Soil and perc tests in Hunt County, Texas

USDA rates most of the soil in Hunt County Very limited for septic absorption fields — 99.4% of the rated acres. Texas requires a site evaluation before it issues a permit. USDA NRCS Soil Data Access (SSURGO) · checked 2026-10-05

Very limited

USDA rating, 99.4% of rated acres

checked 2026-10-05

Slow water movement

Most common limiting reason

checked 2026-10-05

Yes

Site evaluation required

checked 2026-09-23

What is a perc test and does Hunt County require one?

Yes. Texas requires a site evaluation before it issues a permit.

A site evaluator or an engineer checks the soil in two pits or borings. The evaluator also checks for shallow groundwater and reviews slope and flood risk. The county uses this report to set the system's size.

Texas Administrative Code, Title 30, Chapter 285, Section 285.30, Site Evaluation · checked 2026-09-23

How USDA rates the ground in Hunt County

Very limited across most of the county — 99.4% of the rated acres. A rating describes the ground, not a parcel. The county's site evaluation decides each lot.

Very limited — 475,804 acres — 99.4% of 478,458 rated acres.
Somewhat limited — 2,654 acres — 0.6% of 478,458 rated acres.
Not rated — 86,174 acres, excluded from the denominator — mostly urban land and water.

99.4% of 478,458 rated acres. 86,174 acres unrated. Survey area TX231 version 26, established 2026-09-03.

USDA NRCS Soil Data Access (SSURGO) · checked 2026-10-05

What limits absorption here

The reasons USDA gives for the rating, by the acres they affect. A component can carry several, so the acres overlap.

Slow water movement — 474,782 acres. Reasons overlap — a component can carry several — so these acres exceed rated acres.
Depth to bedrock — 144,624 acres. Reasons overlap — a component can carry several — so these acres exceed rated acres.
Depth to saturated zone — 94,873 acres. Reasons overlap — a component can carry several — so these acres exceed rated acres.
Flooding — 93,448 acres. Reasons overlap — a component can carry several — so these acres exceed rated acres.
Slope — 27,738 acres. Reasons overlap — a component can carry several — so these acres exceed rated acres.
Filtering capacity — 2,809 acres. Reasons overlap — a component can carry several — so these acres exceed rated acres.
Seepage, bottom layer — 2,809 acres. Reasons overlap — a component can carry several — so these acres exceed rated acres.

Ratings by soil map unit

The largest map units in the county, each with its rating. A soil survey names the ground. The county's evaluation of your lot is what a permit turns on.

6 — Crockett loam, 1 to 3 percent slopes — 85,554 acres in this county — rated Very limited. Dominant component: Crockett (85% of the map unit).
21 — Leson clay, 1 to 3 percent slopes — 66,217 acres in this county — rated Very limited. Dominant component: Leson (100% of the map unit).
31 — Wilson silt loam, 0 to 1 percent slopes — 59,359 acres in this county — rated Very limited. Dominant component: Wilson (85% of the map unit).
17 — Houston Black clay, 1 to 3 percent slopes — 51,192 acres in this county — rated Very limited. Dominant component: Houston Black (80% of the map unit).
19 — Kaufman clay, 0 to 1 percent slopes, frequently flooded — 44,574 acres in this county — rated Very limited. Dominant component: Kaufman (85% of the map unit).
7 — Crockett loam, 2 to 5 percent slopes, eroded — 34,641 acres in this county — rated Very limited. Dominant component: Crockett (100% of the map unit).
1 — Axtell loam, 1 to 5 percent slopes — 27,688 acres in this county — rated Very limited. Dominant component: Axtell (87% of the map unit).
W — Water — 25,298 acres in this county — rated Not rated. Dominant component: Water (100% of the map unit).

USDA NRCS Soil Data Access (SSURGO) · checked 2026-10-05

Sources

Each figure on this page has a government source and a checked-on date.

Hunt County Health Department, OSSF permit checklist · checked 2026-10-05
Hunt County, Health Department page · checked 2026-10-05
Hunt County, Order Adopting Rules for On-Site Sewage Facilities, Section 9H.1 · checked 2026-10-05
Hunt County, New Septic Fees for Hunt County (as of June 1, 2022) · checked 2026-10-05
Texas Administrative Code, Title 30, Chapter 285, Section 285.30, Site Evaluation · checked 2026-09-23
USDA NRCS Soil Data Access (SSURGO) · checked 2026-10-05

Verify before you act. Septic rules are set locally and they change. Check anything here before you spend money on it. Call the Hunt County Health Department, Environmental Services, on (903) 408-4140.