Soil series profile
Kavett soil series
Kavett is a well drained soil with a silty clay surface, mapped on 575,647 acres in 23 counties in TX. Hydrologic group D.
- Drainage class
- Well drained >99% of mapped acres
- Hydrologic group
- D 81% of mapped acres
- Typical topsoil pH
- 7.9 moderately alkaline · range 7.9–7.9
- Mapped area
- 576k acres in 23 counties, 1 state
Typical Kavett profile
Texture and pH by depth
Show as a table
| Depth | Texture | pH | Clay | Sand | Organic matter |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 0–9 in (A1) | Silty clay | 7.9 | 43% | 14% | 4.5% |
| 9–16 in (A2) | Silty clay | 7.9 | 43% | 14% | 4.5% |
| 16–19 in (Bkkm) | Cemented material | Not reported | Not reported | Not reported | Not reported |
| 19–30 in (R) | Bedrock | Not reported | Not reported | Not reported | Not reported |
What this means
What Kavett soil means for gardens, lawns and septic systems
For gardens
Typical topsoil in Kavett soils is moderately alkaline: pH 7.9. Acid-loving plants such as blueberries and azaleas struggle without amended beds, and some trees and shrubs show iron chlorosis (yellow leaves with green veins).
Clayey topsoil covers 81% of mapped Kavett acres. Clay holds water and nutrients but drains slowly and compacts if worked wet: add compost, avoid tilling soggy soil and consider raised beds. The most common surface texture is silty clay (44% of mapped Kavett acres).
>99% of mapped Kavett acres is moderately well to excessively drained, which suits most garden plants.
For lawns and yards
On 81% 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 81% of the acres in mapped Kavett soils very limited, 0% somewhat limited and 0% not limited (19% 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 Kavett soil is found
Mapped acres
Kavett is mapped in Texas.
| County | Acres | Share of county land |
|---|---|---|
| Sutton County, TX | 134,507 | 14.5% |
| Schleicher County, TX | 66,032 | 7.9% |
| Coleman County, TX | 62,950 | 7.8% |
| Concho County, TX | 60,652 | 9.7% |
| Runnels County, TX | 46,811 | 7.0% |
| Menard County, TX | 35,366 | 6.1% |
| McCulloch County, TX | 28,161 | 4.1% |
| Kimble County, TX | 25,404 | 3.2% |
| Uvalde County, TX | 22,668 | 2.3% |
| Tom Green County, TX | 19,741 | 2.0% |
| Nolan County, TX | 18,140 | 3.1% |
| Taylor County, TX | 13,257 | 2.3% |
| Kinney County, TX | 8,506 | 1.0% |
| Val Verde County, TX | 8,157 | 0.4% |
| Haskell County, TX | 7,443 | 1.3% |
| Medina County, TX | 6,078 | 0.7% |
| Gillespie County, TX | 3,117 | 0.5% |
| Brown County, TX | 2,984 | 0.5% |
| Mason County, TX | 1,811 | 0.3% |
| Edwards County, TX | 1,380 | 0.1% |
| Coke County, TX | 1,338 | 0.2% |
| Irion County, TX | 1,071 | 0.2% |
| Real County, TX | 74 | 0.0% |
Septic absorption fields
NRCS rating, share of Kavett acres
Show as a table
| Category | Share of acres |
|---|---|
| Not limited | 0.0% |
| Somewhat limited | 0.0% |
| Very limited | 80.8% |
| Not rated | 19.2% |
Drainage, water table and flooding
Share of Kavett 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 2–3% (median 2%).
- Topsoil organic matter
- Median 4.5%.
Drainage class
Show as a table
| Category | Share of acres |
|---|---|
| Excessively drained | 0.0% |
| Somewhat excessively drained | 0.0% |
| Well drained | 99.7% |
| Moderately well drained | 0.0% |
| Somewhat poorly drained | 0.0% |
| Poorly drained | 0.0% |
| Very poorly drained | 0.0% |
| Not rated | 0.3% |
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 | 0.0% |
| D: very slow infiltration (clayey, shallow or wet) | 80.8% |
| 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 | 19.2% |
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 Kavett (component kind "Series") in SSURGO: 575,647 acres.
- Method
- Shares are by mapped acres of Kavett components. The profile comes from the single largest Kavett component. Full methodology.