Soil series profile
Pawnee soil series
Pawnee is a moderately well drained soil with a clay loam surface, mapped on 1,087,273 acres in 33 counties across 2 states. Hydrologic group D.
- Drainage class
- Moderately well drained 100% of mapped acres
- Hydrologic group
- D >99% of mapped acres
- Typical topsoil pH
- 5.6 moderately acidic · range 5.6–5.6
- Mapped area
- 1.1M acres in 33 counties, 2 states
Typical Pawnee profile
Texture and pH by depth
Show as a table
| Depth | Texture | pH | Clay | Sand | Organic matter |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 0–6 in (Ap) | Clay loam | 5.6 | 31% | 23% | 2% |
| 6–9 in (A) | Clay loam | 5.6 | 33% | 23% | 2% |
| 9–12 in (Bt1) | Clay | 6.9 | 44% | 23% | 1% |
| 12–41 in (Bt2) | Clay | 7.8 | 40% | 26% | 0.5% |
| 41–51 in (BC) | Clay loam | 8.2 | 38% | 28% | 0.25% |
| 51–79 in (C) | Clay loam | 8.2 | 34% | 31% | 0% |
What this means
What Pawnee soil means for gardens, lawns and septic systems
For gardens
Typical topsoil in Pawnee soils is moderately acidic: pH 5.6. Many vegetables grow well here, and some gardens benefit from a little lime. Test before adding any.
Loamy topsoil (loam, silt loam and similar) covers 100% of mapped Pawnee acres: generally the easiest soil to garden, holding moisture without staying waterlogged. The most common surface texture is clay loam (100% of mapped Pawnee acres).
100% of mapped Pawnee 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.
A seasonal high water table comes within 18 inches of the surface on >99% 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 100% of the acres in mapped Pawnee 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.
Where Pawnee soil is found
Mapped acres
Pawnee is mapped in Kansas and Nebraska.
| County | Acres | Share of county land |
|---|---|---|
| Nemaha County, KS | 175,103 | 38.2% |
| Marshall County, KS | 137,997 | 23.9% |
| Jackson County, KS | 127,782 | 30.4% |
| Jefferson County, KS | 70,459 | 20.6% |
| Pottawatomie County, KS | 62,925 | 11.6% |
| Pawnee County, NE | 62,150 | 22.6% |
| Lancaster County, NE | 57,477 | 10.7% |
| Otoe County, NE | 51,776 | 13.2% |
| Johnson County, NE | 48,845 | 20.4% |
| Shawnee County, KS | 47,272 | 13.5% |
| Brown County, KS | 43,068 | 11.8% |
| Atchison County, KS | 40,589 | 14.7% |
| Gage County, NE | 38,101 | 7.0% |
| Leavenworth County, KS | 29,252 | 9.9% |
| Wabaunsee County, KS | 20,157 | 4.0% |
| Nemaha County, NE | 17,172 | 6.5% |
| Douglas County, KS | 14,070 | 4.8% |
| Seward County, NE | 11,091 | 3.0% |
| Butler County, NE | 5,945 | 1.6% |
| Johnson County, KS | 5,356 | 1.8% |
| Richardson County, NE | 4,901 | 1.4% |
| Cass County, NE | 4,875 | 1.4% |
| Washington County, KS | 2,797 | 0.5% |
| Saunders County, NE | 2,391 | 0.5% |
| Wyandotte County, KS | 1,308 | 1.4% |
| Riley County, KS | 1,260 | 0.3% |
| Geary County, KS | 826 | 0.3% |
| Saline County, NE | 820 | 0.2% |
| Doniphan County, KS | 678 | 0.3% |
| Jefferson County, NE | 614 | 0.2% |
| Osage County, KS | 134 | 0.0% |
| Clay County, KS | 80 | 0.0% |
| Morris County, KS | 2 | 0.0% |
Septic absorption fields
NRCS rating, share of Pawnee acres
Show as a table
| Category | Share of acres |
|---|---|
| Not limited | 0.0% |
| Somewhat limited | 0.0% |
| Very limited | 100.0% |
Drainage, water table and flooding
Share of Pawnee acres
- Depth to seasonal high water table
- About 1.2 feet (14 in) (median where reported); within 18 inches on >99% of acres.
- Flooding
- Not mapped as flooding on most acres.
- Slope
- Typically 3–6% (median 6%).
- Topsoil organic matter
- Median 2%.
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 | 100.0% |
| 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) | 0.0% |
| B: moderate infiltration | 0.0% |
| C: slow infiltration | 0.0% |
| D: very slow infiltration (clayey, shallow or wet) | 99.1% |
| 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 | 0.9% |
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 Pawnee (component kind "Series") in SSURGO: 1,087,273 acres.
- Method
- Shares are by mapped acres of Pawnee components. The profile comes from the single largest Pawnee component. Full methodology.