Salton Sea Area, California
The most common soil here is Caslo, on about under 1% of the land. Imperial and Vint come next.
About under 1% of the land drains well.
USDA rates 1% of the land very limited for a standard septic drain field, and under 1% very limited for homes with basements. That means extra cost or special design, not that it can't be done.
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 Salton Sea 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 Poorly drained and the dominant hydrologic group is D (very slow infiltration, high 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 Salton Sea 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| No Digital Data Available | 189K | Not rated | Not rated | ||
| Water | 45K | D | Not rated | Not rated | |
| Caslo taxon above family, saline | 990 | Poorly drained | C/D | Very limited | Very limited |
| Indio-Vint complex, 0 to 2 percent slopes | 521 | Well drained | A | Not limited | Very limited |
| Imperial silty clay, saline | 360 | Moderately well drained | D | Very limited | Very limited |
| Vint and Indio very fine sandy loams undifferentiated group, 0 to 2 percent slopes, Wet | 289 | Somewhat poorly drained | A/D | Very limited | Very limited |
| Niland fine sand | 283 | Well drained | C | Somewhat limited | Very limited |
| Imperial-Glenbar silty clay loams complex, 0 to 2 percent slopes, wet | 165 | Somewhat poorly drained | D | Somewhat limited | Very limited |
| Imperial silty clay, wet | 139 | Moderately well drained | C | Very limited | Very limited |
| Torriorthents-Rock outcrop complex, 5 to 60 percent slo pes | 136 | Somewhat excessively drained | Very limited | Very limited | |
| Holtville silty clay, wet | 131 | Moderately well drained | D | Somewhat limited | Very limited |
| Rositas fine sand, 0 to 2 percent slopes | 93 | Somewhat excessively drained | A | Not limited | Very limited |
| Meloland very fine sandy loam, wet | 57 | Somewhat poorly drained | C | Very limited | Very limited |
| Salton fine sandy loam | 55 | Somewhat poorly drained | C | Somewhat limited | Very limited |
| Vint fine sandy loam | 51 | Well drained | A | Not limited | Very limited |
| Gilman fine sandy loam, moderately fine substratum, 0 to 2 percent slopes | 51 | Well drained | B | Somewhat limited | Very limited |
| Niland-Imperial complex, 0 to 2 percent slopes, wet | 42 | Somewhat poorly drained | C/D | Very limited | Very limited |
| Meloland-Holtville 0 to 2 percent slopes, wet | 33 | Somewhat poorly drained | D | Very limited | Very limited |
| Salton silty clay loam | 19 | Somewhat poorly drained | C | Somewhat limited | Very limited |
| Fluvents | 10 | A | 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
Most soils are generally favorable for residential construction. Standard foundations are usually viable, though site-specific evaluation is always recommended.
Septic Systems
Most soils are reasonably suitable for conventional septic systems, though site-specific conditions always matter. Get a perc test to confirm.
Gardening & Agriculture
Many soils hold water for extended periods. Raised beds are highly recommended to improve drainage for vegetables. Well-adapted native plants and water-loving species will do best in natural conditions.