District of Columbia Soil Surveys
The most common soil here is Udorthents, on about 12% of the land. Manor and Sassafras come next.
About 40% of the land drains well; groundwater comes within two feet of the surface under 2% of it.
USDA rates 52% of the land very limited for a standard septic drain field, and 17% very limited for homes with basements. That means extra cost or special design, not that it can't be done.
Worth knowing: 4% of the land floods occasionally or more.
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 District of Columbia, 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.
District of Columbia has 1 USDA soil survey areas covering a wide range of landscapes and soil conditions. The most common soil order is Ultisols — strongly weathered soils with clay-enriched subsoils, common in warm humid climates, making up roughly 58% of surveyed soils. Entisols — young soils with little profile development, often on floodplains or steep slopes account for another 21%.
In terms of drainage, 77% of District of Columbia soils are classified as well drained. 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.