Soil series profile
Sogn soil series
Sogn is a somewhat excessively drained soil with a silty clay loam surface, mapped on 625,201 acres in 57 counties across 5 states. Hydrologic group D.
- Drainage class
- Somewhat excessively drained >99% of mapped acres
- Hydrologic group
- D 100% of mapped acres
- Typical topsoil pH
- 7.5 slightly alkaline · range 7.5–7.5
- Mapped area
- 625k acres in 57 counties, 5 states
Typical Sogn profile
Texture and pH by depth
Show as a table
| Depth | Texture | pH | Clay | Sand | Organic matter |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 0–5 in (A1) | Silty clay loam | 7.5 | 35% | 10% | 4% |
| 5–7 in (A2) | Very channery silty clay loam | 7.5 | 37% | 9% | 3.5% |
| 7–79 in (R) | Bedrock | Not reported | Not reported | Not reported | Not reported |
What this means
What Sogn soil means for gardens, lawns and septic systems
For gardens
Typical topsoil in Sogn soils is slightly alkaline: pH 7.5. 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).
Loamy topsoil (loam, silt loam and similar) covers 100% of mapped Sogn acres: generally the easiest soil to garden, holding moisture without staying waterlogged. The most common surface texture is silty clay loam (98% of mapped Sogn acres).
>99% of mapped Sogn acres is excessively or somewhat excessively drained: water moves through fast, so gardens need more frequent watering in dry spells.
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.
For a septic system
For conventional septic absorption fields, NRCS rates 100% of the acres in mapped Sogn 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 Sogn soil is found
Mapped acres
Sogn is mapped in Kansas, Nebraska, Iowa, Minnesota and Wisconsin.
| County | Acres | Share of county land |
|---|---|---|
| Cowley County, KS | 89,307 | 12.4% |
| Greenwood County, KS | 71,531 | 9.8% |
| Chase County, KS | 51,797 | 10.5% |
| Butler County, KS | 45,557 | 5.0% |
| Chautauqua County, KS | 40,793 | 10.0% |
| Wabaunsee County, KS | 39,230 | 7.7% |
| Elk County, KS | 37,643 | 9.1% |
| Pottawatomie County, KS | 31,866 | 5.9% |
| Marion County, KS | 30,374 | 5.0% |
| Riley County, KS | 22,890 | 5.9% |
| Shawnee County, KS | 18,433 | 5.2% |
| Lyon County, KS | 17,135 | 3.1% |
| Morris County, KS | 16,113 | 3.6% |
| Geary County, KS | 14,887 | 6.0% |
| Marshall County, KS | 11,465 | 2.0% |
| Douglas County, KS | 10,443 | 3.6% |
| Johnson County, KS | 10,184 | 3.4% |
| Jackson County, KS | 9,473 | 2.3% |
| Jefferson County, KS | 8,785 | 2.6% |
| Dickinson County, KS | 6,775 | 1.2% |
| Wyandotte County, KS | 3,908 | 4.0% |
| Howard County, IA | 3,890 | 1.3% |
| Leavenworth County, KS | 3,784 | 1.3% |
| Washington County, KS | 3,611 | 0.6% |
| Woodson County, KS | 3,535 | 1.1% |
| Richardson County, NE | 3,277 | 0.9% |
| Clay County, KS | 2,899 | 0.7% |
| Olmsted County, MN | 2,488 | 0.6% |
| Osage County, KS | 2,261 | 0.5% |
| Dubuque County, IA | 1,607 | 0.4% |
| Lafayette County, WI | 1,325 | 0.3% |
| Pawnee County, NE | 1,319 | 0.5% |
| Gage County, NE | 1,281 | 0.2% |
| Cass County, NE | 1,077 | 0.3% |
| Nemaha County, NE | 968 | 0.4% |
| Brown County, KS | 663 | 0.2% |
| Clinton County, IA | 609 | 0.1% |
| Appanoose County, IA | 464 | 0.1% |
| Cerro Gordo County, IA | 302 | 0.1% |
| Wilson County, KS | 255 | 0.1% |
| Nemaha County, KS | 174 | 0.0% |
| Saline County, KS | 169 | 0.0% |
| Winona County, MN | 147 | 0.0% |
| Jefferson County, NE | 120 | 0.0% |
| Sarpy County, NE | 104 | 0.1% |
| Adair County, IA | 98 | 0.0% |
| Lancaster County, NE | 69 | 0.0% |
| Harvey County, KS | 31 | 0.0% |
| Miami County, KS | 21 | 0.0% |
| McPherson County, KS | 17 | 0.0% |
| Linn County, IA | 16 | 0.0% |
| Butler County, IA | 10 | 0.0% |
| Coffey County, KS | 7 | 0.0% |
| Atchison County, KS | 7 | 0.0% |
| Otoe County, NE | 7 | 0.0% |
| Floyd County, IA | 2 | 0.0% |
| Allen County, KS | 1 | 0.0% |
Septic absorption fields
NRCS rating, share of Sogn 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 Sogn 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 5–14% (median 9%).
- Topsoil organic matter
- Median 4%.
Drainage class
Show as a table
| Category | Share of acres |
|---|---|
| Excessively drained | 0.0% |
| Somewhat excessively drained | 99.6% |
| Well drained | 0.4% |
| 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) | 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 Sogn (component kind "Series") in SSURGO: 625,201 acres.
- Method
- Shares are by mapped acres of Sogn components. The profile comes from the single largest Sogn component. Full methodology.