LOCATION AKULIKRIVER AK
Established Series
MPS
04/2026
AKULIKRIVER SERIES
Depth class: very deep
Drainage class: poorly drained
Parent material: loamy alluvium derived from igneous, metamorphic and sedimentary rock over loamy marine deposits
Landscape: coastal plains
Landform: delta plains
Slope: 0 to 2 percent
Mean annual precipitation: about 300 mm (12 in)
Mean annual air temperature: about -3 degrees C. (27 degrees F.)
Frost-free period: 75 to 90 days
TAXONOMIC CLASS: Coarse-loamy, mixed, superactive, nonacid, subgelic Typic Gelaquepts
TYPICAL PEDON: Akulikriver fine sandy loam in a sedge and dwarf willow community on a linear, linear talf on a slope of 0.5 percent at an elevation of 3.4m (11 ft)
Ag --0 to 5 cm (0 to 2 in); fine sandy loam; very dark gray (10YR 3/1) broken face moist, gray (10YR 5/1) broken face dry; weak medium subangular blocky parts to weak medium granular structure; friable, slightly hard, nonsticky, nonplastic; slightly fluid; many very fine, fine, and common medium roots throughout; common very fine dendritic tubular pores; mica flakes; 3.1 mS of EC; positive to alpha-alpha dipyridyl measured in matrix; noneffervescent; neutral (pH 6.7); clear smooth boundary. (2 to 10 cm, 1 to 4 in thick)
Bg--5 to 25 cm (2 to 10 in); very fine sandy loam; very dark grayish brown (10YR 3/2) broken face moist, grayish brown (10YR 5/2) broken face dry; weak medium subangular blocky parts to weak fine granular structure; friable, slightly hard, nonsticky, slightly plastic; slightly fluid; many very fine, fine, and common medium roots throughout; few very fine dendritic tubular pores; 18 percent medium prominent irregular strong brown (7.5YR 4/6) masses of oxidized iron; mica flakes; 8 mS of EC; positive to alpha-alpha dipyridyl measured in matrix; noneffervescent; moderately acid (pH 5.6); clear smooth boundary. (15 to 30 cm, 6 to 12 in thick)
2Cg1--25 to 65 cm (10 to 26 in); very fine sandy loam; very dark gray (N 3/), broken face moist, gray (N 5/), broken face dry; massive; friable, slightly hard, nonsticky, nonplastic; slightly fluid; many very fine roots throughout; few very fine dendritic tubular pores; mica flakes; 2.4 mS of EC; noneffervescent; moderately acid (pH 5.8); gradual boundary. (5 to 60 cm, 2 to 24 in thick)
2Cg2--65 to 200 cm (26 to 79 in); very fine sandy loam; very dark gray (N 3/), broken face moist gray (N 5/), broken face dry; massive; friable, slightly hard, nonsticky, nonplastic; slightly fluid; few very fine roots throughout; many very fine irregular and few fine dendritic tubular pores; mica flakes; 3.4 mS of EC; noneffervescent; moderately acid (pH 6.0).
TYPE LOCATION: Nulato Hills - Continental Divide and Blackburn Hills Soil Survey Area, Alaska; latitude 64.8585540, longitude -160.9456090, datum WGS84, UTM north 7194108.51 and UTM east 407778.04, zone 4, datum WGS84.
RANGE IN CHARACTERISTICS:
Soil moisture regime: aquic
Soil temperature regime: gelic
Mean annual soil temperature: -1 to 0 degrees C. (30 to 32 degrees F.)
Thickness of ochric epipedon: 2 to 10 cm (1 to 4 in)
Thickness of cambic horizon: 15 to 30 cm (6 to 12 in)
Depth to redoximorphic concentrations: 2 to 17 cm (1 to 7 in)
Depth to reduced matrix: 17 to 40 cm (7 to 16 in)
Ag horizon:
Hue: 10YR
Value: 3 to 4 moist, 5 to 6 dry
Chroma: 1 to 3
Texture: fine sandy loam
Sand: 43 to 75 percent
Silt: 17 to 50 percent
Clay: 2 to 8 percent
Organic matter: 2 to 8 percent
Reaction class: slightly acid to neutral (pH 6.1 to 7.3)
Bg horizon:
Hue: 10YR
Value: 3 to 4 moist, 5 to 6 dry
Chroma: 1 to 3
Texture: fine sandy loam, very fine sandy loam
Sand: 43 to 75 percent
Silt: 11 to 50 percent
Clay: 2 to 14 percent
Organic matter: 2 to 8 percent
Reaction class: moderately acid to slightly acid (pH 5.6 to 6.5)
2Cg1 horizon:
Hue: N
Value: 3 to 4 moist, 5 to 6 dry
Texture: fine sandy loam, very fine sandy loam
Sand: 43 to 78 percent
Silt: 14 to 50 percent
Clay: 2 to 8 percent
Organic matter: 0.4 to 4 percent
Reaction class: moderately acid to slightly acid (pH 5.6 to 6.5)
2Cg2 horizon:
Hue: N
Value: 3 to 4 moist, 5 to 6 dry
Texture: fine sandy loam, very fine sandy loam
Sand: 43 to 78 percent
Silt: 14 to 50 percent
Clay: 2 to 8 percent
Organic matter: 0.4 to 3 percent
Reaction class: moderately acid to slightly acid (pH 5.6 to 6.5)
Some pedons have acid reaction classes, pH l5.5 or less.
COMPETING SERIES: This is the
Tuksuk (AK) series.
Tuksuk soils have a paralithic contact at depths between 80 to 150 cm (32 to 60 in), have an organic surface, lack n values > 0.7, have a mean annual air temperature range of -5 to -2.5 degrees C. (23 to 24.8 degrees F.), and have a mean annual precipitation range of 597 to 696 mm (23.5 to 27.4 in)
GEOGRAPHIC SETTING:
Elevation: 0 to 25 meters (0 to 82 feet)
Parent material: loamy alluvium derived from igneous, metamorphic and sedimentary rock over loamy marine deposits
Landform: delta plains
Slope: 0 to 2 percent
Mean annual precipitation: 300 to 400 mm (12 to 16 in)
Mean annual air temperature: -5 to -1 degrees C. (23 to 30 degrees F.)
Frost free period: 75 to 90 days
GEOGRAPHICALLY ASSOCIATED SOILS: These are the
Ivgich and
Ryanlake soils.
Ivgich soils have ponding, have sulfidic materials, lack a cambic horizon, have a cryic soil temperature regime, have frequent, long flooding, and occur on depressions on delta plains and abandoned channels on delta plains
Ryanlake soils have permafrost, have cryoturbation, have an organic surface thicker than 40 cm (16 in), have an isotic mineralogy class, and occur on terrace treads
DRAINAGE AND SATURATED HYDRAULIC CONDUCTIVITY:
Drainage class: poorly drained
Saturation during normal years: -saturated between 0 and 25 cm (0 and 10) during the growing season
Saturated Hydraulic Conductivity: high in the Ag horizon, and moderately high to high in the Bg, 2Cg1, and 2Cg2 horizons
Permeability: moderate to rapid in the Ag, Bg, 2Cg1, and 2Cg2 horizons
Runoff: very high
Flooding: occasional, brief
USE AND VEGETATION:
Use: wildlife habitat, recreation, and subsistence
Native vegetation: sedge, Alaska bog willow, black crowberry, nutty saw-wort, beachhead iris, American dunegrass, reedgrass
DISTRIBUTION AND EXTENT: MLRA 240, Nulato Hills-Southern Seward Peninsula Highlands. The series is of small extent.
SOIL SURVEY REGIONAL OFFICE (SSRO) RESPONSIBLE: Wasilla, Alaska
SERIES ESTABLISHED: Nulato Hills - Continental Divide and Blackburn Hills Soil Survey, Alaska, 2024.
REMARKS: Diagnostic features and horizons recognized in this profile include:
Particle-size control section: 25 to 100 cm (0 to 40 in)
Ochric epipedon: 0 to 5 cm (0 to 2 in) (Ag horizon)
Cambic horizon: 5 to 25 cm (2 to 10 in) (Bg horizon)
n value > 0.7: 0 to 200 cm (0 to 79 in) (Ag, Bg, 2Cg1, and 2Cg2 horizons)
Redoximorphic concentrations: 5 to 25 cm (2 to 10 in) (Bg horizon)
Reduced matrix: 25 to 200 cm (10 to 79 in) (2Cg1 and 2Cg2 horizons)
Lithologic discontinuity: 25 to 200 cm (10 to 79 in) (2Cg1 and 2Cg2 horizons)
Aquic conditions: 0 to 200 cm (0 to 79 in) (Ag, Bg, 2Cg1 and 2Cg2 horizons)
ADDITIONAL DATA:
User pedon ID: 2022AK180647
National Cooperative Soil Survey
U.S.A.