Chapter 2 Soils - BP · Chapter 2 Soils. Section 2 ... are mostly developed on the weathered...

Chapter 2 Soils

Section 2 Soils

Dzelkva Ltd Soil Literature Review Environmental Advisory Services WREP Sectional Replacement Project

Updated August 2016 Page i

Table of Contents

1 Introduction .......................................................................................................... 1 2 Soil Types along Target WREP Sections ............................................................. 1

2.1 Section RP-001a ..................................................................................... 1 2.2 Section RR-001 ....................................................................................... 2 2.3 Re-route Section RR-004a ...................................................................... 2

Literature Sources ....................................................................................................... 3 Appendix 1 Soil Types Found along Proposed Re-routes and Replacement

Sections ................................................................................................. 4


Updated August 2016 Page 1

1 INTRODUCTION This report describes geological conditions in the vicinity of the re-route sections of the Western Route Export Pipeline (WREP) based on a review of the available literature sources. The sections covered by this literature review are summarised in Table 1 below. The survey corridor width is 500m. Table 1 WREP Sections Covered by Soil Literature Review

Start AM End AM Target WREP Section Length, km 51+900 55+50 RP-001a 2.8 63+100 69+100 RR-001 7.6

225 225+400 RR-004a 0.5 The soil types found along the target WREP sections are discussed in Section 2.1 below and shown on Maps 1 - 5 contained in Appendix 1.

2 SOIL TYPES ALONG TARGET WREP SECTIONS

2.1 Section RP-001a Section RP-001a located between AM 51–52 and AM 54–55 (total length – 2.8km) is situated in the southern foothills of Saguramo-Ialno ridge, northern-westernmost part of Iori upland physico-geographical district. Altitudes range from 650m to 950m above mean sea level (amsl). This section is located to the east of capital Tbilisi and Tbilisi Reservoir. The section corridor is composed of loosely cemented conglomerates, sandstones, gravelly clays and loess-like loams of the Neogene and Quaternary periods. Varieties of the cinnamonic soil are developed on the weathered substrate of the above listed strata along this section. Gray cinnamonic and cinnamonic soils prevail in the central and eastern parts of the section corridor while cinnamonic and calcareous cinnamonic soils dominate in the western part. Varieties of cinnamonic soils have loamy composition, relatively low gravel content, fairly favourable drainage properties. Average thickness of these soils is 70-100cm. Cinnamonic soils are prone to erosion. Saline and solonetz soils of different degrees of salinity are found in minor localised places of the area of distribution of these soils, mainly at the bases of small troughs and shallow depressions where soils contain easily soluble salts. Such soils mostly occur in the areas north-east of Tbilisi reservoir. Saline and solonetz soil thickness varies from 80cm to 200cm; these soils have blocky structure, clayey composition, poor drainage properties and are relatively stable in terms of erosion. The varieties of the cinnamonic soil are characterized by fairly high fertility (humus content is 3-5% on average in the upper horizon); when irrigated, they provide high yield of corn, vegetables, fruit and grapes. It should be noted that the next section located between AM 63 and AM 70 is used less for agricultural activities.



2.2 Section RR-001 The proposed re-route section RR-001 between AM 63–64 and AM 69–70 is located on the southern and south-western slopes of Saguramo ridge. Altitudes vary between 600m and 800m amsl on average. This section starts from the base of the northern-eastern slope of mt. Lurji Tsveri north of village Gldani. The section corridor proceeds westwards turning in the northern direction from AM 69. This section corridor traverses mostly secondary oak-oriental hornbeam forest found on hilly relief of low relative elevation with ravines and narrow shallow gullies. These forms of relief are composed of the Neogene and partially Quaternary sandstones, clays and loosely cemented conglomerates. Cinnamonic forest soils characterized by fairly high fertility (humus content - 3-7%) are mostly developed on the weathered material of these strata (refer to Section 2.1 for details on cinnamonic soils). Brown forest soil of medium thickness with well-represented humus layer is found only in separate areas of the western part of this section corridor. Brown soils have loamy composition, high gravel content and consequently, good drainage properties. Average thickness varies from 20-50cm to 70-100cm dependent on relief inclination. Brown soils are prone to erosion. It should be noted that the route section corridor between AM 63 and AM 70 is less utilized for agriculture. 2.3 Re-route Section RR-004a This re-route corridor is located between AM 224 and AM 226 in the southern-western part of Chiatura structural plateau, north-west of Tkemlana village at altitudes of 725 - 750m amsl. The area traversed by the re-route is composed of the Cretaceous limestones. Yellow brown soils are mostly developed on the weathered crust of the limestones.



LITERATURE SOURCES 1. Soil Map of Georgia. Editor - E. Gamkrelidze. Tbilisi, 2005 2. Soil Map of Georgia. Editor - T. Urushadze. Tbilisi, 1999 3. Ukleba D., Physico-Geographical Zoning of Eastern Georgia. In Georgian. Tbilisi, 1968 4. Sabashvili M., Soils of Georgian SSR. In Georgian. Tbilisi, 1965 5. Javakhishvili Sh., Climatography of Georgia. In Georgian. Tbilisi, 1978 6. Geology of USSR, Vol. X, Georgian SSR, Part I. In Russian. Moscow, 1964 7. Geomorphology of Georgia. In Russian. Tbilisi, 1971



APPENDIX 1 SOIL TYPES FOUND ALONG

PROPOSED RE-ROUTES AND REPLACEMENT SECTIONS

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