LOCATION TUXEDNI              AK

Tentative Series

DVP

5/98                                         DRAFT                                  DRAFT

TUXEDNI SERIES

The Tuxedni series consists of very deep, somewhat poorly drained soils formed in a mantle of ash-influenced loess overlying loamy glacial materials. Tuxedni soils are on lateral moraines at high elevations and wet till plains at low elevations.  Slopes range from 0 to 25 percent.  The mean annual precipitation is about 30 inches, and the mean annual temperature is about 35 degrees F.

TAXONOMIC CLASS: Medial over loamy, mixed Aquic Haplocryands

TYPICAL PEDON: Tuxedni silt loam - on a west facing slope of 3 percent at 581 meter elevation under (Lutz spruce, tall grass, and shrubs ---confirm from veg forms).  (All colors are for moist soil)

      Oe—0 to 4 cm; mat of roots and partially decomposed organic matter; clear smooth boundary.  (2 to 10 cm thick)

       A--4 to 15 cm; dark grayish brown  (10YR 3/2) and dark brown (7.5YR 3/2) silt loam; weak fine granular structure; very friable, nonsticky and nonplastic; many very fine and fine roots; smeary; 10 percent gravel; extremely acid; clear wavy boundary.  (10 to 20 cm thick)

      Bw—15 to 32 cm; dark brown  (10YR 3/3) silt loam; moderate fine granular structure; very friable, smeary; many very fine and fine roots; 10 percent gravel; strongly acid; clear wavy boundary.  (15 to 25 cm thick)

      BC—32 to 61 cm; olive brown  (2.5YR 4/4) silt loam; moderate fine granular structure; very friable, smeary; many fine roots; 10 percent gravel; strongly acid; clear wavy boundary.  (15 to 25 cm thick)

      2Cg1—61 to 75 cm; dark grayish brown (10YR 5/3) silt loam; moderate fine granular structure; friable, slightly smeary; 10 percent gravel; 40 percent 10 mm reddish brown (2.5YR 4/4) high chroma concentrations and 40 percent 10 mm light brownish gray  (2.5Y 6/2) low chroma depletions; slightly acid. (12 to 26 cm thick)

      3C2—75 to 92 cm; dark grayish brown (2.5Y 4/2) gravelly sandy loam; massive; friable, nonsmeary; 20 percent gravel; slightly acid. (15 to 30 cm thick)

       3C3—92 to 100 cm; dark grayish brown (2.5Y 4/2) very cobbly loamy sand; single grain; loose, nonsmeary; 30 percent gravel, 25 percent cobble; slightly acid.

TYPE LOCATION: Western Kenai Peninsula, Alaska; Approximately 14 miles southeast of Clam Gulch, Alaska; 1400 feet east and 13000 feet north from the southwest corner of sec. 28, T.1S., R.11W., USGS Kenai A-4 SE quadrangle; UTM Zone 5 coordinates 601968 E, 6659419 N.

RANGE IN CHARACTERISTICS:  Depth to the 2C horizon ranges from 50 to 80 cm.  The silty solum ranges in thickness from 25 to 65 cm. The upper part of the control section formed in loess dominated by amorphous material.  Reaction in the profile ranges from slightly acid to extremely acid .

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

The Bw horizon has hue of 10YR, value moist of 2 or 3, and chroma moist of 2 or 3.  Texture is silt loam or very fine sandy loam.

The BC horizon, when present, has moist hue of 2.5Y, value moist of  3 or 4, and chroma moist of  3 or 4. Texture is silt loam or very fine sandy loam.

The 2Cg1 horizon has moist hue of 10YR, value moist of 4 or 5, and chroma moist of 2 or 3. Size, color, and abundance of redox features are variable.  Coarse fragment content ranges from 0 to 25 percent gravel and 0 to 5 percent cobble.  Texture is sandy loam or silt loam. Consistence is friable or firm.

The 3C horizons have moist hue of 2.5Y or 5Y, value moist of 4 or 5, and chroma moist of 2 or 3.  Coarse fragment content ranges from 20 to 40 percent gravel and 0 to 25 percent cobble.  Texture is sandy loam or silt loam. Coarse fragment content increases with depth.  Consistence is friable or firm. 

COMPETING SERIES: Competing series in the same family ?? (Data not accessible).  This is the Truuli (tentative) series.  Truuli soils have a histic epipedon and have aquic conditions within 50 cm of the mineral soil surface.

GEOGRAPHIC SETTING:  Tuxedni soils occur on broad summits of lateral moraines at high elevations and wet till plains at low elevations.  Slopes range from 0 to 25 percent.  The soils formed in loess, mixed with volcanic ash, over loamy glacial materials.  Mean annual temperature ranges from 33 to 36 degrees F.  Mean annual precipitation ranges from 20 to 35 inches.

GEOGRAPHICALLY ASSOCIATED SOILS:  These are the Chunilna and Whitsol soils.  Chunilna soils have aquic conditions within 50 cm of the mineral surface and occur on footslopes of lateral moraines at high elevations.  Whitsol soils are well drained, have spodic horizons, and occupy recharge positions of till plains at low elevations.

DRAINAGE AND PERMEABILITY:  Somewhat poorly drained, negligible to medium  runoff; moderately rapid permeability.

USE AND VEGETATION:  Forestry, wildlife habitat, and recreation. Lutz spruce and paper birch with an understory of alder, tall grass, and shrubs.      

DISTRIBUTION AND EXTENT:  Southcentral Alaska.  The series is of minor extent.

MLRA OFFICE RESPONSIBLE:  Anchorage, Alaska.

SERIES PROPOSED:  Western Kenai Peninsula Area, Alaska, 1998

REMARKS:  Diagnostic features and horizons recognized in this profile include: redoximorphic features from 61 to 75cm; amorphous material dominant from 4 to 61 cm; loamy material from 61 to 100 cm. (weighted average)

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 10:35