LOCATION CHENA AK

Established Series
Rev. BEK/JPM
04/2002
CHENA SERIES

The Chena series consists of very deep excessively drained soils formed in a thin mantle of loamy and sandy alluvium overlying sand and gravel. Chena soils are on stream terraces and outwash plains consisting of alluvium and reworked till. Slopes range from 0 to 7 percent. The mean annual temperature is about 26 degrees F., and the average annual precipitation is about 12 inches.

TAXONOMIC CLASS: Sandy-skeletal, mixed Typic Cryorthents

TYPICAL PEDON: Chena very fine sandy loam - on a level plain at 545 feet elevation under paper birch and white spruce forest. (All colors are for moist soil)

Oi--0 to 4 inches (0 to 10 cm); dark brown (7.5YR 3/2) slightly decomposed forest litter; many very fine to coarse roots; neutral (pH 7.0); abrupt smooth boundary.

C--4 to 9 inches (10 to 23 cm); olive brown (2.5Y 4/3) very fine sandy loam; structureless; very friable, nonsticky and nonplastic; few very fine to coarse roots; common medium prominent brown (7.5YR 5/4) redoximorphic concentrations; moderately acid (pH 6.0); gradual smooth boundary.

2C1--9 to 30 inches (23 to 75 cm); grayish brown (2.5Y 5/2) loamy sand; structureless; loose, nonsticky and nonplastic; neutral (pH 7.0); abrupt smooth boundary.

2C2--30 to 60 inches (75 to 152 cm); light olive brown (2.5Y 5/3) very gravelly sand; structureless; loose, nonsticky and nonplastic; 40 percent gravel; slightly alkaline (7.4).

TYPE LOCATION: Greater Fairbanks Area, Alaska; SE1/4, NW1/4, Section 15, T.#S., R.3E., Fairbanks Meridian.

RANGE IN CHARACTERISTICS: Mean annual soil temperature ranges from 32 to 34 degrees F. Depth to sand and gravel ranges from 4 to 10 inches. Fine earth portion of the control section ranges from fine sand to coarse sand. Coarse fragment content of the control section ranges from 40 to 80 percent. Substantial amounts of mica occur throughout the profile. Reaction throughout the profile is moderately acid to slightly alkaline.

The A horizon has hue of 10YR or 2.5Y; moist value from 3 to 5; and chroma moist from 2 to 4. Texture is silt loam, very fine sandy loam, or fine sandy loam.

The C horizon, when present, has hue from 10YR to 5Y; value moist from 1 to 5; and chroma moist from 2 through 4. Texture is very fine sandy loam, fine sandy loam, and very fine sand.

The 2C horizon has hue of 2.5Y or 5Y; value moist from 3 to 5; and chroma moist from 2 through 4. Dominant texture is coarse sand with 40 to 80 percent gravel and cobble.

COMPETING SERIES: These are the Alflack, Canlodore, Castlepeak, Cryomont, Eklutna, Nizina, Obscurity, Perfecto, Ragamuffin, Sofgran, Stecum, and Studebaker series in the same family. All of these soils except Nizina have mean annual soil temperature above 34 degrees F. Alflack, Ragamuffin, and Stecum soils are moderately deep to bedrock.Canlodore soils have E horizons. Castlepeak soils do not have O horizons. CryomontCryomont, Obscurity, and Studebaker soils have volcanic ash, glass, or glass aggregates in the control section. Nizina soils do not have substantial mica content in the control section.

GEOGRAPHIC SETTING: The Chena soils are on stream terraces and outwash plains. Slope ranges from 0 to 7 percent but is dominantly less than 4 percent. The average annual precipitation ranges from 11 to 29 inches and the mean annual temperature ranges from 23 to 35 degrees F.

GEOGRAPHICALLY ASSOCIATED SOILS:

DRAINAGE AND PERMEABILITY: Excessively drained. Slow runoff. Rapid Permeability.

USE AND VEGETATION: Mostly forested; white spruce and paper birch are the dominant trees, with scattered stands of cottonwood.

DISTRIBUTION AND EXTENT: Interior Alaska. The series is of moderate extent.

MLRA OFFICE RESPONSIBLE: Anchorage, Alaska

SERIES ESTABLISHED: Fairbanks Area, Alaska. 1961.

REMARKS: Diagnostic horizons and features recognized in this profile include: an ochric epipedon from 0 to 9 inches; a cryic temperature regime; weighted average particle size of sandy-skeletal from 10 to 40 inches.

National Cooperative Soil Survey
U.S.A.

Contact: Mike Gracz Kenai Watershed Forum  PO Box 15301 Fritz Creek, AK  99603 907-235-2218

04 May 2007 10:18