Soil series profile

Buchanan soil series

Buchanan is a moderately well drained soil with a silt loam surface, mapped on 1,033,022 acres in 83 counties across 6 states. Hydrologic group C/D.

#167 by mapped area fine-loamy Aquic Fragiudults (Ultisols)

Drainage class: Moderately well drained
Hydrologic group: C/D
Typical topsoil pH: 4.6
Mapped area: 1.0M

Typical Buchanan 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 Buchanan horizons (representative values)
Depth	Texture	pH	Clay	Sand	Organic matter
0–1 in (Oi)	Slightly decomposed plant material	4.5	Not reported	Not reported	69%
1–3 in (A)	Silt loam	4.1	18%	25%	8%
3–5 in (E)	Silt loam	4.2	20%	23%	3.5%
5–12 in (BE)	Silt loam	4.2	20%	23%	1.5%
12–28 in (Bt)	Channery loam	4.6	24%	28%	0.75%
28–59 in (Btx)	Very channery loam	4.8	22%	33%	0.25%
59–80 in (C)	Very channery loam	4.8	20%	35%	0.18%

Representative values from the most extensive Buchanan map unit (Buchanan silt loam, 8 to 25 percent slopes, extremely stony, survey area PA083). 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 Buchanan soil means for gardens, lawns and septic systems

For gardens

Typical topsoil in Buchanan soils is very strongly acidic: pH 4.6 (most land between 4.1 and 5.0). 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 >99% of mapped Buchanan acres: generally the easiest soil to garden, holding moisture without staying waterlogged. The most common surface texture is silt loam (35% of mapped Buchanan acres).

99% of mapped Buchanan acres is moderately well to excessively drained, which suits most garden plants.

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.

For a septic system

For conventional septic absorption fields, NRCS rates >99% of the acres in mapped Buchanan 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.

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

Where Buchanan soil is found

Mapped acres

Buchanan is mapped in Pennsylvania, West Virginia, Virginia, New York, Maryland and Ohio. The 60 counties with the most Buchanan acres:

Counties with the most mapped Buchanan soil
County	Acres	Share of county land
McKean County, PA	126,715	20.2%
Elk County, PA	67,574	12.8%
Nicholas County, WV	58,965	18.6%
Bedford County, PA	47,579	7.5%
Huntingdon County, PA	36,785	6.7%
Centre County, PA	35,623	5.1%
Butler County, PA	35,117	7.0%
Schuylkill County, PA	31,561	6.4%
Randolph County, WV	31,496	6.0%
Forest County, PA	28,036	10.3%
Warren County, PA	26,441	4.7%
Fayette County, PA	24,569	4.9%
Somerset County, PA	24,154	3.6%
Westmoreland County, PA	24,153	3.7%
Clinton County, PA	22,540	4.0%
Braxton County, WV	21,022	8.2%
Clarion County, PA	20,640	5.4%
Cattaraugus County, NY	19,251	2.4%
Upshur County, WV	18,545	10.6%
Franklin County, PA	17,477	3.6%
Blair County, PA	17,324	5.3%
Indiana County, PA	15,747	3.0%
Perry County, PA	15,693	4.5%
Mifflin County, PA	15,448	6.0%
Jefferson County, PA	14,780	3.5%
Fulton County, PA	14,220	5.1%
Cameron County, PA	11,921	4.7%
Allegany County, MD	11,251	4.2%
Clearfield County, PA	11,239	1.6%
Hardy County, WV	11,075	3.7%
Juniata County, PA	10,902	4.4%
Cumberland County, PA	10,483	3.1%
Union County, PA	10,470	5.2%
Berkeley County, WV	10,338	5.9%
Augusta County, VA	8,870	1.8%
Hampshire County, WV	7,859	2.2%
Rockingham County, VA	7,488	1.7%
Berks County, PA	7,450	1.4%
Mineral County, WV	6,999	3.8%
Venango County, PA	6,554	1.5%
Morgan County, WV	6,520	5.0%
Snyder County, PA	5,997	2.9%
Carbon County, PA	5,991	2.5%
Grant County, WV	5,738	2.4%
Lycoming County, PA	5,146	0.7%
Luzerne County, PA	4,889	0.8%
Pendleton County, WV	4,825	1.4%
Northampton County, PA	4,650	2.0%
Monroe County, PA	4,280	1.1%
Adams County, PA	4,217	1.3%
Lebanon County, PA	3,362	1.5%
Monongalia County, WV	2,934	1.6%
Lehigh County, PA	2,874	1.3%
Northumberland County, PA	2,683	0.9%
Frederick County, VA	2,491	1.1%
Armstrong County, PA	2,395	0.6%
Wayne County, WV	2,256	0.9%
Dauphin County, PA	2,186	0.7%
Mercer County, WV	2,128	1.0%
Wyoming County, WV	1,880	0.7%

Septic absorption fields

NRCS rating, share of Buchanan acres

Not limited 0%

Somewhat limited 0%

Very limited >99%

Not rated <1%

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

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Septic tank absorption field rating across mapped Buchanan acres.
Category	Share of acres
Not limited	0.0%
Somewhat limited	0.0%
Very limited	99.9%
Not rated	0.1%

Drainage, water table and flooding

Share of Buchanan acres

Depth to seasonal high water table: About 1.7 feet (20 in) (median where reported); within 18 inches on 15% of acres.
Flooding: Not mapped as flooding on most acres.
Slope: Typically 5–25% (median 12%).
Topsoil organic matter: Median 2.5%.

Drainage class

Excessively drained 0%

Somewhat excessively drained 0%

Well drained <1%

Moderately well drained 99%

Somewhat poorly drained 1%

Poorly drained 0%

Very poorly drained 0%

Not rated <1%

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

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Drainage class across mapped Buchanan acres.
Category	Share of acres
Excessively drained	0.0%
Somewhat excessively drained	0.0%
Well drained	0.1%
Moderately well drained	98.8%
Somewhat poorly drained	1.0%
Poorly drained	0.0%
Very poorly drained	0.0%
Not rated	0.1%

Hydrologic soil group

A: fast infiltration (mostly sandy or gravelly) 0%

B: moderate infiltration 0%

C: slow infiltration 13%

D: very slow infiltration (clayey, shallow or wet) 9%

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 79%

Not rated <1%

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

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Hydrologic soil group across mapped Buchanan acres.
Category	Share of acres
A: fast infiltration (mostly sandy or gravelly)	0.0%
B: moderate infiltration	0.0%
C: slow infiltration	12.9%
D: very slow infiltration (clayey, shallow or wet)	8.5%
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	78.6%
Not rated	0.1%

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 Buchanan (component kind "Series") in SSURGO: 1,033,022 acres.
Method: Shares are by mapped acres of Buchanan components. The profile comes from the single largest Buchanan component. Full methodology.

Independent reference site. No government affiliation or endorsement.

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