Wetland Classification and Mapping of Seward, Alaska

Mike Gracz

Doug Van Patten

Soil Subgroup Descriptions

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TYPIC CRYOFLUVENTS, by Douglas J Van Patten

 

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SIMILAR SOILS:  Oxyaquic Cryofluvents[1]

Depth class: very deep
Drainage class: well
Parent material: alluvium
Landform: floodplain terrace
Slopes: 0 to 2 percent
Mean annual precipitation: 68 inches
Mean annual temperature: 40 degrees F

TAXONOMIC CLASS: Coarse-loamy, mixed, Typic Cryofluvents

TYPICAL PEDON: Typic Cryofluvents silt loam - on a slope of 1 percent under Sitka spruce/cottonwood forest with alder/horsetail understory at 460 feet elevation. (All colors are for moist soil unless noted)

Oe--0 to 2 inches; dark reddish brown (5YR 3/2) moderately decomposed plant material; many very fine, fine, and medium roots, few coarse roots; abrupt smooth boundary.

C1--2 to 50 inches; very dark gray (5Y 3/1)  and very dark grayish brown (2.5Y 3/2)  stratified loamy fine sand and silt loam; loamy fine sand is single grain, silt loam is massive; loamy fine sand is loose, silt loam is very friable, nonsticky and nonplastic; many very fine, fine, and coarse roots to 6 inches, common very fine, fine, medium, and coarse roots to 18 inches; strongly acid (pH 5.2);  abrupt smooth boundary.

C2--50 to 52 inches; very dark gray (N3/0) very gravelly loamy sand; single grain; loose nonsticky, nonplastic; few very fine roots; medium acid (pH 5.8)

LOCATION: (PEDON 016) About 11 miles NNE of Seward, Alaska; in the SW ¼ of the NW ¼ of the SE ¼ Sec. 6, T. 2 N., R. 1 E., Seward Meridian; UTM north 6686030, east 370402, zone 6

 

REMARKS: Diagnostic features and horizons in this profile include:

• Assumed irregular decrease in organic carbon between 10 and 50 inches.

• Redoximorphic features in silt loam layers starting at 34 inches.