LOCATION ALITAK                  AK

Established Series
Rev CAP
06/2025

ALITAK SERIES

Depth class: very deep
Drainage class: very poorly drained
Parent material: mucky peat herbaceous organic material
Landform: hills and plains in depressions, drainageways, and swales
Slopes: 0 to 7 percent
Mean annual precipitation: 600 to 2000 mm (23 to 79 in)
Mean annual temperature: 0 to 6 degrees C. (32 to 43 degrees F.)
Frost-free season: 20 to 50 days

TAXONOMIC CLASS: Euic Typic Cryohemists

TYPICAL PEDON: Alitak mucky peat - scrub meadow (All colors are for wet soil)

Oe1--0 to 70 centimeters (0 to 286 inches); 65 percent brown (7.5YR 4/4) and 35 percent dark brown (7.5YR 3/3), brown (7.5YR 5/4), dry; mucky peat; soft, very friable, nonsticky, nonplastic; many very fine, fine, and common medium roots throughout; extremely acid (pH 4.1); gradual wavy boundary.

Oe2--70 to 200 centimeters (28 to 79 inches); 80 percent very dark brown (7.5YR 2.5/2) and 20 percent very dark brown (7.5YR 2.5/3) mucky peat; soft, very friable, nonsticky, nonplastic; extremely acid (pH 4.3).

TYPE LOCATION: Kodiak Archipelago Soil Survey Area, Alaska; Latitude 57 degrees 32 minutes 21.00 seconds and Longitude 154 degrees 7 minutes 6.00 seconds west, UTM north 6377957.42 and UTM east 433050.92, zone 5, Datum WGS84.

RANGE IN CHARACTERISTICS:

Soil moisture regime: udic
Mean annual soil temperature: 1.6 to 3.3 degrees C. (34.8 to 37.9 degrees F.)
Thickness of hemic organic material: 0 to 200 cm (0 to 79 in)
Depth to aquic conditions: 0 to 25 cm ( 0 to 10 in)
Some pedons have sapric and/or fibric materials.
Some pedons have less than 25 cm (10 in) of gravelly till substratum.

Oe horizon:
Hue: 7.5YR to 10YR
Value: 2 to 5
Chroma: 1 to 4
Texture: slightly, moderately, or highly decomposed plant material
Organic matter: 60 to 90 percent
Reaction class: extremely acid to moderately acid (pH 3.5 to 6.0)

Some pedons have surface or substratum horizon of either:
Oa, Oi horizon:
Hue: 7.5YR to 10YR
Value: 2 to 5
Chroma: 1 to 4
Texture: slightly, moderately, or highly decomposed plant material
Organic matter: 60 to 90 percent
Reaction class: extremely acid to moderately acid (pH 3.5 to 6.0)

COMPETING SERIES: These are the Ekiligamut (AK), Graylake (ID), Mariel (OR), Snakeriver (AK), and Wocus (OR) series.
Ekiligamut soils have marine deposits in the substratum, have mean annual precipitation less than 800 mm ( 32 in), have frost free periods of greater than 85 days, and occur in tidal marshes.
Graylake soils have mean annual precipitation less than 550 mm (22 in), have frost free periods greater than 50 days, and occur in bogs of mountain basins.
Mariel soils have mean annual temperatures greater than 6 degrees C. (43 degrees F.), have frost-free periods greater than 50 days, and occur in fens or bogs, they also may have mineral substratum since it is only described to 150cm (60 in).
Snakeriver soils have mean annual air temperature of less than -2 degress C. (27.5 degrees F.), have frost free periods greater than 50 days, and occur on outwash plains and drift plains.
Wocus soils have diatomaceous earth substratum, have frost free epriods less than 20 days, and occur on flood plains.

GEOGRAPHIC SETTING:
Elevation: 5 to 365 meters (15 to 1205 feet)
Parent material: mucky peat herbaceous organic material
Landform: hills and plains in depressions, drainageways, and swales
Slope: 0 to 7 percent
Mean annual temperature: 0 to 6 degrees C. (32 to 43 degrees F.)
Mean annual precipitation: 600 to 2000 mm (23 to 79 in)
Frost free period: 20 to 50 days

GEOGRAPHICALLY ASSOCIATED SOILS: These are the Akalura, Aleneva, Koniag, Luchek, Olds, Rezanof, Sulua, Terror Lake, Tonki, Tungalara, and Yukuk series.
Akalura soils lack thick organic material, lack aquic conditions within 100 cm (40 in), have andic soil properties, have cambic horizons, have gravelly till substratum, and occur on upland positions.
Aleneva soils lack thick organic material, lack aquic conditions within 25 cm (10 in), have andic soil properties, have cambic horizons, have gravelly till and/or outwash substratum, and occur on upland positions.
Koniag soils lack thick organic material, lack aquic conditions within 100 cm (40 in), have andic soil properties, have cambic horizons, have gravelly till substratum, and occur on upland positions.
Luchek soils have gravelly till substratum and occur on similar landform positions.
Olds soils have andic properties, have gravelly till substratum, and occur on slightly higher land form positions.
Rezanof soils lack thick organic material, lack aquic conditions within 100 cm (40 in), have andic soil properties, have mollic epipedons, have cambic horizons, have gravelly till substratum, and occur on upland positions.
Sulua soils have sapric organic materials and occur on similar landform positions.
Terror Lake lack thick organic material, lack aquic conditions within 25 cm (10 in), have andic soil properties, have cambic horizons, have gravelly till substratum, and occur on upland positions.
Tonki soils have andic soil properties, have gravelly till substratum, and occur on slightly higher landform positions.
Yukuk soils have andic soil properties, have gravelly till and/or outwash substratum, and occur on slightly higher landform positions.

DRAINAGE AND PERMEABILITY:
Drainage class: Very poorly drained
Saturated Hydraulic Conductivity: very high in the Oe horizon
Permeability: rapid to very rapid in the Oe horizons
Runoff: negligible to very low.
Ponding, duration, and depth: none to frequently with brief to very long and 0 to 61 cm (0 to 24 in).
Flooding and duration: none to frequently with brief to long.
Hydric Indicators: A2 Histic epipedon, A6 Organic bodies, and A8 Muck presence

USE AND VEGETATION:
The natural vegetation is dominantly sedges and water tolerant grasses. The principal use is grazing, but most areas are used only by wildlife.

DISTRIBUTION AND EXTENT: MLRA 225 Southern Alaska Peninsula Mountains and MLRA 220 Alexander Archipelago-Gulf of Alaska Coast.
Extent: moderate.

SOIL SURVEY REGIONAL OFFICE (SSRO) RESPONSIBLE: Wasilla, Alaska

SERIES ESTABLISHED: Kodiak Archipelago Soil Survey, Alaska, 2024.

REMARKS: Diagnostic features and horizons recognized in this profile include:

Organic hemic material: 0 to 200 cm (0 to 79 in) (Oe1, Oe2 horizons)

Aquic conditions: 0 to 25 cm (0 to 10 in)

Ponded conditions: 0 to 61cm (0 to 24 in) above the surface.

ADDITIONAL DATA:

User pedon Id: 08MM 20511

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National Cooperative Soil Survey
U.S.A.