Soil series profile

Commerce soil series

Commerce is a somewhat poorly drained soil with a silty clay loam surface, mapped on 1,069,796 acres in 63 counties across 6 states. Hydrologic group C.

#155 by mapped area fine-silty Fluvaquentic Endoaquepts (Inceptisols)

Drainage class: Somewhat poorly drained
Hydrologic group: C
Typical topsoil pH: 7.0
Mapped area: 1.1M

Typical Commerce profile

Texture and pH by depth

Depth to scale. More strongly shaded layers hold more clay. Horizon names are the soil survey's (A = topsoil, B = subsoil, C = parent material).

Show as a table

Typical Commerce horizons (representative values)
Depth	Texture	pH	Clay	Sand	Organic matter
0–6 in (Ap)	Silty clay loam	7.0	33%	6%	2.25%
6–22 in (Bwg)	Silt loam	7.3	27%	7%	0.75%
22–80 in (Cg)	Silty clay loam	7.3	33%	6%	0.75%

Representative values from the most extensive Commerce map unit (Commerce silty clay loam, survey area LA077). Other map units of this series vary within the series range.

Stock photo for illustration, not a sample of this soil series. Credit on the Sources & method page.

What this means

What Commerce soil means for gardens, lawns and septic systems

For gardens

Typical topsoil in Commerce soils is neutral: pH 7.0 (most land between 6.6 and 7.3), the range most vegetables, flowers and lawn grasses prefer.

Loamy topsoil (loam, silt loam and similar) covers 94% of mapped Commerce acres: generally the easiest soil to garden, holding moisture without staying waterlogged. The most common surface texture is silt loam (51% of mapped Commerce acres).

>99% of mapped Commerce acres 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 lawns and yards

On 93% 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 98% of the acres in mapped Commerce soils very limited, <1% somewhat limited and 0% not limited (2% not rated, such as urban land, pits or water).

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 66% of the acres (11% occasional, 27% frequent).

Only a licensed site evaluation or perc test at the actual lot decides whether a system is allowed and which design.

Generated from the mapped numbers above using fixed rules, not a site visit. See how these notes are written.

Where Commerce soil is found

Mapped acres

Commerce is mapped in Louisiana, Mississippi, Arkansas, Missouri, Tennessee and Kentucky. The 60 counties with the most Commerce acres:

Counties with the most mapped Commerce soil
County	Acres	Share of county land
Pointe Coupee Parish, LA	141,859	40.3%
Pemiscot County, MO	55,844	18.2%
Iberville Parish, LA	53,175	13.5%
Washington County, MS	52,871	12.0%
West Baton Rouge Parish, LA	42,082	34.8%
East Carroll Parish, LA	40,585	15.3%
Madison Parish, LA	35,750	9.1%
Bolivar County, MS	34,860	6.5%
Warren County, MS	33,654	9.2%
Sharkey County, MS	32,732	12.7%
Desha County, AR	31,482	6.6%
Chicot County, AR	30,532	7.9%
Concordia Parish, LA	30,310	7.0%
Monroe County, AR	27,234	7.0%
Mississippi County, MO	26,598	10.5%
Lauderdale County, TN	26,149	8.7%
Issaquena County, MS	25,629	10.3%
Craighead County, AR	24,675	5.5%
Coahoma County, MS	24,477	7.4%
Ascension Parish, LA	21,759	11.8%
Tensas Parish, LA	21,415	5.5%
Prairie County, AR	18,586	4.6%
St. Landry Parish, LA	16,931	2.9%
Crittenden County, AR	16,424	4.2%
New Madrid County, MO	15,435	3.8%
Tunica County, MS	15,245	5.3%
Lake County, TN	15,218	14.7%
Dyer County, TN	14,271	4.3%
West Feliciana Parish, LA	11,905	4.7%
Lee County, AR	11,740	3.0%
Stoddard County, MO	11,432	2.3%
Phillips County, AR	11,132	2.5%
Fulton County, KY	11,012	8.3%
White County, AR	8,216	1.2%
Lee County, MS	8,158	2.9%
Wilkinson County, MS	7,191	1.7%
Scott County, MO	6,693	2.6%
St. Martin Parish, LA	6,409	1.4%
Mississippi County, AR	6,381	1.1%
Clay County, AR	5,510	1.4%
Shelby County, TN	3,813	0.8%
Pontotoc County, MS	3,586	1.2%
Cape Girardeau County, MO	3,286	0.9%
Claiborne County, MS	3,259	1.1%
DeSoto County, MS	3,056	1.0%
Avoyelles Parish, LA	2,420	0.5%
Hickman County, KY	2,347	1.5%
Tipton County, TN	2,317	0.8%
West Carroll Parish, LA	2,040	0.9%
Poinsett County, AR	1,934	0.4%
Carlisle County, KY	1,758	1.4%
Catahoula Parish, LA	1,742	0.4%
Obion County, TN	1,425	0.4%
Adams County, MS	1,290	0.5%
Yazoo County, MS	1,286	0.2%
Franklin Parish, LA	905	0.2%
Jefferson County, MS	767	0.3%
East Baton Rouge Parish, LA	683	0.2%
Lafayette Parish, LA	148	0.1%
Ballard County, KY	117	0.1%

Septic absorption fields

NRCS rating, share of Commerce acres

Not limited 0%

Somewhat limited <1%

Very limited 98%

Not rated 2%

Septic tank absorption field rating across mapped Commerce acres. Scale 0 to 100% of mapped land.

Show as a table

Septic tank absorption field rating across mapped Commerce acres.
Category	Share of acres
Not limited	0.0%
Somewhat limited	0.3%
Very limited	97.9%
Not rated	1.8%

Drainage, water table and flooding

Share of Commerce acres

Depth to seasonal high water table: About 2.6 feet (31 in) (median where reported); within 18 inches on 14% of acres.
Flooding: Mapped as flooding on 66% of acres (11% occasional, 27% frequent).
Slope: Typically 0–1% (median 0%).
Topsoil organic matter: Median 2.2%.

Drainage class

Excessively drained 0%

Somewhat excessively drained 0%

Well drained 0%

Moderately well drained <1%

Somewhat poorly drained >99%

Poorly drained 0%

Very poorly drained 0%

Not rated <1%

Drainage class across mapped Commerce acres. Scale 0 to 100% of mapped land.

Show as a table

Drainage class across mapped Commerce acres.
Category	Share of acres
Excessively drained	0.0%
Somewhat excessively drained	0.0%
Well drained	0.0%
Moderately well drained	0.3%
Somewhat poorly drained	99.4%
Poorly drained	0.0%
Very poorly drained	0.0%
Not rated	0.3%

Hydrologic soil group

A: fast infiltration (mostly sandy or gravelly) 0%

B: moderate infiltration 5%

C: slow infiltration 71%

D: very slow infiltration (clayey, shallow or wet) 0%

A/D: D as is, A if drained 0%

B/D: D as is, B if drained 2%

C/D: D as is, C if drained 20%

Not rated 2%

Hydrologic soil group across mapped Commerce acres. Scale 0 to 100% of mapped land.

Show as a table

Hydrologic soil group across mapped Commerce acres.
Category	Share of acres
A: fast infiltration (mostly sandy or gravelly)	0.0%
B: moderate infiltration	5.1%
C: slow infiltration	70.8%
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	1.9%
C/D: D as is, C if drained	20.2%
Not rated	1.8%

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 Commerce (component kind "Series") in SSURGO: 1,069,796 acres.
Method: Shares are by mapped acres of Commerce components. The profile comes from the single largest Commerce component. Full methodology.

Independent reference site. No government affiliation or endorsement.

Full narrative description: USDA Official Soil Series Description for Commerce.