Alaska Soil Surveys

137 survey areas

Alaska has 137 USDA soil survey areas covering a wide range of landscapes and soil conditions. The most common soil order is Inceptisols — young soils with minimal horizon development but more than Entisols, making up roughly 29% of surveyed soils. Spodosols — acidic forest soils with a distinctive leached layer, common under conifers account for another 22%.

In terms of drainage, 42% of Alaska soils are classified as well drained. About 52% of soils have some form of poor drainage, which is important to consider for septic systems and foundations. Drainage class affects everything from septic system design to basement feasibility to garden planning. Use the survey area pages below to see drainage details for specific counties, or look up any address for an exact soil profile.

Soil Types

Inceptisols

29% of surveyed soils

Young but developing soils found in mountains and river terraces. Variable properties — check drainage and bedrock depth.

Spodosols

22% of surveyed soils

Acidic forest soils with a leached layer. Common under conifers. Often have drainage issues from a compacted subsoil layer.

Gelisols

21% of surveyed soils

Permafrost soils. Extremely challenging for construction and septic. Found almost exclusively in Alaska.

Entisols

13% of surveyed soils

Young soils with little development — found on floodplains, dunes, and steep slopes. Properties vary widely by setting.

Histosols

8% of surveyed soils

Organic peat and muck soils formed in wetlands. Very poor for building (compressible) and septic. Often in regulated wetlands.

Andisols

2% of surveyed soils

Volcanic ash soils — light, porous, and fertile. Excellent drainage, but low density can complicate foundations.

Mollisols

2% of surveyed soils

Fertile grassland soils with thick, dark topsoil. Among the best for agriculture, building, and gardening.

Survey Areas

Alaska Peninsula - Aniakchak and Unimak Area, Alaska Alaska Peninsula - Iliamna and Bristol Bay Lowlands Area, Alaska Alaska Peninsula - Port Heiden and Port Moller Area, Alaska Alaska Range - Brushkana Area, Alaska Alaska Range - Clearwater Mountains and Susitna River Area, Alaska Alaska Range - Granite Mountains Area, Alaska Alaska Range - Nelchina Public Use Area, Alaska Alaska Range - Parts Of Mentasta Mountains Area, Alaska Alaska Range - Revelation Mountains and Stink River Area, Alaska Alaska Range - Tordrillo Mountains and Happy River Area, Alaska Aleutian Islands - Agattu Island Area, Alaska Aleutian Islands - Amchitka Island Area, Alaska Aleutian Islands - Attu Island Area, Alaska Aleutian Islands - Kiska Island Area, Alaska Aleutian Islands - Little Simkin, Khvostof, Segula and Davidof Islands Area, Alaska Aleutian Islands - Sanak Islands Area, Alaska Aleutian Islands - Semisopotchnoi Island Area, Alaska Aleutian Islands - Unalaska and Andreanof Islands Area, Alaska Aleutian Mountains - Lake Clark Area, Alaska Anchorage Area, Alaska Arctic National Wildlife Refuge - Beaufort Coastal Plain Area, Alaska Arctic National Wildlife Refuge - Brooks Range East Area, Alaska Arctic National Wildlife Refuge - Brooks Range West Area, Alaska Arctic National Wildlife Refuge - Davidson Mountains and Coleen River Area, Alaska Barren Islands Area, Alaska Beaufort Coastal Plain - Deadhorse Area, Alaska Bering Land Bridge National Preserve and Shishmarev Area, Alaska Boundary Range - Chilkat River Area, Alaska Bristol Bay-Northern Alaska Peninsula, North and Bordering Areas, Alaska Brooks Foothills - Killik, Chandler, and Anaktuvuk Rivers Area, Alaska Brooks Foothills - Toolik River Area, Alaska Brooks Range - Brooks Foothills - Lisburne Peninsula Area, Alaska Brooks Range - Brooks Foothills Area, Alaska Brooks Range - Gates Of The Arctic National Park and Preserve Area, Alaska Brooks Range - Kobuk Valley National Park and Noatak Preserve Area, Alaska Brooks Range and Davidson Mountains Area, Alaska Brooks Range and Kobuk River - Nana Area, Alaska Brooks Range and Ray Mountains Area, Alaska Cantwell Area, Alaska Cape Krusenstern National Monument and Bordering Area, Alaska Chatham Area, Alaska Chugach Mountains - Eagle River Area, Alaska Chugach National Forest - Kenai Peninsula East Area, Alaska Chugach National Forest - Kenai Peninsula West Area, Alaska Chugach National Forest - Prince William Sound Area, Alaska Chugach St. Elias and Boundary Ranges - Coastal Rainforest Area, Alaska Copper River Area, Alaska De Long Mountains West and Noatak River Area, Alaska Delta River Area, Alaska Denali National Park and Preserve Area, Alaska Fort Greely and Donnelly Training Area, Alaska Fort Wainwright Area, Alaska Gerstle River Area, Alaska Glacier Bay National Park and Preserve-Gustavus Area, Alaska Greater Delta Area, Alaska Greater Fairbanks Area, Alaska Greater Nenana Area, Alaska Gulkana River Area, Alaska Haines Area, Alaska Interior Rivers - Lime Hills and Kuskokwim Mountains Area, Alaska Kachemak Bay State Wilderness Park Area, Alaska Kantishna Area, Alaska Kanuti National Wildlife Refuge Area, Alaska Katmai National Park and Preserve Area, Alaska Kenai Mountains and Kachemak Bay State Park Area, Alaska Kenai National Wildlife Refuge Area, Alaska Kenai Peninsula - Kenai Fjords National Park and Bordering Area, Alaska Ketchikan Area, Alaska Kobuk Ridges and Valleys - Alatna Hills and Bordering Area, Alaska Kodiak Archipelago Area, Alaska Kuskokwim - Kaiyuh Mountains Area, Alaska Kuskokwim - Kilbuck Mountains Area, Alaska Kuskokwim Mountains and Bordering Area, Alaska Lower Kenai Peninsula - Northern Chugach Islands Area, Alaska Lower Kenai Peninsula Area, Alaska Matanuska-Susitna Valley Area, Alaska Middleton Island Area, Alaska National Petroleum Reserve - Beaufort Coastal Plain Area, Alaska National Petroleum Reserve - Brooks Foothills North Area, Alaska National Petroleum Reserve - Brooks Foothills South Area, Alaska North Copper River Area, Alaska North Ogilvie Mountains - Step Mountains Area, Alaska North Ogilvie and Yukon - Old Crow Basin Area, Alaska North Star Area, Alaska Nowitna National Wildlife Refuge Area, Alaska Nulato Hills - Continental Divide and Blackburn Hills Area, Alaska Nulato Hills Area, Alaska Parts Of Wrangell - St. Elias National Park and Preserve Area, Alaska Purcell Mountains, Pah River Flats and Koyukuk River Area, Alaska Ray Mountains - Kokrines Hills and Yukon River Area, Alaska Ray Mountains - Yukon Flats National Wildlife Refuge Northwest Area, Alaska Ray Mountains and Bordering Area, Alaska Ray Mountains and Yukon River Lowlands Area, Alaska Reindeer and Iditarod Rivers Area, Alaska Robinson Mountains and Gulf of Alaska Coast Area, Alaska Saint Paul Island Area, Alaska Selawik National Wildlife Refuge Area, Alaska Seward Area, Alaska Seward Peninsula - Kotzebue Sound and Kivalik River Area, Alaska Seward Peninsula and Nulato Hills Area, Alaska Skagway-Klondike Gold Rush National Historical Park, Alaska Southern Baird Mountains and Kiana Hills Area, Alaska Southern Nulato Hills Area, Alaska Southern Wood-Tikchik Area, Alaska St. George Island Area, Alaska St. Lawrence Island Area, Alaska St. Mathew Island Area, Alaska Stewart River Training Site, Alaska Stikine Area, Alaska Talkeetna and Chugach Mountains - Cook Inlet Area, Alaska Tanana - Kuskokwim Lowlands - Snohomish and Trimokish Hills Area, Alaska Tanana and Chatanika River Area, Alaska Tatlanika and Wood River Area, Alaska Tetlin National Wildlife Refuge - Tanana Kuskokwim Lowlands Area, Alaska Togiak National Wildlife Refuge - Southwestern Part and Bordering Area, Alaska Togiak National Wildlife Refuge-Ahklun Mountains Area, Alaska Tongass National Forest - Klukwah and Takshanuk Mountains Area, Alaska Totchaket Area, Alaska Upper Tanana Area, Alaska Western Ahklun Mountains Area, Alaska Western Interior Rivers Area, Alaska Western Kenai Peninsula Area, Alaska White Hills - Kuparuk River Area, Alaska White Mountains Area, Alaska Yakutat Area, Alaska Yentna Area, Alaska Yukon Delta National Wildlife Refuge - Kuskoskwim River Area, Alaska Yukon Delta National Wildlife Refuge - Nunivak Island Refuge Area, Alaska Yukon Delta National Wildlife Refuge - Western Part Area, Alaska Yukon Delta National Wildlife Refuge - Yukon River Area, Alaska Yukon Flats Area, Alaska Yukon River Lowlands - Koyukuk National Wildlife Refuge Area, Alaska Yukon River Lowlands and Innoko National Wildlife Refuge South Area, Alaska Yukon River Lowlands and Innoko National Wildlife Refuge, North Area, Alaska Yukon Tanana Uplands East and Bordering Area, Alaska Yukon Tanana Uplands West and Bordering Area, Alaska Yukon-Charley Rivers National Preserve, Alaska

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