Colorado Desert Area, California
The most common soil here is Torriorthents, on about 20% of the land. Torripsamments and Lithic Torriorthents come next.
About 96% of the land drains well.
USDA rates 94% of the land very limited for a standard septic drain field, and 35% very limited for homes with basements. That means extra cost or special design, not that it can't be done.
Worth knowing: 2% of the land floods occasionally or more, and bedrock lies within 40 inches under 27% of it.
Soils change over short distances, so look up an address below for the soil at that exact spot and the reasons behind each rating.
The soils you're most likely standing on
The biggest named soils in Colorado Desert Area, California, each drawn five feet deep from its official USDA description, in its recorded colors.
Dots mark gravel; white flecks mark lime. Shares are by acres across the survey area, and each mapped patch usually mixes several of these soils.
The biggest mapped areas
The dominant drainage class is Somewhat excessively drained and the dominant hydrologic group is A (high infiltration, low runoff). The most common soil order is Entisols — young soils with little profile development, often on floodplains or steep slopes. This report summarizes the major soil map units across the survey area to help you understand what to expect when buying, building, or gardening in Colorado Desert Area, California. Search your address to find the exact soil composition, drainage, and series details at your specific location.
| Soil Map Unit | Acres | Drainage | Hydro Group | Dwellings | Septic |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Torriorthents, Torripsamments, and Haplargids; hyperthermic fan piedmonts | 1.5M | Somewhat excessively drained | A | Not limited | Very limited |
| Lithic Torriorthents, Typic Haplocalcids, and Rock outcrop; hyperthermic hills and mountains | 821K | Somewhat excessively drained | D | Very limited | Very limited |
| Torripsamments and Torriorthents; hyperthermic dunes and alluvium | 127K | Somewhat excessively drained | A | Not limited | Very limited |
| Carsitas-Chemwash complex, 2 to 4 percent slopes | 115K | Somewhat excessively drained | A | Not limited | Very limited |
| Chemehuevi-Rizzo-Emptygun complex, 2 to 30 percent slopes | 78K | Excessively drained | B | Very limited | Very limited |
| Rock outcrop-Hyder association, 5 to 60 percent slopes | 77K | D | Very limited | Very limited | |
| Carsitas-Carsitas non gravely complex, 2 to 4 percent slopes | 56K | Somewhat excessively drained | A | Not limited | Very limited |
| Rositas sand, 0 to 2 percent slopes | 48K | Somewhat excessively drained | A | Not limited | Very limited |
| Rizzo-Carsitas complex, 0 to 5 percent slopes | 46K | Well drained | A | Not limited | Not limited |
| Rositas fine sand, 9 to 30 percent slopes | 46K | Somewhat excessively drained | A | Very limited | Very limited |
| Chemehuevi extremely gravelly loam-Rizzo occasionally flooded complex, 2 to 8 percent slopes | 43K | Somewhat excessively drained | A | Not limited | Very limited |
| Typic Haplocambids-Snaggletooth complex, 0 to 2 percent slopes | 32K | Excessively drained | B | Not limited | Somewhat limited |
| Torriorthents and Torripsamments; hyperthermic basins | 27K | Somewhat excessively drained | A | Not limited | Very limited |
| Buzzardsprings-Catfishbay taxadjunct-Catfishbay complex, 0 to 4 percent slopes | 27K | Well drained | C | Not limited | Somewhat limited |
| Typic Haplargids and Lithic Haplargids; thermic hills and mountains | 25K | Well drained | D | Very limited | Very limited |
| Carsitas-Rositas-Buzzardsprings complex, 0 to 5 percent slopes | 22K | Somewhat excessively drained | A | Not limited | Not limited |
| Rock outcrop-Blackeagle complex, 30 to 75 percent slopes | 20K | D | Very limited | Very limited | |
| Emptygun-Rizzo complex, 2 to 8 percent slopes | 20K | Excessively drained | B | Not limited | Somewhat limited |
| Imperial-Niland complex, 0 to 5 percent slopes | 19K | Well drained | C | Somewhat limited | Very limited |
| Emptygun-Chemehuevi association, 2 to 30 percent slopes | 19K | Excessively drained | B | Very limited | Very limited |
Soil Orders in This Area
The USDA classifies every soil into one of 12 soil orders. Here are the dominant orders found in this survey area.
What This Means
Building & Foundations
About 35% of soils have significant building limitations, while the rest are generally suitable. Check specific sites carefully — conditions vary across the area.
Septic Systems
About 94% of soils are rated "very limited" for septic absorption fields. The well-drained soils may actually drain too fast for standard leach fields, allowing effluent to reach groundwater. Engineered or alternative systems are frequently required. Always get a professional perc test before purchasing land that needs septic.
Gardening & Agriculture
Soils tend to drain very quickly, meaning nutrients and water don't stick around long. Raised beds with amended soil, drip irrigation, and heavy mulching will give the best results. Compost is your best friend here — it improves water retention dramatically.