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Hydrologic Soil GroupsWeb graphic: Hydrologic soil group boundaries displayed on a map

This webpage contains the current hydrologic soil group data for map units in all Soil Survey Geographic Database (SSURGO) survey areas in New York. The data is organized alphabetically by survey area name, and by map unit symbol within each survey area.

New! View or download updated Hydrologic Soil Groups lists.

Updates to the official SSURGO soil survey data are now posted only once per year, on October 1. We plan to post an updated version of this hydrologic soil group spreadsheet each year, soon after October 1, in order to capture any recent changes to hydrologic soil group data in New York.

Note that in map units with more than one named (major) component, more than one row is displayed in the spreadsheet. This is because hydrologic soil group is assigned at the component level. Typically, the first component in the map unit name makes up the highest percentage of the map unit.Web link graphic: Field Office Technical Guide

Other sources for current hydrologic soil group data:

  • Field Office Technical Guide (FOTG) Section 2 / Soil Information
    • Separate tables for each countyWeb link graphic: Soil Data Mart
       
  • Soil Data Mart and Soil Survey Geographic (SSURGO) Database (in Service Center F Drive / geodata / SOILS / survey area / soil_nyxxx / tabular)
    • Revised Universal Soil Loss Equation, Version 2 (RUSLE2) Related Attributes’ report
       
  • Web Soil Survey and Soil Data Viewer Web link graphic: Web Soil Survey
    • Soil Properties and Qualities tab / Soil Qualities and Features

Hydrologic Soil Groups (HSG) for soils in New York have been updated in the SSURGO data. The updates were done so that the data is consistent with the current criteria for determining group assignments, as defined in the National Engineering Handbook, Part 630, Chapter 7.

Please note that the HSG for each soil is now calculated directly from the properties specific to that component, within a particular survey area. For some soils, the range of possible values for a property may overlap the separation between one HSG and another. This means that a soil in one county may be in a different group than a soil of the same name in another county. To be certain that current data is being used, hydrologic soil group information should be obtained from the current SSURGO soil data, not from outdated lists.

Major changes to hydrologic soil group data in New York:

  • More soils in group D. The range of depth to seasonal high water table for group D is greater than was previously used in New York, so more soils are in this group.
     
  • More soils in dual groups. For soils in groups A/D, B/D, or C/D, the first letter applies to the drained condition and the second applies to the undrained condition. Which single group to use may depend on the area in question. For example, on a watershed basis, group D would likely be the best choice. On the other hand, for a specific site or field, the appropriate choice of hydrologic soil group would depend on whether or not the site has been drained.

Reference: National Engineering Handbook, Part 630 Hydrology, Chapter 7 Hydrologic Soil Group. January 2009.

Contact Information

Amy Langner, Resource Soil Scientist
Marcy, New York
Telephone: 315-736-3316
E-mail: Amy Langner

Olga Vargas, Resource Soil Scientist
Greenwich, New York
Telephone: 518-692-9940
E-mail: Olga Vargas

Steve Sprecher, Resource Soil Scientist
Geneseo, New York
Telephone: 585-243-0043
E-mail: Steve Sprecher

If you encounter problems with this Web page, please contact the Webmaster at 315-477-6524.

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