HomeSoil seriesLowell

Lowell soil series

Lowell soils cover 1,157,164 mapped acres, mostly in Kentucky, Ohio and Pennsylvania. USDA rates shrink-swell a limit for houses without basements on 76% of that land, and a shallow water table a limit for basements on 4%.

It is the leading soil series by area in 21 of the counties and cities on this site, including Mason County, KY; Shelby County, KY; Bourbon County, KY.

SSURGO survey versions to August 5, 2026 · series description revised 2010-01

76%

of its land: shrink-swell limits houses without basements

4%

of its land: a shallow water table limits basements

5.5%

median highest linear extensibility (6% and up is high)

50%

median highest clay content in the top 150 cm

USDA's description

The Lowell series consists of deep and very deep, well drained soils that formed in limestone residuum interbedded with thin layers of shale. These soils are on uplands.

Source: USDA NRCS series description (OSD) for Lowell, revised 2010-01. Read it.

Engineering properties

Mapped area (SSURGO)1,157,164 acres
Shrink-swell limits houses without basements76.1%
Shallow water table limits basements4.4%
Very limited for septic absorption fields96.4%
Most common drainage classWell drained
Most common hydrologic soil groupC
Taxonomic classFine, mixed, active, mesic Typic Hapludalfs
Type locationJessamine County, Kentucky

Where Lowell is mapped

StateMapped acres
Kentucky817,797
Ohio244,186
Pennsylvania74,073
Virginia20,172
West Virginia714
Indiana117
Maryland105

Places where Lowell leads

Counties and cities where Lowell covers more mapped land than any other series.

PlaceShare of mapped land
Summerfield, OH63%
New Alexandria, OH61%
St. Clairsville, OH35%
Mason County, KY34%
Shelby County, KY31%
Morristown, OH31%
Fairview, OH29%
Bridgeport, OH27%
McConnelsville, OH25%
Bourbon County, KY24%
Henry County, KY23%
Clark County, KY22%
Holloway, OH17%
Steubenville, OH17%
Noble County, OH17%
Martins Ferry, OH16%
Fleming County, KY14%
Nelson County, KY13%
Bath County, KY13%
Boyle County, KY12%
Madison County, KY9%

Other places where Lowell is a main soil

Counties and cities where Lowell is among the six soil series covering the most mapped land, but not the first. Share of the place's mapped land.

Counties

Texas and Ohio cities

Sources

Shares and properties: USDA NRCS SSURGO via Soil Data Access, weighted by each component's share of its map units. Description: the USDA NRCS series description. How we count.