LOCATION KACHEMAK                AK

Established Series
Rev. RBH/SR/DLM
05/2022

KACHEMAK SERIES

Depth class: very deep
Drainage class: well
Parent material: ash influenced loess over glacial drift
Landform: moraines on till plains
Slopes: 0 to 60 percent
Mean annual precipitation: 25 to 40 inches
Mean annual temperature: 34 to 36 degrees F.

TAXONOMIC CLASS: Medial over loamy, mixed, superactive Typic Fulvicryands

TYPICAL PEDON: Kachemak silt loam - on a slope of 18 percent under grasses and shrub vegetation at 1,132 feet elevation. (All colors are for moist soil unless noted)

Oe--0 to 3 inches; dark reddish brown (5YR 3/2) moderately decomposed plant material; many very fine and fine roots, few coarse roots; extremely acid (pH 3.8); abrupt wavy boundary. (2 to 7 inches thick)

A1--3 to 6 inches; very dark grayish brown (2.5Y 3/2) silt loam; weak very fine granular structure; very friable, slightly sticky and slightly plastic; many very fine and fine roots and few medium roots; very strongly acid (pH 4.5); abrupt wavy boundary.

A2--6 to 8 inches; black (10YR 2/1) silt loam; weak medium structure; very friable, slightly sticky and slightly plastic; many very fine and fine roots and few medium and coarse roots; very strongly acid (pH 4.8); abrupt wavy boundary. (Combined thickness of the A horizons is 3 to 7 inches thick)

Bhs--8 to 12 inches; dark reddish brown (5YR 3/3) mucky silt loam; weak medium granular structure; very friable, slightly sticky and slightly plastic; many very fine and fine roots and few medium roots; very strongly acid (pH 4.9); clear wavy boundary. (2 to 6 inches thick)

Bs--12 to 16 inches; brown (7.5YR 4/3) silt loam; weak fine subangular blocky structure; very friable, slightly sticky and slightly plastic; many very fine and fine roots and few medium roots; strongly acid (pH 5.2); gradual smooth boundary. (1 to 6 inches thick)

Bw--16 to 22 inches; dark yellowish brown (10YR 4/4) silt loam; weak medium subangular blocky structure; friable, slightly sticky and slightly plastic; many very fine and fine roots and few medium roots; strongly acid (pH 5.3); gradual smooth boundary. (3 to 10 inches thick)

C1--22 to 30 inches; brown (10YR 4/3) silt loam; massive; friable, slightly sticky and slightly plastic; common very fine and fine roots; strongly acid (pH 5.4); abrupt smooth boundary. (4 to 15 inches thick)

2C2--30 to 60 inches; brown (10YR 5/3) silt loam; massive; firm, slightly sticky and slightly plastic; few very fine roots; strongly acid (pH 5.3).

TYPE LOCATION: Western Kenai Area, Alaska; about 4.25 miles north of Homer; in the NW 1/4 of the SE 1/4, section 29, T. 5 S., R. 13 W; UTM north 6620314 and UTM east 582677, zone 5.

RANGE IN CHARACTERISTICS:

Particle-size control (section weighted average):
Percent fine sand and coarser in the control section: greater than 15 percent

Soil moisture regime: udic
Mean annual soil temperature: 35 degrees F
Thickness of solum: 20 to 40 inches
Thickness of ash influenced loess: 20 to 40 inches

O horizon:
Matrix color: hue of 7.5YR or 10YR; value of 2 or 3; chroma of 1 to 3
Reaction class: extremely acid or very strongly acid

A horizon:
Matrix color: hue of 7.5YR or 10YR; value of 2 or 3; chroma of 1 to 3
Texture: silt loam, very fine sandy loam
Coarse fragments: 0 to 5 percent gravel
Reaction class: extremely acid to moderately acid

Bhs horizon:
Matrix color: hue of 5YR or 7.5 YR; value of 2 or 3; chroma of 2 or 3
Texture: mucky silt loam, mucky very fine sandy loam
Coarse fragments: 0 to 10 percent gravel, 0 to 2 percent cobbles
Total organic carbon: 6 to 12 percent
Reaction class: very strongly acid or strongly acid

Bs horizon:
Matrix color: hue of 5YR or 7.5 YR; value of 3 to 5; chroma of 2 to 4
Texture: silt loam, very fine sandy loam
Coarse fragments: 0 to 10 percent gravel, 0 to 2 percent cobbles
Reaction class: very strongly acid or strongly acid

Bw horizon:
Matrix color: hue of 10YR or 2.5Y; value of 3 to 5; chroma of 2 to 6
Texture: silt loam, very fine sandy loam
Coarse fragments: 0 to 10 percent gravel, 0 to 2 percent cobbles
Reaction class: strongly or moderately acid

C horizon:
Matrix color: hue of 10YR to 5Y; value of 3 to 6; chroma of 2 to 6
Texture: silt loam, very fine sandy loam
Coarse fragments: 0 to 10 percent gravel, 0 to 2 percent cobbles
Reaction class: strongly or moderately acid

2C horizon:
Matrix color: hue of 10YR to 5Y; value of 3 to 6; chroma of 2 to 6
Texture: silt loam, very fine sandy loam, sandy loam, fine sandy loam modified by 0 to 25 percent total coarse fragments; 0 to 10 percent gravel, 0 to 2 percent cobbles
Reaction class: strongly or moderately acid

COMPETING SERIES: There are no competing series in this classification.

GEOGRAPHIC SETTING:
Depth class: very deep
Drainage class: well
Parent material: ash influenced loess over glacial drift
Landform: moraines on till plains
Slopes: 0 to 60 percent
Climate: maritime; cool summers and long cold winters
Mean annual temperature: 34 to 36 degrees F.
Mean annual precipitation: 25 to 40 inches

GEOGRAPHICALLY ASSOCIATED SOILS: These include Mutnala, Qutal, Spenard, Redoubt, Puntilla, and Chunilna soils. Mutnala, Puntilla, and Redoubt soils have albic horizons and occur on similar landscapes. Qutal soils are somewhat poorly drained are on depressions. Spenard soils are very poorly drained and occur on depressions.

DRAINAGE AND PERMEABILITY: Well drained, very low to high runoff, saturated hydraulic conductivity is high is the solum and moderately high to high is the substratum.

USE AND VEGETATION: Used for vegetables, hay production, rangeland, residential development, recreation, and wildlife habitat. The native vegetation is bluejoint grass, fireweed, alder, and associated plants. Clumps of Lutz spruce and alder is common

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

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

SERIES ESTABLISHED: Bennett, H.H., Report on a Reconnaissance of the Soils, Agriculture, and Other Resources of the Kenap Peninsula of Alaska, 1918, (Advanced Sheets Field Operations of the Bureau of Soils, 1916).

REMARKS: Diagnostic features and horizons recognized in this profile include:
Andic properties: 3 to 22 inches.
Spodic horizons: 8 to 16 inches
Cambic horizon: 16 to 22 inches
Temperature regime: cryic
Moisture regime: udic

ADDITIONAL DATA: Soil characterization samples S87AK-122-004 Western Kenai Peninsula, Alaska, samples by SSL, Lincoln, NE 09/1987.

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National Cooperative Soil Survey
U.S.A.