Soil series profile
Lyman soil series
Lyman is a somewhat excessively drained soil with a loam surface, mapped on 1,566,762 acres in 52 counties across 5 states. Hydrologic group D.
- Drainage class
- Somewhat excessively drained >99% of mapped acres
- Hydrologic group
- D 98% of mapped acres
- Typical topsoil pH
- 4.0 extremely acidic · range 4.0–4.2
- Mapped area
- 1.6M acres in 52 counties, 5 states
Typical Lyman profile
Texture and pH by depth
Show as a table
| Depth | Texture | pH | Clay | Sand | Organic matter |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 0–1 in (Oe) | Moderately decomposed plant material | 3.5 | Not reported | Not reported | 85% |
| 1–3 in (A) | Loam | 4.0 | 7% | 52% | 7.6% |
| 3–5 in (E) | Fine sandy loam | 4.0 | 4% | 59% | 3.2% |
| 5–7 in (Bhs) | Loam | 4.0 | 7% | 52% | 10% |
| 7–11 in (Bs1) | Loam | 4.6 | 7% | 52% | 7% |
| 11–18 in (Bs2) | Channery loam | 4.8 | 7% | 52% | 3.6% |
| 18–28 in (R) | Bedrock | Not reported | Not reported | Not reported | Not reported |
What this means
What Lyman soil means for gardens, lawns and septic systems
For gardens
Typical topsoil in Lyman soils is extremely acidic: pH 4.0 (most land between 4.0 and 4.2). 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 99% of mapped Lyman acres: generally the easiest soil to garden, holding moisture without staying waterlogged. The most common surface texture is loam (76% of mapped Lyman acres).
>99% of mapped Lyman acres is excessively or somewhat excessively drained: water moves through fast, so gardens need more frequent watering in dry spells.
For lawns and yards
On 99% of mapped acres, 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.
For a septic system
For conventional septic absorption fields, NRCS rates 99% of the acres in mapped Lyman soils very limited, 0% somewhat limited and 0% not limited (2% not rated, such as urban land, pits or water).
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.
Where Lyman soil is found
Mapped acres
Lyman is mapped in Maine, New York, Vermont, New Hampshire and Massachusetts.
| County | Acres | Share of county land |
|---|---|---|
| Essex County, NY | 85,557 | 7.4% |
| Berkshire County, MA | 72,696 | 12.0% |
| York County, ME | 69,259 | 10.8% |
| Oxford County, ME | 68,165 | 5.3% |
| Hamilton County, NY | 66,611 | 6.1% |
| Grafton County, NH | 62,663 | 8.4% |
| Hancock County, ME | 61,245 | 6.2% |
| St. Lawrence County, NY | 60,055 | 3.5% |
| Kennebec County, ME | 58,231 | 10.5% |
| Coos County, NH | 50,402 | 5.5% |
| Chittenden County, VT | 50,067 | 14.6% |
| Lamoille County, VT | 46,123 | 15.7% |
| Lincoln County, ME | 45,233 | 15.8% |
| Waldo County, ME | 44,010 | 9.4% |
| Washington County, ME | 42,500 | 2.7% |
| Windsor County, VT | 41,035 | 6.6% |
| Washington County, VT | 38,559 | 8.8% |
| Cumberland County, ME | 36,339 | 6.4% |
| Merrimack County, NH | 34,522 | 5.8% |
| Knox County, ME | 34,283 | 14.6% |
| Cheshire County, NH | 34,247 | 7.6% |
| Franklin County, ME | 32,483 | 3.0% |
| Sagadahoc County, ME | 29,630 | 18.5% |
| Carroll County, NH | 28,482 | 6.5% |
| Essex County, VT | 27,423 | 6.4% |
| Windham County, VT | 26,429 | 5.2% |
| Sullivan County, NH | 26,150 | 7.6% |
| Herkimer County, NY | 21,031 | 2.3% |
| Hillsborough County, NH | 20,079 | 3.6% |
| Addison County, VT | 19,695 | 4.0% |
| Androscoggin County, ME | 19,658 | 6.5% |
| Belknap County, NH | 18,735 | 7.2% |
| Franklin County, NY | 17,830 | 1.7% |
| Orleans County, VT | 17,676 | 4.0% |
| Hampshire County, MA | 15,765 | 4.5% |
| Lewis County, NY | 15,487 | 1.9% |
| Somerset County, ME | 15,261 | 0.6% |
| Piscataquis County, ME | 14,742 | 0.6% |
| Hampden County, MA | 12,039 | 3.1% |
| Worcester County, MA | 11,570 | 1.2% |
| Fulton County, NY | 10,490 | 3.3% |
| Rutland County, VT | 9,487 | 1.6% |
| Penobscot County, ME | 9,480 | 0.4% |
| Warren County, NY | 9,441 | 1.7% |
| Clinton County, NY | 9,095 | 1.4% |
| Saratoga County, NY | 7,412 | 1.4% |
| Caledonia County, VT | 6,378 | 1.5% |
| Franklin County, MA | 5,762 | 1.3% |
| Bennington County, VT | 5,617 | 1.3% |
| Franklin County, VT | 811 | 0.2% |
| Jefferson County, NY | 535 | 0.1% |
| Oneida County, NY | 290 | 0.0% |
Septic absorption fields
NRCS rating, share of Lyman acres
Show as a table
| Category | Share of acres |
|---|---|
| Not limited | 0.0% |
| Somewhat limited | 0.0% |
| Very limited | 98.5% |
| Not rated | 1.5% |
Drainage, water table and flooding
Share of Lyman acres
- Depth to seasonal high water table
- About 5.9 feet (71 in) (median where reported).
- Flooding
- Not mapped as flooding on most acres.
- Slope
- Typically 8–45% (median 20%).
- Topsoil organic matter
- Median 7.6%.
Drainage class
Show as a table
| Category | Share of acres |
|---|---|
| Excessively drained | 0.0% |
| Somewhat excessively drained | 99.7% |
| Well drained | 0.0% |
| Moderately well drained | 0.0% |
| Somewhat poorly drained | 0.0% |
| Poorly drained | 0.0% |
| Very poorly drained | 0.0% |
| Not rated | 0.3% |
Hydrologic soil group
Show as a table
| Category | Share of acres |
|---|---|
| A: fast infiltration (mostly sandy or gravelly) | 0.0% |
| B: moderate infiltration | 0.0% |
| C: slow infiltration | 0.0% |
| D: very slow infiltration (clayey, shallow or wet) | 98.1% |
| 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 | 0.6% |
| Not rated | 1.3% |
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
- All map unit components named Lyman (component kind "Series") in SSURGO: 1,566,762 acres.
- Method
- Shares are by mapped acres of Lyman components. The profile comes from the single largest Lyman component. Full methodology.