County soil summary
Soil types in St. Louis County, Minnesota
The most widespread soils are Greenwood, Rifle and Conic; the most common drainage class is very poorly drained (37% of the land), and typical topsoil pH is 5.3.
- Well or moderately well drained
- 35% of land · state 41%
- Typical topsoil pH
- 5.3 strongly acidic · state 6.5
- Septic fields very limited
- 94% of land · state 91%
- Subject to flooding
- 5% of land, any frequency · state 4%
Most common soils in St. Louis County
Share of mapped land
A county is a patchwork of many soils. These 8 cover 35% of the mapped land; 170 named soil series are mapped here in all.
| Soil | Share of land | Drainage | Topsoil pH |
|---|---|---|---|
| Greenwood | 10.7% | Very poorly drained | Not reported |
| Rifle | 7.1% | Very poorly drained | Not reported |
| Conic | 3.3% | Well drained | 4.9 |
| Eveleth | 3.0% | Well drained | 4.9 |
| Tacoosh | 2.8% | Very poorly drained | Not reported |
| Eaglesnest | 2.7% | Moderately well drained | 4.9 |
| AqueptsGeneral soil group, not a named series | 2.7% | — | — |
| Rock outcropLand type, not a soil series | 2.5% | — | — |
What this means
What the soils in St. Louis County mean for gardens, lawns and septic systems
For your garden
Typical topsoil in St. Louis County is strongly acidic: pH 5.3 (most land between 4.9 and 6.1). 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 56% of the land: generally the easiest soil to garden, holding moisture without staying waterlogged. The most common surface texture is stony loam (14% of the land).
60% of the land is somewhat poorly to very poorly drained, so soil stays soggy for long spells after rain and in wet seasons. Raised beds, plants that tolerate wet feet, and not working the soil while wet all help.
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 65% 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 94% of the land in St. Louis County very limited, <1% somewhat limited and 0% not limited (6% not rated, such as urban land, pits or water).
That is close to the state as a whole (91% 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.
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 very poorly drained (37%). 35% of the land is moderately well drained or better, compared with 41% across Minnesota.
Show as a table
| Category | St. Louis County | Minnesota |
|---|---|---|
| Excessively drained | 1.2% | 3.1% |
| Somewhat excessively drained | 3.0% | 3.9% |
| Well drained | 16.6% | 20.3% |
| Moderately well drained | 14.1% | 13.7% |
| Somewhat poorly drained | 12.8% | 12.3% |
| Poorly drained | 10.2% | 20.7% |
| Very poorly drained | 37.0% | 22.1% |
| Not rated | 5.1% | 4.1% |
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 | St. Louis County | Minnesota |
|---|---|---|
| Not limited | 0.0% | 0.0% |
| Somewhat limited | 0.8% | 4.4% |
| Very limited | 93.8% | 91.3% |
| Not rated | 5.5% | 4.3% |
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 | St. Louis County | Minnesota |
|---|---|---|
| A: fast infiltration (mostly sandy or gravelly) | 7.1% | 9.5% |
| B: moderate infiltration | 4.5% | 12.3% |
| C: slow infiltration | 8.2% | 16.9% |
| D: very slow infiltration (clayey, shallow or wet) | 13.3% | 4.4% |
| A/D: D as is, A if drained | 25.6% | 13.9% |
| B/D: D as is, B if drained | 13.0% | 14.0% |
| C/D: D as is, C if drained | 22.5% | 24.7% |
| Not rated | 5.8% | 4.3% |
Flooding
Show as a table
| Category | St. Louis County | Minnesota |
|---|---|---|
| No flooding | 90.7% | 92.4% |
| Rare or very rare | 0.0% | 0.2% |
| Occasional | 0.3% | 1.3% |
| Frequent or very frequent | 4.2% | 2.4% |
| Not reported | 4.8% | 3.7% |
Seasonal high water table
Show as a table
| Category | St. Louis County | Minnesota |
|---|---|---|
| Within 18 inches at some time of year | 65.3% | 52.0% |
| 18 inches to 3.3 feet | 8.6% | 15.0% |
| Deeper than 3.3 feet or none reported | 21.3% | 29.6% |
| Not reported | 4.8% | 3.3% |
Topsoil pH and texture
First mineral layer of each soil
Typical topsoil pH is 5.3 (strongly acidic); 80% of rated land falls between 4.9 and 6.1. Median topsoil organic matter is 6%.
Show as a table
| Category | St. Louis County | Minnesota |
|---|---|---|
| Strongly acidic (below 5.5) | 31.7% | 7.0% |
| Moderately to slightly acidic (5.5–6.4) | 29.0% | 27.3% |
| Near neutral (6.5–7.3) | 2.1% | 32.0% |
| Alkaline (7.4 and up) | 0.0% | 15.2% |
| Not reported | 37.2% | 18.6% |
Texture
Show as a table
| Category | St. Louis County | Minnesota |
|---|---|---|
| Sandy | 6.8% | 11.2% |
| Loamy (loam, silt loam and similar) | 55.7% | 66.1% |
| Clayey (40%+ clay) | 0.0% | 2.2% |
| Organic (muck or peat) | 31.7% | 16.2% |
| Not reported (rock, urban land, etc.) | 5.8% | 4.3% |
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
- St. Louis County, Minnesota (FIPS 27137): 4,064,839 acres of mapped land, 267,079 acres of open water excluded. State comparisons pool all mapped land in Minnesota.
- 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.