County soil summary
Soil types in Imperial County, California
The most widespread soils are Rositas, Imperial and Glenbar; the most common drainage class is somewhat excessively drained (31% of the land), and typical topsoil pH is 8.0.
- Well or moderately well drained
- 76% of land · state 81%
- Typical topsoil pH
- 8.0 moderately alkaline · state 6.7
- Septic fields very limited
- 93% of land · state 79%
- Subject to flooding
- 2% of land, any frequency · state 11%
Most common soils in Imperial County
Share of mapped land
A county is a patchwork of many soils. These 8 cover 73% of the mapped land; 31 named soil series are mapped here in all.
| Soil | Share of land | Drainage | Topsoil pH |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rositas | 18.2% | Somewhat excessively drained | 8.0 |
| Imperial | 14.6% | Moderately well drained | 8.2 |
| Glenbar | 8.0% | Well drained | 8.2 |
| Holtville | 7.4% | Well drained | 8.0 |
| TorriorthentsGeneral soil group, not a named series | 7.2% | — | — |
| Meloland | 7.1% | Well drained | 7.8 |
| TorripsammentsGeneral soil group, not a named series | 5.6% | — | — |
| Vint | 5.1% | Well drained | 8.2 |
What this means
What the soils in Imperial County mean for gardens, lawns and septic systems
For your garden
Typical topsoil in Imperial County is moderately alkaline: pH 8.0 (most land between 7.8 and 8.4). Acid-loving plants such as blueberries and azaleas struggle without amended beds, and some trees and shrubs show iron chlorosis (yellow leaves with green veins).
Sandy topsoil covers 56% of the land. It drains fast and warms early in spring, but dries out and loses nutrients quickly: mulch, compost and steady watering help. The most common surface texture is silty clay (15% of the land).
38% of the land is excessively or somewhat excessively drained: water moves through fast, so gardens need more frequent watering in dry spells.
For your lawn and yard
On 53% of the land, rain soaks in slowly (hydrologic groups C and D, including dual groups that are D until drained). Expect runoff and puddles after heavy rain: core-aerate compacted lawns and keep ground sloping away from foundations.
For a septic system
For conventional septic absorption fields, NRCS rates 93% of the land in Imperial County very limited, 3% somewhat limited and 2% not limited (2% not rated, such as urban land, pits or water).
Statewide, 79% of the land is very limited, so Imperial County is more restrictive than typical.
Where the soil is very limited (slow permeability, a high water table, flooding, shallow bedrock or steep slopes), alternative systems such as mound or sand-filter designs are common and cost more.
Only a licensed site evaluation or perc test at the actual lot decides whether a system is allowed and which design.
Drainage
How long the soil stays wet
The most common drainage class is somewhat excessively drained (31%). 76% of the land is moderately well drained or better, compared with 81% across California.
Show as a table
| Category | Imperial County | California |
|---|---|---|
| Excessively drained | 6.3% | 7.7% |
| Somewhat excessively drained | 31.2% | 17.6% |
| Well drained | 22.7% | 50.7% |
| Moderately well drained | 15.7% | 4.7% |
| Somewhat poorly drained | 20.3% | 2.5% |
| Poorly drained | 0.5% | 2.0% |
| Very poorly drained | 0.0% | 0.7% |
| Not rated | 3.2% | 14.2% |
Septic absorption fields
NRCS rating for conventional drain fields
The rating looks at the soil from 24 to 60 inches deep: permeability, depth to a seasonal water table or bedrock, flooding and slope. “Very limited” means at least one feature is unfavorable enough that a conventional field is hard to make work.
Show as a table
| Category | Imperial County | California |
|---|---|---|
| Not limited | 2.2% | 4.3% |
| Somewhat limited | 2.5% | 3.6% |
| Very limited | 93.1% | 79.2% |
| Not rated | 2.2% | 12.9% |
Rain, runoff and water table
Hydrologic soil group, flooding, seasonal water table
Hydrologic soil group
How fast rain soaks in when the soil is already wet. Group A soaks in fastest, D slowest.
Show as a table
| Category | Imperial County | California |
|---|---|---|
| A: fast infiltration (mostly sandy or gravelly) | 41.1% | 20.5% |
| B: moderate infiltration | 3.7% | 12.5% |
| C: slow infiltration | 20.7% | 22.7% |
| D: very slow infiltration (clayey, shallow or wet) | 27.8% | 30.3% |
| A/D: D as is, A if drained | 2.8% | 0.3% |
| B/D: D as is, B if drained | 0.0% | 0.3% |
| C/D: D as is, C if drained | 1.6% | 0.9% |
| Not rated | 2.3% | 12.6% |
Flooding
Show as a table
| Category | Imperial County | California |
|---|---|---|
| No flooding | 97.9% | 77.1% |
| Rare or very rare | 1.4% | 8.2% |
| Occasional | 0.5% | 1.6% |
| Frequent or very frequent | 0.1% | 1.0% |
| Not reported | 0.1% | 12.1% |
Seasonal high water table
Show as a table
| Category | Imperial County | California |
|---|---|---|
| Within 18 inches at some time of year | 4.3% | 2.6% |
| 18 inches to 3.3 feet | 24.6% | 1.9% |
| Deeper than 3.3 feet or none reported | 71.0% | 86.9% |
| Not reported | 0.1% | 8.6% |
Topsoil pH and texture
First mineral layer of each soil
Typical topsoil pH is 8.0 (moderately alkaline); 80% of rated land falls between 7.8 and 8.4. Median topsoil organic matter is 0.3%.
Show as a table
| Category | Imperial County | California |
|---|---|---|
| Strongly acidic (below 5.5) | 0.0% | 3.1% |
| Moderately to slightly acidic (5.5–6.4) | 0.0% | 22.8% |
| Near neutral (6.5–7.3) | 0.3% | 25.2% |
| Alkaline (7.4 and up) | 96.4% | 30.6% |
| Not reported | 3.2% | 18.2% |
Texture
Show as a table
| Category | Imperial County | California |
|---|---|---|
| Sandy | 55.7% | 21.3% |
| Loamy (loam, silt loam and similar) | 24.8% | 56.7% |
| Clayey (40%+ clay) | 16.4% | 3.9% |
| Organic (muck or peat) | 0.0% | 0.2% |
| Not reported (rock, urban land, etc.) | 3.2% | 18.0% |
Sources & data dates
- Source
- USDA NRCS Soil Survey Geographic Database (SSURGO), queried through Soil Data Access. Public domain.
- Data date
- SSURGO as published on November 3, 2026 (most recent survey area update October 26, 2026). NRCS refreshes SSURGO each October.
- Scope
- Imperial County, California (FIPS 06025): 1,464,964 acres of mapped land, 3,801 acres of open water excluded. State comparisons pool all mapped land in California.
- Method
- Shares are by mapped land area: each map unit’s acres in the county times each soil component’s percentage. Open water is excluded. Topsoil values use the first mineral horizon of each component. Full methodology.