County soil summary
Soil types in Boone County, Kentucky
The most widespread soils are Rossmoyne, Eden and Jessup; the most common drainage class is well drained (64% of the land), and typical topsoil pH is 5.9.
- Well or moderately well drained
- 95% of land · state 89%
- Typical topsoil pH
- 5.9 moderately acidic · state 5.9
- Septic fields very limited
- 89% of land · state 79%
- Subject to flooding
- 6% of land, any frequency · state 12%
Most common soils in Boone County
Share of mapped land
A county is a patchwork of many soils. These 8 cover 85% of the mapped land; 30 named soil series are mapped here in all.
| Soil | Share of land | Drainage | Topsoil pH |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rossmoyne | 21.1% | Moderately well drained | 5.9 |
| Eden | 18.2% | Well drained | 6.0 |
| Jessup | 13.7% | Well drained | 5.3 |
| Faywood | 13.5% | Well drained | 6.5 |
| Cynthiana | 7.7% | Well drained | 7.0 |
| Nicholson | 6.7% | Moderately well drained | 5.5 |
| Wheeling | 2.3% | Well drained | 5.8 |
| Other soilsGeneral soil group, not a named series | 2.2% | — | — |
What this means
What the soils in Boone County mean for gardens, lawns and septic systems
For your garden
Typical topsoil in Boone County is moderately acidic: pH 5.9 (most land between 5.3 and 7.0). 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 81% of the land: generally the easiest soil to garden, holding moisture without staying waterlogged. The most common surface texture is silt loam (50% of the land).
95% of the land is moderately well to excessively drained, which suits most garden plants.
For your lawn and yard
On 83% of the land, 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 23% 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 Boone County very limited, <1% somewhat limited and 0% not limited (10% not rated, such as urban land, pits or water).
Statewide, 79% of the land is very limited, so Boone County is more restrictive than typical.
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 6% of the land (4% occasional, <1% 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 (64%). 95% of the land is moderately well drained or better, compared with 89% across Kentucky.
Show as a table
| Category | Boone County | Kentucky |
|---|---|---|
| Excessively drained | 0.6% | 0.2% |
| Somewhat excessively drained | 0.0% | 1.7% |
| Well drained | 64.4% | 72.3% |
| Moderately well drained | 29.6% | 15.2% |
| Somewhat poorly drained | 2.9% | 4.9% |
| Poorly drained | 0.1% | 2.2% |
| Very poorly drained | 0.0% | 0.1% |
| Not rated | 2.4% | 3.5% |
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 | Boone County | Kentucky |
|---|---|---|
| Not limited | 0.0% | 0.1% |
| Somewhat limited | 0.4% | 10.6% |
| Very limited | 89.4% | 79.4% |
| Not rated | 10.2% | 10.0% |
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 | Boone County | Kentucky |
|---|---|---|
| A: fast infiltration (mostly sandy or gravelly) | 1.5% | 8.2% |
| B: moderate infiltration | 5.4% | 30.3% |
| C: slow infiltration | 34.5% | 25.8% |
| D: very slow infiltration (clayey, shallow or wet) | 26.0% | 14.2% |
| A/D: D as is, A if drained | 0.0% | 0.1% |
| B/D: D as is, B if drained | 1.3% | 3.5% |
| C/D: D as is, C if drained | 21.2% | 7.8% |
| Not rated | 10.2% | 10.0% |
Flooding
Show as a table
| Category | Boone County | Kentucky |
|---|---|---|
| No flooding | 83.9% | 79.7% |
| Rare or very rare | 1.2% | 2.2% |
| Occasional | 4.1% | 6.7% |
| Frequent or very frequent | 0.7% | 3.5% |
| Not reported | 10.1% | 7.9% |
Seasonal high water table
Show as a table
| Category | Boone County | Kentucky |
|---|---|---|
| Within 18 inches at some time of year | 23.4% | 8.1% |
| 18 inches to 3.3 feet | 7.2% | 12.6% |
| Deeper than 3.3 feet or none reported | 59.4% | 73.4% |
| Not reported | 10.1% | 5.9% |
Topsoil pH and texture
First mineral layer of each soil
Typical topsoil pH is 5.9 (moderately acidic); 80% of rated land falls between 5.3 and 7.0. Median topsoil organic matter is 2%.
Show as a table
| Category | Boone County | Kentucky |
|---|---|---|
| Strongly acidic (below 5.5) | 13.2% | 27.2% |
| Moderately to slightly acidic (5.5–6.4) | 50.1% | 45.9% |
| Near neutral (6.5–7.3) | 26.0% | 15.7% |
| Alkaline (7.4 and up) | 0.6% | 1.2% |
| Not reported | 10.2% | 10.0% |
Texture
Show as a table
| Category | Boone County | Kentucky |
|---|---|---|
| Sandy | 1.2% | 1.0% |
| Loamy (loam, silt loam and similar) | 81.4% | 84.9% |
| Clayey (40%+ clay) | 7.2% | 4.0% |
| Organic (muck or peat) | 0.0% | 0.0% |
| Not reported (rock, urban land, etc.) | 10.2% | 10.0% |
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
- Boone County, Kentucky (FIPS 21015): 156,489 acres of mapped land, 7,639 acres of open water excluded. State comparisons pool all mapped land in Kentucky.
- 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.