Soil series profile

Thorndike soil series

Thorndike is a somewhat excessively drained soil with a channery silt loam surface, mapped on 539,290 acres in 8 counties in ME. Hydrologic group D.

#494 by mapped area loamy-skeletal Lithic Haplorthods (Spodosols)

Drainage class: Somewhat excessively drained
Hydrologic group: D
Typical topsoil pH: 4.3
Mapped area: 539k

Typical Thorndike 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 Thorndike horizons (representative values)
Depth	Texture	pH	Clay	Sand	Organic matter
0–3 in (Oa)	Highly decomposed plant material	Not reported	Not reported	Not reported	53%
3–5 in (E)	Channery silt loam	4.3	9%	40%	1.5%
5–18 in (Bs)	Very channery silt loam	5.4	9%	40%	2%
18–79 in (R)	Bedrock	Not reported	Not reported	Not reported	Not reported

Representative values from the most extensive Thorndike map unit (Thorndike channery silt loam, 8 to 15 percent slopes, rocky, survey area ME607). 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 Thorndike soil means for gardens, lawns and septic systems

For gardens

Typical topsoil in Thorndike soils is extremely acidic: pH 4.3 (most land between 4.3 and 5.2). 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 100% of mapped Thorndike acres: generally the easiest soil to garden, holding moisture without staying waterlogged. The most common surface texture is channery silt loam (57% of mapped Thorndike acres).

100% of mapped Thorndike 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 100% 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 100% of the acres in mapped Thorndike 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 Thorndike soil is found

Mapped acres

Thorndike is mapped in Maine.

Counties with the most mapped Thorndike soil
County	Acres	Share of county land
Aroostook County, ME	337,294	7.9%
Penobscot County, ME	111,681	5.2%
Somerset County, ME	50,888	2.0%
Piscataquis County, ME	22,571	0.9%
Waldo County, ME	15,617	3.3%
Franklin County, ME	1,107	0.1%
Hancock County, ME	133	0.0%
Kennebec County, ME	0	0.0%

Septic absorption fields

NRCS rating, share of Thorndike acres

Not limited 0%

Somewhat limited 0%

Very limited 100%

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

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

Drainage, water table and flooding

Share of Thorndike 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 3–20% (median 10%).
Topsoil organic matter: Median 1.5%.

Drainage class

Excessively drained 0%

Somewhat excessively drained 100%

Well drained 0%

Moderately well drained 0%

Somewhat poorly drained 0%

Poorly drained 0%

Very poorly drained 0%

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

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Drainage class across mapped Thorndike acres.
Category	Share of acres
Excessively drained	0.0%
Somewhat excessively drained	100.0%
Well drained	0.0%
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) 0%

B: moderate infiltration 0%

C: slow infiltration <1%

D: very slow infiltration (clayey, shallow or wet) >99%

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 Thorndike acres. Scale 0 to 100% of mapped land.

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Hydrologic soil group across mapped Thorndike acres.
Category	Share of acres
A: fast infiltration (mostly sandy or gravelly)	0.0%
B: moderate infiltration	0.0%
C: slow infiltration	0.4%
D: very slow infiltration (clayey, shallow or wet)	99.6%
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 Thorndike (component kind "Series") in SSURGO: 539,290 acres.
Method: Shares are by mapped acres of Thorndike components. The profile comes from the single largest Thorndike component. Full methodology.

Independent reference site. No government affiliation or endorsement.

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