Soil series profile
Eden soil series
Eden is a well drained soil with a flaggy silty clay surface, mapped on 1,537,009 acres in 59 counties across 4 states. Hydrologic group D.
- Drainage class
- Well drained >99% of mapped acres
- Hydrologic group
- D 96% of mapped acres
- Typical topsoil pH
- 6.0 moderately acidic · range 6.0–6.8
- Mapped area
- 1.5M acres in 59 counties, 4 states
Typical Eden profile
Texture and pH by depth
Show as a table
| Depth | Texture | pH | Clay | Sand | Organic matter |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 0–3 in (Ap) | Flaggy silty clay | 6.0 | 41% | 5% | 1.75% |
| 3–11 in (Bt) | Flaggy silty clay | 6.7 | 43% | 4% | 0.4% |
| 11–28 in (BC) | Flaggy silty clay loam | 7.6 | 36% | 3% | 0.3% |
| 28–38 in (Cr) | Bedrock | Not reported | Not reported | Not reported | Not reported |
What this means
What Eden soil means for gardens, lawns and septic systems
For gardens
Typical topsoil in Eden soils is moderately acidic: pH 6.0 (most land between 6.0 and 6.8). Many vegetables grow well here, and some gardens benefit from a little lime. Test before adding any.
Loamy topsoil (loam, silt loam and similar) covers 50% of mapped Eden acres: generally the easiest soil to garden, holding moisture without staying waterlogged. The most common surface texture is flaggy silty clay (47% of mapped Eden acres).
>99% of mapped Eden acres is moderately well to excessively drained, which suits most garden plants.
For lawns and yards
On 98% 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 98% of the acres in mapped Eden soils very limited, 0% somewhat limited and 0% not limited (2% 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.
Where Eden soil is found
Mapped acres
Eden is mapped in Kentucky, Indiana, Ohio and Arkansas.
| County | Acres | Share of county land |
|---|---|---|
| Owen County, KY | 130,005 | 57.8% |
| Pendleton County, KY | 104,550 | 58.3% |
| Grant County, KY | 96,864 | 58.4% |
| Bracken County, KY | 86,518 | 67.1% |
| Washington County, KY | 67,907 | 35.4% |
| Scott County, KY | 62,808 | 34.7% |
| Nicholas County, KY | 59,990 | 48.1% |
| Dearborn County, IN | 58,998 | 30.3% |
| Switzerland County, IN | 54,571 | 38.7% |
| Mercer County, KY | 50,315 | 31.5% |
| Anderson County, KY | 46,383 | 35.9% |
| Campbell County, KY | 45,717 | 48.0% |
| Robertson County, KY | 44,784 | 70.2% |
| Harrison County, KY | 42,189 | 21.5% |
| Hamilton County, OH | 40,283 | 15.6% |
| Shelby County, KY | 38,435 | 15.6% |
| Franklin County, KY | 37,802 | 28.2% |
| Henry County, KY | 36,495 | 19.6% |
| Jefferson County, IN | 31,128 | 13.5% |
| Kenton County, KY | 30,587 | 29.5% |
| Gallatin County, KY | 29,591 | 47.0% |
| Boone County, KY | 28,427 | 18.2% |
| Mason County, KY | 24,880 | 16.1% |
| Spencer County, KY | 22,421 | 18.8% |
| Brown County, OH | 22,286 | 7.1% |
| Franklin County, IN | 20,484 | 8.3% |
| Ohio County, IN | 20,032 | 36.3% |
| Fleming County, KY | 18,815 | 8.4% |
| Butler County, OH | 17,642 | 6.0% |
| Madison County, KY | 16,397 | 5.8% |
| Adams County, OH | 16,323 | 4.4% |
| Clermont County, OH | 15,754 | 5.4% |
| Nelson County, KY | 12,428 | 4.6% |
| Garrard County, KY | 12,341 | 8.3% |
| Stone County, AR | 10,883 | 2.8% |
| Boyle County, KY | 10,806 | 9.3% |
| Ripley County, IN | 10,256 | 3.6% |
| Newton County, AR | 9,726 | 1.9% |
| Searcy County, AR | 8,722 | 2.1% |
| Carroll County, KY | 7,877 | 9.5% |
| Clark County, KY | 6,713 | 4.1% |
| Jessamine County, KY | 5,641 | 5.1% |
| Bourbon County, KY | 5,429 | 2.9% |
| Bath County, KY | 4,814 | 2.7% |
| Marion County, KY | 4,209 | 1.9% |
| Warren County, OH | 3,560 | 1.4% |
| Clark County, IN | 1,451 | 0.6% |
| Woodford County, KY | 1,072 | 0.9% |
| Lincoln County, KY | 935 | 0.4% |
| Trimble County, KY | 510 | 0.5% |
| Montgomery County, KY | 86 | 0.1% |
| Preble County, OH | 55 | 0.0% |
| Wayne County, IN | 46 | 0.0% |
| Highland County, OH | 33 | 0.0% |
| Jefferson County, KY | 14 | 0.0% |
| Bullitt County, KY | 11 | 0.0% |
| Oldham County, KY | 6 | 0.0% |
| Union County, IN | 5 | 0.0% |
| Fayette County, IN | 1 | 0.0% |
Septic absorption fields
NRCS rating, share of Eden acres
Show as a table
| Category | Share of acres |
|---|---|
| Not limited | 0.0% |
| Somewhat limited | 0.0% |
| Very limited | 98.2% |
| Not rated | 1.8% |
Drainage, water table and flooding
Share of Eden acres
- Depth to seasonal high water table
- None reported within about 6.5 feet (median where reported).
- Flooding
- Not mapped as flooding on most acres.
- Slope
- Typically 13–34% (median 25%).
- 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 | 99.9% |
| Moderately well drained | 0.0% |
| Somewhat poorly drained | 0.0% |
| Poorly drained | 0.0% |
| Very poorly drained | 0.0% |
| Not rated | 0.1% |
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 | 1.8% |
| D: very slow infiltration (clayey, shallow or wet) | 96.4% |
| 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 | 1.8% |
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 Eden (component kind "Series") in SSURGO: 1,537,009 acres.
- Method
- Shares are by mapped acres of Eden components. The profile comes from the single largest Eden component. Full methodology.