Soil series profile
Nankin soil series
Nankin is a well drained soil with a loamy sand surface, mapped on 710,399 acres in 64 counties across 5 states. Hydrologic group C.
- Drainage class
- Well drained 100% of mapped acres
- Hydrologic group
- C >99% of mapped acres
- Typical topsoil pH
- 5.0 very strongly acidic · range 5.0–5.3
- Mapped area
- 710k acres in 64 counties, 5 states
Typical Nankin profile
Texture and pH by depth
Show as a table
| Depth | Texture | pH | Clay | Sand | Organic matter |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 0–7 in (Ap) | Loamy sand | 5.3 | 9% | 83% | 1.25% |
| 7–15 in (BA) | Sandy loam | 5.3 | 18% | 67% | 0.5% |
| 15–30 in (Bt1) | Sandy clay | 5.3 | 43% | 46% | 0.25% |
| 30–42 in (Bt2) | Sandy clay loam | 5.3 | 31% | 55% | 0.25% |
| 42–65 in (C) | Sandy clay loam | 5.0 | 25% | 61% | 0.25% |
What this means
What Nankin soil means for gardens, lawns and septic systems
For gardens
Typical topsoil in Nankin soils is very strongly acidic: pH 5.0 (most land between 5.0 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.
Sandy topsoil covers 57% of mapped Nankin 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 sand (47% of mapped Nankin acres).
100% of mapped Nankin 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 Nankin soils very limited, 1% 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 Nankin soil is found
Mapped acres
Nankin is mapped in Georgia, Alabama, Florida, South Carolina and North Carolina. The 60 counties with the most Nankin acres:
| County | Acres | Share of county land |
|---|---|---|
| Stewart County, GA | 66,325 | 25.9% |
| Chattahoochee County, GA | 49,735 | 37.6% |
| Henry County, AL | 43,402 | 14.1% |
| Barbour County, AL | 41,702 | 8.7% |
| Laurens County, GA | 37,982 | 8.5% |
| Crenshaw County, AL | 34,160 | 9.8% |
| Dodge County, GA | 29,900 | 10.9% |
| Randolph County, GA | 25,966 | 11.2% |
| Johnson County, GA | 25,325 | 15.2% |
| Emanuel County, GA | 24,946 | 6.4% |
| Quitman County, GA | 24,058 | 28.0% |
| Screven County, GA | 21,523 | 6.1% |
| Grady County, GA | 20,089 | 8.3% |
| Dooly County, GA | 19,965 | 8.9% |
| Houston County, AL | 16,404 | 5.1% |
| Washington County, FL | 15,891 | 4.2% |
| Decatur County, GA | 15,352 | 4.8% |
| Wilcox County, GA | 15,191 | 7.1% |
| Marion County, GA | 15,040 | 6.5% |
| Washington County, GA | 13,548 | 3.6% |
| Webster County, GA | 12,150 | 10.6% |
| Clay County, GA | 10,381 | 9.7% |
| Bleckley County, GA | 9,259 | 7.8% |
| Jefferson County, GA | 8,755 | 3.0% |
| Pike County, AL | 8,724 | 2.3% |
| Madison County, FL | 8,327 | 1.8% |
| Brooks County, GA | 7,840 | 2.9% |
| Wilkinson County, GA | 6,600 | 2.6% |
| Bamberg County, SC | 5,255 | 2.3% |
| Nash County, NC | 5,139 | 1.6% |
| Early County, GA | 4,998 | 1.7% |
| Pulaski County, GA | 4,910 | 3.6% |
| Gadsden County, FL | 4,720 | 1.4% |
| Jackson County, FL | 4,146 | 0.7% |
| Telfair County, GA | 4,075 | 1.6% |
| Thomas County, GA | 3,705 | 1.3% |
| Barnwell County, SC | 3,233 | 1.5% |
| Marlboro County, SC | 3,201 | 1.1% |
| Horry County, SC | 2,904 | 0.4% |
| Sumter County, SC | 2,768 | 0.7% |
| Florence County, SC | 2,768 | 0.6% |
| Jenkins County, GA | 2,705 | 1.4% |
| Johnston County, NC | 2,518 | 0.5% |
| Holmes County, FL | 2,460 | 0.8% |
| Walton County, FL | 2,255 | 0.3% |
| Halifax County, NC | 2,073 | 0.5% |
| Talbot County, GA | 2,067 | 0.8% |
| Leon County, FL | 1,721 | 0.4% |
| Lee County, SC | 1,670 | 0.6% |
| Lowndes County, GA | 1,650 | 0.6% |
| Burke County, GA | 1,546 | 0.3% |
| Wayne County, GA | 1,460 | 0.4% |
| Jefferson County, FL | 1,405 | 0.4% |
| Okaloosa County, FL | 1,169 | 0.2% |
| Glascock County, GA | 1,029 | 1.3% |
| Santa Rosa County, FL | 970 | 0.1% |
| Wilson County, NC | 876 | 0.4% |
| Allendale County, SC | 729 | 0.2% |
| Calhoun County, GA | 558 | 0.3% |
| Lowndes County, AL | 364 | 0.1% |
Septic absorption fields
NRCS rating, share of Nankin acres
Show as a table
| Category | Share of acres |
|---|---|
| Not limited | 0.0% |
| Somewhat limited | 1.4% |
| Very limited | 98.6% |
Drainage, water table and flooding
Share of Nankin acres
- Depth to seasonal high water table
- About 4.1 feet (49 in) (median where reported).
- Flooding
- Not mapped as flooding on most acres.
- Slope
- Typically 3–30% (median 9%).
- 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 | 100.0% |
| Moderately well drained | 0.0% |
| 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 | 0.1% |
| C: slow infiltration | 99.9% |
| 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% |
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 Nankin (component kind "Series") in SSURGO: 710,399 acres.
- Method
- Shares are by mapped acres of Nankin components. The profile comes from the single largest Nankin component. Full methodology.