County soil summary
Soil types in Montgomery County, Alabama
The most widespread soils are Sumter, Boswell and Oktibbeha; the most common drainage class is moderately well drained (29% of the land), and typical topsoil pH is 5.3.
- Well or moderately well drained
- 60% of land · state 81%
- Typical topsoil pH
- 5.3 strongly acidic · state 5.0
- Septic fields very limited
- 95% of land · state 79%
- Subject to flooding
- 34% of land, any frequency · state 19%
Most common soils in Montgomery County
Share of mapped land
A county is a patchwork of many soils. These 8 cover 48% of the mapped land; 61 named soil series are mapped here in all.
| Soil | Share of land | Drainage | Topsoil pH |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sumter | 10.5% | Well drained | 7.5 |
| Boswell | 9.6% | Moderately well drained | 5.0 |
| Oktibbeha | 8.1% | Moderately well drained | 5.5 |
| Vaiden | 4.5% | Somewhat poorly drained | 5.5 |
| Una | 4.2% | Poorly drained | 5.0 |
| Leeper | 4.1% | Somewhat poorly drained | 7.5 |
| Mantachie | 3.7% | Somewhat poorly drained | 5.0 |
| Tuscumbia | 3.5% | Poorly drained | 6.8 |
What this means
What the soils in Montgomery County mean for gardens, lawns and septic systems
For your garden
Typical topsoil in Montgomery County is strongly acidic: pH 5.3 (most land between 4.6 and 7.5). 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 66% of the land: generally the easiest soil to garden, holding moisture without staying waterlogged. The most common surface texture is fine sandy loam (25% of the land).
For your lawn and yard
On 87% of the land, 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.
A seasonal high water table comes within 18 inches of the surface on 40% of the land, often in spring. Basements, sump pumps and lawns in low spots feel it first.
For a septic system
For conventional septic absorption fields, NRCS rates 95% of the land in Montgomery County very limited, 5% somewhat limited and <1% not limited.
Statewide, 79% of the land is very limited, so Montgomery County is more restrictive than typical.
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.
Flooding is mapped on 34% of the land (9% occasional, 21% frequent).
Only a licensed site evaluation or perc test at the actual lot decides whether a system is allowed and which design.
Drainage
How long the soil stays wet
The most common drainage class is moderately well drained (29%). 60% of the land is moderately well drained or better, compared with 81% across Alabama.
Show as a table
| Category | Montgomery County | Alabama |
|---|---|---|
| Excessively drained | 0.7% | 0.8% |
| Somewhat excessively drained | 2.2% | 5.9% |
| Well drained | 27.8% | 60.7% |
| Moderately well drained | 28.9% | 13.8% |
| Somewhat poorly drained | 23.4% | 8.3% |
| Poorly drained | 16.3% | 8.2% |
| Very poorly drained | 0.0% | 1.3% |
| Not rated | 0.7% | 1.0% |
Septic absorption fields
NRCS rating for conventional drain fields
The rating looks at the soil from 24 to 60 inches deep: permeability, depth to a seasonal water table or bedrock, flooding and slope. “Very limited” means at least one feature is unfavorable enough that a conventional field is hard to make work.
Show as a table
| Category | Montgomery County | Alabama |
|---|---|---|
| Not limited | 0.9% | 2.9% |
| Somewhat limited | 4.5% | 17.6% |
| Very limited | 94.5% | 78.5% |
| Not rated | 0.1% | 0.9% |
Rain, runoff and water table
Hydrologic soil group, flooding, seasonal water table
Hydrologic soil group
How fast rain soaks in when the soil is already wet. Group A soaks in fastest, D slowest.
Show as a table
| Category | Montgomery County | Alabama |
|---|---|---|
| A: fast infiltration (mostly sandy or gravelly) | 4.2% | 13.1% |
| B: moderate infiltration | 5.4% | 27.4% |
| C: slow infiltration | 14.4% | 20.8% |
| D: very slow infiltration (clayey, shallow or wet) | 52.1% | 20.1% |
| A/D: D as is, A if drained | 1.0% | 1.8% |
| B/D: D as is, B if drained | 13.2% | 8.0% |
| C/D: D as is, C if drained | 6.3% | 7.5% |
| Not rated | 3.3% | 1.2% |
Flooding
Show as a table
| Category | Montgomery County | Alabama |
|---|---|---|
| No flooding | 64.3% | 80.7% |
| Rare or very rare | 4.0% | 1.9% |
| Occasional | 9.2% | 4.8% |
| Frequent or very frequent | 21.0% | 12.2% |
| Not reported | 1.5% | 0.4% |
Seasonal high water table
Show as a table
| Category | Montgomery County | Alabama |
|---|---|---|
| Within 18 inches at some time of year | 39.6% | 19.8% |
| 18 inches to 3.3 feet | 9.9% | 8.3% |
| Deeper than 3.3 feet or none reported | 50.5% | 71.6% |
| Not reported | 0.0% | 0.4% |
Topsoil pH and texture
First mineral layer of each soil
Typical topsoil pH is 5.3 (strongly acidic); 80% of rated land falls between 4.6 and 7.5. Median topsoil organic matter is 2%.
Show as a table
| Category | Montgomery County | Alabama |
|---|---|---|
| Strongly acidic (below 5.5) | 51.3% | 76.2% |
| Moderately to slightly acidic (5.5–6.4) | 21.5% | 17.1% |
| Near neutral (6.5–7.3) | 10.4% | 2.8% |
| Alkaline (7.4 and up) | 16.0% | 2.4% |
| Not reported | 0.7% | 1.5% |
Texture
Show as a table
| Category | Montgomery County | Alabama |
|---|---|---|
| Sandy | 4.6% | 16.5% |
| Loamy (loam, silt loam and similar) | 66.0% | 77.7% |
| Clayey (40%+ clay) | 28.6% | 3.9% |
| Organic (muck or peat) | 0.0% | 0.8% |
| Not reported (rock, urban land, etc.) | 0.7% | 1.1% |
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
- Montgomery County, Alabama (FIPS 01101): 441,505 acres of mapped land, 4,068 acres of open water excluded. State comparisons pool all mapped land in Alabama.
- Method
- Shares are by mapped land area: each map unit’s acres in the county times each soil component’s percentage. Open water is excluded. Topsoil values use the first mineral horizon of each component. Full methodology.