Soil series profile
Sunlight soil series
Sunlight is a well drained soil with a channery silt loam surface, mapped on 143,683 acres in 11 counties across 3 states. Hydrologic group D.
- Drainage class
- Well drained 100% of mapped acres
- Hydrologic group
- D 100% of mapped acres
- Typical topsoil pH
- 5.0 very strongly acidic · range 5.0–5.3
- Mapped area
- 144k acres in 11 counties, 3 states
Typical Sunlight profile
Texture and pH by depth
Show as a table
| Depth | Texture | pH | Clay | Sand | Organic matter |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 0–3 in (A) | Channery silt loam | 5.0 | 18% | 27% | 1.5% |
| 3–5 in (Bt1) | Channery silty clay loam | 5.0 | 28% | 16% | 0.75% |
| 5–12 in (Bt2) | Very channery silty clay loam | 5.0 | 35% | 9% | 0.25% |
| 12–80 in (Cr) | Bedrock | Not reported | Not reported | Not reported | 0% |
What this means
What Sunlight soil means for gardens, lawns and septic systems
For gardens
Typical topsoil in Sunlight 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.
Loamy topsoil (loam, silt loam and similar) covers 100% of mapped Sunlight acres: generally the easiest soil to garden, holding moisture without staying waterlogged. The most common surface texture is channery silt loam (86% of mapped Sunlight acres).
100% of mapped Sunlight 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.
For a septic system
For conventional septic absorption fields, NRCS rates 100% of the acres in mapped Sunlight 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 Sunlight soil is found
Mapped acres
Sunlight is mapped in Alabama, Tennessee and Georgia.
| County | Acres | Share of county land |
|---|---|---|
| Walker County, AL | 66,193 | 14.9% |
| Shelby County, AL | 55,929 | 12.9% |
| McMinn County, TN | 5,459 | 2.0% |
| Bibb County, AL | 4,547 | 1.3% |
| Meigs County, TN | 3,904 | 3.1% |
| Rhea County, TN | 3,485 | 1.7% |
| Gordon County, GA | 2,185 | 1.2% |
| Winston County, AL | 1,267 | 0.4% |
| Bartow County, GA | 567 | 0.2% |
| Roane County, TN | 145 | 0.1% |
| Paulding County, GA | 2 | 0.0% |
Septic absorption fields
NRCS rating, share of Sunlight acres
Show as a table
| Category | Share of acres |
|---|---|
| Not limited | 0.0% |
| Somewhat limited | 0.0% |
| Very limited | 100.0% |
Drainage, water table and flooding
Share of Sunlight acres
- Depth to seasonal high water table
- None reported within about 6.5 feet (median where reported).
- Flooding
- Not mapped as flooding on most acres.
- Slope
- Typically 20–30% (median 28%).
- 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 | 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 | 0.0% |
| C: slow infiltration | 0.0% |
| D: very slow infiltration (clayey, shallow or wet) | 100.0% |
| 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 Sunlight (component kind "Series") in SSURGO: 143,683 acres.
- Method
- Shares are by mapped acres of Sunlight components. The profile comes from the single largest Sunlight component. Full methodology.