Soil series profile
Arvilla soil series
Arvilla is a somewhat excessively drained soil with a sandy loam surface, mapped on 379,093 acres in 73 counties across 3 states. Hydrologic group A.
- Drainage class
- Somewhat excessively drained 100% of mapped acres
- Hydrologic group
- A 100% of mapped acres
- Typical topsoil pH
- 7.0 neutral · range 6.3–7.3
- Mapped area
- 379k acres in 73 counties, 3 states
Typical Arvilla profile
Texture and pH by depth
Show as a table
| Depth | Texture | pH | Clay | Sand | Organic matter |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 0–6 in (Ap) | Sandy loam | 6.3 | 15% | 59% | 2.5% |
| 6–10 in (AB) | Sandy loam | 6.3 | 15% | 55% | 2% |
| 10–18 in (Bw1) | Sandy loam | 6.3 | 15% | 59% | 0.7% |
| 18–21 in (2Bw2) | Loamy coarse sand | 7.0 | 6% | 87% | 0.2% |
| 21–25 in (2Bk) | Coarse sand | 7.6 | 3% | 93% | 0.2% |
| 25–79 in (2C) | Gravelly coarse sand | 7.6 | 3% | 94% | 0.2% |
What this means
What Arvilla soil means for gardens, lawns and septic systems
For gardens
Typical topsoil in Arvilla soils is neutral: pH 7.0 (most land between 6.3 and 7.3), the range most vegetables, flowers and lawn grasses prefer.
Loamy topsoil (loam, silt loam and similar) covers 100% of mapped Arvilla acres: generally the easiest soil to garden, holding moisture without staying waterlogged. The most common surface texture is sandy loam (99% of mapped Arvilla acres).
100% of mapped Arvilla acres is excessively or somewhat excessively drained: water moves through fast, so gardens need more frequent watering in dry spells.
For lawns and yards
100% of mapped acres is in hydrologic group A, where water soaks in fast. Lawns there dry out quickly; deeper, less frequent watering and organic matter help.
For a septic system
For conventional septic absorption fields, NRCS rates 100% of the acres in mapped Arvilla soils very limited, 0% somewhat limited and 0% not 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.
Only a licensed site evaluation or perc test at the actual lot decides whether a system is allowed and which design.
Where Arvilla soil is found
Mapped acres
Arvilla is mapped in Minnesota, North Dakota and South Dakota. The 60 counties with the most Arvilla acres:
| County | Acres | Share of county land |
|---|---|---|
| Pope County, MN | 48,928 | 11.4% |
| Stearns County, MN | 41,826 | 4.9% |
| Otter Tail County, MN | 23,182 | 1.8% |
| McHenry County, ND | 21,976 | 1.8% |
| Grand Forks County, ND | 21,559 | 2.3% |
| Bottineau County, ND | 19,840 | 1.9% |
| Douglas County, MN | 17,797 | 4.4% |
| Rolette County, ND | 13,151 | 2.3% |
| Sheridan County, ND | 11,830 | 1.9% |
| Todd County, MN | 10,076 | 1.7% |
| Eddy County, ND | 9,597 | 2.4% |
| Pierce County, ND | 8,710 | 1.3% |
| Stutsman County, ND | 8,170 | 0.6% |
| Ransom County, ND | 8,009 | 1.5% |
| Grant County, MN | 7,740 | 2.2% |
| Becker County, MN | 6,943 | 0.8% |
| Benson County, ND | 6,767 | 0.8% |
| Renville County, ND | 5,863 | 1.0% |
| Kandiyohi County, MN | 5,586 | 1.1% |
| Wells County, ND | 4,924 | 0.6% |
| Lac qui Parle County, MN | 4,915 | 1.0% |
| Foster County, ND | 4,910 | 1.2% |
| Walsh County, ND | 4,494 | 0.5% |
| Traill County, ND | 4,259 | 0.8% |
| Swift County, MN | 3,990 | 0.8% |
| Lyon County, MN | 3,960 | 0.9% |
| Morrison County, MN | 3,863 | 0.5% |
| Yellow Medicine County, MN | 3,645 | 0.8% |
| Dickey County, ND | 3,386 | 0.5% |
| Sherburne County, MN | 3,216 | 1.2% |
| Ward County, ND | 3,158 | 0.2% |
| Polk County, MN | 2,773 | 0.2% |
| Deuel County, SD | 2,745 | 0.7% |
| Murray County, MN | 2,725 | 0.6% |
| LaMoure County, ND | 2,541 | 0.3% |
| Grant County, SD | 2,074 | 0.5% |
| Barnes County, ND | 2,054 | 0.2% |
| Nelson County, ND | 2,017 | 0.3% |
| Lincoln County, MN | 2,015 | 0.6% |
| Ramsey County, ND | 1,867 | 0.2% |
| Steele County, ND | 1,725 | 0.4% |
| Richland County, ND | 1,555 | 0.2% |
| Big Stone County, MN | 1,053 | 0.3% |
| Chippewa County, MN | 1,007 | 0.3% |
| Cass County, ND | 942 | 0.1% |
| Stevens County, MN | 867 | 0.2% |
| Wright County, MN | 620 | 0.1% |
| Clay County, MN | 567 | 0.1% |
| Day County, SD | 491 | 0.1% |
| Roberts County, SD | 489 | 0.1% |
| Marshall County, SD | 466 | 0.1% |
| McLean County, ND | 308 | 0.0% |
| Griggs County, ND | 296 | 0.1% |
| Pipestone County, MN | 278 | 0.1% |
| Wadena County, MN | 208 | 0.1% |
| Sargent County, ND | 201 | 0.0% |
| Brookings County, SD | 143 | 0.0% |
| Hennepin County, MN | 127 | 0.0% |
| Towner County, ND | 110 | 0.0% |
| Brown County, SD | 109 | 0.0% |
Septic absorption fields
NRCS rating, share of Arvilla acres
Show as a table
| Category | Share of acres |
|---|---|
| Not limited | 0.0% |
| Somewhat limited | 0.0% |
| Very limited | 100.0% |
Drainage, water table and flooding
Share of Arvilla acres
- Depth to seasonal high water table
- None reported within about 6.5 feet (median where reported).
- Flooding
- Not mapped as flooding on most acres.
- Slope
- Typically 1–7% (median 3%).
- Topsoil organic matter
- Median 2.5%.
Drainage class
Show as a table
| Category | Share of acres |
|---|---|
| Excessively drained | 0.0% |
| Somewhat excessively drained | 100.0% |
| Well drained | 0.0% |
| Moderately well drained | 0.0% |
| Somewhat poorly drained | 0.0% |
| Poorly drained | 0.0% |
| Very poorly drained | 0.0% |
Hydrologic soil group
Show as a table
| Category | Share of acres |
|---|---|
| A: fast infiltration (mostly sandy or gravelly) | 100.0% |
| B: moderate infiltration | 0.0% |
| C: slow infiltration | 0.0% |
| D: very slow infiltration (clayey, shallow or wet) | 0.0% |
| A/D: D as is, A if drained | 0.0% |
| B/D: D as is, B if drained | 0.0% |
| C/D: D as is, C if drained | 0.0% |
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
- All map unit components named Arvilla (component kind "Series") in SSURGO: 379,093 acres.
- Method
- Shares are by mapped acres of Arvilla components. The profile comes from the single largest Arvilla component. Full methodology.