Soil series profile
Providence soil series
Providence is a moderately well drained soil with a silt loam surface, mapped on 1,719,164 acres in 77 counties across 5 states. Hydrologic group C/D.
- Drainage class
- Moderately well drained >99% of mapped acres
- Hydrologic group
- C/D 83% of mapped acres
- Typical topsoil pH
- 5.3 strongly acidic · range 5.3–5.3
- Mapped area
- 1.7M acres in 77 counties, 5 states
Typical Providence profile
Texture and pH by depth
Show as a table
| Depth | Texture | pH | Clay | Sand | Organic matter |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 0–7 in (H1) | Silt loam | 5.3 | 9% | 22% | 1.75% |
| 7–25 in (H2) | Silty clay loam | 5.3 | 28% | 7% | 0.25% |
| 25–46 in (H3) | Silt loam | 5.3 | 25% | 9% | 0.15% |
| 46–70 in (H4) | Clay loam | 5.3 | 29% | 27% | 0.1% |
What this means
What Providence soil means for gardens, lawns and septic systems
For gardens
Typical topsoil in Providence 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 >99% of mapped Providence acres: generally the easiest soil to garden, holding moisture without staying waterlogged. The most common surface texture is silt loam (96% of mapped Providence acres).
>99% of mapped Providence 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.
A seasonal high water table comes within 18 inches of the surface on 77% 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 Providence 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 Providence soil is found
Mapped acres
Providence is mapped in Mississippi, Tennessee, Louisiana, Kentucky and Arkansas. The 60 counties with the most Providence acres:
| County | Acres | Share of county land |
|---|---|---|
| Amite County, MS | 136,893 | 31.6% |
| Madison County, MS | 88,298 | 19.7% |
| Copiah County, MS | 86,404 | 17.7% |
| Rankin County, MS | 80,867 | 17.7% |
| Gibson County, TN | 77,920 | 20.3% |
| Attala County, MS | 76,392 | 16.6% |
| Lincoln County, MS | 76,009 | 20.6% |
| Yalobusha County, MS | 62,717 | 22.4% |
| Montgomery County, MS | 60,881 | 25.6% |
| Wilkinson County, MS | 56,687 | 13.2% |
| Franklin County, MS | 56,118 | 16.5% |
| Lawrence County, MS | 53,681 | 20.5% |
| Hinds County, MS | 49,431 | 9.0% |
| Webster County, MS | 44,042 | 17.3% |
| Marshall County, MS | 42,925 | 9.9% |
| Pontotoc County, MS | 42,899 | 14.7% |
| Henry County, TN | 41,274 | 11.5% |
| Carroll County, MS | 40,684 | 10.5% |
| Benton County, MS | 37,823 | 15.1% |
| Leake County, MS | 34,101 | 9.3% |
| Alcorn County, MS | 33,349 | 13.5% |
| Union County, MS | 33,347 | 13.2% |
| Carroll County, TN | 32,985 | 8.6% |
| Benton County, TN | 24,849 | 9.8% |
| Holmes County, MS | 24,673 | 5.3% |
| Hardeman County, TN | 24,590 | 5.8% |
| Choctaw County, MS | 22,171 | 8.6% |
| Tippah County, MS | 21,219 | 7.6% |
| LaSalle Parish, LA | 19,851 | 4.8% |
| Lafayette County, MS | 18,509 | 4.8% |
| Lee County, MS | 15,805 | 5.7% |
| Catahoula Parish, LA | 15,341 | 3.4% |
| Ouachita Parish, LA | 14,315 | 3.7% |
| Chester County, TN | 13,096 | 7.1% |
| Simpson County, MS | 13,056 | 3.7% |
| Newton County, MS | 12,167 | 3.5% |
| McNairy County, TN | 12,006 | 3.4% |
| Prentiss County, MS | 9,964 | 4.1% |
| Calhoun County, MS | 9,102 | 2.5% |
| Oktibbeha County, MS | 8,370 | 3.0% |
| Grenada County, MS | 8,356 | 3.4% |
| Panola County, MS | 8,060 | 1.9% |
| Caldwell Parish, LA | 7,224 | 2.1% |
| Graves County, KY | 6,498 | 1.8% |
| Haywood County, TN | 5,648 | 1.5% |
| Henderson County, TN | 5,558 | 1.7% |
| Madison County, TN | 5,459 | 1.5% |
| Covington County, MS | 5,399 | 2.1% |
| Jefferson Davis County, MS | 5,163 | 2.2% |
| Jefferson County, MS | 4,239 | 1.4% |
| Walthall County, MS | 4,183 | 1.6% |
| Ashley County, AR | 3,923 | 0.7% |
| Tate County, MS | 3,730 | 1.5% |
| Calloway County, KY | 3,599 | 1.6% |
| Pike County, MS | 3,489 | 1.4% |
| Scott County, MS | 3,016 | 0.8% |
| Yazoo County, MS | 2,694 | 0.5% |
| Winston County, MS | 1,687 | 0.4% |
| Decatur County, TN | 988 | 0.5% |
| Stewart County, TN | 980 | 0.3% |
Septic absorption fields
NRCS rating, share of Providence acres
Show as a table
| Category | Share of acres |
|---|---|
| Not limited | 0.0% |
| Somewhat limited | 0.0% |
| Very limited | 99.4% |
| Not rated | 0.6% |
Drainage, water table and flooding
Share of Providence acres
- Depth to seasonal high water table
- About 1.5 feet (18 in) (median where reported); within 18 inches on 77% of acres.
- Flooding
- Not mapped as flooding on most acres.
- Slope
- Typically 4–13% (median 7%).
- Topsoil organic matter
- Median 1.8%.
Drainage class
Show as a table
| Category | Share of acres |
|---|---|
| Excessively drained | 0.0% |
| Somewhat excessively drained | 0.0% |
| Well drained | 0.4% |
| Moderately well drained | 99.5% |
| 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 | 6.9% |
| D: very slow infiltration (clayey, shallow or wet) | 10.0% |
| 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 | 82.5% |
| Not rated | 0.6% |
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 Providence (component kind "Series") in SSURGO: 1,719,164 acres.
- Method
- Shares are by mapped acres of Providence components. The profile comes from the single largest Providence component. Full methodology.