Soil series profile
Oktibbeha soil series
Oktibbeha is a moderately well drained soil with a clay loam surface, mapped on 427,715 acres in 42 counties across 7 states. Hydrologic group D.
- Drainage class
- Moderately well drained >99% of mapped acres
- Hydrologic group
- D >99% of mapped acres
- Typical topsoil pH
- 5.5 strongly acidic · range 5.5–5.9
- Mapped area
- 428k acres in 42 counties, 7 states
Typical Oktibbeha profile
Texture and pH by depth
Show as a table
| Depth | Texture | pH | Clay | Sand | Organic matter |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 0–4 in (H1) | Clay loam | 5.9 | 35% | 33% | 4.5% |
| 4–43 in (H2) | Clay | 5.0 | 70% | 9% | 0% |
| 43–80 in (H3) | Clay | 7.5 | 60% | 12% | 0% |
What this means
What Oktibbeha soil means for gardens, lawns and septic systems
For gardens
Typical topsoil in Oktibbeha soils is strongly acidic: pH 5.5 (most land between 5.5 and 5.9). 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 74% of mapped Oktibbeha acres: generally the easiest soil to garden, holding moisture without staying waterlogged. The most common surface texture is clay loam (39% of mapped Oktibbeha acres).
>99% of mapped Oktibbeha 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 Oktibbeha 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 Oktibbeha soil is found
Mapped acres
Oktibbeha is mapped in Alabama, Mississippi, Arkansas, Tennessee, Louisiana, Georgia and Florida.
| County | Acres | Share of county land |
|---|---|---|
| Wilcox County, AL | 37,973 | 7.6% |
| Bullock County, AL | 36,588 | 10.5% |
| Montgomery County, AL | 35,806 | 8.1% |
| Lee County, MS | 32,712 | 11.8% |
| Dallas County, AL | 28,915 | 5.5% |
| Conecuh County, AL | 26,381 | 5.5% |
| Lowndes County, AL | 26,147 | 6.5% |
| Hempstead County, AR | 25,664 | 5.5% |
| Marengo County, AL | 20,992 | 3.8% |
| Clark County, AR | 20,042 | 3.6% |
| Macon County, AL | 16,518 | 4.8% |
| Oktibbeha County, MS | 16,469 | 5.8% |
| Pontotoc County, MS | 15,988 | 5.5% |
| McNairy County, TN | 12,029 | 3.4% |
| Greene County, AL | 12,020 | 3.6% |
| Howard County, AR | 8,675 | 2.3% |
| Kemper County, MS | 5,665 | 1.5% |
| Noxubee County, MS | 5,650 | 1.3% |
| Perry County, AL | 5,344 | 1.3% |
| Sabine Parish, LA | 5,203 | 0.9% |
| Winn Parish, LA | 5,172 | 0.9% |
| Union County, MS | 4,522 | 1.8% |
| Little River County, AR | 3,846 | 1.1% |
| Clarke County, MS | 2,613 | 0.6% |
| Hale County, AL | 2,583 | 0.7% |
| Houston County, GA | 2,313 | 1.0% |
| Pike County, AL | 1,955 | 0.5% |
| Chester County, TN | 1,467 | 0.8% |
| Macon County, GA | 1,420 | 0.6% |
| Barbour County, AL | 1,345 | 0.3% |
| Butler County, AL | 1,318 | 0.3% |
| Jackson Parish, LA | 1,008 | 0.3% |
| Lowndes County, MS | 1,003 | 0.3% |
| Alcorn County, MS | 673 | 0.3% |
| Twiggs County, GA | 654 | 0.3% |
| Bienville Parish, LA | 505 | 0.1% |
| Choctaw County, AL | 162 | 0.0% |
| Hot Spring County, AR | 150 | 0.0% |
| Washington County, FL | 134 | 0.0% |
| Washington County, AL | 48 | 0.0% |
| Wayne County, MS | 30 | 0.0% |
| Natchitoches Parish, LA | 14 | 0.0% |
Septic absorption fields
NRCS rating, share of Oktibbeha acres
Show as a table
| Category | Share of acres |
|---|---|
| Not limited | 0.0% |
| Somewhat limited | 0.0% |
| Very limited | 99.3% |
| Not rated | 0.7% |
Drainage, water table and flooding
Share of Oktibbeha acres
- Depth to seasonal high water table
- About 2.0 feet (24 in) (median where reported).
- Flooding
- Not mapped as flooding on most acres.
- Slope
- Typically 3–15% (median 7%).
- Topsoil organic matter
- Median 2.5%.
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 | 99.9% |
| Somewhat poorly drained | 0.0% |
| Poorly drained | 0.0% |
| Very poorly drained | 0.0% |
| Not rated | 0.1% |
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 | 0.0% |
| D: very slow infiltration (clayey, shallow or wet) | 99.3% |
| 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 | 0.7% |
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 Oktibbeha (component kind "Series") in SSURGO: 427,715 acres.
- Method
- Shares are by mapped acres of Oktibbeha components. The profile comes from the single largest Oktibbeha component. Full methodology.