Soil series profile
Kill Devil soil series
Kill Devil is a mapped soil with a silt loam surface, mapped on 40,593 acres in 3 counties across 2 states. Hydrologic group D.
- Drainage class
- Not reported
- Hydrologic group
- D 100% of mapped acres
- Typical topsoil pH
- 7.1 neutral · range 7.1–7.1
- Mapped area
- 41k acres in 3 counties, 2 states
Typical Kill Devil profile
Texture and pH by depth
Show as a table
| Depth | Texture | pH | Clay | Sand | Organic matter |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 0–7 in (Aseg) | Silt loam | 7.1 | 14% | 30% | 9% |
| 7–25 in (Cseg1) | Silt loam | 7.5 | 26% | 20% | 6.17% |
| 25–81 in (Cseg2) | Silt loam | 7.5 | 23% | 22% | 6.27% |
What this means
What Kill Devil soil means for gardens, lawns and septic systems
For gardens
Typical topsoil in Kill Devil soils is neutral: pH 7.1, the range most vegetables, flowers and lawn grasses prefer.
Loamy topsoil (loam, silt loam and similar) covers 100% of mapped Kill Devil acres: generally the easiest soil to garden, holding moisture without staying waterlogged. The most common surface texture is silt loam (100% of mapped Kill Devil acres).
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.
A seasonal high water table comes within 18 inches of the surface on 100% of mapped acres, often in spring. Basements, sump pumps and lawns in low spots feel it first.
For a septic system
For conventional septic absorption fields, NRCS rates 0% of the acres in mapped Kill Devil soils very limited, 0% somewhat limited and 0% not limited (100% not rated, such as urban land, pits or water).
Flooding is mapped on 100% of the acres (0% occasional, 100% frequent).
Only a licensed site evaluation or perc test at the actual lot decides whether a system is allowed and which design.
Where Kill Devil soil is found
Mapped acres
Kill Devil is mapped in North Carolina and Virginia.
| County | Acres | Share of county land |
|---|---|---|
| Currituck County, NC | 26,653 | 10.2% |
| Virginia Beach city, VA | 12,063 | 7.0% |
| Dare County, NC | 1,877 | 0.7% |
Septic absorption fields
NRCS rating, share of Kill Devil acres
Show as a table
| Category | Share of acres |
|---|---|
| Not limited | 0.0% |
| Somewhat limited | 0.0% |
| Very limited | 0.0% |
| Not rated | 100.0% |
Drainage, water table and flooding
Share of Kill Devil acres
- Depth to seasonal high water table
- About 0 inches (median where reported); within 18 inches on 100% of acres.
- Flooding
- Mapped as flooding on 100% of acres (0% occasional, 100% frequent).
- Slope
- Typically 0–0% (median 0%).
- Topsoil organic matter
- Median 9%.
Drainage class
Show as a table
| Category | Share of acres |
|---|---|
| Excessively drained | 0.0% |
| Somewhat excessively drained | 0.0% |
| Well drained | 0.0% |
| Moderately well drained | 0.0% |
| Somewhat poorly drained | 0.0% |
| Poorly drained | 0.0% |
| Very poorly drained | 0.0% |
| Not rated | 100.0% |
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) | 100.0% |
| 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% |
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 Kill Devil (component kind "Series") in SSURGO: 40,593 acres.
- Method
- Shares are by mapped acres of Kill Devil components. The profile comes from the single largest Kill Devil component. Full methodology.