Soil series profile
Menfro soil series
Menfro is a well drained soil with a silt loam surface, mapped on 1,235,264 acres in 59 counties across 3 states. Hydrologic group C.
- Drainage class
- Well drained 100% of mapped acres
- Hydrologic group
- C 57% of mapped acres
- Typical topsoil pH
- 5.5 strongly acidic · range 5.5–6.5
- Mapped area
- 1.2M acres in 59 counties, 3 states
Typical Menfro profile
Texture and pH by depth
Show as a table
| Depth | Texture | pH | Clay | Sand | Organic matter |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 0–7 in (Ap) | Silt loam | 6.5 | 15% | 7% | 2.4% |
| 7–11 in (BE) | Silt loam | 6.8 | 23% | 5% | 1.2% |
| 11–33 in (Bt1) | Silty clay loam | 6.7 | 34% | 4% | 0.6% |
| 33–60 in (Bt2) | Silty clay loam | 6.4 | 30% | 3% | 0.3% |
What this means
What Menfro soil means for gardens, lawns and septic systems
For gardens
Typical topsoil in Menfro soils is strongly acidic: pH 5.5 (most land between 5.5 and 6.5). 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.
Loamy topsoil (loam, silt loam and similar) covers 100% of mapped Menfro acres: generally the easiest soil to garden, holding moisture without staying waterlogged. The most common surface texture is silt loam (98% of mapped Menfro acres).
100% of mapped Menfro acres is moderately well to excessively drained, which suits most garden plants.
For lawns and yards
On 57% 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 63% of the acres in mapped Menfro soils very limited, 37% 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.
Where Menfro soil is found
Mapped acres
Menfro is mapped in Missouri, Illinois and Kentucky.
| County | Acres | Share of county land |
|---|---|---|
| Cape Girardeau County, MO | 169,651 | 46.4% |
| Perry County, MO | 121,620 | 40.2% |
| Pike County, IL | 78,951 | 16.0% |
| Union County, IL | 66,236 | 27.6% |
| Jackson County, IL | 63,904 | 18.1% |
| Randolph County, IL | 50,509 | 14.1% |
| St. Louis County, MO | 47,270 | 13.0% |
| Monroe County, IL | 43,874 | 18.2% |
| Franklin County, MO | 42,961 | 7.4% |
| St. Clair County, IL | 42,921 | 10.7% |
| Lincoln County, MO | 37,758 | 9.4% |
| Pike County, MO | 37,591 | 8.8% |
| Ste. Genevieve County, MO | 34,673 | 10.8% |
| Marion County, MO | 33,590 | 12.0% |
| Madison County, IL | 33,458 | 7.5% |
| Cooper County, MO | 31,993 | 8.9% |
| St. Charles County, MO | 26,773 | 7.5% |
| Boone County, MO | 26,007 | 5.9% |
| Howard County, MO | 24,135 | 8.1% |
| Osage County, MO | 21,704 | 5.6% |
| Pulaski County, IL | 20,653 | 17.5% |
| Ralls County, MO | 19,872 | 6.6% |
| Saline County, MO | 16,428 | 3.4% |
| Adams County, IL | 15,993 | 3.1% |
| Jackson County, MO | 14,215 | 3.7% |
| Calhoun County, IL | 14,209 | 9.6% |
| Jefferson County, MO | 13,667 | 3.3% |
| Warren County, MO | 13,414 | 4.9% |
| Gasconade County, MO | 11,508 | 3.5% |
| Alexander County, IL | 10,368 | 7.5% |
| Crawford County, IL | 8,706 | 3.1% |
| Chariton County, MO | 7,591 | 1.6% |
| Jersey County, IL | 7,035 | 3.0% |
| Cole County, MO | 5,915 | 2.4% |
| Callaway County, MO | 4,325 | 0.8% |
| Union County, KY | 3,176 | 1.5% |
| Montgomery County, MO | 2,020 | 0.6% |
| Henderson County, KY | 1,517 | 0.5% |
| Daviess County, KY | 1,502 | 0.5% |
| Lewis County, MO | 1,299 | 0.4% |
| Clark County, IL | 1,114 | 0.4% |
| Johnson County, IL | 1,114 | 0.6% |
| Moniteau County, MO | 842 | 0.3% |
| Washington County, IL | 824 | 0.2% |
| Webster County, KY | 558 | 0.3% |
| Crittenden County, KY | 480 | 0.2% |
| Hancock County, IL | 426 | 0.1% |
| Hancock County, KY | 251 | 0.2% |
| Livingston County, KY | 237 | 0.1% |
| McLean County, KY | 105 | 0.1% |
| Henry County, MO | 100 | 0.0% |
| Monroe County, MO | 93 | 0.0% |
| Pettis County, MO | 42 | 0.0% |
| Williamson County, IL | 29 | 0.0% |
| Meade County, KY | 24 | 0.0% |
| Breckinridge County, KY | 22 | 0.0% |
| Lafayette County, MO | 7 | 0.0% |
| Johnson County, MO | 4 | 0.0% |
| St. Francois County, MO | 0 | 0.0% |
Septic absorption fields
NRCS rating, share of Menfro acres
Show as a table
| Category | Share of acres |
|---|---|
| Not limited | 0.0% |
| Somewhat limited | 36.9% |
| Very limited | 63.1% |
Drainage, water table and flooding
Share of Menfro acres
- Depth to seasonal high water table
- None reported within about 6.5 feet (median where reported).
- Flooding
- Not mapped as flooding on most acres.
- Slope
- Typically 4–30% (median 12%).
- Topsoil organic matter
- Median 3.5%.
Drainage class
Show as a table
| 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
Show as a table
| Category | Share of acres |
|---|---|
| A: fast infiltration (mostly sandy or gravelly) | 0.0% |
| B: moderate infiltration | 42.8% |
| C: slow infiltration | 57.2% |
| 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 Menfro (component kind "Series") in SSURGO: 1,235,264 acres.
- Method
- Shares are by mapped acres of Menfro components. The profile comes from the single largest Menfro component. Full methodology.