Soil series profile

Kilburn soil series

Kilburn is a somewhat excessively drained soil with a gravelly sandy loam surface, mapped on 33,774 acres in 4 counties in UT. Hydrologic group A.

#7748 by mapped area loamy-skeletal Typic Haploxerolls (Mollisols)

Drainage class: Somewhat excessively drained
Hydrologic group: A
Typical topsoil pH: 6.7
Mapped area: 34k

Typical Kilburn 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 Kilburn horizons (representative values)
Depth	Texture	pH	Clay	Sand	Organic matter
0–10 in (H1)	Gravelly sandy loam	7.0	12%	68%	3%
10–19 in (H2)	Gravelly sandy loam	7.0	12%	68%	3%
19–36 in (H3)	Very gravelly sandy loam	7.0	14%	67%	0.5%
36–60 in (H4)	Very cobbly loamy sand	7.2	6%	85%	0.5%

Representative values from the most extensive Kilburn map unit (Kilburn gravelly sandy loam, 2 to 10 percent slopes, survey area UT611). 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 Kilburn soil means for gardens, lawns and septic systems

For gardens

Typical topsoil in Kilburn soils is neutral: pH 6.7 (most land between 6.7 and 7.0), the range most vegetables, flowers and lawn grasses prefer.

Loamy topsoil (loam, silt loam and similar) covers 97% of mapped Kilburn acres: generally the easiest soil to garden, holding moisture without staying waterlogged. The most common surface texture is gravelly sandy loam (67% of mapped Kilburn acres).

57% of mapped Kilburn acres is excessively or somewhat excessively drained: water moves through fast, so gardens need more frequent watering in dry spells.

For lawns and yards

78% 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 97% of the acres in mapped Kilburn soils very limited, 0% somewhat limited and 0% not limited (4% 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.

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

Where Kilburn soil is found

Mapped acres

Kilburn is mapped in Utah.

Counties with the most mapped Kilburn soil
County	Acres	Share of county land
Davis County, UT	17,796	12.4%
Box Elder County, UT	6,953	0.2%
Weber County, UT	5,391	1.6%
Utah County, UT	3,096	0.3%

Septic absorption fields

NRCS rating, share of Kilburn acres

Not limited 0%

Somewhat limited 0%

Very limited 97%

Not rated 4%

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

Show as a table

Septic tank absorption field rating across mapped Kilburn acres.
Category	Share of acres
Not limited	0.0%
Somewhat limited	0.0%
Very limited	96.5%
Not rated	3.5%

Drainage, water table and flooding

Share of Kilburn 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 2–40% (median 7%).
Topsoil organic matter: Median 2.5%.

Drainage class

Excessively drained 0%

Somewhat excessively drained 57%

Well drained 39%

Moderately well drained 0%

Somewhat poorly drained 0%

Poorly drained 0%

Very poorly drained 0%

Not rated 4%

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

Show as a table

Drainage class across mapped Kilburn acres.
Category	Share of acres
Excessively drained	0.0%
Somewhat excessively drained	57.4%
Well drained	39.2%
Moderately well drained	0.0%
Somewhat poorly drained	0.0%
Poorly drained	0.0%
Very poorly drained	0.0%
Not rated	3.5%

Hydrologic soil group

A: fast infiltration (mostly sandy or gravelly) 78%

B: moderate infiltration 19%

C: slow infiltration 0%

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 0%

Not rated 4%

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

Show as a table

Hydrologic soil group across mapped Kilburn acres.
Category	Share of acres
A: fast infiltration (mostly sandy or gravelly)	77.7%
B: moderate infiltration	18.8%
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	3.5%

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 Kilburn (component kind "Series") in SSURGO: 33,774 acres.
Method: Shares are by mapped acres of Kilburn components. The profile comes from the single largest Kilburn component. Full methodology.

Independent reference site. No government affiliation or endorsement.

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