Soil series profile

Baymeade soil series

Baymeade is a well drained soil with a fine sand surface, mapped on 122,667 acres in 7 counties in NC. Hydrologic group A.

#2941 by mapped area loamy Arenic Hapludults (Ultisols)

Drainage class: Well drained
Hydrologic group: A
Typical topsoil pH: 5.5
Mapped area: 123k

Typical Baymeade profile

Texture and pH by depth

Depth to scale. More strongly shaded layers hold more clay. Horizon names are the soil survey's (A = topsoil, B = subsoil, C = parent material).

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Typical Baymeade horizons (representative values)
Depth	Texture	pH	Clay	Sand	Organic matter
0–2 in (A)	Fine sand	5.5	4%	95%	0.75%
2–30 in (E/Bh)	Fine sand	5.5	2%	97%	0.75%
30–40 in (Bt)	Fine sandy loam	5.5	17%	69%	0.25%
40–80 in (C)	Loamy fine sand	5.5	6%	78%	0.25%

Representative values from the most extensive Baymeade map unit (Baymeade fine sand, 1 to 6 percent slopes, survey area NC019). Other map units of this series vary within the series range.

Stock photo for illustration, not a sample of this soil series. Credit on the Sources & method page.

What this means

What Baymeade soil means for gardens, lawns and septic systems

For gardens

Typical topsoil in Baymeade soils is strongly acidic: pH 5.5. 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.

Sandy topsoil covers 100% of mapped Baymeade acres. It drains fast and warms early in spring, but dries out and loses nutrients quickly: mulch, compost and steady watering help. The most common surface texture is fine sand (100% of mapped Baymeade acres).

100% of mapped Baymeade acres is moderately well to excessively drained, which suits most garden plants.

For lawns and yards

100% of mapped acres is in hydrologic group A, where water soaks in fast. Lawns there dry out quickly; deeper, less frequent watering and organic matter help.

For a septic system

For conventional septic absorption fields, NRCS rates 100% of the acres in mapped Baymeade soils very limited, 0% somewhat limited and 0% not 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.

Generated from the mapped numbers above using fixed rules, not a site visit. See how these notes are written.

Where Baymeade soil is found

Mapped acres

Baymeade is mapped in North Carolina.

Counties with the most mapped Baymeade soil
County	Acres	Share of county land
Brunswick County, NC	52,826	10.5%
Onslow County, NC	45,317	10.2%
Pender County, NC	9,591	1.9%
New Hanover County, NC	7,127	6.1%
Carteret County, NC	4,342	1.4%
Dare County, NC	1,732	0.7%
Pamlico County, NC	1,732	0.9%

Septic absorption fields

NRCS rating, share of Baymeade acres

Not limited 0%

Somewhat limited 0%

Very limited 100%

Septic tank absorption field rating across mapped Baymeade acres. Scale 0 to 100% of mapped land.

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Septic tank absorption field rating across mapped Baymeade acres.
Category	Share of acres
Not limited	0.0%
Somewhat limited	0.0%
Very limited	100.0%

Drainage, water table and flooding

Share of Baymeade acres

Depth to seasonal high water table: About 3.9 feet (47 in) (median where reported).
Flooding: Not mapped as flooding on most acres.
Slope: Typically 3–3% (median 3%).
Topsoil organic matter: Median 0.8%.

Drainage class

Excessively drained 0%

Somewhat excessively drained 0%

Well drained 100%

Moderately well drained 0%

Somewhat poorly drained 0%

Poorly drained 0%

Very poorly drained 0%

Drainage class across mapped Baymeade acres. Scale 0 to 100% of mapped land.

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Drainage class across mapped Baymeade acres.
Category	Share of acres
Excessively drained	0.0%
Somewhat excessively drained	0.0%
Well drained	100.0%
Moderately well drained	0.0%
Somewhat poorly drained	0.0%
Poorly drained	0.0%
Very poorly drained	0.0%

Hydrologic soil group

A: fast infiltration (mostly sandy or gravelly) 100%

B: moderate infiltration 0%

C: slow infiltration 0%

D: very slow infiltration (clayey, shallow or wet) 0%

A/D: D as is, A if drained 0%

B/D: D as is, B if drained 0%

C/D: D as is, C if drained 0%

Hydrologic soil group across mapped Baymeade acres. Scale 0 to 100% of mapped land.

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Hydrologic soil group across mapped Baymeade acres.
Category	Share of acres
A: fast infiltration (mostly sandy or gravelly)	100.0%
B: moderate infiltration	0.0%
C: slow infiltration	0.0%
D: very slow infiltration (clayey, shallow or wet)	0.0%
A/D: D as is, A if drained	0.0%
B/D: D as is, B if drained	0.0%
C/D: D as is, C if drained	0.0%

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: All map unit components named Baymeade (component kind "Series") in SSURGO: 122,667 acres.
Method: Shares are by mapped acres of Baymeade components. The profile comes from the single largest Baymeade component. Full methodology.

Independent reference site. No government affiliation or endorsement.

Full narrative description: USDA Official Soil Series Description for Baymeade.