Wetland Classification and Mapping of the Kenai Lowland, Alaska

 

Map Unit Descriptions

 

Ecosystem: Tidal

 

Map Unit: T17

 

Extent: 1 wetland polygon; 27.3 ha; 0.03% of wetland area; 0.01% of wetland polygons.

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Wetland Indicators Type: Mineral or Peat Average depth to water table: n/a Organic layer thickness: n/a Average depth to redoximorphic features: n/a Common Soils:  CLUNIE Common Plant communities: T1 Component: Slender glasswort T7 Component: Beachrye

 

A single, unvisited T17 unit has been mapped to date, near the mouth of the Kasilof River.  On the aerial photograph this unit appears to be a mosaic of saltpannes (T1) and beachrye (T7). 

T1 map unit components are found where tidal flooding is relatively infrequent, but leaves pools behind that slowly evaporate, creating highly saline soils.  After flooding, much of the ground consists of cracked bare soil with little plant cover.  Stickystem pearlwort (Sagina maxima), and glasswort (Salicornia maritima) are frequently the only plants able to tolerate the salinity of these rare wetlands.  Glasswort is not common in Alaska; it is only reported from the Anchorage and Homer areas in The Flora of Alaska (Hultén, 1968).

T7 map components are dominated by Beachrye (Leymus mollis ssp. mollis).  They are found on coastal storm berms and higher riverbank levees.  Vince and Snow's (1984) describe 'Riverbank Levees' dominated by other grasses, and that "Still higher levees featured [Beachrye] and large forbs..."  Their lower levees flood an average of 1 time per summer; higher T7 beachrye berms or levees probably only flood when storms correspond with the highest spring tides.

 

Soils at many tidally influenced sites are high in organic matter, and the Clunie soil series is common.  Soils at other sites have low organic content (Vince and Snow, 1984)and are classified as typic cryaquents.