LOCATION ISMAILOF AK
Established Series
Rev. DVP-JDW
05/2022
ISMAILOF SERIES
The Ismailof series consists of very deep, moderately well and well drained soils that formed in sandy and gravelly marine deposits. Ismailof soils are on spits and beach terraces. Slopes range from 0 to 3 percent. Mean annual temperature is about 39 degrees F. and the mean annual precipitation is about 70 inches.
TAXONOMIC CLASS: Sandy-skeletal, mixed Typic Haplocryods
TYPICAL PEDON: Ismailof silt loam, on a 1 percent slope under Sitka spruce, grass and forbs at 20 feet elevation. (Colors are for moist soils unless otherwise stated. When described, the soil was moist throughout).
Oi--3 to 2 inches; peat; abrupt smooth boundary.
Oa--2 to 0 inches; black (10YR 2/1) muck; many very fine, fine, and medium roots; extremely acid (pH 4.2); abrupt smooth boundary. (Combined thickness of O horizons is 1 to 6 inches)
E--0 to 1 inches; dark grayish brown (10YR 4/2) sandy loam; weak fine granular structure; very friable, nonsticky, nonplastic; many very fine, fine, and medium roots; strongly acid (pH 5.5); abrupt smooth boundary. (1 to 3 inches thick)
Bhs--1 to 5 inches; dark reddish brown (5YR 3/2) gravelly fine sandy loam; weak fine granular structure; very friable, nonsticky, nonplastic; many very fine, fine, and medium roots; 20 percent gravel; strongly acid (pH 5.5); abrupt smooth boundary. (3 to 10 inches thick)
C1--5 to 24 inches; variegated extremely gravelly sand; single grain; loose, nonsticky, nonplastic; common very fine and fine roots; 65 percent gravel and 5 percent cobble; medium acid (pH 6.6); gradual smooth boundary.
C2--24 to 30 inches; variegated extremely gravelly sand; single grain; loose, nonsticky, nonplastic; 65 percent gravel and 10 percent cobble; mildly alkaline (pH 7.8); gradual smooth boundary.
C3--30 to 60 inches; variegated extremely gravelly sand; single grain; loose, nonsticky, nonplastic; 65 percent gravel and 10 percent cobble; moderately alkaline (pH 8.0).
TYPE LOCATION: Kenai Peninsula Area, Alaska; Koyuktolik Bay Spit; 1400 feet north and 1450 feet east of the SW corner of section 6, T. 11S., R. 15W., Seward Meridian; USGS Seldovia A-6 quadrangle; lat. 59 degrees 15 minutes 00 seconds N. and long. 151 degrees 52 minutes 36 seconds W.
RANGE IN CHARACTERISTICS: The mean annual soil temperature is 39 to 41 degrees F. Thickness of the solum ranges from 4 to 12 inches. Organic carbon in the Bhs is less than 6 percent. Depth to bedrock is greater than 60 inches. The pH of the solum ranges from 5.1 to 7.3. The pH of the substratum increases with depth and ranges from 6.6 to 8.4.
A 1/4 inch thick strata of light gray (10YR 7/2) very fine sandy loam volcanic ash commonly occurs between the O and E horizons.
The E horizon has hue of 10YR, value of 3 or 4, and chroma of 2 or 3. It is very fine sandy loam, sandy loam, or loamy sand with 0 to 14 percent gravel.
The Bhs and were present the Bs horizon has hue of 5YR, value of 3, and chroma of 2 to 4. It is sandy loam, gravelly fine sandy loam, or gravelly, very gravelly, or extremely gravelly loamy sand with 0 to 70 percent gravel.
The C horizons have variegated colors. They are very gravelly or extremely gravelly sand. Rock fragments range from 40 to 70 percent and include 30 to 55 percent gravel and 10 to 20 percent cobble.
COMPETING SERIES: There are no known competing series in this family.
GEOGRAPHIC SETTING: Ismailof soils are formed in sandy and gravelly marine deposits of spits and marine terraces. In some areas recent tectonic activity has dropped these landforms several feet. The lowest of these subsided areas are affected by saltwater intrusion. Slopes range from 0 to 3 percent. Elevations are 0 to 20 feet.
The climate is maritime with mild winters and cool summers. Mean annual precipitation ranges from 65 to 75 inches and the mean annual snowfall is 50 to 60 inches. Mean January temperature is 26 degrees F., mean July temperature is 55 degrees F., and the mean annual temperature ranges from 38 to 40 degrees F.
GEOGRAPHICALLY ASSOCIATED SOILS: These include the
Chenega and
Jakolof soils. Chenega soils do not have spodic horizons and are on floodplains. Jakolof soils have spodic horizons with six percent or more organic carbon and are on stream terraces and alluvial fans.
DRAINAGE AND PERMEABILITY: Well drained. Runoff is slow. Permeability is rapid.
USE AND VEGETATION: These soils are used for timber production, subsistence, recreation, and wildlife habitat. Ismailof soils have native vegetation of Sitka spruce with an understory of salmonberry, fern, and moss. Grasses, beach pea, lupine, and other forbs grow in small scattered openings that occur on Ismailof soils.
DISTRIBUTION AND EXTENT: Kenai Peninsula, Alaska. The series is of small extent.
SOIL SURVEY REGIONAL OFFICE (SSRO) RESPONSIBLE: WASILLA, ALASKA
SERIES ESTABLISHED: Lower Kenai Peninsula Area, Alaska. 1998.
REMARKS: Diagnostic horizons and features recognized in this profile include:
Albic horizon 0 to 1 inch (E).
Spodic horizon 1 to 5 inches (Bhs).
Assumed less than 6 percent organic carbon in the Bhs horizon 1 to 5 inches.
Assumed cryic temperature regime.
Sandy-skeletal control section.
National Cooperative Soil Survey
U.S.A.