County soil summary
Soil types in Chatham County, Georgia
The most widespread soils are Cape Fear, Ogeechee and Ocilla; the most common drainage class is very poorly drained (26% of the land), and typical topsoil pH is 5.0.
- Well or moderately well drained
- 9% of land · state 69%
- Typical topsoil pH
- 5.0 very strongly acidic · state 5.3
- Septic fields very limited
- 68% of land · state 68%
- Subject to flooding
- 40% of land, any frequency · state 19%
Most common soils in Chatham County
Share of mapped land
A county is a patchwork of many soils. These 8 cover 74% of the mapped land; 29 named soil series are mapped here in all.
| Soil | Share of land | Drainage | Topsoil pH |
|---|---|---|---|
| Urban landLand type, not a soil series | 30.7% | — | — |
| Cape Fear | 8.7% | Very poorly drained | 5.5 |
| Ogeechee | 8.0% | Poorly drained | 5.0 |
| Ocilla | 7.0% | Somewhat poorly drained | 5.0 |
| Ellabelle | 6.8% | Very poorly drained | 5.0 |
| Chipley | 4.6% | Somewhat poorly drained | 4.8 |
| Pelham | 4.1% | Poorly drained | 4.7 |
| Bohicket | 4.1% | Very poorly drained | 7.3 |
What this means
What the soils in Chatham County mean for gardens, lawns and septic systems
For your garden
Typical topsoil in Chatham County is very strongly acidic: pH 5.0 (most land between 4.6 and 7.2). 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.
Sandy topsoil covers 44% of the land. It drains fast and warms early in spring, but dries out and loses nutrients quickly: mulch, compost and steady watering help. The most common surface texture is loamy fine sand (16% of the land).
58% of the land is somewhat poorly to very poorly drained, so soil stays soggy for long spells after rain and in wet seasons. Raised beds, plants that tolerate wet feet, and not working the soil while wet all help.
For your lawn and yard
On 59% 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 48% 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 68% of the land in Chatham County very limited, 0% somewhat limited and 0% not limited (32% not rated, such as urban land, pits or water).
That is close to the state as a whole (68% very 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.
Flooding is mapped on 40% of the land (<1% occasional, 31% 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 very poorly drained (26%). 9% of the land is moderately well drained or better, compared with 69% across Georgia.
Show as a table
| Category | Chatham County | Georgia |
|---|---|---|
| Excessively drained | 4.1% | 2.1% |
| Somewhat excessively drained | 0.0% | 3.0% |
| Well drained | 0.0% | 58.8% |
| Moderately well drained | 5.2% | 4.7% |
| Somewhat poorly drained | 11.5% | 7.4% |
| Poorly drained | 21.3% | 16.5% |
| Very poorly drained | 25.5% | 5.9% |
| Not rated | 32.4% | 1.5% |
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 | Chatham County | Georgia |
|---|---|---|
| Not limited | 0.0% | 0.3% |
| Somewhat limited | 0.0% | 30.3% |
| Very limited | 67.6% | 68.0% |
| Not rated | 32.4% | 1.5% |
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 | Chatham County | Georgia |
|---|---|---|
| A: fast infiltration (mostly sandy or gravelly) | 8.6% | 10.5% |
| B: moderate infiltration | 0.0% | 44.5% |
| C: slow infiltration | 2.2% | 10.9% |
| D: very slow infiltration (clayey, shallow or wet) | 7.7% | 6.8% |
| A/D: D as is, A if drained | 4.9% | 7.4% |
| B/D: D as is, B if drained | 27.0% | 12.4% |
| C/D: D as is, C if drained | 17.2% | 5.9% |
| Not rated | 32.4% | 1.5% |
Flooding
Show as a table
| Category | Chatham County | Georgia |
|---|---|---|
| No flooding | 55.8% | 80.5% |
| Rare or very rare | 8.7% | 1.2% |
| Occasional | 0.3% | 4.7% |
| Frequent or very frequent | 30.6% | 12.7% |
| Not reported | 4.6% | 0.9% |
Seasonal high water table
Show as a table
| Category | Chatham County | Georgia |
|---|---|---|
| Within 18 inches at some time of year | 48.2% | 25.4% |
| 18 inches to 3.3 feet | 15.2% | 8.6% |
| Deeper than 3.3 feet or none reported | 36.5% | 65.6% |
| Not reported | 0.0% | 0.4% |
Topsoil pH and texture
First mineral layer of each soil
Typical topsoil pH is 5.0 (very strongly acidic); 80% of rated land falls between 4.6 and 7.2. Median topsoil organic matter is 3%.
Show as a table
| Category | Chatham County | Georgia |
|---|---|---|
| Strongly acidic (below 5.5) | 48.1% | 56.5% |
| Moderately to slightly acidic (5.5–6.4) | 10.4% | 40.7% |
| Near neutral (6.5–7.3) | 9.1% | 1.2% |
| Alkaline (7.4 and up) | 0.0% | 0.0% |
| Not reported | 32.4% | 1.6% |
Texture
Show as a table
| Category | Chatham County | Georgia |
|---|---|---|
| Sandy | 43.9% | 42.8% |
| Loamy (loam, silt loam and similar) | 19.6% | 53.7% |
| Clayey (40%+ clay) | 4.1% | 1.0% |
| Organic (muck or peat) | 0.0% | 1.0% |
| Not reported (rock, urban land, etc.) | 32.4% | 1.5% |
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
- Chatham County, Georgia (FIPS 13051): 271,054 acres of mapped land, 48,179 acres of open water excluded. State comparisons pool all mapped land in Georgia.
- 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.