Soils & Soil Health
Explore below for a brief history of Lorain County soils and links for information on soil conservation and health. Please contact our office with any questions at 440-326-5800
"Out of the long list of nature's gifts to man, none is perhaps so utterly essential to human life as soil"
__Hugh Hammond Bennett__
Soil History of Lorain County
Lorain County is divided into two physiographic areas. The northern third of the county is a lake plain, and the southern two-thirds is a till plain. The lake plain is characterized by level or nearly level expanses broken by sand ridges, by high areas underlain by sandstone or shale bedrock, and by breaks along rivers and streams. The till plain is characterized by large, nearly level to gently rolling areas underlain by silty clay loam to clay loam glacial till, by sandstone or shale bedrock highs, and by breaks along rivers and streams.
The entire county was covered by the Late Wisconsin Glacier.
There are six soil associations in Lorain County:
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Mahoning-Trumbull-Ellsworth association: deep, nearly level to moderately steep, mainly somewhat poorly drained in the till plain.
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Orrville-Lobdell-Chagrin association: deep, nearly level, somewhat poorly drained to well drained soils on bottomlands.
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Fitchville-Luray-Sebring association: deep, nearly level, somewhat poorly drained to very poorly drained soils on the lake plain.
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Allis-Mitiwanage-Miner, shale substratum, association: moderately deep and deep, nearly level to gently sloping, somewhat poorly drained to very poorly drained soils underlain by bedrock at a depth of 2 to 5 feet; on uplands.
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Haskins-Jimtown-Oshtemo association: deep, somewhat poorly drained and well drained, nearly level to gently sloping soils on beach ridges, outwash plains, and stream terraces.
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Mahoning-Miner association: deep, nearly level to gently sloping, somewhat poorly drained and very poorly drained soil on the till plain and the lake plain.
This information can be found in the Lorain County Soil Survey Book at the Lorain Soil & Water Conservation District office.
Lorain County Soil Survey – free while supplies last
Lorain County Soil Survey on CD - $10.00 (if mailed, additional $3.00)
Lorain County Soil Maps – free while supplies last
Soil Health
This website focusus on soil health and is designed to help visitors understand the basics and benefits of soil health and to learn about Soil Health Management Systems from farmers who are using those systems.
Soil Testing
Soil testing is administered through Lorain County OSU Extension, located in the same building as us. Please call 440-326-5851 for questions regarding soil testing.
Click Here for information on soil testing for Ohio lawns, landscapes, fruit crops, and vegetable gardens
NRCS Web Soil Survey
Soil surveys can be used for general farm, local, and wider area planning. Onsite investigation is needed in some cases, such as soil quality assessments and certain conservation and engineering applications.
