Abstract:
Gujranwala -Sialkot area constitutes, North Eastern Rechna Doab of Punjab alluvial plain, covering an area of 11341 sq km between latitude 31° 45’ to 32° 30’ N and longitude 73° 00’ to 74° 30’ E. It falls in semi-arid to sub-humid monsoonal climate receiving 610 mm to 830 mm annual precipitation. The area is drained in North West by River Chenab, in south by River Ravi and is traversed by ephemeral/perennial streams varying from small to large in extent, like River Bain, Karir, Basantar and Deg nullahs, which are drained into River Ravi while Aik and Pulkhu are drained into River Chenab. The landforms of the area were sculptured in response to the interaction of epeirogenic processes, eustatic changes and fluvial processes. The landforms described by Fraser (1958) and Rafiq (1965) have been used to discuss soil types and their properties. The piedmont zone has been divided into old, sub-recent and recent. The area bounded by Basantar Nullah and River Bain constitute old, piedmont zone / Shakargarh upland. Erosion, rills and gullies dissect the soils in upper part of this upland. The soil profile is well developed with kanker horizon at a shallow depth. The major soil textures are loams and silty clay loams but sandy loams to silty clays also occur. These are well drained soils mainly lean clays [CL], silty clays [CL-ML] to silt [ML] dominantly of A -4 group with sub-ordinate A-2-4. The area around Sialkot, upper reaches of Chawinda and Narowal is sub-recent piedmont plain composed of loamy soils dominantly lean clay [CL] with subordinate sandy silty clay [CL-ML] and falls in A-4, A-6 and A-7-6 groups. The soils of A-6 and A-7-6 groups show a low potential of expansion/swelling. The area covering Deg Nullah down to Budha Dhoala is recent piedmont plain composed of silty soil [ML] with local sandy soil [SP] to silty clays [CL-ML] falling in A-4, A-2-4 and A-6 groups. The part of Kalar area between Daska, Chawinda, Pasrur, Badu Malhi, Eiminabad, Ghumanwala and Nangal Duna Singh constitute piedmont basin with numerous oval shaped elongated imperceptible depressions having North East and South West slope merging into old channel fills. The soils are clayey [lean clay, CL] with A-4, A-6 and A-7-6 groups. These soils have low to moderate expansion / swelling potential which is witnessed by wide shrinkage cracks. The sedimentary deposit of back slopes and old channel fills beyond Kamoke, up to Ratali and in the North of Hafizabad up to Alipur Chatta is clayey soil [lean clay, CL] with A-4 and A-6 groups. These soils are poorly drained. The fluvial deposits have been divided into old river terrace deposits, and sub-recent deposits on old river terrace, old channel/basin fills, sub-recent and recent flood plain deposits. The major area of Hafizabad, Gujranwala and smaller segments of Sialkot constitute old river terrace. The soils are loams to silty clays in texture [silt, ML to silty clay, CL-ML] with sandy loams [SM in levees] with A-4 and A-2-4 groups. The sub recent deposits occur in the area west of Gujranwala and south of Hafizabad. The surface soil deposits are mainly loams [silty sand, SM] and silty clay [CL-ML] in depressions having A-2-4 and A-4 soil groups. The sub-recent flood plain runs parallel to River Chenab from Gondal in Sialkot down to the boundary of district Jhang where as Ravi has a small sub-recent flood plain between Ikhlaspur and Nainkot. The soils composing this landform are sandy loam[SM] to silty clay [CL-ML] and falls in A-2-4 and A-4 groups. Recent flood plain occurs along present rivers and streams, which are flooded, almost every year. The soils are silty [ML], sandy [SP] in active channels and silty clay [CL-ML] in abandoned channel. The soil groups are A-3, A-2-4 and A-4. The engineering geological information of surface soil deposits presented in this article are a prerequisite for proper planning and execution of development projects like roads, buildings and water management in the study area.
Page(s):
71-93
DOI:
DOI not available
Published:
Journal: Proceedings of the workshop on Geological Materials and Aggregates of Pakistan, Volume: 0, Issue: 0, Year: 2007