e s t s carried out

Sand

C l a y Fine sand Bluish silt

DEI and DFE Burned ever area. D r y

V e r y D s s p ~ n g y i t &re%

El; small

FP pateke8

Fine gray tiand

Fine earad Dry, 'vspowgy" area

EI at edge of L

A e BE%

Bluish etPty clay

Silty aand Quf.te dry af ea

1 6 . 2 5 G r a y clay Water at surface

a 17. 5 Blue-gray clay D r y rsrxrface

29 Fine sand V e r y wet area

5% Fine sand Extremely w e t ares

D4-ZW F1; E I hummocks a 3 Sandy silt ' V a r y w e t and shaky.

W a t e r at surface

D 4 - 3 W Ff alternating w i t h

EH clumpm

32. B r o w n sand Essentially a floating bog area

RO EH 1 5 Fairly soft chagr D r y and crisp a r e a

T A B L E 1 - continued

DepeX

Gafd Surface s f Subsoil

P% ~iiPLt Cover Topagraphy Peat, f t Twe General Remarks

RO-3E-BN El; FI patches

BO-3E-BS EI

RO-3E -2s B

*

Dl;

ssms D F I

RQ -4E FI; alternating

with El clumps

RO-4E-1N EX; eoma

FE patches

WO-6E EI; earns FIpatcAes

RO-66-PM FEI

8 0 -4E El

RB-tE-1S Edge of BEIandEH

RO -8E EI

RO-8E-19 EP

G P El; some BET

C 2

*

(B)EX X 0 - I S E I xc -0s O ~ E I X O - I W (B)EI X 8 - 2 W EE XO-ZW-IN El XQ-2W-2N EE XO-2W-3N (B)EI XQ-3W (B)EI XO-4W F % ; E I e P u r n p s x0-5W EII XO-6W (B)EI XO-SW-PN EI XO-7%' E P XO-8%: EI XO-9W EP 8 Some 7) Bandy milt

8 Band Very dry area

B 8 Silty clay Vane t e s t s carried out

a 94 Silty sand Dry area

fJ$ Flat 17* Flat 9 and Stiff gray eilty clay Stiff c l a y e y silt

Stiff eilty elay

Stiff clay

G r a y sand

Silty cPay

Fine sand

Gray sand

Firm eilty slay

G r a y sfit

Fine sand

G r a y clay

Fins sand

Firm gray clay Stiff elay Stiff clayey sfat

Silt Clay Silt Silty clay Sandy sitt Sandy a i i t Silty clay Silty clay Sand Dry area Dry area Dry area W e t area

Dry hummocky area

Dry area

D r y area

Zairly dry; wet in depseesfim~

Wummctcky area

Fairly dry area Spongy area

D s y at surface

Adjacentto heavy t s e e growth

Vary dry area

V e r y dry area; burwed over

Dry area

Flat 1 4 Plastic blue clay Very d r y area

Flat Blue siltyelay Dry area

Flat 12i G r e y s i l t y c l a y D a y area

Flat 10; S i l t y c l a y

Flat l0-f Firm silty clay V e r y dry

F i g u r e 2 A e r i a l v i e w sf M e s Bleue Peat Bog (from 3 5 , 0 0 0 f t ; scale: 5600 f t

=

1 in.

$.

(Photograph c o u r t e s y RGAF.

F I G U R E

2 8

MER

BLEUE P E A T

B O G

-

G W

I D

P O I N T S

F i g u r e 3 G r i d Point 16 -3N

BFE a n d PI Muskeg

F i g u r e 4 G r i d P o i n t

RO

-8E

Figure 5 Grid Point X 6 - 6 W

23% Muskeg

Figure 6 G r i d Point

RO

-5E

F i g u r e 47 G r i d P o i r n t

XO

EP Muskeg

V A N E

S H E A R ,

P.

S .

F .

FE

Muskeg

F I G U R E

8

P E N E T R A T I O N

R E S I S T A N C E , L B

60

70

80

9 0

100

110

120

F I G U R E 9

V A N E S H E A R , P . S . F .

100

rn

300

F I G U R E

1s

P E N E T R A T I O N R E % % S T A N C E , k B

20

3

40 50 70

a

93

100

110 120 1%

F I G U R E 11

L O A D

I M G

Load

fs

applld

by

pumping

water

into

4

f

lexlble

tanks

In

the

slipe.

An even load is applied

to

the bearing

plate

and differential se3Sement avoidtd by adjusting the

water

Bevel

In

the tanks

as

indicated by

the

water

e~k

levels.

s e ~ 9 g - l ~ ~

C - c

F I G U R E

12

S C H E M A T l C D R A W I N G O F L O A D I N G

A R R A N G E M E N T

FOR

MER

B L E U E

T E S T S

NOTES

ON

THE BAER

BLEUE

PEAT 886 FROM M p m S BRANCH B U L L E T I N

No.

1,

1969

[ ~ y a t r & m and Anrep], Fagee 10 a n d 1 1

The

bog is situated about 8 milee f r o m Ottawa, Ox~tarEo BW the townships of GPsucester and Cambarland and covere m o r e or % e s e

sf:

Lots 6 3

-

16,

con. 111, township of GPouceeter. Lots 3

-

25,

con,

%V,

9 t s l ? s

Lets h

-

16, con.

V,

I L 8 ? ? !

Lote 1

-

2 , eon, VII, w 1 8 1 D F

Lots

9

-

16, con.

XI,

township of Cumberland. k o t e 12

-

16, con.

X,

D I Tt 6 I

The total area covered by this bog is approximately '

5684 a c r e s . 8% t h i s area

1564

a c r e s have a depth of leas than 5 ft, average depth 2 ft

9

in. ; 2237 a c r e s have a depth of 5 to P O ft, average depth

6

ft 8 in. ; 856 a c r e s have a depth of 10 t o $ 5 ft,

average depth 1 II f t 8 in. ; 347 acres have a depth of m o r e than

15

ft, average depth

16

f t *

The peat is fairly well humified and unifsrm in quality. After the bog is thoroughly drained, the peat will probably s e t t l e f r o m one to three feet.

The bog consists of t h r e e distinct basins, p a r t l y separated

by t w o eomparative2y high ridges. T h e s e ridges are east o i $gat 5 in GPoucester Township, partly s u b m e r g e d in the bog, but in places f a r m what m a y p r o p e r l y be called islands in the bog. The bottom s f the bog

is a compact blue clay.

The principal vegetation forming the peat in t h i s bog is

Sphagnum, m o r e os: l e s s mixed with Eriopkorum, and many sther plant types to a l e s s e r extent. Large a r e a s 0 % the surface of the bog a r e

covered by a more or l e a s heavy growth of s p r u c e and t a m a r a c k and the peat itself i s intermixed with l a r g e quantities of rerate, trunks and

stumps of t r e e s .

The accompanying map indicates the range of depths thrsugh- out the Mer Bleue P e a t Bog. The notations A,

B

-,

B

and

B+

r e f e r $0

humifirsatican a s r e l a t e d to the u s e of peat as a fuel and

as

such a r e not r ePevawt to this r epoxt.