County soil summary
Soil types in Richland County, South Carolina
The most widespread soils are Nanford, Tawcaw and Lakeland; the most common drainage class is well drained (49% of the land), and typical topsoil pH is 5.5.
- Well or moderately well drained
- 74% of land · state 66%
- Typical topsoil pH
- 5.5 strongly acidic · state 5.3
- Septic fields very limited
- 71% of land · state 75%
- Subject to flooding
- 19% of land, any frequency · state 14%
Most common soils in Richland County
Share of mapped land
A county is a patchwork of many soils. These 8 cover 56% of the mapped land; 46 named soil series are mapped here in all.
| Soil | Share of land | Drainage | Topsoil pH |
|---|---|---|---|
| Nanford | 9.2% | Well drained | 5.5 |
| Tawcaw | 8.8% | Somewhat poorly drained | 5.5 |
| Lakeland | 8.6% | Excessively drained | 5.3 |
| Georgeville | 8.4% | Well drained | 5.5 |
| Pelion | 6.7% | Moderately well drained | 5.5 |
| Vaucluse | 6.3% | Well drained | 5.3 |
| Dothan | 4.3% | Well drained | 5.3 |
| Johnston | 3.9% | Very poorly drained | 5.0 |
What this means
What the soils in Richland County mean for gardens, lawns and septic systems
For your garden
Typical topsoil in Richland County is strongly acidic: pH 5.5 (most land between 5.0 and 5.8). Most vegetables and lawn grasses do best around 6.0 to 7.0, so lime is often needed; blueberries, azaleas and rhododendrons like it as it is.
Loamy topsoil (loam, silt loam and similar) covers 52% of the land: generally the easiest soil to garden, holding moisture without staying waterlogged. The most common surface texture is loamy sand (27% of the land).
74% of the land is moderately well to excessively drained, which suits most garden plants.
For your lawn and yard
Most land is in hydrologic groups B and C, where rain soaks in at a moderate pace.
A seasonal high water table comes within 18 inches of the surface on 30% 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 71% of the land in Richland County very limited, 26% somewhat limited and 0% not limited (4% not rated, such as urban land, pits or water).
That is close to the state as a whole (75% 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 19% of the land (10% occasional, 9% 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 (49%). 74% of the land is moderately well drained or better, compared with 66% across South Carolina.
Show as a table
| Category | Richland County | South Carolina |
|---|---|---|
| Excessively drained | 9.0% | 3.9% |
| Somewhat excessively drained | 1.4% | 3.6% |
| Well drained | 48.6% | 45.3% |
| Moderately well drained | 14.8% | 13.4% |
| Somewhat poorly drained | 12.6% | 9.5% |
| Poorly drained | 5.8% | 14.3% |
| Very poorly drained | 4.3% | 9.3% |
| Not rated | 3.5% | 0.8% |
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 | Richland County | South Carolina |
|---|---|---|
| Not limited | 0.0% | 0.4% |
| Somewhat limited | 25.5% | 24.3% |
| Very limited | 71.0% | 75.0% |
| Not rated | 3.5% | 0.3% |
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 | Richland County | South Carolina |
|---|---|---|
| A: fast infiltration (mostly sandy or gravelly) | 13.0% | 12.7% |
| B: moderate infiltration | 35.8% | 33.0% |
| C: slow infiltration | 17.0% | 14.6% |
| D: very slow infiltration (clayey, shallow or wet) | 0.3% | 4.8% |
| A/D: D as is, A if drained | 5.4% | 8.0% |
| B/D: D as is, B if drained | 2.9% | 12.3% |
| C/D: D as is, C if drained | 22.1% | 13.7% |
| Not rated | 3.5% | 0.9% |
Flooding
Show as a table
| Category | Richland County | South Carolina |
|---|---|---|
| No flooding | 81.2% | 85.7% |
| Rare or very rare | 0.0% | 0.8% |
| Occasional | 10.1% | 2.5% |
| Frequent or very frequent | 8.7% | 10.8% |
| Not reported | 0.0% | 0.1% |
Seasonal high water table
Show as a table
| Category | Richland County | South Carolina |
|---|---|---|
| Within 18 inches at some time of year | 30.2% | 34.8% |
| 18 inches to 3.3 feet | 5.2% | 12.1% |
| Deeper than 3.3 feet or none reported | 64.6% | 53.1% |
Topsoil pH and texture
First mineral layer of each soil
Typical topsoil pH is 5.5 (strongly acidic); 80% of rated land falls between 5.0 and 5.8. Median topsoil organic matter is 1.2%.
Show as a table
| Category | Richland County | South Carolina |
|---|---|---|
| Strongly acidic (below 5.5) | 19.6% | 62.3% |
| Moderately to slightly acidic (5.5–6.4) | 76.6% | 34.1% |
| Near neutral (6.5–7.3) | 0.3% | 2.4% |
| Alkaline (7.4 and up) | 0.0% | 0.0% |
| Not reported | 3.5% | 1.1% |
Texture
Show as a table
| Category | Richland County | South Carolina |
|---|---|---|
| Sandy | 43.9% | 42.7% |
| Loamy (loam, silt loam and similar) | 52.2% | 55.0% |
| Clayey (40%+ clay) | 0.0% | 1.0% |
| Organic (muck or peat) | 0.4% | 0.5% |
| Not reported (rock, urban land, etc.) | 3.5% | 0.8% |
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
- Richland County, South Carolina (FIPS 45079): 472,572 acres of mapped land, 13,002 acres of open water excluded. State comparisons pool all mapped land in South Carolina.
- 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.