LOCATION GUGUAK                  AK

Inactive Series
Rev. TJS/SR
02/2022

GUGUAK SERIES

The soils consist of layers of slightly decomposed and well decomposed forest litter over bedrock.

TAXONOMIC CLASS: Dysic Lithic Cryofolists

TYPICAL PEDON: Guguak peat (Colors are for moist conditions unless otherwise noted).

Oil--0 to 2 1/2 inches; very dusky red (2.5YR 2/2 broken face) to dusky red (2.5YR 3/2 rubbed) fibric peat; 90 percent fibers, 75 percent rubbed; many fine roots; very strongly acid; abrupt smooth boundary.

Oal--2 1/2 to 6 inches; reddish black (10R 2/1) peat; 60 percent fibers, 10 percent rubbed; weak coarse subangular blocky structure; many fine roots; very strongly acid; abrupt smooth boundary.

IIC1--6 to 9 inches; reddish brown (10YR 5/2) silt loam; massive; firm; very strongly acid; abrupt wavy boundary.

R--9 inches +; shale bedrock.

TYPE LOCATION: Upper Prince William Sound Area, Alaska. Evans Island (SW1/4 SW1/4, Sec. 11, T1S, R9E, Seward Meridian).

RANGE IN CHARACTERISTICS: Depth to bedrock ranges from 3 to 16 inches. The fibric horizon ranges in hue from 2.5YR to 5YR, with values of 2 to 3 and chromas of 1 to 3. The sapric horizon ranges in hue from 10R to 5YR, with values of 2 to 3 and chromas of 1 to 3. Some pedons have a hemic horizon either in place of a sapric horizon or immediately below it. Coarse woody particles may occur in any of the organic horizons.

COMPETING SERIES: These include the McGilvery, Sokolof, Tebenkof, Sunnyhay, and Tolstoi series. The McGilvery soils have no hemic or sapric horizons. The Sokolof and Tebenkof series have fragmental substrata. The Sunnyhay soils consist of thin sapric horizons over bedrock and are usually wet. The Tolstoi soils have spodic horizons developed in skeletal materials over shallow bedrock. None of these soils freeze deeply in winter.

GEOGRAPHIC SETTING: The Guguak soils over rock outcrops surrounded by areas of organic soils. The climate is cool maritime, with mean annual precipitation of more than 80 inches. The mean annual air temperature is about 41 degrees F. and the mean summer air temperature is about 52 degrees F. The mean annual soil temperature is about 36 degrees F., and the mean summer soil temperature at the soil-rock interface is about 52 degrees F. Because of their exposed position which permits snow to be blown away easily, these soils are often frozen during the winter months.

PRINCIPAL ASSOCIATED SOILS: These include the Hydaburg and Unakwik series. The Hydaburg soils are hemic peats underlain by bedrock. The Unakwik soils are hemic peats underlain by stony glacial till.

DRAINAGE AND PERMEABILITY: Well-drained to moderately well drained. Permeability above the bedrock is moderate.

USE AND VEGETATION: The Guguak soils are useful for watershed protection, recreation, and wildlife habitat. The vegetation consists of scrubby hemlock with an understory of shrubs, forbs, and mosses.

DISTRIBUTION AND EXTENT: Coastal areas of south-central Alaska. The series is widespread, but is of small total extent.

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

SERIES PROPOSED: Upper Prince William Sound Area, Alaska, 1974. Name is from Guguak Cove, Evans Island.

OSED scanned by SSQA. Last reviewed by state 10/74.

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National Cooperative Soil Survey
U.S.A.