Soil series profile
Monadnock soil series
Monadnock is a well drained soil with a fine sandy loam surface, mapped on 923,859 acres in 44 counties across 5 states. Hydrologic group B.
- Drainage class
- Well drained >99% of mapped acres
- Hydrologic group
- B 64% of mapped acres
- Typical topsoil pH
- 4.3 extremely acidic · range 4.3–5.0
- Mapped area
- 924k acres in 44 counties, 5 states
Typical Monadnock profile
Texture and pH by depth
Show as a table
| Depth | Texture | pH | Clay | Sand | Organic matter |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 0–3 in (Oe) | Moderately decomposed plant material | 4.8 | Not reported | Not reported | 85% |
| 3–8 in (E) | Fine sandy loam | 4.3 | 3% | 62% | 2.3% |
| 8–10 in (Bs1) | Fine sandy loam | 4.4 | 3% | 62% | 4% |
| 10–12 in (Bs2) | Fine sandy loam | 4.5 | 3% | 62% | 4% |
| 12–22 in (Bs3) | Gravelly fine sandy loam | 4.5 | 3% | 62% | 1.6% |
| 22–25 in (BC) | Gravelly fine sandy loam | 4.5 | 3% | 62% | 1% |
| 25–45 in (2C1) | Gravelly loamy sand | 4.6 | 0% | 79% | 0.2% |
| 45–65 in (2C2) | Gravelly loamy sand | 4.8 | 0% | 79% | 0.2% |
What this means
What Monadnock soil means for gardens, lawns and septic systems
For gardens
Typical topsoil in Monadnock soils is extremely acidic: pH 4.3 (most land between 4.3 and 5.0). 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 98% of mapped Monadnock acres: generally the easiest soil to garden, holding moisture without staying waterlogged. The most common surface texture is fine sandy loam (96% of mapped Monadnock acres).
>99% of mapped Monadnock acres is moderately well to excessively drained, which suits most garden plants.
For lawns and yards
34% 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 98% of the acres in mapped Monadnock 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 Monadnock soil is found
Mapped acres
Monadnock is mapped in New York, New Hampshire, Maine, Vermont and Massachusetts.
| County | Acres | Share of county land |
|---|---|---|
| Essex County, NY | 107,640 | 9.4% |
| Oxford County, ME | 103,315 | 8.1% |
| Franklin County, NY | 78,925 | 7.6% |
| Hillsborough County, NH | 68,135 | 12.2% |
| Sullivan County, NH | 66,232 | 19.3% |
| Hamilton County, NY | 49,229 | 4.5% |
| Grafton County, NH | 43,997 | 5.9% |
| Hancock County, ME | 43,785 | 4.4% |
| Herkimer County, NY | 42,486 | 4.7% |
| Clinton County, NY | 35,686 | 5.4% |
| Cheshire County, NH | 29,742 | 6.6% |
| Coos County, NH | 29,423 | 3.2% |
| Piscataquis County, ME | 25,648 | 1.0% |
| Lewis County, NY | 24,203 | 3.0% |
| Carroll County, NH | 22,085 | 5.0% |
| Caledonia County, VT | 20,412 | 4.9% |
| Washington County, ME | 16,800 | 1.1% |
| Franklin County, ME | 14,282 | 1.3% |
| Windham County, VT | 12,053 | 2.4% |
| Merrimack County, NH | 9,339 | 1.6% |
| Orleans County, VT | 7,629 | 1.7% |
| Cumberland County, ME | 7,119 | 1.3% |
| Penobscot County, ME | 6,951 | 0.3% |
| Windsor County, VT | 6,946 | 1.1% |
| Belknap County, NH | 6,901 | 2.7% |
| Worcester County, MA | 6,622 | 0.7% |
| Fulton County, NY | 6,512 | 2.1% |
| York County, ME | 6,482 | 1.0% |
| Essex County, VT | 4,346 | 1.0% |
| Bennington County, VT | 4,146 | 1.0% |
| Saratoga County, NY | 4,034 | 0.8% |
| St. Lawrence County, NY | 3,661 | 0.2% |
| Somerset County, ME | 2,870 | 0.1% |
| Berkshire County, MA | 2,710 | 0.4% |
| Rutland County, VT | 771 | 0.1% |
| Oneida County, NY | 736 | 0.1% |
| Hampden County, MA | 439 | 0.1% |
| Lincoln County, ME | 354 | 0.1% |
| Hampshire County, MA | 349 | 0.1% |
| Franklin County, MA | 281 | 0.1% |
| Waldo County, ME | 253 | 0.1% |
| Chittenden County, VT | 152 | 0.0% |
| Lamoille County, VT | 103 | 0.0% |
| Knox County, ME | 73 | 0.0% |
Septic absorption fields
NRCS rating, share of Monadnock acres
Show as a table
| Category | Share of acres |
|---|---|
| Not limited | 0.0% |
| Somewhat limited | 0.0% |
| Very limited | 97.6% |
| Not rated | 2.4% |
Drainage, water table and flooding
Share of Monadnock 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 8–30% (median 12%).
- Topsoil organic matter
- Median 2.3%.
Drainage class
Show as a table
| Category | Share of acres |
|---|---|
| Excessively drained | 0.0% |
| Somewhat excessively drained | 0.0% |
| Well drained | 99.6% |
| Moderately well drained | 0.0% |
| Somewhat poorly drained | 0.0% |
| Poorly drained | 0.0% |
| Very poorly drained | 0.0% |
| Not rated | 0.4% |
Hydrologic soil group
Show as a table
| Category | Share of acres |
|---|---|
| A: fast infiltration (mostly sandy or gravelly) | 33.9% |
| B: moderate infiltration | 63.7% |
| 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% |
| Not rated | 2.4% |
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
- All map unit components named Monadnock (component kind "Series") in SSURGO: 923,859 acres.
- Method
- Shares are by mapped acres of Monadnock components. The profile comes from the single largest Monadnock component. Full methodology.