LOCATION NIKLAVAR AK
Established Series
Rev. MHC/JPM/DM
05/2022
NIKLAVAR SERIES
The Niklavar series consists of very deep, poorly drained soils formed in loamy stratified alluvium over very gravelly alluvium. Niklavar soils are on floodplains and low stream terraces. Slopes range from 0 to 3 percent. The mean annual temperature is about 34 degrees F., and the average annual precipitation is about 25 inches.
TAXONOMIC CLASS: Coarse-loamy over sandy or sandy-skeletal, mixed, superactive, nonacid Typic Cryaquents
TYPICAL PEDON: Niklavar silt loam -- on a level slope under alder and bluejoint reedgrass vegetation. (All colors are for moist soil)
Oi--0 to 1 inch; black (10YR 2/1) slightly decomposed plant material; clear smooth boundary strongly acid (pH 5.3); clear smooth boundary. (0 to 3 inches thick)
A--1 to 2 inches; black (10YR 2/1) silt loam; weak fine granular structure; very friable; nonsticky and nonplastic; many very fine, fine and medium roots; moderately acid (pH 5.8); abrupt smooth boundary. (1 to 4 inches thick)
AC-2 to 5 inches; dark brown (10YR 3/3) stratified fine sand, very fine sand and silt; moderate medium subangular blocky structure; very friable, nonsticky and nonplastic; common very fine and fine roots; moderately acid (pH 6.0); clear smooth boundary. ( 0 to 8 inches thick)
C1--5 to 10 inches; very dark grayish brown (2.5Y 3/2) and dark grayish brown (2.5Y 4/2) stratified fine sand, very fine sand and silt; massive; very friable, nonsticky and nonplastic; few very fine roots; slightly acid (pH 6.2); gradual wavy boundary. (0 to 14 inches thick)
Cg2--10 to 24 inches; dark greenish gray (5GY 4/1) stratified fine sand, very fine sand and silt with few fine distinct dark brown (10YR 3/3) mottles; massive; very friable, nonsticky and nonplastic; slightly acid (pH 6.2); gradual smooth boundary. (8 to 15 inches thick)
Cg3--24 to 31 inches; very dark grayish brown (2.5Y 3/2) stratified sand, fine sand, very fine sand and silt with few fine distinct dark greenish gray (5GY 4/1) mottles; massive; very friable, nonsticky and nonplastic; slightly acid (pH 6.2). (5 to 15 inches thick)
2C4--31 to 60 inches; variegated very gravelly coarse sand; single grain; loose, nonsticky and nonplastic; 45 percent rounded gravel; slightly acid (pH 6.2).
TYPE LOCATION: Matanuska-Susitna Valley Area, Alaska; about 16 miles north of Willow; in the NW 1/4 of the NW 1/4 of section 24, T.22N., R.5W., Seward Meridian.
RANGE IN CHARACTERISTICS: Mean annual soil temperature ranges from 33 to 36 degrees F. The upper part of the control section is stratified with textures that include sand, fine sand, very fine sand, and silt. Depth to very gravelly alluvium ranges from 24 to less than 40 inches in thickness over very and extremely gravelly sand. The weighted average of the upper control section has less than 18 percent clay and more than 15 percent fine or coarser sand. Organic carbon content varies irregularly with increasing depth.
The A and AC horizons has hue of 10YR to 5Y; value of 2 to 4; and chroma of 1 to 3. Texture is silt loam, loamy fine sand, and fine sandy loam. Reaction is strongly acid or moderately acid.
The C horizon have hue of 10YR to 5Y; value from 3 or 4; and chroma of 1 to 4. Reaction is moderately acid or slightly acid.
The Cg horizons have hue of 10YR to 5GY; value of 3 to 6 and chroma of 1 to 4. These horizons have common to many greenish gray through red redoximorphic features present. Reaction is moderately acid or slightly acid.
The 2C horizon is variegated. Texture is sand modified by 40 to 70 percent coarse fragments, 0 to 20 percent cobbles and 30 to 50 percent gravel. Reaction is moderately acid or slightly acid.
COMPETING SERIES: This is the
Swedna series. Swedna soils have redoximorphic features within 10 inches of the mineral soil surface.
GEOGRAPHIC SETTING: The Niklavar soils are on floodplains and stream terraces. Slopes range from 0 to 3 percent. Niklavar soils formed in stratified loamy alluvium from 24 to 40 inches thick, underlain by very gravelly alluvium. The mean annual temperature is about 35 degrees F. and the average annual precipitation is 15 to 30 inches. Elevation ranges from 20 to 600 feet.
GEOGRAPHICALLY ASSOCIATED SOILS:
DRAINAGE AND PERMEABILITY: Poorly drained. Low to medium runoff. Moderate permeability in the upper horizons and rapid in the gravelly underlying material. Niklavar soils are subject to flooding.
USE AND VEGETATION: Most areas of this soil are balsam poplar forest or have a ground cover consisting of alder shrub. Cleared areas are used for bromegrass, timothy, oats, barley, potatoes, and hardy vegetables.
DISTRIBUTION AND EXTENT: Cook Inlet-Susitna-Lowlands, South central, Alaska. The soil is of moderate extent.
SOIL SURVEY REGIONAL OFFICE (SSRO) RESPONSIBLE: WASILLA, ALASKA
SERIES ESTABLISHED: Matanuska-Susitna Soil Survey. 1991.
REMARKS: Diagnostic features recognized in this profile include: no diagnostic horizons; redoximorphic concentrations with chroma of two or less, and gley, within 20 inches (50 centimeters) of the mineral soil surface; assumed irregular decrease in organic carbon based on colors, stratification, and occasional flooding; saturated within 50 centimeters of the surface for periods of time during the year; cryic temperature regime; coarse loamy particle size (weighted average) from 10 to 31 inches; sandy skeletal material below 31 inches.
National Cooperative Soil Survey
U.S.A.