Soil series profile
Helena soil series
Helena is a moderately well drained soil with a sandy loam surface, mapped on 521,448 acres in 111 counties across 5 states. Hydrologic group D.
- Drainage class
- Moderately well drained 100% of mapped acres
- Hydrologic group
- D 83% of mapped acres
- Typical topsoil pH
- 5.3 strongly acidic · range 4.8–5.8
- Mapped area
- 521k acres in 111 counties, 5 states
Typical Helena profile
Texture and pH by depth
Show as a table
| Depth | Texture | pH | Clay | Sand | Organic matter |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 0–8 in (H1) | Sandy loam | 5.5 | 13% | 68% | 1.25% |
| 8–15 in (H2) | Sandy clay loam | 4.5 | 30% | 50% | 0.1% |
| 15–50 in (H3) | Sandy clay | 5.5 | 48% | 46% | 0.25% |
| 50–61 in (H4) | Sandy clay loam | 4.5 | 30% | 56% | 0.25% |
What this means
What Helena soil means for gardens, lawns and septic systems
For gardens
Typical topsoil in Helena soils is strongly acidic: pH 5.3 (most land between 4.8 and 5.8). 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 83% of mapped Helena acres: generally the easiest soil to garden, holding moisture without staying waterlogged. The most common surface texture is sandy loam (73% of mapped Helena acres).
100% of mapped Helena 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 Helena 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 Helena soil is found
Mapped acres
Helena is mapped in North Carolina, Virginia, Georgia, South Carolina and Alabama. The 60 counties with the most Helena acres:
| County | Acres | Share of county land |
|---|---|---|
| Alamance County, NC | 38,000 | 14.0% |
| Brunswick County, VA | 34,048 | 10.2% |
| Franklin County, NC | 22,612 | 7.3% |
| Granville County, NC | 19,222 | 5.8% |
| Lancaster County, SC | 17,175 | 4.9% |
| Person County, NC | 16,985 | 7.1% |
| Wake County, NC | 16,109 | 3.0% |
| Cumberland County, VA | 15,673 | 9.7% |
| Orange County, NC | 14,537 | 5.9% |
| Warren County, NC | 13,929 | 5.5% |
| York County, SC | 13,194 | 3.0% |
| Caswell County, NC | 13,066 | 4.8% |
| Hancock County, GA | 13,014 | 4.3% |
| Newberry County, SC | 11,717 | 3.4% |
| Mecklenburg County, NC | 11,292 | 3.5% |
| Greene County, GA | 10,616 | 4.7% |
| Mecklenburg County, VA | 10,419 | 3.0% |
| Randolph County, NC | 9,656 | 2.0% |
| Columbia County, GA | 9,175 | 5.0% |
| Crawford County, GA | 8,835 | 4.3% |
| Prince Edward County, VA | 8,527 | 4.4% |
| Taliaferro County, GA | 8,308 | 6.6% |
| Lincoln County, GA | 8,047 | 5.9% |
| Amelia County, VA | 6,699 | 3.2% |
| Saluda County, SC | 6,031 | 2.1% |
| Dinwiddie County, VA | 5,622 | 1.9% |
| Baldwin County, GA | 5,435 | 3.3% |
| Guilford County, NC | 5,291 | 1.4% |
| Warren County, GA | 5,260 | 2.9% |
| Putnam County, GA | 5,030 | 2.3% |
| Lunenburg County, VA | 5,011 | 2.1% |
| Rowan County, NC | 4,977 | 1.6% |
| Colonial Heights city, VA | 4,796 | 3.4% |
| Petersburg city, VA | 4,796 | 2.5% |
| Vance County, NC | 4,714 | 3.0% |
| Nottoway County, VA | 4,689 | 2.7% |
| Bibb County, GA | 4,640 | 2.9% |
| Edgefield County, SC | 4,288 | 1.4% |
| Greenwood County, SC | 4,287 | 1.6% |
| Halifax County, NC | 4,114 | 1.0% |
| Durham County, NC | 3,965 | 2.2% |
| Chester County, SC | 3,391 | 0.9% |
| Charlotte County, VA | 3,308 | 1.3% |
| Spalding County, GA | 3,195 | 2.6% |
| Greensville County, VA | 3,146 | 2.0% |
| McDuffie County, GA | 3,130 | 1.9% |
| Chatham County, NC | 3,098 | 0.8% |
| Hanover County, VA | 3,040 | 1.2% |
| Abbeville County, SC | 3,016 | 1.0% |
| Gaston County, NC | 2,787 | 1.3% |
| Lexington County, SC | 2,785 | 0.6% |
| Pike County, GA | 2,778 | 2.0% |
| Fairfield County, SC | 2,679 | 0.7% |
| Wilkes County, GA | 2,481 | 0.9% |
| Henrico County, VA | 2,443 | 1.9% |
| Greenville County, SC | 2,157 | 0.4% |
| Elmore County, AL | 2,096 | 0.6% |
| Davidson County, NC | 1,922 | 0.6% |
| Caroline County, VA | 1,916 | 0.6% |
| Jones County, GA | 1,855 | 0.7% |
Septic absorption fields
NRCS rating, share of Helena 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 Helena acres
- Depth to seasonal high water table
- About 2.0 feet (24 in) (median where reported); within 18 inches on 9% of acres.
- Flooding
- Not mapped as flooding on most acres.
- Slope
- Typically 4–8% (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 | 0.0% |
| Moderately well drained | 100.0% |
| 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 | 2.4% |
| D: very slow infiltration (clayey, shallow or wet) | 83.0% |
| 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 | 14.6% |
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 Helena (component kind "Series") in SSURGO: 521,448 acres.
- Method
- Shares are by mapped acres of Helena components. The profile comes from the single largest Helena component. Full methodology.