Soil series profile
Leadvale soil series
Leadvale is a moderately well drained soil with a silt loam surface, mapped on 730,137 acres in 47 counties across 3 states. Hydrologic group C/D.
- Drainage class
- Moderately well drained >99% of mapped acres
- Hydrologic group
- C/D 89% of mapped acres
- Typical topsoil pH
- 5.0 very strongly acidic · range 5.0–5.0
- Mapped area
- 730k acres in 47 counties, 3 states
Typical Leadvale profile
Texture and pH by depth
Show as a table
| Depth | Texture | pH | Clay | Sand | Organic matter |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 0–6 in (Ap) | Silt loam | 5.0 | 9% | 29% | 1.25% |
| 6–10 in (BA) | Silt loam | 5.0 | 21% | 22% | 1.25% |
| 10–20 in (Bt1) | Silty clay loam | 4.8 | 28% | 19% | 0.5% |
| 20–25 in (Bt2) | Silty clay loam | 4.8 | 29% | 19% | 0.3% |
| 25–51 in (Btx) | Silty clay loam | 4.8 | 30% | 19% | 0.3% |
| 51–72 in (2BC) | Silty clay loam | 4.8 | 31% | 19% | 0.3% |
What this means
What Leadvale soil means for gardens, lawns and septic systems
For gardens
Typical topsoil in Leadvale soils is very strongly acidic: pH 5.0. 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 Leadvale acres: generally the easiest soil to garden, holding moisture without staying waterlogged. The most common surface texture is silt loam (96% of mapped Leadvale acres).
>99% of mapped Leadvale 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.
For a septic system
For conventional septic absorption fields, NRCS rates 99% of the acres in mapped Leadvale 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 Leadvale soil is found
Mapped acres
Leadvale is mapped in Arkansas, Tennessee and Alabama.
| County | Acres | Share of county land |
|---|---|---|
| Logan County, AR | 99,388 | 21.9% |
| Faulkner County, AR | 77,288 | 18.8% |
| Sebastian County, AR | 75,455 | 22.1% |
| White County, AR | 60,261 | 9.2% |
| Scott County, AR | 53,507 | 9.4% |
| Pulaski County, AR | 51,438 | 10.5% |
| Yell County, AR | 50,849 | 8.6% |
| Crawford County, AR | 31,805 | 8.4% |
| Pope County, AR | 28,631 | 5.5% |
| Franklin County, AR | 27,654 | 7.1% |
| Conway County, AR | 26,452 | 7.5% |
| Lonoke County, AR | 22,218 | 4.6% |
| Jackson County, AR | 16,734 | 4.1% |
| Perry County, AR | 15,274 | 4.3% |
| Johnson County, AR | 14,157 | 3.4% |
| Saline County, AR | 9,007 | 2.0% |
| Cullman County, AL | 6,972 | 1.7% |
| Ouachita County, AR | 6,831 | 1.5% |
| Boone County, AR | 5,869 | 1.6% |
| Cleburne County, AR | 5,850 | 1.6% |
| Greene County, TN | 5,033 | 1.4% |
| Talladega County, AL | 3,884 | 0.9% |
| Hawkins County, TN | 3,614 | 1.2% |
| Bradley County, TN | 3,380 | 1.6% |
| Blount County, AL | 3,306 | 0.9% |
| Cocke County, TN | 2,807 | 1.0% |
| Monroe County, TN | 2,669 | 0.7% |
| Union County, TN | 2,389 | 1.7% |
| Bradley County, AR | 2,001 | 0.5% |
| Hamblen County, TN | 1,563 | 1.5% |
| Fayette County, AL | 1,461 | 0.4% |
| Van Buren County, AR | 1,457 | 0.3% |
| Etowah County, AL | 1,445 | 0.5% |
| Blount County, TN | 1,408 | 0.4% |
| Claiborne County, TN | 1,222 | 0.4% |
| Garland County, AR | 1,179 | 0.3% |
| Newton County, AR | 1,085 | 0.2% |
| Polk County, TN | 1,054 | 0.4% |
| DeKalb County, AL | 850 | 0.2% |
| Pickett County, TN | 823 | 0.8% |
| Washington County, TN | 795 | 0.4% |
| Loudon County, TN | 463 | 0.3% |
| Sevier County, TN | 296 | 0.1% |
| Jefferson County, AR | 142 | 0.0% |
| Stone County, AR | 79 | 0.0% |
| Hancock County, TN | 57 | 0.0% |
| Fentress County, TN | 33 | 0.0% |
Septic absorption fields
NRCS rating, share of Leadvale 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 Leadvale acres
- Depth to seasonal high water table
- About 1.7 feet (20 in) (median where reported); within 18 inches on 1% of acres.
- Flooding
- Mapped as flooding on <1% of acres (0% occasional, 0% frequent).
- Slope
- Typically 2–5% (median 2%).
- 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 | 99.4% |
| Somewhat poorly drained | 0.0% |
| Poorly drained | 0.0% |
| Very poorly drained | 0.0% |
| Not rated | 0.6% |
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 | 8.3% |
| D: very slow infiltration (clayey, shallow or wet) | 2.0% |
| 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 | 88.7% |
| Not rated | 1.0% |
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 Leadvale (component kind "Series") in SSURGO: 730,137 acres.
- Method
- Shares are by mapped acres of Leadvale components. The profile comes from the single largest Leadvale component. Full methodology.