LOCATION TALUWIK                 AK

Established Series
Rev. DVP-JDW
02/2022

TALUWIK SERIES

The Taluwik series consists of very deep, well drained and moderately well drained soils that formed in volcanic ash over very gravelly alluvium. Taluwik soils are on alluvial fans and mountain toeslopes. Slopes range from 0 to 8 percent. Mean annual temperature is about 38 degrees F. and the mean annual precipitation is about 70 inches.

TAXONOMIC CLASS: Medial over sandy or sandy-skeletal, mixed Alic Haplocryands

TYPICAL PEDON: Taluwik silt loam, on a 8 percent slope under bluejoint reedgrass and forbs at 175 feet elevation. (Colors are for moist soils unless otherwise stated. When described, the soil was moist throughout).

Oe--1 to 0 inch; mucky peat; abrupt smooth boundary.

A--0 to 4 inches; very dark brown (10YR 2/2) very fine sandy loam; moderate fine granular structure; very friable, nonsticky, nonplastic; many very fine, fine, and medium roots; neutral (pH 6.8); abrupt smooth boundary. (4 to 16 inches thick)

Bw--4 to 17 inches; dark yellowish brown (10YR 3/4) very fine sandy loam; moderate fine granular structure; very friable, nonsticky, nonplastic; common very fine, fine, and medium roots; slightly acid (pH 6.2); abrupt smooth boundary.

2C--17 to 19 inches; very dark grayish brown (2.5Y 3/2) and olive brown (2.5Y 4/4) fine sandy loam; massive; friable, nonsticky, nonplastic; few very fine and fine roots; slightly acid (pH 6.2); abrupt smooth boundary. (0 to 10 inches thick)

3Bwb--19 to 38 inches; dark brown (7.5YR 3/2) and dark yellowish brown (10YR 3/4) very fine sandy loam; moderate fine granular structure; very friable, nonsticky, nonplastic; few very fine and fine roots; medium acid (pH 5.8); abrupt smooth boundary. (combined thickness of Bw horizons is 12 to 24 inches)

4C--38 to 60 inches; variegated very gravelly sand; single grain; loose, nonsticky, nonplastic; 45 percent gravel.

TYPE LOCATION: Kenai Peninsula Area, Alaska; English Bay River Valley; 1480 feet south and 1320 feet west of the NE corner of section 35, T. 10S., R. 15W., Seward Meridian; USGS Seldovia B-5 quadrangle; lat. 59 degrees 16 minutes 18 seconds N. and long. 151 degrees 45 minutes 10 seconds W.

RANGE IN CHARACTERISTICS: The mean annual soil temperature is 38 to 40 degrees F. Thickness of the solum ranges from 21 to 38 inches. Depth to bedrock is greater than 60 inches. The pH of the solum ranges from 5.8 to 6.8. The pH of the substratum ranges from 5.0 to 5.8. Strata of coarse textured material may occur throughout the solum. Some profiles have Ab horizons.

The A horizon has hue of 10YR, value of 2 or 3, and chroma of 2 to 4. It is very fine sandy loam or silt loam.

The Bw and 3Bw horizons have hue of 10YR or 7.5YR, value of 3, and chroma of 2 to 4. They are sandy loam, very fine sandy loam, or silt loam.

The 2C horizons has textures that range from fine sandy loam to gravelly loamy sand. Some pedons do not have 2C horizons.

The 4C horizons have variegated colors. They are very gravelly or extremely gravelly sand or loamy sand. Rock fragments range from 35 to 65 percent and include 30 to 55 percent gravel and 0 to 15 percent cobble.



COMPETING SERIES: There are no known competing series in this family.

GEOGRAPHIC SETTING: Taluwik soils are formed in an ash mantle less than 38 inches thick over alluvium. Taluwik soils are on alluvial fans and toeslopes. Slopes range from 0 to 3 percent. Elevations are 20 to 300 feet.

The climate is maritime with mild winters and cool summers. Mean annual precipitation ranges from 65 to 75 inches and the mean annual snowfall is 50 to 90 inches. Mean January temperature is 26 degrees F., mean July temperature is 55 degrees F., and the mean annual temperature ranges from 37 to 39 degrees F.

GEOGRAPHICALLY ASSOCIATED SOILS: These include the Chenega, Jakolof, and Kasitsna soils. Chenega soils do not have a mantle of volcanic ash and are on floodplains and alluvial fans. Jakolof soils have spodic horizons and are on stream terraces and alluvial fans. Kasitsna soils have spodic horizons and are on mountainslopes.

DRAINAGE AND PERMEABILITY: Well or moderately well drained. Runoff is slow. Permeability is moderate in the upper part and rapid in the lower part.

USE AND VEGETATION: These soils are used for subsistence, recreation, and wildlife habitat. Tuluwik soils have native vegetation of grasses, Nootka rose, lupine, and other forbs.

DISTRIBUTION AND EXTENT: Kenai Peninsula, Alaska. The series is of small extent.

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

SERIES ESTABLISHED: Lower Kenai Peninsula Area, Alaska, 1998.

REMARKS: Diagnostic horizons and features recognized in this profile include:

Andic soil properties in 60 percent of the thickness within 24 inches. Al concentration of >2.0 between depths of 10 and 20 inches from the mineral surface. Cryic temperature regime. Medial over sandy or sandy-skeletal control section.

ADDITIONAL DATA: These soils are similar to the Kachemak series. The ash mantle is believed to have the same source and the vegetation community is comparable on both soils. Reference samples from pedon 83P 842, 83P 4264-4265 (sampled as Kachemak).

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National Cooperative Soil Survey
U.S.A.