Soil series profile

Harvester soil series

Harvester is a moderately well drained soil with a silt loam surface, mapped on 90,260 acres in 8 counties in MO. Hydrologic group C.

#3818 by mapped area fine-silty Oxyaquic Udorthents (Entisols)

Drainage class: Moderately well drained
Hydrologic group: C
Typical topsoil pH: 5.1
Mapped area: 90k

Typical Harvester 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).

Show as a table

Typical Harvester horizons (representative values)
Depth	Texture	pH	Clay	Sand	Organic matter
0–4 in (^Au)	Silt loam	5.1	23%	4%	0.5%
4–32 in (^Cu)	Silty clay loam	5.1	30%	3%	0.5%
32–79 in (2Bb)	Silty clay loam	5.7	29%	3%	0.4%

Representative values from the most extensive Harvester map unit (Urban land-Harvester complex, 2 to 9 percent slopes, survey area MO189). 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 Harvester soil means for gardens, lawns and septic systems

For gardens

Typical topsoil in Harvester soils is strongly acidic: pH 5.1 (most land between 5.1 and 7.2). 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 100% of mapped Harvester acres: generally the easiest soil to garden, holding moisture without staying waterlogged. The most common surface texture is silt loam (100% of mapped Harvester acres).

>99% of mapped Harvester 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 100% of the acres in mapped Harvester 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 Harvester soil is found

Mapped acres

Harvester is mapped in Missouri.

Counties with the most mapped Harvester soil
County	Acres	Share of county land
St. Louis County, MO	51,248	14.1%
St. Charles County, MO	25,508	7.1%
Jackson County, MO	4,411	1.1%
Cole County, MO	4,182	1.7%
Jefferson County, MO	2,897	0.7%
Boone County, MO	1,986	0.5%
Clay County, MO	26	0.0%
Franklin County, MO	1	0.0%

Septic absorption fields

NRCS rating, share of Harvester acres

Not limited 0%

Somewhat limited 0%

Very limited 100%

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

Show as a table

Septic tank absorption field rating across mapped Harvester acres.
Category	Share of acres
Not limited	0.0%
Somewhat limited	0.0%
Very limited	100.0%

Drainage, water table and flooding

Share of Harvester acres

Depth to seasonal high water table: About 2.6 feet (31 in) (median where reported); within 18 inches on <1% of acres.
Flooding: Not mapped as flooding on most acres.
Slope: Typically 5–12% (median 6%).
Topsoil organic matter: Median 0.5%.

Drainage class

Excessively drained 0%

Somewhat excessively drained 0%

Well drained 0%

Moderately well drained >99%

Somewhat poorly drained <1%

Poorly drained 0%

Very poorly drained 0%

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

Show as a table

Drainage class across mapped Harvester acres.
Category	Share of acres
Excessively drained	0.0%
Somewhat excessively drained	0.0%
Well drained	0.0%
Moderately well drained	99.5%
Somewhat poorly drained	0.5%
Poorly drained	0.0%
Very poorly drained	0.0%

Hydrologic soil group

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

B: moderate infiltration 0%

C: slow infiltration >99%

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 <1%

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

Show as a table

Hydrologic soil group across mapped Harvester acres.
Category	Share of acres
A: fast infiltration (mostly sandy or gravelly)	0.0%
B: moderate infiltration	0.0%
C: slow infiltration	99.5%
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	0.5%

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 Harvester (component kind "Series") in SSURGO: 90,260 acres.
Method: Shares are by mapped acres of Harvester components. The profile comes from the single largest Harvester component. Full methodology.

Independent reference site. No government affiliation or endorsement.

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