LOCATION BARANOF                 AK

Established Series
Rev: JMD/JJL/JPM
02/2022

BARANOF SERIES

The Baranof series consists of very deep, somewhat poorly drained soils formed in alluvium. Baranof soils are on alluvial fans and footslopes. Slopes range from 6 to 35 percent. Mean annual precipitation is in excess of 60 inches and the mean annual temperature is about 46 degrees F.

TAXONOMIC CLASS: Sandy-skeletal, mixed Typic Humicryods

TYPICAL PEDON: Baranof silt loam - on a southeast facing slope of 6 percent at 470 feet elevation under conifer forest vegetation. (All colors are for moist soil)

Oi -- 4 to 3 inches; dark reddish brown (5YR 2.5/2) peat; many fine, medium and coarse roots; extremely acid (pH 4.0); clear smooth boundary. (0 to 5 inches thick)

Oa -- 3 to 0 inches; dark reddish brown (5YR 2.5/2) muck; many fine, medium and coarse roots; extremely acid (pH4.0); clear smooth boundary. (1 to 4 inches thick)

E -- 0 to 3 inches; dark gray (10YR 4/1) silt loam; weak medium platy structure; friable, nonsticky and nonplastic; common fine and few medium roots; extremely acid (pH 4.0); clear smooth boundary. (1 to 5 inches thick)

Bhs1 -- 3 to 5 inches; dark reddish brown (5YR 2.5/2) silt loam; weak fine subangular blocky structure; friable, nonsticky and nonplastic; common fine and few medium roots; extremely acid (pH 4.0); abrupt smooth boundary. (2 to 5 inches thick)

2Bhs2 -- 5 to 15 inches; dark reddish brown (5YR 2.5/2) extremely gravelly loamy sand; single grain; loose; 75 percent gravel; moderately acid (pH 5.5); abrupt smooth boundary. (0 to 10 inches thick)

3C1 -- 15 to 16 inches; dark grayish brown (2.5Y 4/2) sandy loam; massive; friable, nonsticky and nonplastic; moderately acid (pH 5.5); abrupt smooth boundary. (0 to 10 inches thick)

4C2 -- 16 to 60 inches; dark grayish brown (2.5Y 4/2) extremely gravelly loamy sand; single grain; loose, nonsticky and nonplastic; variegated mottles; 60 percent gravel and 20 percent cobble; moderately acid (pH 5.5).

TYPE LOCATION: Hawk Inlet, Chatham Area, southeast Alaska, SE1/4, NW1/4, Sec. 16, T. 42S., R. 65E., Copper River Meridian.

RANGE IN CHARACTERISTICS: Thickness of the solum ranges from 4 to 20 inches. Depth to sandy and gravelly material ranges from 3 to 10 inches. Mean summer soil temperature is about 45 degrees F. The weighted average particle size in the control section has less than 18 percent clay and more than 50 percent very fine sand. Coarse fragment content ranges from 35 to 80 percent gravel in the control section. Reaction increases with depth, ranging from extremely acid to moderately acid.

An Oe horizon is present in some pedons.

The E horizon has hue ranging from 5YR to 10YR, value moist from 4 to 6, and chroma moist from 1 to 4.

The Bhs horizons have hue ranging from 2.5YR to 10YR, value moist of 2 or 3, and chroma moist from 1 to 4. 2Bhs horizons, when present, commonly have texture of loamy sand or sand with thin stratas of silt loam and sandy loam. Coarse fragment content ranges from 35 to 75 percent gravel and cobble. Mottles are present in some pedons.

Mottled 2Bs or 2BC horizons are present in some pedons.

The C horizons have hue ranging from 7.5YR to 5Y, value moist from 3 to 5 and chroma moist from 2 to 6. Texture is loamy sand or sand, often with lenses of sandy loam. Coarse fragment content ranges from 35 to 80 percent gravel and cobble.

COMPETING SERIES: These are the Krubate (AK) and Serene (WA). Krubate soils have stony surfaces and no mottles within the profile. Serene soils have a paralithic contact within 20 to 40 inches of the surface.

GEOGRAPHIC SETTING: The Baranof soils are on alluvial fans and footslopes and are formed in alluvium of mixed mineralogy. The climate is humid maritime with a mean annual precipitation range of 60 to 220 inches. The mean annual temperature is about 46 degrees F. and the mean summer temperature is about 57 degrees F. Elevation ranges from 0 to 2000 feet.

DRAINAGE AND PERMEABILITY: Somewhat poorly drained; moderate permeability; very slow runoff.

USE AND VEGETATION: The Baranof soils are used for timber production, watershed protection, wildlife habitat and recreation. The overstory is dominantly western hemlock. The understory is dominantly blueberry with some skunk cabbage.

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

SOIL SURVEY REGIONAL OFFICE (SSRO) RESPONSIBLE: WASILLA, ALASKA

SERIES ESTABLISHED: Chatham Area, Tongass National Forest, Alaska, 1992.

REMARKS: Diagnostic horizons and features recognized in this soils include: an albic horizon from 0 to 3 inches; a spodic horizon from 3 to 15 inches; cryic temperature regime; assumed organic carbon content greater than 6 percent in the upper 4 inches of the spodic horizon; weighted average particle size of sandy skeletal from 10 to 40 inches.

ADDITIONAL DATA: No laboratory data is available for this soil. NSSL Laboratory data from similar soils in the area show greater than 6 percent organic carbon in the upper spodic horizons having the same value and chroma..

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National Cooperative Soil Survey
U.S.A.