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Wetland Classification and Mapping of the Kenai Lowland, Alaska
Map Unit Descriptions
Ecosystem: Kettle Map Unit: K12; K21
Extent: K12: 41 wetland polygons; 285.3 ha; 0.20% of wetland area; 0.25% of wetland polygons. K21: 71 wetland polygons; 484.7 ha; 0.34% of wetland area; 0.43% of wetland polygons. |
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 A K21 wetland in the Soldotna Creek watershed (polygon 711).
A K12 wetland near Oilwell Road, east of Ninilchik (polygon 27072). |
Wetland Indicators Type: Peat Average depth to water table: K1: n/a K2: 9.1 cm; n=39 Organic layer thickness: K1: n/a K2: 136.0 cm; n=41 Average depth to redoximorphic features: K2: 18.0 cm; n=6 K3: 19.0 cm; n=3 Common Soils: K1: pond K2: STARICHKOF, DOROSHIN, SALAMATOF Common Plant communities: K1 Component: Tall cottongrass - Livid sedge K2 Component: Sphagnum moss / Tall cottongrass |
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Accuracy assessment: 13 polygons interpreted as K21 on
aerial photographs were field checked. 8 remained K21; 2 were revised
to K1-3; 1 each was revised
to DW2, K23 and
K32. 13 polygons interpreted as K12 on aerial photographs were field checked. 9 remained K12; 2 were revised to K21; 1 each was revised to LB2 and K2. |
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K21 and K12 complexes consist of open water (K1) and sedge dominated plant communities (K2) on a kettle-kame landscape. Most often the two components, K1 and K2 are separate, with a pond in the center of a kettle predominately occupied by sedge communities. When the open water component dominates, the unit is named K12, when shallow-water-table-sedge-communities are prevalent, it is named K21. Occasionally open water pools are scattered throughout a sedge dominated kettle. Whether segregated or mixed, these wetlands are relatively uncommon, but most typically occur on the interlobate moraine between Nikiski and Sterling, or on the kettle-kame country along the Old Sterling Highway south of Anchor Point, or near Caribou Lake, 22 miles northeast of Homer.
