Soil series profile
Highsplint soil series
Highsplint is a well drained soil with a channery loam surface, mapped on 745,003 acres in 41 counties across 4 states. Hydrologic group A.
- Drainage class
- Well drained 100% of mapped acres
- Hydrologic group
- A 76% of mapped acres
- Typical topsoil pH
- 5.5 strongly acidic · range 5.0–5.5
- Mapped area
- 745k acres in 41 counties, 4 states
Typical Highsplint profile
Texture and pH by depth
Show as a table
| Depth | Texture | pH | Clay | Sand | Organic matter |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 0–1 in (Oi) | Channery slightly decomposed plant material | 4.3 | Not reported | Not reported | 69.7% |
| 1–3 in (A) | Channery loam | 5.5 | 25% | 26% | 2.75% |
| 3–8 in (BA) | Channery loam | 5.2 | 25% | 26% | 0.5% |
| 8–30 in (Bw1) | Channery loam | 5.0 | 25% | 26% | 0.5% |
| 30–41 in (Bw2) | Very channery loam | 5.0 | 22% | 30% | 0.5% |
| 41–53 in (BC) | Extremely channery loam | 4.6 | 22% | 30% | 0.45% |
| 53–65 in (C) | Extremely channery loam | 4.6 | 22% | 30% | 0.45% |
What this means
What Highsplint soil means for gardens, lawns and septic systems
For gardens
Typical topsoil in Highsplint soils is strongly acidic: pH 5.5 (most land between 5.0 and 5.5). 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 Highsplint acres: generally the easiest soil to garden, holding moisture without staying waterlogged. The most common surface texture is very channery silt loam (43% of mapped Highsplint acres).
100% of mapped Highsplint acres is moderately well to excessively drained, which suits most garden plants.
For lawns and yards
76% of mapped acres is in hydrologic group A, where water soaks in fast. Lawns there dry out quickly; deeper, less frequent watering and organic matter help.
For a septic system
For conventional septic absorption fields, NRCS rates 99% of the acres in mapped Highsplint soils very limited, <1% 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 Highsplint soil is found
Mapped acres
Highsplint is mapped in West Virginia, Kentucky, Virginia and Tennessee.
| County | Acres | Share of county land |
|---|---|---|
| Randolph County, WV | 62,369 | 11.9% |
| Mingo County, WV | 58,374 | 26.9% |
| Logan County, WV | 55,630 | 23.6% |
| Buchanan County, VA | 50,811 | 17.9% |
| Fayette County, WV | 48,697 | 14.0% |
| Harlan County, KY | 47,028 | 15.7% |
| Webster County, WV | 40,084 | 14.9% |
| Raleigh County, WV | 36,080 | 11.1% |
| Lincoln County, WV | 30,943 | 13.6% |
| Dickenson County, VA | 28,062 | 14.9% |
| Clay County, KY | 25,454 | 8.5% |
| Tucker County, WV | 23,498 | 10.3% |
| Upshur County, WV | 23,448 | 13.5% |
| Bell County, KY | 20,349 | 8.8% |
| Wise County, VA | 19,699 | 9.6% |
| Letcher County, KY | 19,403 | 9.0% |
| McCreary County, KY | 18,938 | 6.9% |
| Leslie County, KY | 17,566 | 6.8% |
| Breathitt County, KY | 15,101 | 4.8% |
| Nicholas County, WV | 12,562 | 4.0% |
| Russell County, VA | 12,196 | 4.4% |
| Perry County, KY | 12,124 | 5.6% |
| Knott County, KY | 11,309 | 5.0% |
| Whitley County, KY | 9,191 | 3.3% |
| Preston County, WV | 8,188 | 2.4% |
| Jackson County, KY | 6,210 | 2.8% |
| Laurel County, KY | 5,858 | 2.1% |
| Rockcastle County, KY | 4,764 | 2.3% |
| Owsley County, KY | 4,005 | 3.2% |
| Lee County, KY | 3,262 | 2.4% |
| Wolfe County, KY | 3,241 | 2.3% |
| Morgan County, KY | 3,140 | 1.3% |
| Lewis County, WV | 3,098 | 1.5% |
| Pulaski County, KY | 2,242 | 0.5% |
| Estill County, KY | 1,196 | 0.7% |
| Summers County, WV | 355 | 0.2% |
| Powell County, KY | 235 | 0.2% |
| Knox County, KY | 197 | 0.1% |
| Morgan County, TN | 46 | 0.0% |
| Mercer County, WV | 44 | 0.0% |
| Magoffin County, KY | 4 | 0.0% |
Septic absorption fields
NRCS rating, share of Highsplint acres
Show as a table
| Category | Share of acres |
|---|---|
| Not limited | 0.0% |
| Somewhat limited | 0.8% |
| Very limited | 99.0% |
| Not rated | 0.2% |
Drainage, water table and flooding
Share of Highsplint 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 30–65% (median 50%).
- Topsoil organic matter
- Median 2.8%.
Drainage class
Show as a table
| Category | Share of acres |
|---|---|
| Excessively drained | 0.0% |
| Somewhat excessively drained | 0.0% |
| Well drained | 100.0% |
| Moderately well drained | 0.0% |
| Somewhat poorly drained | 0.0% |
| 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) | 75.8% |
| B: moderate infiltration | 23.9% |
| C: slow infiltration | 0.0% |
| 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 | 0.2% |
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 Highsplint (component kind "Series") in SSURGO: 745,003 acres.
- Method
- Shares are by mapped acres of Highsplint components. The profile comes from the single largest Highsplint component. Full methodology.