County soil summary
Soil types in Scott County, Minnesota
The most widespread soils are Lester, Hayden and Webster; the most common drainage class is well drained (42% of the land), and typical topsoil pH is 6.6.
- Well or moderately well drained
- 59% of land · state 41%
- Typical topsoil pH
- 6.6 neutral · state 6.5
- Septic fields very limited
- 91% of land · state 91%
- Subject to flooding
- 6% of land, any frequency · state 4%
Most common soils in Scott County
Share of mapped land
A county is a patchwork of many soils. These 8 cover 68% of the mapped land; 45 named soil series are mapped here in all.
| Soil | Share of land | Drainage | Topsoil pH |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lester | 17.6% | Well drained | 6.6 |
| Hayden | 17.4% | Well drained | 6.6 |
| Webster | 9.7% | Poorly drained | 6.5 |
| Le Sueur | 6.2% | Somewhat poorly drained | 6.2 |
| Glencoe | 6.0% | Very poorly drained | 7.0 |
| Houghton | 4.7% | Very poorly drained | Not reported |
| Alluvial landGeneral soil group, not a named series | 3.6% | — | — |
| ClarionGeneral soil group, not a named series | 2.7% | — | — |
What this means
What the soils in Scott County mean for gardens, lawns and septic systems
For your garden
Typical topsoil in Scott County is neutral: pH 6.6 (most land between 6.2 and 7.0), the range most vegetables, flowers and lawn grasses prefer.
Loamy topsoil (loam, silt loam and similar) covers 81% of the land: generally the easiest soil to garden, holding moisture without staying waterlogged. The most common surface texture is loam (49% of the land).
For your lawn and yard
On 74% 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.
A seasonal high water table comes within 18 inches of the surface on 39% of the land, often in spring. Basements, sump pumps and lawns in low spots feel it first.
For a septic system
For conventional septic absorption fields, NRCS rates 91% of the land in Scott County very limited, 3% somewhat limited and 0% not limited (6% not rated, such as urban land, pits or water).
That is close to the state as a whole (91% very limited).
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.
Flooding is mapped on 6% of the land (3% occasional, 3% frequent).
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 well drained (42%). 59% of the land is moderately well drained or better, compared with 41% across Minnesota.
Show as a table
| Category | Scott County | Minnesota |
|---|---|---|
| Excessively drained | 4.0% | 3.1% |
| Somewhat excessively drained | 3.5% | 3.9% |
| Well drained | 41.8% | 20.3% |
| Moderately well drained | 9.4% | 13.7% |
| Somewhat poorly drained | 5.0% | 12.3% |
| Poorly drained | 13.1% | 20.7% |
| Very poorly drained | 17.0% | 22.1% |
| Not rated | 6.2% | 4.1% |
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 | Scott County | Minnesota |
|---|---|---|
| Not limited | 0.0% | 0.0% |
| Somewhat limited | 2.5% | 4.4% |
| Very limited | 91.2% | 91.3% |
| Not rated | 6.3% | 4.3% |
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 | Scott County | Minnesota |
|---|---|---|
| A: fast infiltration (mostly sandy or gravelly) | 7.9% | 9.5% |
| B: moderate infiltration | 12.0% | 12.3% |
| C: slow infiltration | 34.3% | 16.9% |
| D: very slow infiltration (clayey, shallow or wet) | 0.6% | 4.4% |
| A/D: D as is, A if drained | 9.7% | 13.9% |
| B/D: D as is, B if drained | 14.0% | 14.0% |
| C/D: D as is, C if drained | 15.1% | 24.7% |
| Not rated | 6.5% | 4.3% |
Flooding
Show as a table
| Category | Scott County | Minnesota |
|---|---|---|
| No flooding | 91.7% | 92.4% |
| Rare or very rare | 0.0% | 0.2% |
| Occasional | 2.9% | 1.3% |
| Frequent or very frequent | 3.0% | 2.4% |
| Not reported | 2.4% | 3.7% |
Seasonal high water table
Show as a table
| Category | Scott County | Minnesota |
|---|---|---|
| Within 18 inches at some time of year | 38.9% | 52.0% |
| 18 inches to 3.3 feet | 4.8% | 15.0% |
| Deeper than 3.3 feet or none reported | 54.0% | 29.6% |
| Not reported | 2.4% | 3.3% |
Topsoil pH and texture
First mineral layer of each soil
Typical topsoil pH is 6.6 (neutral); 80% of rated land falls between 6.2 and 7.0. Median topsoil organic matter is 3%.
Show as a table
| Category | Scott County | Minnesota |
|---|---|---|
| Strongly acidic (below 5.5) | 0.0% | 7.0% |
| Moderately to slightly acidic (5.5–6.4) | 17.0% | 27.3% |
| Near neutral (6.5–7.3) | 66.7% | 32.0% |
| Alkaline (7.4 and up) | 7.5% | 15.2% |
| Not reported | 8.8% | 18.6% |
Texture
Show as a table
| Category | Scott County | Minnesota |
|---|---|---|
| Sandy | 3.9% | 11.2% |
| Loamy (loam, silt loam and similar) | 80.5% | 66.1% |
| Clayey (40%+ clay) | 0.0% | 2.2% |
| Organic (muck or peat) | 9.3% | 16.2% |
| Not reported (rock, urban land, etc.) | 6.3% | 4.3% |
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
- Scott County, Minnesota (FIPS 27139): 226,120 acres of mapped land, 9,780 acres of open water excluded. State comparisons pool all mapped land in Minnesota.
- 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.