LOCATION KLUNA                   AK

Established Series
Rev. MHC/JPM
05/2022

KLUNA SERIES

The Kluna series consists of very deep well drained soils formed in stratified sandy and silty alluvium over sand and gravel. Kluna soils are on low stream terraces and floodplains. Slopes range from 0 to 7 percent. Mean annual temperature is about 26 degrees F., and the average annual precipitation is about 18 inches.

TAXONOMIC CLASS: Coarse-loamy, mixed, superactive, nonacid Typic Cryofluvents

TYPICAL PEDON: Kluna fine sandy loam on a 0 percent slope under white spruce forest at 2450 feet (747 meters) elevation. (All colors are for moist soil)

Oi--2 inch to 0; dark brown (7.5YR 3/4) peat; fibrous moss, roots, and twigs; abrupt smooth boundary. (1 to 4 inches thick)

AC--0 to 3 inches; dark brown (10YR 3/3) fine sandy loam; weak fine subangular blocky structure; very friable, nonsticky and nonplastic; many roots of all sizes; moderately acid (pH 5.6); clear smooth boundary. (0 to 4 inches thick)

C3--3 to 14 inches; very dark grayish brown (10YR 3/2) stratified sand through silt with a composite texture of sandy loam; weak coarse subangular blocky structure; very friable, nonsticky and nonplastic; few fine faint dark yellowish brown (10YR 4/4) mottles; common very fine, fine, and medium roots; moderately acid (pH 5.6); abrupt smooth boundary. (6 to 16 inches thick)

C2/Oa--14 to 19 inches; very dark grayish brown (10YR 3/2) stratified sand through silt with composite texture of sandy loam; occasional strata of black (10YR 2/1) mucky peat; weak coarse subangular blocky structure; very friable, nonsticky and nonplastic; few fine faint dark yellowish brown (10YR 4/4) mottles; few very fine, fine and medium roots; moderately acid (pH 6.0); clear smooth boundary. (0 to 8 inches thick)

C3--19 to 42 inches; dark grayish brown (10YR 4/2) moist stratified sand through silt with composite texture of sandy loam; weak coarse subangular blocky structure; very friable, nonsticky and nonplastic; moderately acid (pH 6.0); clear smooth boundary. (12 to 22 inches thick)

Cg4--42 to 45 inches; dark gray (5Y 4/1) stratified fine sand through silt with composite texture of fine sandy loam; weak coarse subangular blocky structure; very friable, nonsticky and nonplastic; many medium prominent dark reddish brown (5YR 3/4) mottles; moderately acid (pH 6.0); abrupt smooth boundary. (0 to 16 inches thick)

2C5--45 to 60 inches; variegated very gravelly coarse sand; single grain; loose, nonsticky and nonplastic; slightly acid (pH 6.2).

TYPE LOCATION: Gulkana River Area, Alaska; about 21 miles north of Sourdough; the SW1/4 of the SE1/4 of section 6, T.12N., R.2W., Copper River Meridian.

RANGE IN CHARACTERISTICS: MAST ranges from 32 to 35 degrees F. The upper part of the control section is stratified very sand through silt with composite texture of sandy loam, fine sandy loam or loam. The composite texture contains less than 18 percent clay and more than 15 percent fine sand or coarser. The lower part of the control section is stratified sand through silt with composite texture of fine sand, sand, loamy sand, sandy loam or fine sandy loam. Depth to sand and gravel ranges from 40 to over 60 inches with coarse fragment contents that range from 40 to 70 percent rounded gravel and cobble. The soil is moderately acid or neutral in the A and C horizons and neutral to mildly alkaline in the 2C horizons. The organic mat ranges from 1 to 4 inches.

The A or AC horizon has moist hue of 10YR or 2.5Y; moist value of 2 or 3; and moist chroma of 1 through 3. Texture includes very fine sandy loam, fine sandy loam or silt loam. This horizon is finely stratified in many pedons.

The C and Cg horizons have moist hue from 10YR through 5Y; moist value from 3 or 4; and moist chroma of 1 through 3. Texture is stratified sand, fine sandy loam, and silt loam. Composite texture is sandy loam or fine sandy loam. Dark colors are due to the high concentration of black sand grains. Occasional pockets and strata of organic materials occur and have hue of 7.5YR or 10YR; chroma moist of 1 or 2. Common to many mottles occur in the lower horizons in many pedons; when present, oxidation mottles have hue of 5YR through 10YR; chroma moist of 4 through 6; reduction mottles have hue of 2.5Y or 5Y; chroma moist of 1 or 2.

The 2C horizon (when present) variegated or hue from 10YR through 5Y; moist value from 3 through 5; and moist chroma of 1 through 3. Textures include coarse sand or sand. Coarse fragment content ranges from 40 to 70 percent with 25 to 65 percent gravel and 0 to 20 percent cobble.

COMPETING SERIES: These are the Salchaket, Susitna and Takotna. Salchaket soils contain large quantities of micaceous material. Takotna soils are calcareous within the control section. Susitna soils are very strongly or strongly acid in the upper horizons.

GEOGRAPHIC SETTING: Kluna soils formed in stratified loamy alluvium over sandy and sandy-skeletal alluvium on low stream terraces and floodplains. The terraces are often dissected. Slopes range from 0 to 7 percent. The climate is subarctic continental with long, cold winters and short,
warm summers. Mean annual precipitation ranges from 8 to 17 inches, and the mean annual snowfall is 39 to 68 inches. Mean January temperature is minus 10 degrees F., mean July temperature is 56 degrees F., and the mean annual temperature ranges from 23 to 27 degrees F.

GEOGRAPHICALLY ASSOCIATED SOILS: These are the Klutina and Kuslina soils. Kuslina soils are on high terrace positions and have a histic epipedon and permafrost within the
profile.

DRAINAGE AND PERMEABILITY: Well drained. Permeability is moderate in the upper part and rapid in the gravelly substratum. Runoff is slow. These soils are subject to flooding.

USE AND VEGETATION: Primary use of these soils is wildlife habitat and recreation. Most areas have native vegetation of white spruce forest with an understory of and willow shrub.

DISTRIBUTION AND EXTENT: Copper River Basin, Alaska. The series is of minor extent.

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

SERIES ESTABLISHED: Gulkana River Area, Alaska. 1999.

REMARKS: Diagnostic features and horizons recognized in this pedon include: coarse-loamy particle size from 0 to 45 inches and sandy skeletal particle size from 45 to 60 inches; assumed irregular decrease in organic carbon based on the stratification and flood history; pH more than 5.5
(1:1,HCl) from 0 to 60 inches; redox depletions at depths from 42 to 45 inches; cryic temperature regime.

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National Cooperative Soil Survey
U.S.A.