LOCATION BABEL AK
Established Series
Rev. TLP/JBS/DM
02/2022
BABEL SERIES
Depth class: shallow to moderately deep to permafrost
Drainage class: moderately well drained
Parent material: loess over glacial till
Landform: hills on moraines
Slopes: 0 to 30 percent
Mean annual precipitation: about 15 inches
Mean annual temperature: about 26 degrees F.
TAXONOMIC CLASS:
TYPICAL PEDON: Babel silt loam - on a slope of 15 percent under alder scrub with fireweed and grass understory at 2750 feet elevation. (All colors are for moist soil unless noted)
Oe--0 to 2 inches ( 0 to 5 cm); very dark brown (10YR 2/2) moderately decomposed organic matter; many very fine to coarse roots; very strongly acid (pH 4.6); clear smooth boundary (1 to 4 inches thick).
AO--2 to 4 inches (5 to 10 cm); black (10YR 2/1) mucky silt loam; weak, thin platy structure; friable; slightly sticky and slightly plastic; few very fine to fine roots; very strongly acid (pH 5.0); clear wavy boundary (1 to 5 inches thick).
A/2Bw--4 to 8 inches (10 to 20 cm); very dark grayish brown (10YR 3/2) and dark brown (10YR 3/3) gravelly silt loam; weak fine subangular blocky; friable; slightly sticky and slightly plastic; few very fine to fine roots; 20 percent gravel; moderately acid (pH 6.0); clear irregular boundary (3 to 7 inches thick).
2BC--8 to 18 inches(20 to 46 cm); olive brown (2.5Y 4/3) gravelly sandy loam; weak fine subangular blocky structure; friable; slightly sticky and slightly plastic; 30 percent gravel; moderately acid (pH 6.0); clear smooth boundary (8 to 14 inches thick).
2C--18 to 25 inches (46 to 64 cm); olive brown (2.5Y 4/3) very stoney sandy loam; weak fine subangular blocky structure; extremely firm; slightly sticky and slightly plastic; 15 percent gravel; 10 percent cobbles; and 20 percent stones; slightly acid (pH 6.4); clear smooth boundary (5 to 14 inches thick).
2Cf--25 to 60 inches (64 to 153 cm); olive brown (2.5Y 4/4) permanently frozen extremely gravelly sandy loam; massive; extremely firm; nonsticky and nonplastic; 40 percent gravel and 10 percent cobbles; slightly acid (pH 6.2).
TYPE LOCATION: About 1 mile northwest of Dome Lake; in the SE 1/4 of the NW 1/4, section 17, T. 13S , R. 10E; Mt. Hayes (D-4) 1:63,380 quad; Fairbanks Meridian; UTM north 7074355 and UTM east 556617, zone 6.
RANGE IN CHARACTERISTICS:
Mean annual soil temperature: about 25 degrees F
Thickness of organic materials: 2 to 7 inches
Depth to till: 4 to 20 inches
Depth to permafrost: 14 to 39 inches
O horizon:
Matrix color: hue of 7.5YR or 10YR; value of 2 or 3; chroma of 1 or 2
Texture: slightly or moderately decomposed plant material
Reaction class: very strongly acid or strongly acid
AO horizon:
Matrix color: hue of 7.5YR or 10YR; value of 2 to 3, chroma of 1 to 2
Texture: mucky silt loam or silt loam
Reaction class: very strongly acid to moderately acid
A/2Bw horizon:
Matrix color: hue of 7.5YR or 10YR; value of 2 to 3, chroma of 1 to 2
Texture: silt loam or gravelly silt loam
Coarse fragments: 10 to 30 percent gravel
Reaction class: very strongly acid to moderately acid
2BC horizons:
Matrix color: hue of 10YR or 2.5Y; value of 3 to 4; chroma of 2 to 4
Texture: gravelly sandy loam or very gravelly sandy loam
Coarse fragments: 15 to 40 percent
Reaction class: moderately acid or slightly acid
2C horizons:
Matrix color: 10YR or 2.5Y; value of 3 to 4; chroma of 2 to 4
Texture: very stony sandy loam or gravely sandy loam
Coarse fragments: Total coarse fragments 15 to 45 percent, 10 to 30 percent gravel, 0 to 10 percent cobbles, and 0 to 20 percent stones
Reaction class: moderately acid or slightly acid
2Cf horizon:
Matrix color: hue of 10YR or 2.5Y; value of 3 to 5; chroma of 3 to 5
Texture: permanently frozen very gravelly sandy loam or permanently frozen gravelly sandy loam
Coarse fragments: Total coarse fragments 20 to 55 percent, 20 to 55 percent gravel, 0 to 10 percent cobbles, 0 to 10 percent stones
Reaction class: moderately acid or slightly acid
COMPETING SERIES: There are no competing series.
GEOGRAPHIC SETTING:
Parent material: loess over glacial till
Landform: glacial moraines
Slope: 0 to 30 percent
Mean annual temperature: 25 to 28 degrees F.
Mean annual precipitation: 14 to 16 inches
GEOGRAPHICALLY ASSOCIATED SOILS: These include the BUTCHLAKE series. BUTCHLAKE series soils are well drained without permafrost on similar landforms.
DRAINAGE AND PERMEABILITY: Moderately well drained, medium to high runoff. Saturated hydraulic conductivity is moderately high to high above the permafrost and low to very low in the permafrost.
USE AND VEGETATION: The native vegetation includes alder scrub with fireweed and grass understory.
DISTRIBUTION AND EXTENT: MLRA 229, Interior Alaska Lowlands. The series is of moderate extent.
SOIL SURVEY REGIONAL OFFICE (SSRO) RESPONSIBLE: WASILLA, ALASKA
SERIES ESTABLISHED: Fort Greely Soil Survey, Alaska, 2002
REMARKS: Diagnostic features and horizons recognized in this profile include:
Permafrost: from 25 to 60 inches
Gelic Materials: 4 to 8 inches
Temperature Regime: pergelic
Moisture Regime: aquic
National Cooperative Soil Survey
U.S.A.