LOCATION SNOWDANCE               AK

Established Series
Rev: DVP/MHC/DLM
02/2022

SNOWDANCE SERIES

Depth class: very deep
Drainage class: very poorly and poorly drained
Parent material: loess and volcanic ash over glacial till
Landform: till plains and depressions on mountains
Slopes: 0 to 35 percent
Mean annual precipitation: is about 40 inches.
Mean annual temperature: is about 33 degrees F.

TAXONOMIC CLASS: Medial over loamy-skeletal, amorphic over mixed, superactive, nonacid Typic Cryaquands

TYPICAL PEDON: Snowdance silt loam - on a 12 percent slope under willow shrub at 2450 feet elevation. (All colors are for moist soil, all textures are apparent field textures)

Oi--0 to 3 inches; black (5YR 2.5/1) slightly decomposed plant material; many very fine, fine, and medium roots; extremely acid (pH 4.3) clear smooth boundary. (2 to 4 inches thick)

A--3 to 8 inches; black (5YR 2.5/1) mucky silt loam; weak fine granular structure; very friable, nonsticky and nonplastic; many very fine, fine and medium roots; strongly acid (pH 5.2); clear smooth boundary. (3 to 8 inches thick)

Bw1--8 to 11 inches; dark brown (7.5YR 3/3) silt loam; weak fine subangular blocky structure; very friable, nonsticky and nonplastic; many very fine, fine and medium roots; 5 percent subangular cobble; strongly acid (pH 5.4); clear wavy boundary. (0 to 5 inches thick)

Bw2--11 to 19 inches; dark brown (7.5YR 3/2) silt loam; weak medium subangular blocky structure; very friable, nonsticky and nonplastic; common very fine, fine and medium roots; common medium distinct reddish brown (5YR 4/4) redoximorphic concentrations; 5 percent subangular cobble; moderately acid (pH 5.6); clear wavy boundary. (4 to 19 inches thick)

2BC--19 to 34 inches; dark brown (7.5YR 3/2) very gravelly sandy loam; massive; firm, slightly sticky and slightly plastic; 30 percent subangular gravel, 5 percent subangular cobbles; moderately acid (pH 5.6); gradual wavy boundary. (0 to 22 inches thick)

2C--34 to 60 inches; very dark grayish brown (10YR 3/2) very cobbly sandy loam; massive; firm, slightly sticky and slightly plastic; 15 percent subangular gravel, 35 percent subangular cobbles; moderately acid (pH 5.8).

TYPE LOCATION: Talkeetna Mountains, Alaska; about 18 miles northeast of Willow; the NE 1/4 of the SE 1/4 of section 24, T. 21N., R. 3W., Seward Meridian.

RANGE IN CHARACTERISTICS:
Mean annual soil temperature: 32 to 35 degrees F.
Depth to very gravelly glacial till: 14 to 32 inches
Loess mantle: dominated by weathered volcanic ash; estimated bulk density of less than 0.9 grams per cubic centimeter
Solum: andic properties are presumed
Redoximorphic features: redoximorphic concentrations or matrix chromas of two or less are within 20 inches of the surface

O horizon:
Matrix color: hue of 5YR to 10YR; value of 2 to 4; chroma of 1 to 4
Reaction class: extremely acid strongly acid

A horizon
Matrix color: hue from 5YR to 10YR; value of 2 or 3; chroma of 1 to 3
Texture: mucky silt loam, silt loam, very fine sandy loam
Total carbon: 4 to 12 percent
Reaction class: very strongly acid or strongly acid

Bw horizons:
Matrix color: hue of 7.5YR to 2.5Y; value of 3 or 4, chroma of 1 to 4
Texture: silt loam, very fine sandy loam modified by 0 to 20 percent total coarse fragments, 0 to 10 percent subangular gravel, 0 to 10 percent angular cobbles
Reaction class: very strongly acid or strongly acid

2BC horizon: (where present)
Matrix color: hue of 10YR to 5Y; value of 3 or 4; chroma of 1 to 3
Texture: fine sandy loam, sandy loam, loam modified by 20 to 25 percent total coarse fragments; 20 to 45 percent subangular gravel, 0 to 10 percent subangular cobbles
Reaction class: very strongly acid or strongly acid

2C horizon:
Matrix color: hue of 10YR to 5Y; value of 3 to 5; chroma of 1 to 3
Texture: loam, fine sandy loam, sandy loam modified by 35 to 60 coarse fragments; 15 to 45 percent subangular gravel, 0 to 35 percent subangular cobbles
Reaction class: strongly acid or moderately acid

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

GEOGRAPHIC SETTING:
Drainage class: very poorly and poorly drained
Parent material: loess and volcanic ash over glacial till
Landform: till plains and depressions on mountains
Slopes: 0 to 35 percent
Mean annual temperature: is about 33 degrees F.
Mean annual precipitation: is about 40 inches.

GEOGRAPHICALLY ASSOCIATED SOILS: These are Psuyaah, Siwash, Talkeetna, and Tsadaka soils. Psuyaah soils are very poorly drained and occur on mountain footslopes. Siwash, Talkeetna, and Tsadaka soils are well drained and occur on mountains.

DRAINAGE AND PERMEABILITY: Very poorly and poorly drained, very high runoff. Saturated hydraulic conductivity is moderately high to high in the solum and moderately high in glacial till. In some profiles the water table has lowered, resulting in altered drainage.

USE AND VEGETATION: Snowdance soils are used mainly for wildlife habitat, rangeland, and recreation. Native vegetation consists of willow or alder shrub, bluejoint grass, and associated forbs.

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: Matanuska-Susitna Area, Alaska 1996.

REMARKS: Diagnostic horizons and features recognized in this profile include:
Umbric epipedon: 3 to 19 inches (A, Bw1, and Bw2 horizons)
Redoximorphic features: redoximorphic concentrations and matrix chroma of 2 or less within 20 inches
Andic properties: are presumed and bulk density of less than 0.9 grams per cubic centimeter in the upper part of the control section
Loamy-skeletal: in the lower part of the control section.
Temperature regime: cryic
Moisture regime: aquic

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National Cooperative Soil Survey
U.S.A.