Loess deposits of the West Coast of the South Island, New Zealand

Abstract

Abstract Up to 6 ft of massive, pale blue‐grey loess blankets terraces of the Waimaunga, Waimea, and early Otira Glaciations of the West Coast of the South Island, but has not been recognised on terraces of the later Otira Glaciation Kumara 2 and Kumara 3 glacial advances. It is thickest in the vicinity of the glacial moraines between the Ahaura and Hokitika Rivers. Loess also occurs on the high terraces of the Reefton, Westport, and Karamea districts. It is appreciably finer around the 75 percent quartile than east coast loess although there is slightly higher percentage of fine sand. With coefficients of permeability around 1CT6 cm/sec the material is practically impermeable, as exemplified by the poorly drained nature of the areas in which it occurs.