Soil series profile
Grenada soil series
Grenada is a moderately well drained soil with a silt loam surface, mapped on 1,202,382 acres in 67 counties across 5 states. Hydrologic group C/D.
- Drainage class
- Moderately well drained >99% of mapped acres
- Hydrologic group
- C/D 41% of mapped acres
- Typical topsoil pH
- 5.3 strongly acidic · range 5.3–6.0
- Mapped area
- 1.2M acres in 67 counties, 5 states
Typical Grenada profile
Texture and pH by depth
Show as a table
| Depth | Texture | pH | Clay | Sand | Organic matter |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 0–6 in (Ap) | Silt loam | 5.3 | 14% | 3% | 1.25% |
| 6–17 in (Bw) | Silt loam | 5.3 | 24% | 3% | 0.3% |
| 17–20 in (E) | Silt loam | 5.3 | 14% | 2% | 0.2% |
| 20–83 in (Btx) | Silt loam | 5.3 | 24% | 3% | 0.2% |

What this means
What Grenada soil means for gardens, lawns and septic systems
For gardens
Typical topsoil in Grenada soils is strongly acidic: pH 5.3 (most land between 5.3 and 6.0). 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 99% of mapped Grenada acres: generally the easiest soil to garden, holding moisture without staying waterlogged. The most common surface texture is silt loam (99% of mapped Grenada acres).
>99% of mapped Grenada acres is moderately well to excessively drained, which suits most garden plants.
For lawns and yards
On 99% 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.
A seasonal high water table comes within 18 inches of the surface on 45% of mapped acres, 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 99% of the acres in mapped Grenada soils very limited, 0% 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.
Only a licensed site evaluation or perc test at the actual lot decides whether a system is allowed and which design.
Where Grenada soil is found
Mapped acres
Grenada is mapped in Tennessee, Mississippi, Arkansas, Kentucky and Louisiana. The 60 counties with the most Grenada acres:
| County | Acres | Share of county land |
|---|---|---|
| Fayette County, TN | 116,354 | 26.0% |
| Shelby County, TN | 81,712 | 16.7% |
| West Carroll Parish, LA | 63,897 | 27.9% |
| Ashley County, AR | 62,596 | 10.7% |
| Drew County, AR | 59,750 | 11.2% |
| Graves County, KY | 56,921 | 16.0% |
| Calloway County, KY | 50,927 | 22.3% |
| Obion County, TN | 49,298 | 13.9% |
| Tate County, MS | 45,286 | 18.5% |
| Crockett County, TN | 44,347 | 22.8% |
| Weakley County, TN | 38,249 | 10.3% |
| Ballard County, KY | 36,374 | 22.6% |
| Panola County, MS | 35,091 | 8.4% |
| Marshall County, KY | 32,153 | 15.2% |
| Gibson County, TN | 30,643 | 8.0% |
| McCracken County, KY | 29,399 | 18.4% |
| Monroe County, AR | 24,534 | 6.3% |
| DeSoto County, MS | 22,727 | 7.6% |
| Carroll County, TN | 21,421 | 5.6% |
| Madison County, TN | 20,917 | 5.9% |
| Dyer County, TN | 20,577 | 6.2% |
| Hinds County, MS | 16,551 | 3.0% |
| Madison County, MS | 14,876 | 3.3% |
| Fulton County, KY | 14,059 | 10.6% |
| Lincoln County, AR | 13,535 | 3.8% |
| Claiborne County, MS | 13,282 | 4.5% |
| Grenada County, MS | 12,073 | 4.9% |
| Marshall County, MS | 12,023 | 2.8% |
| Lee County, AR | 11,609 | 3.0% |
| Richland Parish, LA | 11,225 | 3.2% |
| Phillips County, AR | 11,133 | 2.5% |
| Tipton County, TN | 10,165 | 3.5% |
| Chicot County, AR | 9,401 | 2.4% |
| Woodruff County, AR | 7,838 | 2.1% |
| Henry County, TN | 7,184 | 2.0% |
| Haywood County, TN | 7,155 | 1.9% |
| Lauderdale County, TN | 6,377 | 2.1% |
| Jefferson County, AR | 5,856 | 1.0% |
| Craighead County, AR | 5,661 | 1.3% |
| Yazoo County, MS | 5,434 | 1.0% |
| Carroll County, MS | 5,346 | 1.4% |
| Montgomery County, MS | 4,951 | 2.1% |
| Warren County, MS | 4,645 | 1.3% |
| Yalobusha County, MS | 4,615 | 1.6% |
| Walthall County, MS | 4,473 | 1.8% |
| Poinsett County, AR | 4,144 | 0.9% |
| Copiah County, MS | 3,998 | 0.8% |
| Lafayette County, MS | 3,722 | 1.0% |
| Cross County, AR | 3,537 | 0.9% |
| Holmes County, MS | 3,062 | 0.7% |
| Attala County, MS | 2,881 | 0.6% |
| Prairie County, AR | 2,725 | 0.7% |
| Wilkinson County, MS | 2,622 | 0.6% |
| Benton County, MS | 2,497 | 1.0% |
| White County, AR | 2,054 | 0.3% |
| Tallahatchie County, MS | 1,971 | 0.5% |
| Lonoke County, AR | 1,701 | 0.3% |
| Franklin County, MS | 1,516 | 0.4% |
| Rankin County, MS | 1,246 | 0.3% |
| Lincoln County, MS | 1,219 | 0.3% |
Septic absorption fields
NRCS rating, share of Grenada acres
Show as a table
| Category | Share of acres |
|---|---|
| Not limited | 0.0% |
| Somewhat limited | 0.0% |
| Very limited | 98.5% |
| Not rated | 1.5% |
Drainage, water table and flooding
Share of Grenada acres
- Depth to seasonal high water table
- About 1.7 feet (20 in) (median where reported); within 18 inches on 45% of acres.
- Flooding
- Not mapped as flooding on most acres.
- Slope
- Typically 2–7% (median 4%).
- Topsoil organic matter
- Median 1.2%.
Drainage class
Show as a table
| Category | Share of acres |
|---|---|
| Excessively drained | 0.0% |
| Somewhat excessively drained | 0.0% |
| Well drained | 0.1% |
| Moderately well drained | 99.7% |
| Somewhat poorly drained | 0.0% |
| Poorly drained | 0.0% |
| Very poorly drained | 0.0% |
| Not rated | 0.3% |
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 | 25.0% |
| D: very slow infiltration (clayey, shallow or wet) | 33.0% |
| 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 | 40.5% |
| Not rated | 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
- All map unit components named Grenada (component kind "Series") in SSURGO: 1,202,382 acres.
- Method
- Shares are by mapped acres of Grenada components. The profile comes from the single largest Grenada component. Full methodology.