LOCATION KICHATNA                AK

Established Series
Rev. MHC/DM
05/2022

KICHATNA SERIES

Depth class: very deep
Drainage class: well drained
Parent material: ash influenced loess over loose sandy and gravelly glacial outwash
Landform: hills on outwash plains, terraces on outwash plains, and outwash plains
Slopes: 0 to 85 percent
Mean annual precipitation: about 18 inches.
Mean annual temperature: about 35 degrees F.

TAXONOMIC CLASS: Sandy-skeletal, mixed Typic Haplocryods

TYPICAL PEDON: Kichatna silt loam - on a north facing slope of 3 percent at 150 feet elevation under black spruce, highbush cranberry and moss. (All colors are for moist soil)

Oi--0 to 2 inches; very dusky red (2.5YR 2.5/2) slightly decomposed plant material; very strongly acid (pH 4.6); abrupt smooth boundary. (1 to 5 inches thick)

E--2 to 4 inches; dark grayish brown (10YR 4/2) and gray (10YR 5/1) silt loam; weak medium granular structure; very friable, nonsticky and nonplastic; few very fine and fine roots; strongly acid (pH 5.4); abrupt wavy boundary. (l to 3 inches thick)

Bs--4 to 7 inches; yellowish red (5YR 4/6) and strong brown (7.5YR 4/6) very fine sandy loam; weak medium granular structure; very friable, nonsticky and nonplastic; few very fine and fine roots; strongly acid (pH 5.4); abrupt smooth boundary. (1 to 8 inches thick)

Eb--7 to 8 inches; brown (10YR 5/3) silt loam; weak fine granular structure; very friable, nonsticky and nonplastic; few very fine and fine roots; moderately acid (pH 5.6); abrupt smooth boundary. (0 to 2 inches thick)

Bsb--8 to 11 inches; brown (7.5YR 4/4) silt loam; weak fine granular structure; very friable, nonsticky and nonplastic; few very fine and fine roots; moderately acid (pH 5.6); clear smooth boundary. (0 to 6 inches thick)

2BC--11 to 14 inches; dark yellowish brown (10YR 4/4) very gravelly loamy coarse sand; very friable, nonsticky and nonplastic; 30 percent well rounded gravel and 5 percent well rounded cobble; moderately acid (pH 5.8); gradual wavy boundary. (4 to 10 inches thick)

2C1--14 to 39 inches; dark yellowish brown (10YR 3/4) very gravelly loamy coarse sand; loose, nonsticky and nonplastic; 45 percent well rounded gravel and 5 percent well rounded cobble; moderately acid (pH 6.0); gradual wavy boundary. (18 to 38 inches thick)

2C2--39 to 60 inches; dark yellowish brown (10YR 3/4) extremely gravelly loamy coarse sand; loose, nonsticky and nonplastic; 55 percent well rounded gravel and 10 percent well rounded cobble; moderately acid (pH 6.0).

TYPE LOCATION: Matanuska Valley Area, Alaska, about 15 miles SW of Houston; about 900 feet S. and 1000 feet W of the NE corner of section 31, T.16N., R.4W., Seward Meridian.

RANGE IN CHARACTERISTICS:
Ash and loess mantle thickness: 5 to 12 inches
Depth to gravelly glacial outwash: 4 to 12 inches
Particle-size size control section: averages 35 to 70 percent coarse fragments

E and Eb horizons:
Matrix color: hue of 1OYR or 2.5Y; value of 3 to 5; chroma of 1 to 3
Texture: silt loam, very fine sandy loam
Reaction class: very strongly acid to moderately acid

Bs and Bsb horizons:
Matrix color: hue of 5YR or 7.5YR; value of 3 to 5; and chroma of 4 to 6
Texture: silt loam, very fine sandy loam
Coarse fragments: O to 5 percent cobble; O to 10 percent gravel
Reaction class: very strongly acid to moderately acid

2Bs horizon: (where present)
Matrix color: hue of 5YR or 7.5YR; value of 3 to 5; chroma of 4 to 6
Texture: loamy sand, loamy coarse sand, coarse sand, sand modified by 20 to 60 percent gravel and 0 to 15 percent cobble.
Reaction class: very strongly acid to moderately acid

2BC horizon:
Matrix color: value of 3 or 4; chroma of 4 to 6
Texture: sandy loam, loamy coarse sand, sand modified by 20 to 50 percent gravel and O to 10 percent cobble
Reaction class: strongly acid to slightly acid

2C horizon:
Matrix color: hue of 1OYR or 2.5Y; value of 3 or 4; chroma from 2 to 4
Texture: sand, coarse sand, loamy coarse sand modified by 35 to 70 percent gravel; O to 15 percent cobble
Reaction class: moderately acid or slightly acid

COMPETING SERIES: These are the Bernice, Ismailof, Lutak, Nikishka, and Pippod. Bernice and Pipod soils do not have ash in the loess mantle. Ismailof soils have neutral to moderately alkaline soil reaction in the lower part of the substratum. Lutak soils have massive, firm substrata. Nikishka soils have gravelly silt loam textures in the upper part of the control section.

GEOGRAPHIC SETTING:
Depth class: very deep
Drainage class: well drained
Parent material: ash influenced loess over loose sandy and gravelly glacial outwash
Loess mantle: admixture of amorphous material of volcanic origin and airborne sediments from broad non-vegetated flood plains and glacial origin
Landform: hills on outwash plains, terraces on outwash plains, and outwash plains
Slopes: 0 to 85 percent
Climate is transitional maritime continental
Mean annual temperature: about 35 degrees F.
Mean annual precipitation: about 18 inches.

GEOGRAPHICALLY ASSOCIATED SOILS: These are the Kashwitna and Disappear soils. Kashwitna soils have ash influenced loess mantles thicker than 12 inches and occur on similar landforms. Disappear soils are poorly drained and occur on depressions.

DRAINAGE AND PERMEABILITY: Well drained, low to high runoff. Saturated hydraulic conductivity is moderately high to high in the loess mantle and high to very high below.

USE AND VEGETATION: Wildlife habitat, agriculture and urban uses. Native vegetation includes paper birch, white spruce, quaking aspen, bluejoint grass and low shrubs.

DISTRIBUTION AND EXTENT: MLRA 224 Cook Inlet Lowlands, South-central Alaska. The series is extensive.

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

SERIES ESTABLISHED: Matanuska-Susitna Valley Area, Alaska, 1996.

REMARKS: Diagnostic features and horizons recognized in this profile include: Albic horizons: 2 to 4 and 7 to 8 inches
Spodic horizons: 4 to 7 and 8 to 11 inches
Sandy-skeletal particle size: 11 to 60 inches
Temperature regime: cryic
Moisture regime: udic

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National Cooperative Soil Survey
U.S.A.