LOCATION TAWAH                   AK

Inactive Series
Rev. RFB/TMC/SR
02/2022

TAWAH SERIES

The Tawah series consists of well-drained soils developed in low sand dunes parallel with, but inland from ocean beaches. Slopes range from 3 to 30 percent. The mean annual precipitation is 80 to 130 inches, and the mean annual air temperature is about 38 degrees F.

TAXONOMIC CLASS: Sandy, mixed Typic Haplocryods

TYPICAL PEDON: Tawah sandy loam. (Colors are for moist soil).

01--3 to 0 inches; dark reddish brown (5YR 3/3) mat of partially decomposed forest litter; abrupt smooth boundary.

A2--0 to 2 inches; grayish brown (10YR 5/2) fine sandy loam; weak fine platy structure; very friable, many roots; very strongly acid; abrupt irregular boundary.

B21--2 to 3 inches; dark reddish brown (5YR 2/2) sandy loam; moderate fine subangular blocky structure; friable; many roots; very strongly acid; clear irregular boundary.

B22--3 to 9 inches; brown to dark brown (10YR 4/3) loamy sand; moderate medium subangular blocky structure; friable; common roots; slightly acid; gradual boundary.

B3--9 to 16 inches; dark brown (10YR 3/3) sand; weak medium subangular blocky structure; crushing easily to single grain; very friable; few roots; neutral; gradual boundary.

C--16 to 36 inches; very dark gray (10YR 3/1) sand; few medium faint mottles of yellowish brown (10YR 5/4); single grain; loose; no roots; moderately alkaline.

TYPE LOCATION: Yakutat Forelands Area, Alaska. Tawah Creek Road, approximately 4 miles from Yakutat airport.

RANGE IN CHARACTERISTICS: Texture of the A2 horizon ranges from fine sandy loam to loamy fine sand. Texture of the B horizon ranges from sandy loam to sand. The B horizon is friable to weakly cemented. Thickness of the solum ranges from 8 to 20 inches.

COMPETING SERIES: These are the Anchorage, Delyndia, and Kunayosh series. The Anchorage soils have thin spodic horizons that are low in organic matter. The Delyndia soils have spodic horizons developed in a thin silty deposit over sand. The Kunayosh soils have no spodic horizon.

GEOGRAPHIC SETTING: The Tawah soils occupy stabilized sand dunes, about 15 to 35 feet high, at distances of 1 to 3 miles from the present beach. The climate is cool maritime with a mean annual precipitation of 80 to 130 inches. Average annual air temperature is about 38 degrees F and average summer air temperature is about 52 degrees F. The soils are seldom frozen.

GEOGRAPHICALLY ASSOCIATED SOILS: These are the competing Kunayosh series and the Alsek, Kriwoi, and Yakutat series. The Alsek soils are very gravelly and have indications of wetness. The Kriwoi soils consist of organic materials more than 16 inches thick over stratified materials . The Yakutat soils are very gravelly.

DRAINAGE AND PERMEABILITY: Well-drained; moderate to rapid runoff, rapid permeability.

USE AND VEGETATION: The native vegetation is a Sitka spruce-western hemlock forest, suitable for logging.

DISTRIBUTION AND EXTENT: The Tawah soils occur in areas bordering the north coast of the Gulf of Alaska. The series is extensive.

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

SERIES PROPOSED: Yakutat Foreland Area, Alaska, 1975. (Source of name is Tawah Creek ) .

OSED scanned by SSQA. Last revised by state on 12/76.

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National Cooperative Soil Survey
U.S.A.