Louisiana Soil Surveys
The most common soil here is Sharkey, on about 4% of the land: a clay, sticky when wet and rock-hard when dry. Guyton and Sacul come next.
About 17% of the land drains well, and 57% stays wet for long stretches; groundwater comes within two feet of the surface under 55% of it.
USDA rates 82% of the land very limited for a standard septic drain field, and 70% very limited for homes with basements. That means extra cost or special design, not that it can't be done.
Worth knowing: 29% 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 Louisiana, 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.
Louisiana has 64 USDA soil survey areas covering a wide range of landscapes and soil conditions. The most common soil order is Alfisols — moderately leached forest soils with a clay-enriched subsoil, making up roughly 39% of surveyed soils. Ultisols — strongly weathered soils with clay-enriched subsoils, common in warm humid climates account for another 18%.
In terms of drainage, 27% of Louisiana soils are classified as poorly drained. About 63% 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.