South Dakota Soil Surveys
The most common soil here is Pierre, on about 2% of the land: a clay, sticky when wet and rock-hard when dry. Opal and Sansarc come next.
About 82% of the land drains well, and 8% stays wet for long stretches; groundwater comes within two feet of the surface under 11% of it.
USDA rates 85% of the land very limited for a standard septic drain field, and 47% very limited for homes with basements. That means extra cost or special design, not that it can't be done.
Worth knowing: 5% of the land floods occasionally or more, and bedrock lies within 40 inches under 35% 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 South Dakota, 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.
South Dakota has 67 USDA soil survey areas covering a wide range of landscapes and soil conditions. The most common soil order is Mollisols — grassland soils with a thick, dark, fertile topsoil rich in organic matter, making up roughly 71% of surveyed soils. Entisols — young soils with little profile development, often on floodplains or steep slopes account for another 17%.
In terms of drainage, 79% of South Dakota 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.