Table Of Content

United States Department of Agriculture Soil Survey of Natural Resources Conservation Service In cooperation with Matanuska- University of Alaska Fairbanks Agricultural and Forestry Experiment Station, and State of Alaska Department of Natural Susitna Valley Resources Area, Alaska This soil survey is a publication of the National Cooperative Soil Survey, a joint effort of the United States Department of Agriculture and State and local agencies. The Natural Resources Conservation Service has leadership for the Federal part of the National Cooperative Soil Survey. Major fieldwork for this soil survey was completed in 1992. Soil names and descriptions were approved in 1995. Unless otherwise indicated, statements in this publication refer to conditions in the Survey Area in l995. This survey was made cooperatively by the Natural Resources Conservation Service, the University of Alaska Fairbanks Agricultural and Forestry Experiment Station, and State of Alaska Department of Natural Resources. It is part of the technical assistance furnished to the Palmer, Wasilla, and Upper Susitna Soil and Water Conservation Districts. Soil Maps in this survey may be copied without permission. However, enlargements of these maps could cause misunderstanding of the detail of mapping. If enlarged, maps do not show the small areas of contrasting soils that could have been shown at a larger scale. All programs and services of the Natural Resources Conservation Service are offered on a nondiscriminatory basis, without regard to race, color, national origin, gender, religion, age, disability, political beliefs, sexual orientation, and marital or family status. Cover: The sparsely vegetated floodplain of the Matanuska River, in the foreground, consists of gravelly riverwash and Niklavar soils. The steep slopes of the Talkeetna Mountains, illustrated in the background, have Cryods and Cryumbrepts soils. Figure 1. Location of the Matanuska-Susitna Valley Soil Survey Area in Alaska. Table of Contents INDEX TO MAP UNITS.......................................................................................................................................vi SUMMARY OF PLATES.....................................................................................................................................ix SUMMARY OF FIGURES...................................................................................................................................xi SUMMARY OF TABLES....................................................................................................................................xii FOREWORD.....................................................................................................................................................xiv INTRODUCTION.................................................................................................................................................1 HOW THIS SURVEY WAS MADE.......................................................................................................................2 GENERAL NATURE OF THE AREA...................................................................................................................4 Climate...........................................................................................................................................................4 Landforms and Geologic Deposits..................................................................................................................5 Water Resources............................................................................................................................................7 Native Vegetation...........................................................................................................................................7 Population......................................................................................................................................................8 History and Settlement...................................................................................................................................8 Agriculture......................................................................................................................................................9 GENERAL SOIL MAP UNITS............................................................................................................................11 Map Unit Descriptions....................................................................................................................................11 1—Bodenburg-Yensus-Eska Association (Palmer Loess Plains and Hills).................................................11 2—Knik-Kalambach Association (Eastern Matanuska Valley Glacial Uplands)..........................................12 3—Kichatna-Deception-Kashwitna Association (Western Matanuska Valley Glacial Uplands)...................13 4—Estelle-Disappoint Association (Northwestern Matanuska Valley Glacial Uplands)...............................13 5—Nancy-Benka Association (Central Susitna Valley Glacial Outwash Plains and Hills)...........................14 6—Benka-Delyndia-Liten Association (Southern Susitna Valley Glacial Outwash Plains and Hills)............15 7—Tokositna-Chunilna-Histosols Association (Susitna Valley Glacial Till Plains and Hills)........................16 8—Histosols (Peatlands)...........................................................................................................................17 9—Typic Cryaquents-Histosols-Tidal Flats Association (Tidal Marshes)....................................................17 10—Susivar-Niklavar Association (Susitna Valley Floodplains).................................................................18 11—Kidazqeni-Susitna Association (Matanuska Valley Floodplains).........................................................18 12—Talkeetna-Deneka-Chunilna Association (Lower Mountainslopes)......................................................19 13—Cryumbrepts-Talkeetna-Cryaquepts Association (Upper Mountain Slopes)........................................20 DETAILED SOIL MAP UNITS............................................................................................................................22 Map Unit Descriptions....................................................................................................................................23 PLATES...........................................................................................................................................................411 FIGURES.........................................................................................................................................................423 ii Soil Survey of Matanuska-Susitna Valley Area, Alaska USE AND MANAGEMENT OF THE SOILS.....................................................................................................426 Crops and Pasture.......................................................................................................................................426 Agricultural Soils.....................................................................................................................................426 Agricultural Development........................................................................................................................427 Soil Fertility.............................................................................................................................................427 Yields per Acre.......................................................................................................................................430 Land Capability Classification.................................................................................................................431 Ecological Sites...........................................................................................................................................432 Potential Natural Plant Community.........................................................................................................432 Ecological Site-Soils-Vegetation Correlation...........................................................................................433 Ecological Site Classification in the Matanuska-Susitna Valley Area.......................................................433 Ecological Sites of the Cook Inlet-Susitna Lowlands...............................................................................434 Ecological Sites of the Southcentral Alaska Mountains...........................................................................441 Livestock Grazing on Native Vegetation......................................................................................................445 Grazing Resources.................................................................................................................................446 Grazing Management Concerns..............................................................................................................446 Livestock Grazing-Soils Interpretations...................................................................................................447 Grazing Management.............................................................................................................................447 Grazing Suitability...................................................................................................................................448 Forestry.......................................................................................................................................................449 Forest Resources....................................................................................................................................449 Forestry-Soils Interpretations..................................................................................................................450 Forestland Productivity...........................................................................................................................450 Forestland Management.........................................................................................................................450 Forest Roads..........................................................................................................................................452 Forestry Suitability..................................................................................................................................453 Wildlife Habitat............................................................................................................................................453 Wildlife Habitat Management..................................................................................................................454 Recreation...................................................................................................................................................455 Engineering.................................................................................................................................................456 Building Site Development......................................................................................................................456 Sanitary Facilities...................................................................................................................................457 Construction Materials............................................................................................................................458 SOIL PROPERTIES.........................................................................................................................................461 Engineering Index Properties.......................................................................................................................461 Physical and Chemical Properties................................................................................................................462 Physical and Chemical Analysis of Selected Soils..................................................................................466 Soil Features...............................................................................................................................................467 Hydric Soils.................................................................................................................................................468 Water Features............................................................................................................................................469 CLASSIFICATION OF THE SOILS..................................................................................................................472 Soil Survey of Matanuska-Susitna Valley Area, Alaska iii SOIL SERIES, HIGHER TAXA, AND THEIR MORPHOLOGY.........................................................................472 Benka Series..........................................................................................................................................473 Bodenburg Series...................................................................................................................................474 Chilligan Series.......................................................................................................................................476 Chunilna Series......................................................................................................................................477 Cryaquepts.............................................................................................................................................479 Cryochrepts............................................................................................................................................480 Cryods....................................................................................................................................................481 Cryumbrepts...........................................................................................................................................483 Deception Series....................................................................................................................................484 Delyndia Series.......................................................................................................................................485 Deneka Series........................................................................................................................................487 Disappoint Series....................................................................................................................................488 Eska Series............................................................................................................................................490 Estelle Series..........................................................................................................................................491 Flat Horn Series......................................................................................................................................492 Goldcord Series......................................................................................................................................494 Histosols.................................................................................................................................................495 Jim Series...............................................................................................................................................496 Kalambach Series...................................................................................................................................497 Kashwitna Series....................................................................................................................................498 Keba Series............................................................................................................................................500 Kichatna Series.......................................................................................................................................501 Kidazqeni Series.....................................................................................................................................502 Killey Series............................................................................................................................................504 Knik Series.............................................................................................................................................505 Liten Series.............................................................................................................................................506 Moose River Series................................................................................................................................508 Nancy Series..........................................................................................................................................509 Niklason Series.......................................................................................................................................511 Niklavar Series.......................................................................................................................................512 Psuyaah Series.......................................................................................................................................513 Qeni Series.............................................................................................................................................515 Siwash Series.........................................................................................................................................516 Snowdance Series..................................................................................................................................518 Susitna Series.........................................................................................................................................519 Susivar Series........................................................................................................................................520 Talkeetna Series.....................................................................................................................................522 Tokositna Series.....................................................................................................................................523 Tsadaka Series.......................................................................................................................................525 Typic Cryaquents....................................................................................................................................526 Whitsol Series........................................................................................................................................527 Yensus Series.........................................................................................................................................529 Yohn Series............................................................................................................................................530 iv Soil Survey of Matanuska-Susitna Valley Area, Alaska FORMATION OF THE SOILS..........................................................................................................................533 Climate........................................................................................................................................................533 Parent Materials..........................................................................................................................................535 Soil-Landform Relationships........................................................................................................................538 REFERENCES.................................................................................................................................................545 GLOSSARY.....................................................................................................................................................551 TABLES...........................................................................................................................................................562 AUGUST 1998 Soil Survey of Matanuska-Susitna Valley Area, Alaska v Index to Map Units 101—Benka silt loam, 0 to 3 percent slopes..............................................................................................23 102—Benka silt loam, sloping and moderately steep................................................................................26 103—Benka silt loam, undulating..............................................................................................................30 104—Benka-Liten complex, nearly level and moderately steep.................................................................33 105—Bodenburg silt loam, 0 to 3 percent slopes.......................................................................................37 106—Bodenburg silt loam, sloping and moderately steep.........................................................................40 107—Bodenburg silt loam, steep and sloping............................................................................................45 108—Bodenburg silt loam, undulating.......................................................................................................49 109—Bodenburg silt loam, silty substratum, 0 to 3 percent slopes............................................................52 110—Bodenburg silt loam, silty substratum, sloping and moderately steep...............................................54 111—Bodenburg silt loam, silty substratum, undulating............................................................................59 112—Bodenburg-Jim complex, steep and sloping.....................................................................................61 113—Chilligan, hilly-Cryaquepts complex.................................................................................................66 114—Chilligan, undulating-Cryaquepts complex.......................................................................................70 115—Chunilna mucky silt loam, cool, 5 to 20 percent slopes....................................................................74 116—Cryaquepts, depressional, 0 to 7 percent slopes..............................................................................75 117—Cryods, 35 to 90 percent slopes.......................................................................................................77 118—Cryods, cool-Niklason, moderately wet-Qeni complex, 0 to 15 percent slopes.................................79 119—Cryods and Cryaquepts, cool, 0 to 35 percent slopes.......................................................................83 120—Cryods, low elevation and Cryochrepts, 30 to 70 percent slopes......................................................85 121—Cryods, shallow, 35 to 90 percent slopes.........................................................................................87 122—Deception silt loam, rolling...............................................................................................................89 123—Deception silt loam, sloping and moderately steep...........................................................................92 124—Deception silt loam, steep and sloping.............................................................................................97 125—Deception silt loam, undulating......................................................................................................100 126—Delyndia silt loam, 0 to 5 percent slopes........................................................................................103 127—Delyndia-Histosols complex, 0 to 3 percent slopes.........................................................................105 128—Disappoint very cobbly mucky silt loam, 0 to 12 percent slopes.....................................................109 129—Eska silt loam, sloping and moderately steep.................................................................................111 130—Eska-Jim complex, sloping and moderately steep..........................................................................116 131—Estelle silt loam, rolling..................................................................................................................122 132—Estelle silt loam, sloping and moderately steep..............................................................................125 133—Estelle silt loam, steep and sloping................................................................................................130 134—Estelle silt loam, undulating...........................................................................................................133 135—Estelle, hilly-Disappoint complex...................................................................................................136 136—Estelle, undulating-Disappoint complex.........................................................................................140 137—Flat Horn silt loam, 0 to 5 percent slopes.......................................................................................144 138—Flat Horn silt loam, rolling..............................................................................................................147 139—Flat Horn silt loam, sloping and moderately steep..........................................................................149 140—Goldcord-Tsadaka complex, 0 to 30 percent slopes.......................................................................153 141—Histosols........................................................................................................................................156 142—Histosols, high elevation................................................................................................................157 143—Kalambach silt loam, sloping and moderately steep.......................................................................159 144—Kalambach silt loam, steep and sloping.........................................................................................163 145—Kalambach silt loam, undulating....................................................................................................167 vi Soil Survey of Matanuska-Susitna Valley Area, Alaska 146—Kalambach-Disappoint complex, 0 to 10 percent slopes................................................................170 147—Kashwitna silt loam, 0 to 3 percent slopes......................................................................................174 148—Kashwitna silt loam, sloping and moderately steep........................................................................177 149—Kashwitna silt loam, undulating......................................................................................................181 150—Keba silt loam, undulating..............................................................................................................184 151—Kichatna silt loam, 0 to 3 percent slopes........................................................................................186 152—Kichatna silt loam, sloping and moderately steep...........................................................................188 153—Kichatna silt loam, steep and sloping.............................................................................................192 154—Kichatna silt loam, undulating........................................................................................................196 155—Kichatna-Deception complex, sloping and moderately steep..........................................................198 156—Kichatna-Deception complex, steep and sloping............................................................................202 157—Kichatna-Delyndia complex, moderately steep and gently sloping.................................................207 158—Kichatna-Delyndia silt loams, 0 to 4 percent slopes.......................................................................211 159—Kidazqeni, cool and Niklason, cool soils, 4 to 12 percent slopes....................................................215 160—Kidazqeni silt loam, rarely flooded, 0 to 2 percent slopes...............................................................218 161—Kidazqeni soils, 0 to 2 percent slopes............................................................................................220 162—Kidazqeni-Niklason complex, 0 to 2 percent slopes.......................................................................223 163—Killey and Moose River soils, 0 to 2 percent slopes........................................................................226 164—Knik silt loam, 0 to 3 percent slopes...............................................................................................229 165—Knik silt loam, gently sloping and moderately steep.......................................................................232 166—Knik silt loam, steep and sloping....................................................................................................236 167—Knik silt loam, undulating...............................................................................................................240 168—Knik-Cryaquepts complex, 0 to 25 percent slopes..........................................................................243 169—Liten silt loam, hilly........................................................................................................................247 170—Mine spoils....................................................................................................................................249 171—Nancy silt loam, 0 to 3 percent slopes............................................................................................250 172—Nancy silt loam, sloping and moderately steep..............................................................................252 173—Nancy silt loam, steep and sloping.................................................................................................257 174—Nancy silt loam, undulating............................................................................................................261 175—Nancy-Cryaquepts complex, 0 to 5 percent slopes.........................................................................263 176—Nancy-Tokositna complex, sloping and moderately steep..............................................................267 177—Nancy-Tokositna complex, steep and sloping................................................................................274 178—Nancy-Tokositna complex, undulating...........................................................................................279 179—Pits, gravel....................................................................................................................................283 180—Psuyaah-Snowdance complex, 5 to 20 percent slopes...................................................................283 181—Qeni, cool-Niklavar, cool-Cryods, cold complex, 0 to 25 percent slopes.........................................286 182—Riverwash and Niklavar soils, 0 to 2 percent slopes.......................................................................289 183—Rock outcrop-Cryumbrepts association, extremely steep...............................................................292 184—Siwash-Talkeetna, cool-Snowdance association, 0 to 30 percent slopes........................................294 185—Susitna silt loam, 0 to 2 percent slopes..........................................................................................298 186—Susivar-Moose River complex, 0 to 2 percent slopes.....................................................................300 187—Susivar and Niklavar fine sandy loams..........................................................................................304 188—Talkeetna very fine sandy loam, warm, 15 to 35 percent slopes....................................................307 189—Talkeetna-Talkeetna, thick surface complex, 15 to 35 percent slopes............................................309 190—Talkeetna, warm-Talkeetna, thick surface complex, hilly...............................................................312 Soil Survey of Matanuska-Susitna Valley Area, Alaska vii 191—Talkeetna, warm and Talkeetna, thick surface soils, 15 to 45 percent slopes.................................315 192—Talkeetna, low elevation-Deneka, low elevation association, steep and moderately steep.............318 193—Talkeetna, warm-Talkeetna, thick surface-Deneka complex, hilly..................................................321 194—Talkeetna, cool-Snowdance complex, 5 to 25 percent slopes........................................................326 195—Talkeetna, cool-Tsadaka-Chunilna, cool complex, 10 to 35 percent slopes....................................328 196—Tidal Flats.....................................................................................................................................331 197—Tokositna silt loam, sloping and moderately steep.........................................................................332 198—Tokositna silt loam, steep and sloping...........................................................................................336 199—Tokositna silt loam, undulating.......................................................................................................340 200—Tokositna, hilly-Chunilna complex.................................................................................................342 201—Tokositna, undulating-Chunilna complex.......................................................................................346 202—Tsadaka-Talkeetna, cool complex, 5 to 25 percent slopes.............................................................350 203—Typic Cryaquents, 0 to 2 percent slopes........................................................................................353 204—Typic Cryaquents, coastal, 0 to 2 percent slopes..........................................................................354 205—Whitsol silt loam, 0 to 2 percent slopes..........................................................................................356 206—Whitsol silt loam, cool, sloping and moderately steep....................................................................358 207—Whitsol silt loam, cool, steep and sloping......................................................................................362 208—Whitsol silt loam, silty substratum, 0 to 7 percent slopes................................................................366 209—Whitsol silt loam, silty substratum, sloping and moderately steep..................................................368 210—Whitsol silt loam, till substratum, sloping and moderately steep.....................................................373 211—Whitsol silt loam, till substratum, undulating..................................................................................377 212—Yensus silt loam, 0 to 2 percent slopes..........................................................................................380 213—Yensus silt loam, sloping and moderately steep.............................................................................383 214—Yensus silt loam, undulating..........................................................................................................388 215—Yohn silt loam, 0 to 5 percent slopes.............................................................................................390 216—Yohn silt loam, rolling....................................................................................................................393 217—Yohn-Deception complex, rolling...................................................................................................396 218—Yohn-Delyndia complex, hilly.........................................................................................................401 219—Yohn-Flat Horn complex, rolling....................................................................................................405 W—Water..............................................................................................................................................410 viii Soil Survey of Matanuska-Susitna Valley Area, Alaska Summary of Plates Plate 1—Windblown silt or loess forms a cloud of dust above the barren floodplains of the Knik and Matanuska Rivers south of Palmer (Pioneer Peak is visible in the upper left)...............................................411 Plate 2—Rolling glacial terrain, characteristic of extensive portions of the Susitna Valley. The well drained Deception soils on the hills are forested (map unit 123). The poorly drained Cryaquepts, depressional and Histosols soils between the hills support stunted spruce woodland, scrub, and sedge wet meadow vegetation (map units 116 and 141)..............................................................................................................................411 Plate 3—A glaciated river valley in the southern Talkeetna Mountains. Soils on mid-mountain slopes are formed in deep deposits of glacial till mantled by loess and volcanic ash (map unit 195). Upper slopes and summits have extensive areas of surface bedrock and shallow cobbly soils formed in bedrock residuum and mixed loess and ash (map unit 183).............................................................................................................412 Plate 4—A narrow, steep floodplain and adjacent toeslopes in the southern Talkeetna Mountains (map unit 181).............................................................................................................................................................412 Plate 5—Treeline in the Talkeetna Mountains is characterized by a mosaic of white spruce and mixed paper birch-white spruce forest and woodland, tall Sitka alder shrub, and bluejoint reedgrass grassland on Talkeetna, warm; Talkeetna, thick surface; and Talkeetna, cool soils, respectively......................................413 Plate 6—Agricultural fields in the vicinity of Palmer (map unit 105). Settlement and agricultural development began around 1935 with the federally sponsored Matanuska Colony............................................................413 Plate 7—A roadcut through a Deception silt loam (map unit 125) illustrates gravelly glacial till substratum material.......................................................................................................................................................414 Plate 8—A roadcut through a Knik silt loam (map unit 164) illustrates a dark silty surface mantle underlain by sandy and gravelly glacial outwash..............................................................................................................414 Plate 9—Fall harvest of barley in the Palmer vicinity (map unit 164). Other locally grown agricultural crops include hay, potatoes, and a variety of row crops.........................................................................................415 Plate 10—Urban development in Palmer on Bodenburg soils (map unit 105)...............................................415 Plate 11—A split ring infiltrometer is used to measure the rate of permeability in Kalambach silt loam soil..416 Plate 12—Soil profile of a Histosols soil formed in thick peat deposits. Histosols are common in bogs and fens throughout the Susitna Valley (depths are in centimeters)....................................................................417 Plate 13—Soil profile of Deception silt loam. Note the thin silty mantle, represented by the “E” and “Bs” horizons, over the firm gravelly glaical till in the “2BC” and “2C” horizons (depths are in centimeters)..........418 Plate 14—Soil profile of Disappoint silt loam with a thick, dark mineral soil surface over gray glacial till. The shallow water table is perched on the dense till substratum (depths are in centimeters)...............................419 Soil Survey of Matanuska-Susitna Valley Area, Alaska ix

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Preview Soil Survey of Matanuska-Susitna Area, Alaska

United States Department of Agriculture Soil Survey of Natural Resources Conservation Service In cooperation with Matanuska- University of Alaska Fairbanks Agricultural and Forestry Experiment Station, and State of Alaska Department of Natural Susitna Valley Resources Area, Alaska This soil survey is a publication of the National Cooperative Soil Survey, a joint effort of the United States Department of Agriculture and State and local agencies. The Natural Resources Conservation Service has leadership for the Federal part of the National Cooperative Soil Survey. Major fieldwork for this soil survey was completed in 1992. Soil names and descriptions were approved in 1995. Unless otherwise indicated, statements in this publication refer to conditions in the Survey Area in l995. This survey was made cooperatively by the Natural Resources Conservation Service, the University of Alaska Fairbanks Agricultural and Forestry Experiment Station, and State of Alaska Department of Natural Resources. It is part of the technical assistance furnished to the Palmer, Wasilla, and Upper Susitna Soil and Water Conservation Districts. Soil Maps in this survey may be copied without permission. However, enlargements of these maps could cause misunderstanding of the detail of mapping. If enlarged, maps do not show the small areas of contrasting soils that could have been shown at a larger scale. All programs and services of the Natural Resources Conservation Service are offered on a nondiscriminatory basis, without regard to race, color, national origin, gender, religion, age, disability, political beliefs, sexual orientation, and marital or family status. Cover: The sparsely vegetated floodplain of the Matanuska River, in the foreground, consists of gravelly riverwash and Niklavar soils. The steep slopes of the Talkeetna Mountains, illustrated in the background, have Cryods and Cryumbrepts soils. Figure 1. Location of the Matanuska-Susitna Valley Soil Survey Area in Alaska. Table of Contents INDEX TO MAP UNITS.......................................................................................................................................vi SUMMARY OF PLATES.....................................................................................................................................ix SUMMARY OF FIGURES...................................................................................................................................xi SUMMARY OF TABLES....................................................................................................................................xii FOREWORD.....................................................................................................................................................xiv INTRODUCTION.................................................................................................................................................1 HOW THIS SURVEY WAS MADE.......................................................................................................................2 GENERAL NATURE OF THE AREA...................................................................................................................4 Climate...........................................................................................................................................................4 Landforms and Geologic Deposits..................................................................................................................5 Water Resources............................................................................................................................................7 Native Vegetation...........................................................................................................................................7 Population......................................................................................................................................................8 History and Settlement...................................................................................................................................8 Agriculture......................................................................................................................................................9 GENERAL SOIL MAP UNITS............................................................................................................................11 Map Unit Descriptions....................................................................................................................................11 1—Bodenburg-Yensus-Eska Association (Palmer Loess Plains and Hills).................................................11 2—Knik-Kalambach Association (Eastern Matanuska Valley Glacial Uplands)..........................................12 3—Kichatna-Deception-Kashwitna Association (Western Matanuska Valley Glacial Uplands)...................13 4—Estelle-Disappoint Association (Northwestern Matanuska Valley Glacial Uplands)...............................13 5—Nancy-Benka Association (Central Susitna Valley Glacial Outwash Plains and Hills)...........................14 6—Benka-Delyndia-Liten Association (Southern Susitna Valley Glacial Outwash Plains and Hills)............15 7—Tokositna-Chunilna-Histosols Association (Susitna Valley Glacial Till Plains and Hills)........................16 8—Histosols (Peatlands)...........................................................................................................................17 9—Typic Cryaquents-Histosols-Tidal Flats Association (Tidal Marshes)....................................................17 10—Susivar-Niklavar Association (Susitna Valley Floodplains).................................................................18 11—Kidazqeni-Susitna Association (Matanuska Valley Floodplains).........................................................18 12—Talkeetna-Deneka-Chunilna Association (Lower Mountainslopes)......................................................19 13—Cryumbrepts-Talkeetna-Cryaquepts Association (Upper Mountain Slopes)........................................20 DETAILED SOIL MAP UNITS............................................................................................................................22 Map Unit Descriptions....................................................................................................................................23 PLATES...........................................................................................................................................................411 FIGURES.........................................................................................................................................................423 ii Soil Survey of Matanuska-Susitna Valley Area, Alaska USE AND MANAGEMENT OF THE SOILS.....................................................................................................426 Crops and Pasture.......................................................................................................................................426 Agricultural Soils.....................................................................................................................................426 Agricultural Development........................................................................................................................427 Soil Fertility.............................................................................................................................................427 Yields per Acre.......................................................................................................................................430 Land Capability Classification.................................................................................................................431 Ecological Sites...........................................................................................................................................432 Potential Natural Plant Community.........................................................................................................432 Ecological Site-Soils-Vegetation Correlation...........................................................................................433 Ecological Site Classification in the Matanuska-Susitna Valley Area.......................................................433 Ecological Sites of the Cook Inlet-Susitna Lowlands...............................................................................434 Ecological Sites of the Southcentral Alaska Mountains...........................................................................441 Livestock Grazing on Native Vegetation......................................................................................................445 Grazing Resources.................................................................................................................................446 Grazing Management Concerns..............................................................................................................446 Livestock Grazing-Soils Interpretations...................................................................................................447 Grazing Management.............................................................................................................................447 Grazing Suitability...................................................................................................................................448 Forestry.......................................................................................................................................................449 Forest Resources....................................................................................................................................449 Forestry-Soils Interpretations..................................................................................................................450 Forestland Productivity...........................................................................................................................450 Forestland Management.........................................................................................................................450 Forest Roads..........................................................................................................................................452 Forestry Suitability..................................................................................................................................453 Wildlife Habitat............................................................................................................................................453 Wildlife Habitat Management..................................................................................................................454 Recreation...................................................................................................................................................455 Engineering.................................................................................................................................................456 Building Site Development......................................................................................................................456 Sanitary Facilities...................................................................................................................................457 Construction Materials............................................................................................................................458 SOIL PROPERTIES.........................................................................................................................................461 Engineering Index Properties.......................................................................................................................461 Physical and Chemical Properties................................................................................................................462 Physical and Chemical Analysis of Selected Soils..................................................................................466 Soil Features...............................................................................................................................................467 Hydric Soils.................................................................................................................................................468 Water Features............................................................................................................................................469 CLASSIFICATION OF THE SOILS..................................................................................................................472 Soil Survey of Matanuska-Susitna Valley Area, Alaska iii SOIL SERIES, HIGHER TAXA, AND THEIR MORPHOLOGY.........................................................................472 Benka Series..........................................................................................................................................473 Bodenburg Series...................................................................................................................................474 Chilligan Series.......................................................................................................................................476 Chunilna Series......................................................................................................................................477 Cryaquepts.............................................................................................................................................479 Cryochrepts............................................................................................................................................480 Cryods....................................................................................................................................................481 Cryumbrepts...........................................................................................................................................483 Deception Series....................................................................................................................................484 Delyndia Series.......................................................................................................................................485 Deneka Series........................................................................................................................................487 Disappoint Series....................................................................................................................................488 Eska Series............................................................................................................................................490 Estelle Series..........................................................................................................................................491 Flat Horn Series......................................................................................................................................492 Goldcord Series......................................................................................................................................494 Histosols.................................................................................................................................................495 Jim Series...............................................................................................................................................496 Kalambach Series...................................................................................................................................497 Kashwitna Series....................................................................................................................................498 Keba Series............................................................................................................................................500 Kichatna Series.......................................................................................................................................501 Kidazqeni Series.....................................................................................................................................502 Killey Series............................................................................................................................................504 Knik Series.............................................................................................................................................505 Liten Series.............................................................................................................................................506 Moose River Series................................................................................................................................508 Nancy Series..........................................................................................................................................509 Niklason Series.......................................................................................................................................511 Niklavar Series.......................................................................................................................................512 Psuyaah Series.......................................................................................................................................513 Qeni Series.............................................................................................................................................515 Siwash Series.........................................................................................................................................516 Snowdance Series..................................................................................................................................518 Susitna Series.........................................................................................................................................519 Susivar Series........................................................................................................................................520 Talkeetna Series.....................................................................................................................................522 Tokositna Series.....................................................................................................................................523 Tsadaka Series.......................................................................................................................................525 Typic Cryaquents....................................................................................................................................526 Whitsol Series........................................................................................................................................527 Yensus Series.........................................................................................................................................529 Yohn Series............................................................................................................................................530 iv Soil Survey of Matanuska-Susitna Valley Area, Alaska FORMATION OF THE SOILS..........................................................................................................................533 Climate........................................................................................................................................................533 Parent Materials..........................................................................................................................................535 Soil-Landform Relationships........................................................................................................................538 REFERENCES.................................................................................................................................................545 GLOSSARY.....................................................................................................................................................551 TABLES...........................................................................................................................................................562 AUGUST 1998 Soil Survey of Matanuska-Susitna Valley Area, Alaska v Index to Map Units 101—Benka silt loam, 0 to 3 percent slopes..............................................................................................23 102—Benka silt loam, sloping and moderately steep................................................................................26 103—Benka silt loam, undulating..............................................................................................................30 104—Benka-Liten complex, nearly level and moderately steep.................................................................33 105—Bodenburg silt loam, 0 to 3 percent slopes.......................................................................................37 106—Bodenburg silt loam, sloping and moderately steep.........................................................................40 107—Bodenburg silt loam, steep and sloping............................................................................................45 108—Bodenburg silt loam, undulating.......................................................................................................49 109—Bodenburg silt loam, silty substratum, 0 to 3 percent slopes............................................................52 110—Bodenburg silt loam, silty substratum, sloping and moderately steep...............................................54 111—Bodenburg silt loam, silty substratum, undulating............................................................................59 112—Bodenburg-Jim complex, steep and sloping.....................................................................................61 113—Chilligan, hilly-Cryaquepts complex.................................................................................................66 114—Chilligan, undulating-Cryaquepts complex.......................................................................................70 115—Chunilna mucky silt loam, cool, 5 to 20 percent slopes....................................................................74 116—Cryaquepts, depressional, 0 to 7 percent slopes..............................................................................75 117—Cryods, 35 to 90 percent slopes.......................................................................................................77 118—Cryods, cool-Niklason, moderately wet-Qeni complex, 0 to 15 percent slopes.................................79 119—Cryods and Cryaquepts, cool, 0 to 35 percent slopes.......................................................................83 120—Cryods, low elevation and Cryochrepts, 30 to 70 percent slopes......................................................85 121—Cryods, shallow, 35 to 90 percent slopes.........................................................................................87 122—Deception silt loam, rolling...............................................................................................................89 123—Deception silt loam, sloping and moderately steep...........................................................................92 124—Deception silt loam, steep and sloping.............................................................................................97 125—Deception silt loam, undulating......................................................................................................100 126—Delyndia silt loam, 0 to 5 percent slopes........................................................................................103 127—Delyndia-Histosols complex, 0 to 3 percent slopes.........................................................................105 128—Disappoint very cobbly mucky silt loam, 0 to 12 percent slopes.....................................................109 129—Eska silt loam, sloping and moderately steep.................................................................................111 130—Eska-Jim complex, sloping and moderately steep..........................................................................116 131—Estelle silt loam, rolling..................................................................................................................122 132—Estelle silt loam, sloping and moderately steep..............................................................................125 133—Estelle silt loam, steep and sloping................................................................................................130 134—Estelle silt loam, undulating...........................................................................................................133 135—Estelle, hilly-Disappoint complex...................................................................................................136 136—Estelle, undulating-Disappoint complex.........................................................................................140 137—Flat Horn silt loam, 0 to 5 percent slopes.......................................................................................144 138—Flat Horn silt loam, rolling..............................................................................................................147 139—Flat Horn silt loam, sloping and moderately steep..........................................................................149 140—Goldcord-Tsadaka complex, 0 to 30 percent slopes.......................................................................153 141—Histosols........................................................................................................................................156 142—Histosols, high elevation................................................................................................................157 143—Kalambach silt loam, sloping and moderately steep.......................................................................159 144—Kalambach silt loam, steep and sloping.........................................................................................163 145—Kalambach silt loam, undulating....................................................................................................167 vi Soil Survey of Matanuska-Susitna Valley Area, Alaska 146—Kalambach-Disappoint complex, 0 to 10 percent slopes................................................................170 147—Kashwitna silt loam, 0 to 3 percent slopes......................................................................................174 148—Kashwitna silt loam, sloping and moderately steep........................................................................177 149—Kashwitna silt loam, undulating......................................................................................................181 150—Keba silt loam, undulating..............................................................................................................184 151—Kichatna silt loam, 0 to 3 percent slopes........................................................................................186 152—Kichatna silt loam, sloping and moderately steep...........................................................................188 153—Kichatna silt loam, steep and sloping.............................................................................................192 154—Kichatna silt loam, undulating........................................................................................................196 155—Kichatna-Deception complex, sloping and moderately steep..........................................................198 156—Kichatna-Deception complex, steep and sloping............................................................................202 157—Kichatna-Delyndia complex, moderately steep and gently sloping.................................................207 158—Kichatna-Delyndia silt loams, 0 to 4 percent slopes.......................................................................211 159—Kidazqeni, cool and Niklason, cool soils, 4 to 12 percent slopes....................................................215 160—Kidazqeni silt loam, rarely flooded, 0 to 2 percent slopes...............................................................218 161—Kidazqeni soils, 0 to 2 percent slopes............................................................................................220 162—Kidazqeni-Niklason complex, 0 to 2 percent slopes.......................................................................223 163—Killey and Moose River soils, 0 to 2 percent slopes........................................................................226 164—Knik silt loam, 0 to 3 percent slopes...............................................................................................229 165—Knik silt loam, gently sloping and moderately steep.......................................................................232 166—Knik silt loam, steep and sloping....................................................................................................236 167—Knik silt loam, undulating...............................................................................................................240 168—Knik-Cryaquepts complex, 0 to 25 percent slopes..........................................................................243 169—Liten silt loam, hilly........................................................................................................................247 170—Mine spoils....................................................................................................................................249 171—Nancy silt loam, 0 to 3 percent slopes............................................................................................250 172—Nancy silt loam, sloping and moderately steep..............................................................................252 173—Nancy silt loam, steep and sloping.................................................................................................257 174—Nancy silt loam, undulating............................................................................................................261 175—Nancy-Cryaquepts complex, 0 to 5 percent slopes.........................................................................263 176—Nancy-Tokositna complex, sloping and moderately steep..............................................................267 177—Nancy-Tokositna complex, steep and sloping................................................................................274 178—Nancy-Tokositna complex, undulating...........................................................................................279 179—Pits, gravel....................................................................................................................................283 180—Psuyaah-Snowdance complex, 5 to 20 percent slopes...................................................................283 181—Qeni, cool-Niklavar, cool-Cryods, cold complex, 0 to 25 percent slopes.........................................286 182—Riverwash and Niklavar soils, 0 to 2 percent slopes.......................................................................289 183—Rock outcrop-Cryumbrepts association, extremely steep...............................................................292 184—Siwash-Talkeetna, cool-Snowdance association, 0 to 30 percent slopes........................................294 185—Susitna silt loam, 0 to 2 percent slopes..........................................................................................298 186—Susivar-Moose River complex, 0 to 2 percent slopes.....................................................................300 187—Susivar and Niklavar fine sandy loams..........................................................................................304 188—Talkeetna very fine sandy loam, warm, 15 to 35 percent slopes....................................................307 189—Talkeetna-Talkeetna, thick surface complex, 15 to 35 percent slopes............................................309 190—Talkeetna, warm-Talkeetna, thick surface complex, hilly...............................................................312 Soil Survey of Matanuska-Susitna Valley Area, Alaska vii 191—Talkeetna, warm and Talkeetna, thick surface soils, 15 to 45 percent slopes.................................315 192—Talkeetna, low elevation-Deneka, low elevation association, steep and moderately steep.............318 193—Talkeetna, warm-Talkeetna, thick surface-Deneka complex, hilly..................................................321 194—Talkeetna, cool-Snowdance complex, 5 to 25 percent slopes........................................................326 195—Talkeetna, cool-Tsadaka-Chunilna, cool complex, 10 to 35 percent slopes....................................328 196—Tidal Flats.....................................................................................................................................331 197—Tokositna silt loam, sloping and moderately steep.........................................................................332 198—Tokositna silt loam, steep and sloping...........................................................................................336 199—Tokositna silt loam, undulating.......................................................................................................340 200—Tokositna, hilly-Chunilna complex.................................................................................................342 201—Tokositna, undulating-Chunilna complex.......................................................................................346 202—Tsadaka-Talkeetna, cool complex, 5 to 25 percent slopes.............................................................350 203—Typic Cryaquents, 0 to 2 percent slopes........................................................................................353 204—Typic Cryaquents, coastal, 0 to 2 percent slopes..........................................................................354 205—Whitsol silt loam, 0 to 2 percent slopes..........................................................................................356 206—Whitsol silt loam, cool, sloping and moderately steep....................................................................358 207—Whitsol silt loam, cool, steep and sloping......................................................................................362 208—Whitsol silt loam, silty substratum, 0 to 7 percent slopes................................................................366 209—Whitsol silt loam, silty substratum, sloping and moderately steep..................................................368 210—Whitsol silt loam, till substratum, sloping and moderately steep.....................................................373 211—Whitsol silt loam, till substratum, undulating..................................................................................377 212—Yensus silt loam, 0 to 2 percent slopes..........................................................................................380 213—Yensus silt loam, sloping and moderately steep.............................................................................383 214—Yensus silt loam, undulating..........................................................................................................388 215—Yohn silt loam, 0 to 5 percent slopes.............................................................................................390 216—Yohn silt loam, rolling....................................................................................................................393 217—Yohn-Deception complex, rolling...................................................................................................396 218—Yohn-Delyndia complex, hilly.........................................................................................................401 219—Yohn-Flat Horn complex, rolling....................................................................................................405 W—Water..............................................................................................................................................410 viii Soil Survey of Matanuska-Susitna Valley Area, Alaska Summary of Plates Plate 1—Windblown silt or loess forms a cloud of dust above the barren floodplains of the Knik and Matanuska Rivers south of Palmer (Pioneer Peak is visible in the upper left)...............................................411 Plate 2—Rolling glacial terrain, characteristic of extensive portions of the Susitna Valley. The well drained Deception soils on the hills are forested (map unit 123). The poorly drained Cryaquepts, depressional and Histosols soils between the hills support stunted spruce woodland, scrub, and sedge wet meadow vegetation (map units 116 and 141)..............................................................................................................................411 Plate 3—A glaciated river valley in the southern Talkeetna Mountains. Soils on mid-mountain slopes are formed in deep deposits of glacial till mantled by loess and volcanic ash (map unit 195). Upper slopes and summits have extensive areas of surface bedrock and shallow cobbly soils formed in bedrock residuum and mixed loess and ash (map unit 183).............................................................................................................412 Plate 4—A narrow, steep floodplain and adjacent toeslopes in the southern Talkeetna Mountains (map unit 181).............................................................................................................................................................412 Plate 5—Treeline in the Talkeetna Mountains is characterized by a mosaic of white spruce and mixed paper birch-white spruce forest and woodland, tall Sitka alder shrub, and bluejoint reedgrass grassland on Talkeetna, warm; Talkeetna, thick surface; and Talkeetna, cool soils, respectively......................................413 Plate 6—Agricultural fields in the vicinity of Palmer (map unit 105). Settlement and agricultural development began around 1935 with the federally sponsored Matanuska Colony............................................................413 Plate 7—A roadcut through a Deception silt loam (map unit 125) illustrates gravelly glacial till substratum material.......................................................................................................................................................414 Plate 8—A roadcut through a Knik silt loam (map unit 164) illustrates a dark silty surface mantle underlain by sandy and gravelly glacial outwash..............................................................................................................414 Plate 9—Fall harvest of barley in the Palmer vicinity (map unit 164). Other locally grown agricultural crops include hay, potatoes, and a variety of row crops.........................................................................................415 Plate 10—Urban development in Palmer on Bodenburg soils (map unit 105)...............................................415 Plate 11—A split ring infiltrometer is used to measure the rate of permeability in Kalambach silt loam soil..416 Plate 12—Soil profile of a Histosols soil formed in thick peat deposits. Histosols are common in bogs and fens throughout the Susitna Valley (depths are in centimeters)....................................................................417 Plate 13—Soil profile of Deception silt loam. Note the thin silty mantle, represented by the “E” and “Bs” horizons, over the firm gravelly glaical till in the “2BC” and “2C” horizons (depths are in centimeters)..........418 Plate 14—Soil profile of Disappoint silt loam with a thick, dark mineral soil surface over gray glacial till. The shallow water table is perched on the dense till substratum (depths are in centimeters)...............................419 Soil Survey of Matanuska-Susitna Valley Area, Alaska ix

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