County soil summary
Soil types in Oneida County, New York
The most widespread soils are Kendaia, Adams and Worth; the most common drainage class is moderately well drained (22% of the land), and typical topsoil pH is 5.8.
- Well or moderately well drained
- 61% of land · state 63%
- Typical topsoil pH
- 5.8 moderately acidic · state 5.5
- Septic fields very limited
- 78% of land · state 84%
- Subject to flooding
- 4% of land, any frequency · state 4%
Most common soils in Oneida County
Share of mapped land
A county is a patchwork of many soils. These 8 cover 28% of the mapped land; 131 named soil series are mapped here in all.
| Soil | Share of land | Drainage | Topsoil pH |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kendaia | 4.7% | Somewhat poorly drained | 6.3 |
| Adams | 4.5% | Somewhat excessively drained | 4.8 |
| Worth | 3.7% | Well drained | 4.3 |
| Lima | 3.4% | Moderately well drained | 7.0 |
| Alton | 3.1% | Well drained | 5.0 |
| Honeoye | 3.0% | Well drained | 6.3 |
| Bice | 2.9% | Well drained | 5.3 |
| Malone | 2.9% | Somewhat poorly drained | 6.3 |
What this means
What the soils in Oneida County mean for gardens, lawns and septic systems
For your garden
Typical topsoil in Oneida County is moderately acidic: pH 5.8 (most land between 4.5 and 6.8). 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 71% of the land: generally the easiest soil to garden, holding moisture without staying waterlogged. The most common surface texture is silt loam (38% of the land).
61% of the land is moderately well to excessively drained, which suits most garden plants.
For your lawn and yard
On 53% 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 36% 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 78% of the land in Oneida County very limited, 6% somewhat limited and 0% not limited (16% not rated, such as urban land, pits or water).
Statewide, 84% of the land is very limited, so Oneida County is less 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.
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 moderately well drained (22%). 61% of the land is moderately well drained or better, compared with 63% across New York.
Show as a table
| Category | Oneida County | New York |
|---|---|---|
| Excessively drained | 7.2% | 2.8% |
| Somewhat excessively drained | 8.8% | 7.9% |
| Well drained | 22.2% | 32.9% |
| Moderately well drained | 22.3% | 19.2% |
| Somewhat poorly drained | 22.0% | 16.6% |
| Poorly drained | 9.2% | 5.4% |
| Very poorly drained | 5.2% | 5.2% |
| Not rated | 3.0% | 10.0% |
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 | Oneida County | New York |
|---|---|---|
| Not limited | 0.0% | 0.2% |
| Somewhat limited | 5.6% | 3.3% |
| Very limited | 78.1% | 83.5% |
| Not rated | 16.3% | 13.0% |
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 | Oneida County | New York |
|---|---|---|
| A: fast infiltration (mostly sandy or gravelly) | 15.9% | 10.0% |
| B: moderate infiltration | 15.7% | 12.9% |
| C: slow infiltration | 4.1% | 13.1% |
| D: very slow infiltration (clayey, shallow or wet) | 7.7% | 25.3% |
| A/D: D as is, A if drained | 4.8% | 3.5% |
| B/D: D as is, B if drained | 19.9% | 9.5% |
| C/D: D as is, C if drained | 16.1% | 11.6% |
| Not rated | 15.8% | 14.2% |
Flooding
Show as a table
| Category | Oneida County | New York |
|---|---|---|
| No flooding | 80.5% | 83.0% |
| Rare or very rare | 0.6% | 0.4% |
| Occasional | 1.1% | 1.3% |
| Frequent or very frequent | 2.2% | 2.1% |
| Not reported | 15.7% | 13.3% |
Seasonal high water table
Show as a table
| Category | Oneida County | New York |
|---|---|---|
| Within 18 inches at some time of year | 36.3% | 32.8% |
| 18 inches to 3.3 feet | 17.2% | 18.5% |
| Deeper than 3.3 feet or none reported | 42.9% | 42.9% |
| Not reported | 3.6% | 5.8% |
Topsoil pH and texture
First mineral layer of each soil
Typical topsoil pH is 5.8 (moderately acidic); 80% of rated land falls between 4.5 and 6.8. Median topsoil organic matter is 4%.
Show as a table
| Category | Oneida County | New York |
|---|---|---|
| Strongly acidic (below 5.5) | 33.0% | 40.7% |
| Moderately to slightly acidic (5.5–6.4) | 31.7% | 29.9% |
| Near neutral (6.5–7.3) | 16.4% | 13.2% |
| Alkaline (7.4 and up) | 0.1% | 0.6% |
| Not reported | 18.7% | 15.6% |
Texture
Show as a table
| Category | Oneida County | New York |
|---|---|---|
| Sandy | 10.1% | 5.9% |
| Loamy (loam, silt loam and similar) | 70.7% | 76.3% |
| Clayey (40%+ clay) | 0.0% | 0.6% |
| Organic (muck or peat) | 3.0% | 2.8% |
| Not reported (rock, urban land, etc.) | 16.3% | 14.4% |
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
- Oneida County, New York (FIPS 36065): 774,365 acres of mapped land, 31,535 acres of open water excluded. State comparisons pool all mapped land in New York.
- 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.