Soil series profile

Sheppard soil series

Sheppard is a excessively drained soil with a loamy sand surface, mapped on 1,432,467 acres in 17 counties across 4 states. Hydrologic group A.

#86 by mapped area Typic Torripsamments (Entisols)

Drainage class: Excessively drained
Hydrologic group: A
Typical topsoil pH: 8.0
Mapped area: 1.4M

Typical Sheppard 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 Sheppard horizons (representative values)
Depth	Texture	pH	Clay	Sand	Organic matter
0–2 in (H1)	Loamy sand	7.9	7%	84%	0.75%
2–84 in (H2)	Loamy sand	7.9	6%	78%	0.25%

Representative values from the most extensive Sheppard map unit (Sheppard-Monue complex, 1 to 8 percent slopes, survey area AZ714). 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 Sheppard soil means for gardens, lawns and septic systems

For gardens

Typical topsoil in Sheppard soils is moderately alkaline: pH 8.0 (most land between 7.6 and 8.2). Acid-loving plants such as blueberries and azaleas struggle without amended beds, and some trees and shrubs show iron chlorosis (yellow leaves with green veins).

Sandy topsoil covers 97% of mapped Sheppard 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 loamy fine sand (30% of mapped Sheppard acres).

97% of mapped Sheppard acres is excessively or somewhat excessively drained: water moves through fast, so gardens need more frequent watering in dry spells.

For lawns and yards

97% 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 66% of the acres in mapped Sheppard soils very limited, 7% somewhat limited and 25% not limited (3% 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.

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

Where Sheppard soil is found

Mapped acres

Sheppard is mapped in Arizona, New Mexico, Utah and Colorado.

Counties with the most mapped Sheppard soil
County	Acres	Share of county land
Coconino County, AZ	358,298	3.1%
Apache County, AZ	292,879	4.4%
Navajo County, AZ	231,312	4.0%
San Juan County, NM	223,288	6.2%
San Juan County, UT	129,900	2.7%
Wayne County, UT	74,941	5.1%
Sandoval County, NM	40,588	2.0%
Kane County, UT	35,437	1.4%
Garfield County, UT	19,475	1.0%
Cibola County, NM	9,670	0.4%
Grand County, UT	4,898	0.2%
Mohave County, AZ	3,786	0.0%
Valencia County, NM	2,139	0.3%
Moffat County, CO	2,089	0.1%
Mesa County, CO	2,073	0.1%
Montezuma County, CO	1,530	0.1%
Emery County, UT	163	0.0%

Septic absorption fields

NRCS rating, share of Sheppard acres

Not limited 25%

Somewhat limited 7%

Very limited 66%

Not rated 3%

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

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Septic tank absorption field rating across mapped Sheppard acres.
Category	Share of acres
Not limited	24.9%
Somewhat limited	6.6%
Very limited	66.0%
Not rated	2.6%

Drainage, water table and flooding

Share of Sheppard 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 4–11% (median 6%).
Topsoil organic matter: Median 0.3%.

Drainage class

Excessively drained 54%

Somewhat excessively drained 43%

Well drained 0%

Moderately well drained 0%

Somewhat poorly drained 0%

Poorly drained 0%

Very poorly drained 0%

Not rated 3%

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

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Drainage class across mapped Sheppard acres.
Category	Share of acres
Excessively drained	54.3%
Somewhat excessively drained	43.1%
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	2.6%

Hydrologic soil group

A: fast infiltration (mostly sandy or gravelly) 97%

B: moderate infiltration <1%

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%

Not rated 3%

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

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Hydrologic soil group across mapped Sheppard acres.
Category	Share of acres
A: fast infiltration (mostly sandy or gravelly)	97.4%
B: moderate infiltration	0.1%
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	2.6%

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 Sheppard (component kind "Series") in SSURGO: 1,432,467 acres.
Method: Shares are by mapped acres of Sheppard components. The profile comes from the single largest Sheppard component. Full methodology.

Independent reference site. No government affiliation or endorsement.

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