Soil series profile
Harleston soil series
Harleston is a moderately well drained soil with a very fine sandy loam surface, mapped on 303,585 acres in 36 counties across 4 states. Hydrologic group C.
- Drainage class
- Moderately well drained >99% of mapped acres
- Hydrologic group
- C 57% of mapped acres
- Typical topsoil pH
- 5.0 very strongly acidic · range 4.6–5.3
- Mapped area
- 304k acres in 36 counties, 4 states
Typical Harleston profile
Texture and pH by depth
Show as a table
| Depth | Texture | pH | Clay | Sand | Organic matter |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 0–5 in (A) | Very fine sandy loam | 5.3 | 5% | 61% | 1.25% |
| 5–9 in (E) | Very fine sandy loam | 5.3 | 5% | 61% | 1.25% |
| 9–34 in (Bt) | Very fine sandy loam | 5.0 | 13% | 64% | 0.75% |
| 34–72 in (Btg) | Loam | 5.0 | 18% | 43% | 0.25% |
What this means
What Harleston soil means for gardens, lawns and septic systems
For gardens
Typical topsoil in Harleston soils is very strongly acidic: pH 5.0 (most land between 4.6 and 5.3). 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 87% of mapped Harleston acres: generally the easiest soil to garden, holding moisture without staying waterlogged. The most common surface texture is fine sandy loam (72% of mapped Harleston acres).
>99% of mapped Harleston acres is moderately well to excessively drained, which suits most garden plants.
For lawns and yards
On 88% 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 93% of the acres in mapped Harleston soils very limited, 0% somewhat limited and 0% not limited (7% 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 9% of the acres (7% occasional, <1% frequent).
Only a licensed site evaluation or perc test at the actual lot decides whether a system is allowed and which design.
Where Harleston soil is found
Mapped acres
Harleston is mapped in Arkansas, Mississippi, Alabama and Louisiana.
| County | Acres | Share of county land |
|---|---|---|
| Columbia County, AR | 48,852 | 10.0% |
| Harrison County, MS | 34,745 | 9.2% |
| Union County, AR | 31,408 | 4.7% |
| Hancock County, MS | 23,729 | 7.8% |
| Stone County, MS | 20,252 | 7.4% |
| Little River County, AR | 19,234 | 5.7% |
| Mobile County, AL | 14,901 | 2.1% |
| Jackson County, MS | 10,418 | 2.6% |
| Perry County, MS | 9,560 | 2.4% |
| Hempstead County, AR | 9,011 | 1.9% |
| Nevada County, AR | 7,697 | 1.9% |
| Autauga County, AL | 7,138 | 2.3% |
| George County, MS | 7,106 | 2.4% |
| Hot Spring County, AR | 6,627 | 1.7% |
| Clarke County, AL | 5,760 | 0.8% |
| Lafayette County, AR | 5,695 | 1.7% |
| Greene County, MS | 4,975 | 1.1% |
| Marengo County, AL | 4,690 | 0.8% |
| Union Parish, LA | 4,665 | 0.8% |
| Calhoun County, AR | 3,993 | 1.0% |
| Forrest County, MS | 3,403 | 1.2% |
| Clark County, AR | 3,378 | 0.6% |
| Winn Parish, LA | 3,121 | 0.5% |
| Miller County, AR | 2,274 | 0.6% |
| Ouachita County, AR | 2,221 | 0.5% |
| Wayne County, MS | 2,099 | 0.4% |
| Grant County, AR | 1,732 | 0.4% |
| Chilton County, AL | 1,346 | 0.3% |
| Claiborne Parish, LA | 1,302 | 0.3% |
| Jones County, MS | 885 | 0.2% |
| Itawamba County, MS | 689 | 0.2% |
| Dallas County, AR | 489 | 0.1% |
| Clarke County, MS | 109 | 0.0% |
| Pearl River County, MS | 61 | 0.0% |
| Covington County, MS | 17 | 0.0% |
| Newton County, MS | 3 | 0.0% |
Septic absorption fields
NRCS rating, share of Harleston acres
Show as a table
| Category | Share of acres |
|---|---|
| Not limited | 0.0% |
| Somewhat limited | 0.0% |
| Very limited | 92.7% |
| Not rated | 7.3% |
Drainage, water table and flooding
Share of Harleston acres
- Depth to seasonal high water table
- About 2.5 feet (30 in) (median where reported).
- Flooding
- Mapped as flooding on 9% of acres (7% occasional, <1% frequent).
- Slope
- Typically 1–5% (median 2%).
- 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 | 0.1% |
| Moderately well drained | 99.7% |
| Somewhat poorly drained | 0.0% |
| Poorly drained | 0.0% |
| Very poorly drained | 0.0% |
| Not rated | 0.2% |
Hydrologic soil group
Show as a table
| Category | Share of acres |
|---|---|
| A: fast infiltration (mostly sandy or gravelly) | 0.0% |
| B: moderate infiltration | 5.1% |
| C: slow infiltration | 56.6% |
| D: very slow infiltration (clayey, shallow or wet) | 0.0% |
| A/D: D as is, A if drained | 2.1% |
| B/D: D as is, B if drained | 28.8% |
| C/D: D as is, C if drained | 0.0% |
| Not rated | 7.3% |
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 Harleston (component kind "Series") in SSURGO: 303,585 acres.
- Method
- Shares are by mapped acres of Harleston components. The profile comes from the single largest Harleston component. Full methodology.