County soil summary

Soil types in Weber County, Utah

The most widespread soils are Lucky Star, St. Marys and Charcol; the most common drainage class is well drained (54% of the land), and typical topsoil pH is 7.0.

Mapped soil survey data 343,000 acres of mapped land · 130 named soil series

About 125,000 acres of Weber County lie in multi-county soil survey areas (UT607) that the soil survey does not split by county. Those acres, often public forest or desert land, are counted in the Utah totals but not in the figures below.

Well or moderately well drained
63%
of land · state 64%
Typical topsoil pH
7.0
neutral · state 8.2
Septic fields very limited
83%
of land · state 62%
Subject to flooding
16%
of land, any frequency · state 4%

Most common soils in Weber County

Share of mapped land

A county is a patchwork of many soils. These 8 cover 33% of the mapped land; 130 named soil series are mapped here in all.

Most common soils in Weber County by share of mapped land
Soil Share of land Drainage Topsoil pH
Lucky Star 9.3% Well drained 6.7
St. Marys 4.1% Well drained 7.0
Charcol 3.7% Well drained 6.3
Warm Springs 3.6% Somewhat poorly drained 7.8
Rock outcropLand type, not a soil series 3.1% — —
Moweba 3.1% Well drained 6.7
Yeates Hollow 3.0% Well drained 6.5
PlayasLand type, not a soil series 2.7% — —

Drainage and pH for a series are its typical values across all its mapped acres nationwide. A dash means the row is not a soil series.

What this means

What the soils in Weber County mean for gardens, lawns and septic systems

For your garden

Typical topsoil in Weber County is neutral: pH 7.0 (most land between 6.3 and 8.3), the range most vegetables, flowers and lawn grasses prefer.

Loamy topsoil (loam, silt loam and similar) covers 80% of the land: generally the easiest soil to garden, holding moisture without staying waterlogged. The most common surface texture is silt loam (16% of the land).

63% of the land is moderately well to excessively drained, which suits most garden plants.

For your lawn and yard

On 57% 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 83% of the land in Weber County very limited, 2% somewhat limited and 0% not limited (15% not rated, such as urban land, pits or water).

Statewide, 62% of the land is very limited, so Weber 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.

Flooding is mapped on 16% of the land (6% occasional, 1% frequent).

Only a licensed site evaluation or perc test at the actual lot decides whether a system is allowed and which design.

Generated from the mapped numbers above using fixed rules, not a site visit. See how these notes are written.

Drainage

How long the soil stays wet

The most common drainage class is well drained (54%). 63% of the land is moderately well drained or better, compared with 64% across Utah.

Excessively drained <1%
Somewhat excessively drained 6%
Well drained 54%
Moderately well drained 3%
Somewhat poorly drained 13%
Poorly drained 5%
Very poorly drained 5%
Not rated 15%
Natural drainage class, share of mapped land in Weber County. Scale 0 to 100% of mapped land.
Show as a table
Natural drainage class, share of mapped land in Weber County.
CategoryWeber CountyUtah
Excessively drained0.5%2.0%
Somewhat excessively drained5.9%7.2%
Well drained54.1%54.2%
Moderately well drained2.6%0.7%
Somewhat poorly drained12.5%1.2%
Poorly drained5.2%1.8%
Very poorly drained4.7%4.9%
Not rated14.5%28.0%

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.

Not limited 0%
Somewhat limited 2%
Very limited 83%
Not rated 15%
Septic tank absorption field rating, share of mapped land in Weber County. Scale 0 to 100% of mapped land.
Show as a table
Septic tank absorption field rating, share of mapped land in Weber County.
CategoryWeber CountyUtah
Not limited0.0%3.1%
Somewhat limited2.0%7.3%
Very limited83.2%61.6%
Not rated14.8%28.1%

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.

A: fast infiltration (mostly sandy or gravelly) 7%
B: moderate infiltration 27%
C: slow infiltration 29%
D: very slow infiltration (clayey, shallow or wet) 26%
A/D: D as is, A if drained 0%
B/D: D as is, B if drained <1%
C/D: D as is, C if drained 2%
Not rated 9%
Hydrologic soil group, share of mapped land in Weber County. Scale 0 to 100% of mapped land.
Show as a table
Hydrologic soil group, share of mapped land in Weber County.
CategoryWeber CountyUtah
A: fast infiltration (mostly sandy or gravelly)7.0%8.5%
B: moderate infiltration27.1%11.5%
C: slow infiltration28.9%19.9%
D: very slow infiltration (clayey, shallow or wet)26.2%38.6%
A/D: D as is, A if drained0.0%0.1%
B/D: D as is, B if drained0.2%0.1%
C/D: D as is, C if drained1.5%0.5%
Not rated9.2%20.9%

Flooding

No flooding 69%
Rare or very rare 9%
Occasional 6%
Frequent or very frequent 1%
Not reported 14%
Most frequent flooding class in any month, share of mapped land in Weber County. Scale 0 to 100% of mapped land.
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Most frequent flooding class in any month, share of mapped land in Weber County.
CategoryWeber CountyUtah
No flooding69.3%71.2%
Rare or very rare9.4%2.0%
Occasional5.9%0.9%
Frequent or very frequent1.1%1.0%
Not reported14.3%24.9%

Seasonal high water table

Within 18 inches at some time of year 10%
18 inches to 3.3 feet 11%
Deeper than 3.3 feet or none reported 69%
Not reported 11%
Shallowest depth to a saturated zone in any month, share of mapped land in Weber County. Scale 0 to 100% of mapped land.
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Shallowest depth to a saturated zone in any month, share of mapped land in Weber County.
CategoryWeber CountyUtah
Within 18 inches at some time of year9.5%6.4%
18 inches to 3.3 feet10.5%1.1%
Deeper than 3.3 feet or none reported69.0%74.0%
Not reported11.0%18.4%

Topsoil pH and texture

First mineral layer of each soil

Typical topsoil pH is 7.0 (neutral); 80% of rated land falls between 6.3 and 8.3. Median topsoil organic matter is 3.5%.

Strongly acidic (below 5.5) 0%
Moderately to slightly acidic (5.5–6.4) 23%
Near neutral (6.5–7.3) 33%
Alkaline (7.4 and up) 28%
Not reported 16%
Topsoil pH band, share of mapped land in Weber County. Scale 0 to 100% of mapped land.
Show as a table
Topsoil pH band, share of mapped land in Weber County.
CategoryWeber CountyUtah
Strongly acidic (below 5.5)0.0%0.4%
Moderately to slightly acidic (5.5–6.4)23.3%2.2%
Near neutral (6.5–7.3)33.4%10.8%
Alkaline (7.4 and up)27.7%57.9%
Not reported15.6%28.7%

Texture

Sandy 4%
Loamy (loam, silt loam and similar) 80%
Clayey (40%+ clay) <1%
Organic (muck or peat) 0%
Not reported (rock, urban land, etc.) 15%
Topsoil texture group, share of mapped land in Weber County. Scale 0 to 100% of mapped land.
Show as a table
Topsoil texture group, share of mapped land in Weber County.
CategoryWeber CountyUtah
Sandy4.3%8.5%
Loamy (loam, silt loam and similar)79.9%61.5%
Clayey (40%+ clay)0.5%1.3%
Organic (muck or peat)0.0%0.0%
Not reported (rock, urban land, etc.)15.3%28.7%

Most common surface textures: silt loam 16% · loam 14% · gravelly loam 9% · very cobbly loam 7% · fine sandy loam 7%.

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
Weber County, Utah (FIPS 49057): 342,774 acres of mapped land, 55,993 acres of open water excluded. State comparisons pool all mapped land in Utah.
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.

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