Soil series profile
Berda soil series
Berda is a well drained soil with a loam surface, mapped on 630,102 acres in 58 counties across 3 states. Hydrologic group B.
- Drainage class
- Well drained 100% of mapped acres
- Hydrologic group
- B 89% of mapped acres
- Typical topsoil pH
- 8.1 moderately alkaline · range 8.0–8.2
- Mapped area
- 630k acres in 58 counties, 3 states
Typical Berda profile
Texture and pH by depth
Show as a table
| Depth | Texture | pH | Clay | Sand | Organic matter |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 0–7 in (A) | Loam | 8.1 | 21% | 50% | 0.9% |
| 7–22 in (Bw) | Loam | 8.2 | 21% | 50% | 0.45% |
| 22–52 in (Bk1) | Clay loam | 8.3 | 30% | 42% | 0.3% |
| 52–80 in (Bk2) | Sandy clay loam | 8.2 | 30% | 50% | 0.2% |
What this means
What Berda soil means for gardens, lawns and septic systems
For gardens
Typical topsoil in Berda soils is moderately alkaline: pH 8.1 (most land between 8.0 and 8.2). Acid-loving plants such as blueberries and azaleas struggle without amended beds, and some trees and shrubs show iron chlorosis (yellow leaves with green veins).
Loamy topsoil (loam, silt loam and similar) covers 88% of mapped Berda acres: generally the easiest soil to garden, holding moisture without staying waterlogged. The most common surface texture is loam (77% of mapped Berda acres).
100% of mapped Berda acres is moderately well to excessively drained, which suits most garden plants.
For lawns and yards
Most land is in hydrologic groups B and C, where rain soaks in at a moderate pace.
For a septic system
For conventional septic absorption fields, NRCS rates 14% of the acres in mapped Berda soils very limited, 74% somewhat limited and 0% not limited (12% not rated, such as urban land, pits or water).
Only a licensed site evaluation or perc test at the actual lot decides whether a system is allowed and which design.
Where Berda soil is found
Mapped acres
Berda is mapped in Texas, Oklahoma and New Mexico.
| County | Acres | Share of county land |
|---|---|---|
| Hartley County, TX | 54,584 | 5.8% |
| Ellis County, OK | 38,285 | 4.9% |
| Roberts County, TX | 37,736 | 6.4% |
| Oldham County, TX | 36,107 | 3.8% |
| Coke County, TX | 35,912 | 6.2% |
| Lipscomb County, TX | 31,060 | 5.2% |
| Hutchinson County, TX | 29,447 | 5.2% |
| Briscoe County, TX | 28,843 | 5.0% |
| Garza County, TX | 27,089 | 4.7% |
| Kent County, TX | 26,256 | 4.6% |
| Hansford County, TX | 22,803 | 3.9% |
| Crosby County, TX | 21,559 | 3.7% |
| Donley County, TX | 19,047 | 3.2% |
| Dickens County, TX | 17,141 | 3.0% |
| Borden County, TX | 15,704 | 2.7% |
| Floyd County, TX | 14,258 | 2.2% |
| Armstrong County, TX | 13,936 | 2.4% |
| Gray County, TX | 12,131 | 2.0% |
| Hemphill County, TX | 11,511 | 2.0% |
| Lamb County, TX | 10,229 | 1.6% |
| Deaf Smith County, TX | 9,634 | 1.0% |
| Roosevelt County, NM | 9,620 | 0.6% |
| Howard County, TX | 8,971 | 1.6% |
| Dawson County, TX | 8,520 | 1.5% |
| Texas County, OK | 8,482 | 0.6% |
| Randall County, TX | 7,768 | 1.3% |
| Motley County, TX | 7,757 | 1.2% |
| Lubbock County, TX | 7,005 | 1.2% |
| Parmer County, TX | 5,915 | 1.0% |
| Castro County, TX | 5,083 | 0.9% |
| Harper County, OK | 4,950 | 0.7% |
| Wheeler County, TX | 3,696 | 0.6% |
| Gaines County, TX | 3,557 | 0.4% |
| Lynn County, TX | 3,152 | 0.6% |
| Potter County, TX | 3,091 | 0.5% |
| Hale County, TX | 3,011 | 0.5% |
| Sterling County, TX | 2,898 | 0.5% |
| Bailey County, TX | 2,701 | 0.5% |
| Moore County, TX | 2,542 | 0.4% |
| Carson County, TX | 2,320 | 0.4% |
| Hockley County, TX | 2,312 | 0.4% |
| Cimarron County, OK | 1,712 | 0.1% |
| Scurry County, TX | 1,532 | 0.3% |
| Ochiltree County, TX | 1,326 | 0.2% |
| Tom Green County, TX | 1,278 | 0.1% |
| Martin County, TX | 1,234 | 0.2% |
| Sherman County, TX | 1,045 | 0.2% |
| Fisher County, TX | 1,037 | 0.2% |
| Cottle County, TX | 1,026 | 0.2% |
| Swisher County, TX | 765 | 0.1% |
| Mitchell County, TX | 564 | 0.1% |
| Curry County, NM | 491 | 0.1% |
| Collingsworth County, TX | 411 | 0.1% |
| Stonewall County, TX | 318 | 0.1% |
| Quay County, NM | 284 | 0.0% |
| Hall County, TX | 262 | 0.0% |
| Nolan County, TX | 122 | 0.0% |
| Woods County, OK | 70 | 0.0% |
Septic absorption fields
NRCS rating, share of Berda acres
Show as a table
| Category | Share of acres |
|---|---|
| Not limited | 0.0% |
| Somewhat limited | 74.2% |
| Very limited | 13.7% |
| Not rated | 12.2% |
Drainage, water table and flooding
Share of Berda acres
- Depth to seasonal high water table
- None reported within about 6.5 feet (median where reported).
- Flooding
- Not mapped as flooding on most acres.
- Slope
- Typically 2–20% (median 6%).
- Topsoil organic matter
- Median 0.9%.
Drainage class
Show as a table
| Category | Share of acres |
|---|---|
| Excessively drained | 0.0% |
| Somewhat excessively drained | 0.0% |
| Well drained | 100.0% |
| Moderately well drained | 0.0% |
| Somewhat poorly drained | 0.0% |
| Poorly drained | 0.0% |
| Very poorly drained | 0.0% |
Hydrologic soil group
Show as a table
| Category | Share of acres |
|---|---|
| A: fast infiltration (mostly sandy or gravelly) | 0.0% |
| B: moderate infiltration | 89.3% |
| C: slow infiltration | 0.0% |
| D: very slow infiltration (clayey, shallow or wet) | 0.0% |
| A/D: D as is, A if drained | 0.0% |
| B/D: D as is, B if drained | 0.0% |
| C/D: D as is, C if drained | 0.0% |
| Not rated | 10.7% |
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
- All map unit components named Berda (component kind "Series") in SSURGO: 630,102 acres.
- Method
- Shares are by mapped acres of Berda components. The profile comes from the single largest Berda component. Full methodology.