Soil series profile
Nixa soil series
Nixa is a moderately well drained soil with a very gravelly silt loam surface, mapped on 648,240 acres in 47 counties across 6 states. Hydrologic group D.
- Drainage class
- Moderately well drained 100% of mapped acres
- Hydrologic group
- D 94% of mapped acres
- Typical topsoil pH
- 5.3 strongly acidic · range 5.3–5.3
- Mapped area
- 648k acres in 47 counties, 6 states
Typical Nixa profile
Texture and pH by depth
Show as a table
| Depth | Texture | pH | Clay | Sand | Organic matter |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 0–1 in (Oi) | Slightly decomposed plant material | 4.3 | Not reported | Not reported | 69% |
| 1–3 in (A) | Very gravelly silt loam | 5.3 | 11% | 15% | 1.5% |
| 3–10 in (E) | Very gravelly silt loam | 5.3 | 14% | 21% | 0.75% |
| 10–20 in (BE) | Very gravelly silt loam | 5.0 | 13% | 13% | 0.25% |
| 20–43 in (2Btx) | Very gravelly silt loam | 4.7 | 25% | 18% | 0.25% |
| 43–79 in (3Bt) | Very gravelly clay | 4.5 | 75% | 13% | 0.25% |
What this means
What Nixa soil means for gardens, lawns and septic systems
For gardens
Typical topsoil in Nixa soils is strongly acidic: pH 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 100% of mapped Nixa acres: generally the easiest soil to garden, holding moisture without staying waterlogged. The most common surface texture is very gravelly silt loam (96% of mapped Nixa acres).
100% of mapped Nixa 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.
A seasonal high water table comes within 18 inches of the surface on 28% of mapped acres, often in spring. Basements, sump pumps and lawns in low spots feel it first.
For a septic system
For conventional septic absorption fields, NRCS rates >99% of the acres in mapped Nixa 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 Nixa soil is found
Mapped acres
Nixa is mapped in Arkansas, Missouri, Oklahoma, Kansas, Virginia and Tennessee.
| County | Acres | Share of county land |
|---|---|---|
| Benton County, AR | 115,272 | 21.4% |
| Newton County, MO | 85,199 | 21.3% |
| Dent County, MO | 69,074 | 14.3% |
| Boone County, AR | 58,807 | 15.6% |
| Marion County, AR | 40,738 | 10.7% |
| Washington County, AR | 37,426 | 6.2% |
| Carroll County, AR | 34,786 | 8.6% |
| Madison County, AR | 34,176 | 6.4% |
| Baxter County, AR | 27,822 | 7.9% |
| Lawrence County, MO | 22,716 | 5.8% |
| Barry County, MO | 18,866 | 3.8% |
| Mayes County, OK | 18,273 | 4.4% |
| Stone County, AR | 10,946 | 2.8% |
| Searcy County, AR | 8,160 | 2.0% |
| Delaware County, OK | 6,900 | 1.5% |
| Newton County, AR | 6,602 | 1.3% |
| Cherokee County, KS | 6,155 | 1.6% |
| Cherokee County, OK | 4,701 | 1.0% |
| Randolph County, AR | 4,265 | 1.0% |
| Adair County, OK | 3,360 | 0.9% |
| Butler County, MO | 3,319 | 0.8% |
| Augusta County, VA | 2,831 | 0.6% |
| Independence County, AR | 2,545 | 0.5% |
| Carter County, MO | 2,329 | 0.7% |
| Fulton County, AR | 2,231 | 0.6% |
| Lawrence County, AR | 2,108 | 0.6% |
| Ripley County, MO | 2,095 | 0.5% |
| Greene County, MO | 1,798 | 0.4% |
| Izard County, AR | 1,619 | 0.4% |
| Shannon County, MO | 1,563 | 0.2% |
| Wayne County, MO | 1,468 | 0.3% |
| Barton County, MO | 1,315 | 0.3% |
| Webster County, MO | 1,150 | 0.3% |
| Stone County, MO | 1,146 | 0.4% |
| Oregon County, MO | 1,006 | 0.2% |
| Bollinger County, MO | 1,004 | 0.3% |
| Sharp County, AR | 822 | 0.2% |
| Christian County, MO | 782 | 0.2% |
| Iron County, MO | 762 | 0.2% |
| Craig County, OK | 758 | 0.2% |
| Robertson County, TN | 496 | 0.2% |
| Madison County, MO | 436 | 0.1% |
| Rockingham County, VA | 353 | 0.1% |
| Reynolds County, MO | 45 | 0.0% |
| Jasper County, MO | 8 | 0.0% |
| Staunton city, VA | 6 | 0.1% |
| Wright County, MO | 1 | 0.0% |
Septic absorption fields
NRCS rating, share of Nixa acres
Show as a table
| Category | Share of acres |
|---|---|
| Not limited | 0.0% |
| Somewhat limited | 0.4% |
| Very limited | 99.6% |
Drainage, water table and flooding
Share of Nixa acres
- Depth to seasonal high water table
- About 1.5 feet (18 in) (median where reported); within 18 inches on 28% of acres.
- Flooding
- Not mapped as flooding on most acres.
- Slope
- Typically 5–12% (median 5%).
- Topsoil organic matter
- Median 1.5%.
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 | 0.5% |
| D: very slow infiltration (clayey, shallow or wet) | 94.1% |
| 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 | 5.4% |
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 Nixa (component kind "Series") in SSURGO: 648,240 acres.
- Method
- Shares are by mapped acres of Nixa components. The profile comes from the single largest Nixa component. Full methodology.