Soil series profile
Cabba soil series
Cabba is a well drained soil with a silt loam surface, mapped on 2,355,607 acres in 65 counties across 5 states. Hydrologic group D.
- Drainage class
- Well drained 100% of mapped acres
- Hydrologic group
- D 100% of mapped acres
- Typical topsoil pH
- 7.9 moderately alkaline · range 7.5–8.2
- Mapped area
- 2.4M acres in 65 counties, 5 states
Typical Cabba profile
Texture and pH by depth
Show as a table
| Depth | Texture | pH | Clay | Sand | Organic matter |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 0–7 in (A) | Silt loam | 8.2 | 19% | 27% | 2% |
| 7–16 in (C) | Loam | 8.2 | 25% | 39% | 0.75% |
| 16–60 in (Cr) | Bedrock | Not reported | Not reported | Not reported | Not reported |
What this means
What Cabba soil means for gardens, lawns and septic systems
For gardens
Typical topsoil in Cabba soils is moderately alkaline: pH 7.9 (most land between 7.5 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 100% of mapped Cabba acres: generally the easiest soil to garden, holding moisture without staying waterlogged. The most common surface texture is loam (58% of mapped Cabba acres).
100% of mapped Cabba acres is moderately well to excessively drained, which suits most garden plants.
For lawns and yards
On 100% of mapped acres, 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.
For a septic system
For conventional septic absorption fields, NRCS rates 100% of the acres in mapped Cabba soils very limited, 0% somewhat limited and 0% not 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.
Only a licensed site evaluation or perc test at the actual lot decides whether a system is allowed and which design.
Where Cabba soil is found
Mapped acres
Cabba is mapped in Montana, North Dakota, South Dakota, Colorado and Utah. The 60 counties with the most Cabba acres:
| County | Acres | Share of county land |
|---|---|---|
| Rosebud County, MT | 260,962 | 5.4% |
| Powder River County, MT | 236,127 | 12.3% |
| McKenzie County, ND | 153,276 | 8.7% |
| Corson County, SD | 120,492 | 7.7% |
| Perkins County, SD | 115,688 | 6.3% |
| Morton County, ND | 106,555 | 8.7% |
| Musselshell County, MT | 99,118 | 8.5% |
| McCone County, MT | 83,757 | 5.0% |
| Dunn County, ND | 76,623 | 6.0% |
| Grant County, ND | 69,070 | 6.5% |
| Harding County, SD | 59,458 | 3.5% |
| Stark County, ND | 59,187 | 6.9% |
| Park County, MT | 54,544 | 3.0% |
| Glacier County, MT | 53,732 | 3.4% |
| Roosevelt County, MT | 50,634 | 3.3% |
| Custer County, MT | 47,268 | 1.9% |
| Sweet Grass County, MT | 43,886 | 3.5% |
| Ziebach County, SD | 40,816 | 3.2% |
| Golden Valley County, ND | 39,673 | 6.2% |
| Daniels County, MT | 39,453 | 4.3% |
| Hettinger County, ND | 36,493 | 5.0% |
| Slope County, ND | 33,967 | 4.4% |
| Bowman County, ND | 31,447 | 4.2% |
| Wheatland County, MT | 29,882 | 3.6% |
| Sioux County, ND | 29,158 | 4.2% |
| Adams County, ND | 27,326 | 4.3% |
| Carbon County, MT | 26,199 | 2.1% |
| Williams County, ND | 25,558 | 1.9% |
| Fergus County, MT | 25,268 | 0.9% |
| Big Horn County, MT | 25,092 | 0.6% |
| Dewey County, SD | 21,489 | 1.5% |
| Lewis and Clark County, MT | 21,230 | 1.0% |
| Yellowstone County, MT | 19,130 | 1.1% |
| Blaine County, MT | 16,224 | 0.6% |
| Meagher County, MT | 15,629 | 0.6% |
| Richland County, MT | 13,773 | 1.0% |
| Mountrail County, ND | 13,486 | 1.1% |
| Billings County, ND | 13,361 | 1.8% |
| Teton County, MT | 13,112 | 1.0% |
| Chouteau County, MT | 12,824 | 0.5% |
| Stillwater County, MT | 10,239 | 0.9% |
| Mercer County, ND | 9,891 | 1.5% |
| Pondera County, MT | 7,883 | 0.7% |
| Carter County, MT | 6,601 | 0.3% |
| Fallon County, MT | 6,383 | 0.6% |
| Gallatin County, MT | 6,302 | 0.4% |
| Toole County, MT | 6,242 | 0.6% |
| Sheridan County, MT | 5,345 | 0.5% |
| Liberty County, MT | 5,343 | 0.6% |
| Emmons County, ND | 4,671 | 0.5% |
| Prairie County, MT | 3,617 | 0.3% |
| Wibaux County, MT | 2,928 | 0.5% |
| Oliver County, ND | 2,832 | 0.6% |
| Hill County, MT | 2,579 | 0.1% |
| McLean County, ND | 2,470 | 0.2% |
| Dawson County, MT | 2,165 | 0.1% |
| Phillips County, MT | 1,759 | 0.0% |
| McIntosh County, ND | 1,390 | 0.2% |
| Burleigh County, ND | 1,323 | 0.1% |
| Logan County, ND | 881 | 0.1% |
Septic absorption fields
NRCS rating, share of Cabba acres
Show as a table
| Category | Share of acres |
|---|---|
| Not limited | 0.0% |
| Somewhat limited | 0.0% |
| Very limited | 100.0% |
Drainage, water table and flooding
Share of Cabba 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 8–38% (median 30%).
- Topsoil organic matter
- Median 2%.
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 | 0.0% |
| C: slow infiltration | 0.0% |
| D: very slow infiltration (clayey, shallow or wet) | 100.0% |
| 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% |
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 Cabba (component kind "Series") in SSURGO: 2,355,607 acres.
- Method
- Shares are by mapped acres of Cabba components. The profile comes from the single largest Cabba component. Full methodology.