Soil series profile
Bluford soil series
Bluford is a somewhat poorly drained soil with a silt loam surface, mapped on 957,116 acres in 30 counties in IL. Hydrologic group C/D.
- Drainage class
- Somewhat poorly drained 100% of mapped acres
- Hydrologic group
- C/D >99% of mapped acres
- Typical topsoil pH
- 6.6 neutral · range 6.6–6.6
- Mapped area
- 957k acres in 30 counties, 1 state
Typical Bluford profile
Texture and pH by depth
Show as a table
| Depth | Texture | pH | Clay | Sand | Organic matter |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 0–7 in (Ap) | Silt loam | 6.6 | 15% | 8% | 1.75% |
| 7–19 in (E) | Silt loam | 5.0 | 19% | 7% | 0.65% |
| 19–35 in (Btg) | Silty clay | 4.7 | 41% | 3% | 0.35% |
| 35–42 in (2Btgx) | Silty clay loam | 5.0 | 28% | 19% | 0.15% |
| 42–60 in (2Btg) | Silty clay loam | 5.0 | 28% | 19% | 0.15% |
What this means
What Bluford soil means for gardens, lawns and septic systems
For gardens
Typical topsoil in Bluford soils is neutral: pH 6.6, the range most vegetables, flowers and lawn grasses prefer.
Loamy topsoil (loam, silt loam and similar) covers 100% of mapped Bluford acres: generally the easiest soil to garden, holding moisture without staying waterlogged. The most common surface texture is silt loam (100% of mapped Bluford acres).
100% of mapped Bluford acres is somewhat poorly to very poorly drained, so soil stays soggy for long spells after rain and in wet seasons. Raised beds, plants that tolerate wet feet, and not working the soil while wet all help.
For lawns and yards
On 100% of mapped acres, rain soaks in slowly (hydrologic groups C and D, including dual groups that are D until drained). Expect runoff and puddles after heavy rain: core-aerate compacted lawns and keep ground sloping away from foundations.
A seasonal high water table comes within 18 inches of the surface on 82% of mapped acres, often in spring. Basements, sump pumps and lawns in low spots feel it first.
For a septic system
For conventional septic absorption fields, NRCS rates 100% of the acres in mapped Bluford soils very limited, 0% somewhat limited and 0% not limited.
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.
Where Bluford soil is found
Mapped acres
Bluford is mapped in Illinois.
| County | Acres | Share of county land |
|---|---|---|
| Wayne County, IL | 135,020 | 29.9% |
| Fayette County, IL | 79,327 | 17.4% |
| Hamilton County, IL | 67,616 | 24.3% |
| Jefferson County, IL | 60,217 | 17.0% |
| Clay County, IL | 52,632 | 17.6% |
| Franklin County, IL | 49,331 | 19.1% |
| Marion County, IL | 49,290 | 13.7% |
| Richland County, IL | 43,462 | 18.9% |
| Shelby County, IL | 43,295 | 9.0% |
| Jasper County, IL | 39,624 | 12.6% |
| Effingham County, IL | 38,498 | 12.6% |
| Washington County, IL | 36,487 | 10.3% |
| Crawford County, IL | 36,057 | 12.9% |
| Cumberland County, IL | 35,537 | 16.2% |
| Lawrence County, IL | 29,284 | 12.4% |
| Williamson County, IL | 27,179 | 10.4% |
| Perry County, IL | 24,503 | 9.1% |
| Edwards County, IL | 21,667 | 15.3% |
| Clark County, IL | 16,676 | 5.3% |
| Saline County, IL | 14,967 | 6.1% |
| White County, IL | 13,970 | 4.6% |
| Bond County, IL | 11,384 | 4.7% |
| Clinton County, IL | 11,247 | 3.7% |
| Wabash County, IL | 7,626 | 5.4% |
| Jackson County, IL | 6,000 | 1.7% |
| Montgomery County, IL | 4,086 | 0.9% |
| Coles County, IL | 1,147 | 0.4% |
| Gallatin County, IL | 971 | 0.5% |
| St. Clair County, IL | 12 | 0.0% |
| Monroe County, IL | 0 | 0.0% |
Septic absorption fields
NRCS rating, share of Bluford acres
Show as a table
| Category | Share of acres |
|---|---|
| Not limited | 0.0% |
| Somewhat limited | 0.0% |
| Very limited | 100.0% |
Drainage, water table and flooding
Share of Bluford acres
- Depth to seasonal high water table
- About 1.2 feet (14 in) (median where reported); within 18 inches on 82% of acres.
- Flooding
- Not mapped as flooding on most acres.
- Slope
- Typically 1–3% (median 1%).
- Topsoil organic matter
- Median 1.8%.
Drainage class
Show as a table
| Category | Share of acres |
|---|---|
| Excessively drained | 0.0% |
| Somewhat excessively drained | 0.0% |
| Well drained | 0.0% |
| Moderately well drained | 0.0% |
| Somewhat poorly drained | 100.0% |
| Poorly drained | 0.0% |
| Very poorly drained | 0.0% |
Hydrologic soil group
Show as a table
| Category | Share of acres |
|---|---|
| A: fast infiltration (mostly sandy or gravelly) | 0.0% |
| B: moderate infiltration | 0.0% |
| C: slow infiltration | 0.9% |
| 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 | 99.1% |
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 Bluford (component kind "Series") in SSURGO: 957,116 acres.
- Method
- Shares are by mapped acres of Bluford components. The profile comes from the single largest Bluford component. Full methodology.