County soil summary
Soil types in Tolland County, Connecticut
The most widespread soils are Charlton, Canton and Woodbridge; the most common drainage class is well drained (55% of the land), and typical topsoil pH is 5.3.
- Well or moderately well drained
- 80% of land · state 75%
- Typical topsoil pH
- 5.3 strongly acidic · state 5.3
- Septic fields very limited
- 89% of land · state 87%
- Subject to flooding
- 5% of land, any frequency · state 6%
Most common soils in Tolland County
Share of mapped land
A county is a patchwork of many soils. These 8 cover 56% of the mapped land; 79 named soil series are mapped here in all.
| Soil | Share of land | Drainage | Topsoil pH |
|---|---|---|---|
| Charlton | 13.2% | Well drained | 4.8 |
| Canton | 10.9% | Well drained | 4.3 |
| Woodbridge | 7.2% | Moderately well drained | 5.2 |
| Paxton | 6.9% | Well drained | 5.5 |
| Chatfield | 5.1% | Well drained | 4.2 |
| Nipmuck | 4.4% | Well drained | 4.2 |
| Sutton | 4.4% | Moderately well drained | 5.3 |
| Leicester | 4.2% | Poorly drained | 5.3 |
What this means
What the soils in Tolland County mean for gardens, lawns and septic systems
For your garden
Typical topsoil in Tolland County is strongly acidic: pH 5.3 (most land between 4.3 and 5.6). Most vegetables and lawn grasses do best around 6.0 to 7.0, so lime is often needed; blueberries, azaleas and rhododendrons like it as it is.
Loamy topsoil (loam, silt loam and similar) covers 89% of the land: generally the easiest soil to garden, holding moisture without staying waterlogged. The most common surface texture is fine sandy loam (72% of the land).
80% of the land is moderately well to excessively drained, which suits most garden plants.
For your lawn and yard
Most land is in hydrologic groups B and C, where rain soaks in at a moderate pace.
A seasonal high water table comes within 18 inches of the surface on 21% of the land, 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 89% of the land in Tolland County very limited, 10% somewhat limited and 0% not limited (1% not rated, such as urban land, pits or water).
That is close to the state as a whole (87% very 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.
Flooding is mapped on 5% of the land (<1% occasional, 3% frequent).
Only a licensed site evaluation or perc test at the actual lot decides whether a system is allowed and which design.
Drainage
How long the soil stays wet
The most common drainage class is well drained (55%). 80% of the land is moderately well drained or better, compared with 75% across Connecticut.
Show as a table
| Category | Tolland County | Connecticut |
|---|---|---|
| Excessively drained | 4.0% | 6.1% |
| Somewhat excessively drained | 6.2% | 6.0% |
| Well drained | 54.5% | 47.8% |
| Moderately well drained | 15.3% | 15.4% |
| Somewhat poorly drained | 0.0% | 0.2% |
| Poorly drained | 10.7% | 10.3% |
| Very poorly drained | 5.0% | 5.9% |
| Not rated | 4.3% | 8.4% |
Septic absorption fields
NRCS rating for conventional drain fields
The rating looks at the soil from 24 to 60 inches deep: permeability, depth to a seasonal water table or bedrock, flooding and slope. “Very limited” means at least one feature is unfavorable enough that a conventional field is hard to make work.
Show as a table
| Category | Tolland County | Connecticut |
|---|---|---|
| Not limited | 0.0% | 0.9% |
| Somewhat limited | 10.2% | 9.2% |
| Very limited | 88.5% | 86.5% |
| Not rated | 1.2% | 3.3% |
Rain, runoff and water table
Hydrologic soil group, flooding, seasonal water table
Hydrologic soil group
How fast rain soaks in when the soil is already wet. Group A soaks in fastest, D slowest.
Show as a table
| Category | Tolland County | Connecticut |
|---|---|---|
| A: fast infiltration (mostly sandy or gravelly) | 7.0% | 8.6% |
| B: moderate infiltration | 43.2% | 36.9% |
| C: slow infiltration | 11.7% | 10.9% |
| D: very slow infiltration (clayey, shallow or wet) | 12.7% | 17.5% |
| A/D: D as is, A if drained | 2.3% | 2.8% |
| B/D: D as is, B if drained | 14.4% | 13.1% |
| C/D: D as is, C if drained | 8.1% | 9.4% |
| Not rated | 0.6% | 0.8% |
Flooding
Show as a table
| Category | Tolland County | Connecticut |
|---|---|---|
| No flooding | 94.9% | 93.5% |
| Rare or very rare | 2.2% | 2.2% |
| Occasional | 0.2% | 0.5% |
| Frequent or very frequent | 2.6% | 3.4% |
| Not reported | 0.0% | 0.4% |
Seasonal high water table
Show as a table
| Category | Tolland County | Connecticut |
|---|---|---|
| Within 18 inches at some time of year | 21.3% | 23.2% |
| 18 inches to 3.3 feet | 20.5% | 18.5% |
| Deeper than 3.3 feet or none reported | 58.1% | 57.9% |
| Not reported | 0.0% | 0.4% |
Topsoil pH and texture
First mineral layer of each soil
Typical topsoil pH is 5.3 (strongly acidic); 80% of rated land falls between 4.3 and 5.6. Median topsoil organic matter is 7.8%.
Show as a table
| Category | Tolland County | Connecticut |
|---|---|---|
| Strongly acidic (below 5.5) | 64.1% | 54.0% |
| Moderately to slightly acidic (5.5–6.4) | 27.2% | 32.0% |
| Near neutral (6.5–7.3) | 0.0% | 1.1% |
| Alkaline (7.4 and up) | 0.0% | 0.2% |
| Not reported | 8.6% | 12.7% |
Texture
Show as a table
| Category | Tolland County | Connecticut |
|---|---|---|
| Sandy | 2.9% | 5.2% |
| Loamy (loam, silt loam and similar) | 88.5% | 82.0% |
| Clayey (40%+ clay) | 0.0% | 0.0% |
| Organic (muck or peat) | 4.6% | 4.9% |
| Not reported (rock, urban land, etc.) | 4.1% | 7.9% |
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
- Tolland County, Connecticut (FIPS 09013): 261,270 acres of mapped land, 5,530 acres of open water excluded. State comparisons pool all mapped land in Connecticut.
- Method
- Shares are by mapped land area: each map unit’s acres in the county times each soil component’s percentage. Open water is excluded. Topsoil values use the first mineral horizon of each component. Full methodology.