LOCATION ICKNUUN                 AK

Established Series
Rev. GH/DM
05/2022

ICKNUUN SERIES

The Icknuun series consists of very deep, very poorly drained soils that formed in organic material interlayered with thin strata of mineral material. Icknuun soils are in depressions on till plains. Slopes range from 0 to 3 percent. Mean annual temperature is about 36 degrees F., and the average annual precipitation is about 16 inches.

TAXONOMIC CLASS: Euic Fluvaquentic Cryohemists

TYPICAL PEDON: Icknuun mucky peat - on a 0 percent slope under native vegetation of black spruce and low-growing shrubs. (All colors are for moist soil)

Oe--0 to 10 inches; black (5YR 2.5/1) mucky peat; 60 percent fibers unrubbed, 25 percent fibers rubbed; many very fine to medium roots; strongly acid (pH 5.2); clear smooth boundary.

Ag--10 to 14 inches; very dark gray (7.5YR 3/1) silt loam; massive; very friable, nonsticky and nonplastic; many very fine and fine roots; strongly acid (pH 5.4); clear smooth boundary. (2 to 6 inches thick)

Oe'--14 to 60 inches; dark reddish brown (5YR 3/2) mucky peat; 30 percent fibers unrubbed, 25 percent fibers rubbed; strongly acid (pH 5.4). (The combined thickness of the O horizon is 54 to 58 inches)

TYPE LOCATION: Anchorage Area, Alaska; about 1/4 mile north of Sixmile Lake, in the NW 1/4 of the NW 1/4, section 22, T. 14 N., R. 3 W.; Anchorage B8SE 1:25,000 quad, Seward Meridian; UTM north 6798766 and UTM east 0350017, zone 6.

RANGE IN CHARACTERISTICS: The organic material ranges in thickness from 52 to 60 inches. Thin layers of mineral soil occur within the control section. Thin layers of volcanic ash and woody fragments may occur throughout. Reaction in the ash or mineral layers is very strongly acid to moderately acid. The pH (0.01M CaCl2) of the organic material is more than 4.5 in all parts of the control section. The water table 1s at or near the surface throughout the year

The Oe horizons have hue of 5YR to 10YR, value of 2 to 4, and chroma of 1 to 4. Values increase when organic material is pressed. Texture is mucky peat. Peat and muck layers are present in some pedons. Thin layers of volcanic ash or mineral soil have textures of silt loam or gravelly silt loam.

The Ag or C horizons (where present) have hue of 7.5YR or 10YR and value of 3 to 8. Texture is silt loam modified by 0 to 25 percent gravel.

COMPETING SERIES: There are no competing series.

GEOGRAPHIC SETTING: The Icknuun soils are in depressions on till plains. Slopes range from 0 to 3 percent. Icknuun soils formed in organic material interlayered with thin strata of mineral material. Mean annual temperature ranges from 29 to 43 degrees F. Mean annual precipitation ranges from 14 to 20 inches.

GEOGRAPHICALLY ASSOCIATED SOILS: These include the Doroshin and Estelle soils. The Estelle soils are well drained soils on adjacent uplands. The Doroshin soils are very poorly drained peat soils with a mineral layer 30 cm or more thick that has its upper boundary in the control section.

DRAINAGE AND PERMEABILITY: Very poorly drained. Runoff is low. Permeability is moderate or moderately rapid. The water table is at or near the surface.

USE AND VEGETATION: Wildlife habitat and recreation. The natural vegetation is mainly sedges, sphagnum moss, bog birch, Labrador tea, and other low-growing shrubs and forbs.

DISTRIBUTION AND EXTENT: Cook Inlet-Susitna Lowlands. The series is of small extent.

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

SERIES ESTABLISHED: Anchorage Area, Alaska 2000

REMARKS: Diagnostic horizons and features recognized in this profile include: hemic material from 0 to 10 inches; strata of silt loam from 10 to 14 inches; hemic material from 14 to 60 inches; pH (0.01M CaCl2) is more than 4.5 in all parts of the control section; water table at or near the surface throughout the year; cryic temperature regime. The soil name Icknuun is a Tainana Athabascan word for "the mossy ground."

ADDITIONAL DATA:

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National Cooperative Soil Survey
U.S.A.