Soils of Uttarakhand | Uttarakhand State PSC (UKPSC): Preparation - UKPSC (Uttarakhand) PDF Download

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Soils of Uttarakhand
Soils of Uttarakhand do not form a compact block. They differ from valley to
valley and slope to slope according to different ecological conditions. Soils of
Upper Bhagirathi-Alaknanda are of mixed origin ie glacial and fluvio-glacial
origin. Soils of the talus fans and the flat terraces are silty to clayey loam and
are very fertile. Alpine zone soils are mostly granitic sandy loam. The brown
forest soils are widely distributed in many parts of the region. These soils are
normally loamy in the A-horrizon while the clay fraction increases in the sub-
soil layers.
Katil (land on forest margins), soils are stony, comletely immature and
extremeley poor. Soils of Upraon (land on hill-sides), lands are gravelly and
sandy loams. They are light brown or brown in colour. Talcon (land in valley
bottoms), soils are brown in colour with clayey loam texture.
On account of their stony texture, thin layer, heavy erosion and poor
fertility, the soils of Garhkum region in general, are very hard to work upon.
These soils, though poor for other crops, have proved very suitable for potato
cultivation and horticulture.
Kaushik has divided soils of Uttarakhand in following Pedo-ecological
zones.
Pedo-ecological
zones
Altitude
(in m)
Climato-
vegetal zone
Soil types
Bhabar and Tarai
Below
300
Humid
Tropical
Alluvial
Siwalik and Duns 300-900
Humid
Tropical
Alluvial
Lower Bhagirathi-
Alaknanda zone
900-
1800
Warm
Temperate
Brown Forest
Upper Bhagirathi-
Alaknanda zone
1800-
3000
Cool
Temperate to
Cold
Brown deciduous and grey
coniferous forest soil
3000- Mountain medow and glacial
Page 2


Soils of Uttarakhand
Soils of Uttarakhand do not form a compact block. They differ from valley to
valley and slope to slope according to different ecological conditions. Soils of
Upper Bhagirathi-Alaknanda are of mixed origin ie glacial and fluvio-glacial
origin. Soils of the talus fans and the flat terraces are silty to clayey loam and
are very fertile. Alpine zone soils are mostly granitic sandy loam. The brown
forest soils are widely distributed in many parts of the region. These soils are
normally loamy in the A-horrizon while the clay fraction increases in the sub-
soil layers.
Katil (land on forest margins), soils are stony, comletely immature and
extremeley poor. Soils of Upraon (land on hill-sides), lands are gravelly and
sandy loams. They are light brown or brown in colour. Talcon (land in valley
bottoms), soils are brown in colour with clayey loam texture.
On account of their stony texture, thin layer, heavy erosion and poor
fertility, the soils of Garhkum region in general, are very hard to work upon.
These soils, though poor for other crops, have proved very suitable for potato
cultivation and horticulture.
Kaushik has divided soils of Uttarakhand in following Pedo-ecological
zones.
Pedo-ecological
zones
Altitude
(in m)
Climato-
vegetal zone
Soil types
Bhabar and Tarai
Below
300
Humid
Tropical
Alluvial
Siwalik and Duns 300-900
Humid
Tropical
Alluvial
Lower Bhagirathi-
Alaknanda zone
900-
1800
Warm
Temperate
Brown Forest
Upper Bhagirathi-
Alaknanda zone
1800-
3000
Cool
Temperate to
Cold
Brown deciduous and grey
coniferous forest soil
3000- Mountain medow and glacial
Alpine zone 4500 Alpine soils
Alluvial soil of Tarai, deposited by rivers coming from Himalaya is highly
fertile but they are marshy land, thus not easy to reclaim for agriculture. After
independence migrant Sikh community worked hard to reclaim this land and
today agriculturally this region is highly developed. Soil of Bhabar although
falls in alluvial category, but having large boulders, cobbles and pebbles
deposited due to sudden break of slope by rivers, it is not suitable for
cultivation. Soil of both these regions is categorized as azonal soils.
One the unique character of soil inUttarakhand is lack of development of
soil profile. In hilly areas regular erosion of soil do not permit, development
of profile, while in valley, and plains the profile can not evolve as soil is
depoited here after transportation from elsewhere.