Soil series profile

Lincoln soil series

Lincoln is a somewhat excessively drained soil with a fine sand surface, mapped on 682,172 acres in 91 counties across 4 states. Hydrologic group A.

#353 by mapped area sandy Typic Ustifluvents (Entisols)

Drainage class: Somewhat excessively drained
Hydrologic group: A
Typical topsoil pH: 7.9
Mapped area: 682k

Typical Lincoln 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).

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Typical Lincoln horizons (representative values)
Depth	Texture	pH	Clay	Sand	Organic matter
0–15 in (A)	Fine sand	8.3	7%	92%	0.25%
15–80 in (C)	Fine sand	8.6	7%	90%	0.67%

Representative values from the most extensive Lincoln map unit (Lincoln fine sand, dry, 0 to 1 percent slopes, frequently flooded, survey area TX393). 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 Lincoln soil means for gardens, lawns and septic systems

For gardens

Typical topsoil in Lincoln soils is moderately alkaline: pH 7.9 (most land between 7.9 and 8.3). Acid-loving plants such as blueberries and azaleas struggle without amended beds, and some trees and shrubs show iron chlorosis (yellow leaves with green veins).

Sandy topsoil covers 77% of mapped Lincoln acres. It drains fast and warms early in spring, but dries out and loses nutrients quickly: mulch, compost and steady watering help. The most common surface texture is loamy fine sand (53% of mapped Lincoln acres).

>99% of mapped Lincoln acres is excessively or somewhat excessively drained: water moves through fast, so gardens need more frequent watering in dry spells.

For lawns and yards

96% of mapped acres is in hydrologic group A, where water soaks in fast. Lawns there dry out quickly; deeper, less frequent watering and organic matter help.

For a septic system

For conventional septic absorption fields, NRCS rates 97% of the acres in mapped Lincoln soils very limited, 0% somewhat limited and 0% not limited (3% 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 >99% of the acres (35% occasional, 63% 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 Lincoln soil is found

Mapped acres

Lincoln is mapped in Texas, Oklahoma, Kansas and Colorado. The 60 counties with the most Lincoln acres:

Counties with the most mapped Lincoln soil
County	Acres	Share of county land
Roberts County, TX	32,634	5.5%
Hutchinson County, TX	30,962	5.5%
Dewey County, OK	29,748	4.6%
Woodward County, OK	27,046	3.3%
Barber County, KS	24,561	3.4%
Clark County, KS	22,592	3.6%
Ellis County, OK	22,480	2.9%
Hemphill County, TX	22,404	3.8%
Donley County, TX	20,951	3.5%
Harper County, OK	19,645	3.0%
Comanche County, KS	19,602	3.9%
Roger Mills County, OK	18,345	2.5%
Oldham County, TX	17,799	1.9%
Tillman County, OK	16,015	2.8%
Wilbarger County, TX	15,610	2.6%
Collingsworth County, TX	15,586	2.7%
Hall County, TX	14,023	2.4%
Prowers County, CO	13,953	1.3%
Garza County, TX	13,182	2.3%
Motley County, TX	12,593	2.0%
Kingman County, KS	12,548	2.3%
Hartley County, TX	12,437	1.3%
Beckham County, OK	12,345	2.2%
Jackson County, OK	11,788	2.3%
Harper County, KS	11,615	2.3%
Cotton County, OK	9,667	2.4%
Woods County, OK	9,658	1.2%
Gray County, TX	9,516	1.6%
Wheeler County, TX	9,509	1.6%
Stonewall County, TX	8,639	1.5%
Knox County, TX	8,603	1.6%
Young County, TX	8,021	1.4%
Kent County, TX	7,986	1.4%
Potter County, TX	7,822	1.3%
Greer County, OK	7,324	1.8%
Lipscomb County, TX	7,086	1.2%
Sumner County, KS	6,270	0.8%
Baylor County, TX	6,222	1.1%
Sedgwick County, KS	5,502	0.9%
Cottle County, TX	5,132	0.9%
Hamilton County, KS	4,996	0.8%
Wichita County, TX	4,937	1.3%
Briscoe County, TX	4,688	0.8%
Kiowa County, KS	4,314	0.9%
Throckmorton County, TX	4,128	0.7%
Dickens County, TX	4,120	0.7%
Haskell County, TX	4,073	0.7%
Stanton County, KS	3,900	0.9%
Kiowa County, OK	3,897	0.6%
Ford County, KS	3,436	0.5%
Seward County, KS	3,315	0.8%
Greeley County, KS	3,253	0.7%
Finney County, KS	3,078	0.4%
Meade County, KS	2,987	0.5%
Logan County, KS	2,943	0.4%
Kearny County, KS	2,941	0.5%
Harmon County, OK	2,848	0.8%
Armstrong County, TX	2,713	0.5%
Cowley County, KS	2,689	0.4%
Fisher County, TX	2,608	0.5%

Septic absorption fields

NRCS rating, share of Lincoln acres

Not limited 0%

Somewhat limited 0%

Very limited 97%

Not rated 3%

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

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Septic tank absorption field rating across mapped Lincoln acres.
Category	Share of acres
Not limited	0.0%
Somewhat limited	0.0%
Very limited	96.9%
Not rated	3.1%

Drainage, water table and flooding

Share of Lincoln acres

Depth to seasonal high water table: About 6.4 feet (77 in) (median where reported); within 18 inches on <1% of acres.
Flooding: Mapped as flooding on >99% of acres (35% occasional, 63% frequent).
Slope: Typically 0–1% (median 0%).
Topsoil organic matter: Median 0.4%.

Drainage class

Excessively drained 3%

Somewhat excessively drained 97%

Well drained <1%

Moderately well drained 0%

Somewhat poorly drained <1%

Poorly drained 0%

Very poorly drained 0%

Not rated <1%

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

Show as a table

Drainage class across mapped Lincoln acres.
Category	Share of acres
Excessively drained	2.5%
Somewhat excessively drained	96.9%
Well drained	0.3%
Moderately well drained	0.0%
Somewhat poorly drained	0.1%
Poorly drained	0.0%
Very poorly drained	0.0%
Not rated	0.1%

Hydrologic soil group

A: fast infiltration (mostly sandy or gravelly) 96%

B: moderate infiltration <1%

C: slow infiltration <1%

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 0%

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

Not rated 3%

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

Show as a table

Hydrologic soil group across mapped Lincoln acres.
Category	Share of acres
A: fast infiltration (mostly sandy or gravelly)	95.9%
B: moderate infiltration	0.2%
C: slow infiltration	0.9%
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	0.0%
C/D: D as is, C if drained	0.0%
Not rated	3.0%

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 Lincoln (component kind "Series") in SSURGO: 682,172 acres.
Method: Shares are by mapped acres of Lincoln components. The profile comes from the single largest Lincoln component. Full methodology.

Independent reference site. No government affiliation or endorsement.

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