Soil series profile

Berks soil series

Berks is a well drained soil with a very channery loam surface, mapped on 3,219,388 acres in 190 counties across 10 states. Hydrologic group B.

#10 by mapped area loamy-skeletal Typic Dystrudepts (Inceptisols)

Drainage class: Well drained
Hydrologic group: B
Typical topsoil pH: 5.1
Mapped area: 3.2M

Typical Berks profile

Texture and pH by depth

Depth to scale. More strongly shaded layers hold more clay. Horizon names are the soil survey's (A = topsoil, B = subsoil, C = parent material).

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Typical Berks horizons (representative values)
Depth	Texture	pH	Clay	Sand	Organic matter
0–1 in (Oi)	Very channery slightly decomposed plant material	4.3	Not reported	Not reported	69%
1–2 in (A)	Very channery loam	4.1	16%	38%	7.77%
2–6 in (BA)	Very channery loam	4.0	17%	34%	3.99%
6–16 in (Bw)	Very channery silt loam	4.5	16%	33%	1.29%
16–23 in (BC)	Extremely channery silt loam	4.6	17%	31%	1.29%
23–33 in (Cr)	Bedrock	Not reported	Not reported	Not reported	Not reported

Representative values from the most extensive Berks map unit (Pineville-Berks association, 35 to 80 percent slopes, rocky, extremely stony, survey area WV047). Other map units of this series vary within the series range.

Stock photo for illustration, not a sample of this soil series. Credit on the Sources & method page.

What this means

What Berks soil means for gardens, lawns and septic systems

For gardens

Typical topsoil in Berks soils is strongly acidic: pH 5.1 (most land between 4.6 and 5.8). Most vegetables and lawn grasses do best around 6.0 to 7.0, so lime is often needed; blueberries, azaleas and rhododendrons like it as it is.

Loamy topsoil (loam, silt loam and similar) covers 97% of mapped Berks acres: generally the easiest soil to garden, holding moisture without staying waterlogged. The most common surface texture is channery silt loam (74% of mapped Berks acres).

98% of mapped Berks acres is moderately well to excessively drained, which suits most garden plants.

For lawns and yards

Most land is in hydrologic groups B and C, where rain soaks in at a moderate pace.

For a septic system

For conventional septic absorption fields, NRCS rates 97% of the acres in mapped Berks soils very limited, 0% somewhat limited and <1% not limited (3% not rated, such as urban land, pits or water).

Where the soil is very limited (slow permeability, a high water table, flooding, shallow bedrock or steep slopes), alternative systems such as mound or sand-filter designs are common and cost more.

Only a licensed site evaluation or perc test at the actual lot decides whether a system is allowed and which design.

Generated from the mapped numbers above using fixed rules, not a site visit. See how these notes are written.

Where Berks soil is found

Mapped acres

Berks is mapped in West Virginia, Pennsylvania, Virginia, Ohio, Kentucky, Indiana, Illinois, Maryland, Tennessee and New Jersey. The 60 counties with the most Berks acres:

Counties with the most mapped Berks soil
County	Acres	Share of county land
McDowell County, WV	103,235	39.7%
Hardy County, WV	97,404	32.4%
Wyoming County, WV	94,716	37.0%
Berks County, PA	90,179	16.5%
Hampshire County, WV	80,424	22.9%
Huntingdon County, PA	78,183	14.2%
Pocahontas County, WV	76,818	15.9%
Bedford County, PA	74,790	11.7%
Augusta County, VA	58,881	11.7%
Lewis County, KY	56,022	18.1%
Brown County, IN	55,497	27.9%
Pendleton County, WV	54,212	15.8%
Montgomery County, VA	52,821	26.0%
Greenbrier County, WV	51,396	9.7%
Lehigh County, PA	48,001	21.9%
Columbiana County, OH	47,818	14.1%
Grant County, WV	47,243	19.4%
Frederick County, VA	46,666	20.6%
Alleghany County, VA	45,024	18.6%
Juniata County, PA	44,129	17.9%
Tuscarawas County, OH	44,062	12.2%
Cumberland County, PA	42,722	12.4%
Fayette County, WV	42,387	12.1%
Bath County, VA	42,136	14.4%
Mercer County, WV	41,780	19.2%
Rockingham County, VA	40,896	9.1%
Russell County, VA	39,023	14.2%
Summers County, WV	38,725	20.4%
Randolph County, WV	37,485	7.2%
Somerset County, PA	36,523	5.4%
Centre County, PA	35,891	5.1%
Perry County, PA	35,873	10.4%
Franklin County, PA	35,202	7.2%
Rowan County, KY	34,242	19.0%
Carroll County, OH	33,361	13.3%
Scott County, VA	31,746	11.3%
Northumberland County, PA	31,616	10.8%
Mineral County, WV	31,399	17.3%
Northampton County, PA	30,972	13.1%
Highland County, VA	30,816	13.4%
Raleigh County, WV	30,216	9.3%
Lycoming County, PA	29,989	3.8%
Schuylkill County, PA	27,450	5.6%
Jefferson County, OH	27,067	10.4%
Berkeley County, WV	26,642	15.2%
Dauphin County, PA	26,487	8.3%
Blair County, PA	26,290	8.0%
Tazewell County, VA	26,230	9.0%
Scioto County, OH	26,082	6.7%
Lebanon County, PA	25,968	11.4%
Guernsey County, OH	25,150	7.6%
Muskingum County, OH	24,970	5.9%
Morgan County, WV	24,526	19.0%
Shenandoah County, VA	24,016	11.7%
Greenup County, KY	23,118	10.5%
Hancock County, WV	21,840	45.5%
Morgan County, IN	21,565	8.4%
Noble County, OH	21,355	8.3%
Tucker County, WV	21,106	9.2%
Pulaski County, VA	19,669	11.8%

Septic absorption fields

NRCS rating, share of Berks acres

Not limited <1%

Somewhat limited 0%

Very limited 97%

Not rated 3%

Septic tank absorption field rating across mapped Berks acres. Scale 0 to 100% of mapped land.

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Septic tank absorption field rating across mapped Berks acres.
Category	Share of acres
Not limited	0.1%
Somewhat limited	0.0%
Very limited	97.3%
Not rated	2.6%

Drainage, water table and flooding

Share of Berks acres

Depth to seasonal high water table: About 1.7 feet (20 in) (median where reported).
Flooding: Not mapped as flooding on most acres.
Slope: Typically 11–55% (median 35%).
Topsoil organic matter: Median 2.5%.

Drainage class

Excessively drained 0%

Somewhat excessively drained 0%

Well drained 98%

Moderately well drained 0%

Somewhat poorly drained 0%

Poorly drained 0%

Very poorly drained 0%

Not rated 2%

Drainage class across mapped Berks acres. Scale 0 to 100% of mapped land.

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Drainage class across mapped Berks acres.
Category	Share of acres
Excessively drained	0.0%
Somewhat excessively drained	0.0%
Well drained	98.3%
Moderately well drained	0.0%
Somewhat poorly drained	0.0%
Poorly drained	0.0%
Very poorly drained	0.0%
Not rated	1.7%

Hydrologic soil group

A: fast infiltration (mostly sandy or gravelly) <1%

B: moderate infiltration 88%

C: slow infiltration 9%

D: very slow infiltration (clayey, shallow or wet) 0%

A/D: D as is, A if drained 0%

B/D: D as is, B if drained 0%

C/D: D as is, C if drained 0%

Not rated 3%

Hydrologic soil group across mapped Berks acres. Scale 0 to 100% of mapped land.

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Hydrologic soil group across mapped Berks acres.
Category	Share of acres
A: fast infiltration (mostly sandy or gravelly)	0.1%
B: moderate infiltration	88.2%
C: slow infiltration	9.1%
D: very slow infiltration (clayey, shallow or wet)	0.0%
A/D: D as is, A if drained	0.0%
B/D: D as is, B if drained	0.0%
C/D: D as is, C if drained	0.0%
Not rated	2.6%

Sources & data dates

Source: USDA NRCS Soil Survey Geographic Database (SSURGO), queried through Soil Data Access. Public domain.
Data date: SSURGO as published on November 3, 2026 (most recent survey area update October 26, 2026). NRCS refreshes SSURGO each October.
Scope: All map unit components named Berks (component kind "Series") in SSURGO: 3,219,388 acres.
Method: Shares are by mapped acres of Berks components. The profile comes from the single largest Berks component. Full methodology.

Independent reference site. No government affiliation or endorsement.

Full narrative description: USDA Official Soil Series Description for Berks.