LOCATION WADLEIGH AK
Established Series
Rev. RWG/WDL/JPM
02/2022
WADLEIGH SERIES
The Wadleigh series consists of shallow soils over paralithic compact till. These poorly drained soils formed in glacial till on moraines, drumlins, and hillslopes. Slopes range from 5 to 75 percent. Mean annual temperature is 45 degrees F., and the average annual precipitation is about 120 inches.
TAXONOMIC CLASS: Loamy-skeletal, mixed, superactive, shallow Typic Cryaquods
TYPICAL PEDON: Wadleigh gravelly silt loam - on a south facing, single, slope of 34 percent at 200 feet elevation on a drumlin under conifer vegetation. (All colors are for moist soil unless otherwise stated.)
Oi--5 to 4 inches; undecomposed forest litter peat; many fine and few medium and coarse roots; abrupt smooth boundary. (1 to 6 inches thick)
Oe--4 to 0 inches; black (5YR 2.5/1) mucky peat; friable, nonsticky, nonplastic, many fine and few medium and coarse roots; common pockets of very dusky red (2.5YR 2/2) mucky peat; extremely acid (pH 4.0); abrupt smooth boundary. (2 to 10 inches thick)
E--0 to 3 inches; light brownish gray (10YR 6/2) gravelly silt loam; weak fine subangular blocky structure; slightly sticky, slightly plastic; many fine, few medium and coarse roots; common pockets of dark reddish gray (5YR 4/2); many fine and medium, interstitial pores; 30 percent gravel; extremely acid (pH 4.2); abrupt smooth boundary. (0 to 4 inches thick)
Bhs--3 to 6 inches; dark reddish brown (5YR 2.5/2) very gravelly silt loam; weak moderate granular structure parting to weak fine granular; very friable, slightly sticky, slightly plastic; many fine and medium interstitial pores; common pockets of dark brown (7.5YR 4/2); 50 percent gravel; very strongly acid (pH 4.8); clear wavy boundary. (3 to 12 inches thick)
Bs--6 to 10 inches; olive gray (5YR 5/2) extremely gravelly silt loam; few, large, prominent red (2.5YR 4/6) mottles; weak fine subangular blocky structure; brittle when moist and wet; very weakly cemented and discontinuous; 60 percent gravel; strongly acid (pH 5.5); clear wavy boundary. (0 to 4 inches thick)
Cd--10 to 60 inches; olive gray (5Y 5/2) extremely gravelly silt loam; massive; brittle when moist and wet; very weakly cemented and discontinuous; 70 percent gravel; strongly acid (pH 5.5).
TYPE LOCATION: Hollis Area, Alaska. 100 yards south of 12 mile marker on 2400 Road from Thorne Bay. SE 1/4, SE 1/4, S 24, T 71 S, R 82 E, Copper River Meridian.
RANGE IN CHARACTERISTICS: Mean annual soil temperature ranges from 38 to 42 degrees F. The thickness of the solum and depth to the paralithic compact till ranges from 7 to 14 inches. The rock fragment content in the particle size control section ranges from 35 to 60 percent. Reaction throughout the profile ranges from strongly to extremely acid. The combined thickness of the 0 horizons is 4 to 10 inches. Colors in the Oe horizon range in hue from 5YR to 10YR with value moist of 2 or 3 and chroma moist from 0 to 3.
The E horizon commonly has hue of 10YR, but ranges to 5YR in some pedons, with value moist from 3 to 6 and chroma moist from 1 to 3. Texture commonly is gravelly silt loam but ranges to include silt loam, sandy loam, and very gravelly loam.
The Bhs horizon has hue from 5YR to 10YR; value moist from 2 to 4 and chroma moist from 0 to 4. Texture commonly is very gravelly silt loam, but ranges to include gravelly silt loam, and very gravelly sandy loam or loam. Distinct or prominent, fine, dark red, reddish brown, or brown mottles are common.
The Bs horizon has hue ranging from 5YR to 5Y with value moist from 3 to 6 and chroma moist from 2 to 6. Texture commonly is extremely gravelly silt loam, but ranges to include very gravelly silt loam, and very gravelly sandy loam or loam. Distinct and prominent fine, yellowish red, dark reddish brown, reddish brown or yellowish brown mottles are common. Weak or very weak, discontinuous, cementation is common. Some pedons do not exhibit cementation while others exhibit strong cementation.
The Cd horizon has hue ranging from 5Y to 2.5Y, with value moist from 3 to 5, and chroma moist from 1 to 4. Gleyed colors are present in some pedons having hue of 5GY to 5BG, value of 5 or 6. Texture commonly is silt loam, but ranges to include loam, and sandy loam. Gravel content ranges from 35 to 70 percent. Distinct and prominent fine, dark red and yellowish red mottles are present in some pedons. Weak or very weak, discontinuous cementation is common, however, some pedons exhibit strong cementation. Bulk density is more than 1.8 g/cm3 and roots cannot penetrate.
COMPETING SERIES: This is the
Isidor (T) series in the same family and the
Purches (T) series in the same subgroup. Isidor soils have a thin placic horizon. Purches (T) soils have a ratio of free iron to carbon greater than or equal to 0.2 in some subhorizon.
GEOGRAPHIC SETTING: The Wadleigh soils occur on moraines, drumlins, and hillslopes. The parent material is glacial till of mixed mineralogy. The climate is humid maritime with mean annual precipitation of 120 inches. The mean annual air temperature is 45 degrees F and the average summer air temperature is 55 degrees F. The mean annual soil temperature above the compact till is about 42 degrees F. The average summer soil temperature above the compact till is 46 degrees F. The slope gradient is commonly less than 35 percent, but may range from 5 to 75 percent. Elevation ranges from sea level to 2000 feet.
GEOGRAPHICALLY ASSOCIATED SOILS: These are the
Karheen,
Karta,
Kina,
Kogish,
Maybeso,
Salt Chuck, and
Tolstoi series. Salt Chuck soils are well drained and occur on uplifted beaches. Karheen soils are organic soils and occur on uplifted beaches. Kina and Kogish soils are organic soils and occur in valleybottoms and on benches on backslopes. Tolstoi and Karta are well drained mineral soils that occur on hillslopes and valleysides. Maybeso soils are organic soils overlying glacial till, and occur in valleybottoms and on footslopes.
DRAINAGE AND PERMEABILITY: Poorly drained. Moderate permeability above the compact glacial till layer, very slowly permeable in the compact glacial till layer. Runoff is slow under native vegetation, however, if the surface organic horizon is disturbed the runoff is medium to rapid.
USE AND VEGETATION: The Wadleigh soils are used for wildlife habitat, recreation, watershed protection, and timber production. The overstory vegetation is mainly western redcedar and western hemlock with some Sitka spruce. The understory vegetation is dominantly blueberry, rusty menziesia, skunk cabbage, and marsh marigold.
DISTRIBUTION AND EXTENT: Southeast Alaska. The series is extensive.
SOIL SURVEY REGIONAL OFFICE (SSRO) RESPONSIBLE: WASILLA, ALASKA
SERIES ESTABLISHED: Hollis Area, Alaska, 1969.
REMARKS: Diagnostic horizons and features recognized in this soil are: an albic horizon from 0 to 3 inches; a spodic horizon from 3 to 10 inches; loamy-skeletal material from 0 to 10 inches; mottling throughout the spodic horizon; a cryic temperature regime is assumed. The Wadleigh series formerly classified as a Cryic Fragiaquod, loamy-skeletal, mixed. That part of the spodic horizon that meets amorphous requirements does not extend more than 4 inches into the 10 to 40 inch control section. The particle size of the control section has a significant relation to the physical and chemical properties of the soil. The Wadleigh series is proposed as a benchmark soil series.
ADDITIONAL DATA: Limited laboratory data from Oregon State University is available for this soil: Stand Density Plot pedon number 182.
National Cooperative Soil Survey
U.S.A.