A comprehensive program to describe, classify, map, and interpret Ohio's soils began in 1899. The program has involved cooperation between the United States Department of AgricultureSoil Conservation Service (now the Natural Resources Conservation Service), together with state agencies and The Ohio State University. Soil survey information is available for all 88 Ohio counties. Each soil is described in terms of sequences of layers, called horizons, that have developed through time from a variety of parent materials, under the influence of climate, living organisms, and the position of the soil on the landscape. Each soil horizon and each integrated soil profile presents a unique set of conditions for effluent treatment.
For planning purposes, each county soil survey contains a table listing the acreage and proportionate extent of the soils in that county. All 88 tables were reviewed to determine the extent of each soil category by county. These figures are presented by county in Appendix 1.
Remember, statewide only 6.4% of the land area is suited for soil absorption systems using traditional leach lines. This amounts to about 1,680,020 acres of land. Soil series suited for mound systems are present in 25.4% of Ohio's land area accounting for 6,667,579 acres of land. Soil absorption systems and mound systems are important tools in enabling homes to be built beyond the reach of sewer systems while still protecting the public health and the environment. Care in evaluating sites must be practiced to ensure that ground and surface waters are not contaminated and that untreated sewage does not surface in yards or seep into ditches.
Soil maps, while important useful tools, do not guarantee the presence of the soil series mapped at every spot identified. Soil maps indicate the predominant soil type in an area. Small inclusions of contrasting soils are often present within mapping units. Also many soils throughout Ohio have been disturbed and eroded. Individual site assessment to determine suitability is always necessary before designing and constructing a soil absorption system or mound.
Ohio soils well-suited for traditional leach lines are rare and valuable, because of their ability to easily and inexpensively renovate sewage to protect ground and surface water. These deep, well-drained soils are also valuable agricultural soils and are well suited for construction projects. The most highly settled areas of Ohio also have the largest acreages of deep, well-drained soils. Much of this soil has already been disturbed. The remaining areas should be identified and protected from damage caused by construction, excavation, or filling. It has taken natural processes thousands of years to create these soils. They can be quickly destroyed if not recognized and protected.
As Ohio communities begin to plan for the future, they need to consider how best to provide sewage treatment services. Through careful use of soil-based sewage treatment and disposal systems, homes can be constructed in rural Ohio while still protecting the public health and Ohio's valuable water resources.