Soil series profile

Cieneba soil series

Cieneba is a somewhat excessively drained soil with a sandy loam surface, mapped on 649,302 acres in 11 counties in CA. Hydrologic group D.

#382 by mapped area loamy Typic Xerorthents (Entisols)

Drainage class: Somewhat excessively drained
Hydrologic group: D
Typical topsoil pH: 6.5
Mapped area: 649k

Typical Cieneba profile

Texture and pH by depth

Depth to scale. More strongly shaded layers hold more clay. Horizon names are the soil survey's (A = topsoil, B = subsoil, C = parent material).

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Typical Cieneba horizons (representative values)
Depth	Texture	pH	Clay	Sand	Organic matter
0–14 in (H1)	Sandy loam	6.2	13%	68%	0.75%
14–22 in (H2)	Weathered bedrock	Not reported	Not reported	Not reported	Not reported

Representative values from the most extensive Cieneba map unit (Cieneba rocky sandy loam, 15 to 50 percent slopes, eroded, survey area CA679). Other map units of this series vary within the series range.

Stock photo for illustration, not a sample of this soil series. Credit on the Sources & method page.

What this means

What Cieneba soil means for gardens, lawns and septic systems

For gardens

Typical topsoil in Cieneba soils is slightly acidic: pH 6.5 (most land between 5.8 and 6.7), the range most vegetables, flowers and lawn grasses prefer.

Loamy topsoil (loam, silt loam and similar) covers 94% of mapped Cieneba acres: generally the easiest soil to garden, holding moisture without staying waterlogged. The most common surface texture is coarse sandy loam (45% of mapped Cieneba acres).

96% of mapped Cieneba acres is excessively or somewhat excessively drained: water moves through fast, so gardens need more frequent watering in dry spells.

For lawns and yards

On 96% of mapped acres, 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 96% of the acres in mapped Cieneba soils very limited, 0% somewhat limited and 0% not limited (4% not rated, such as urban land, pits or water).

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.

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

Where Cieneba soil is found

Mapped acres

Cieneba is mapped in California.

Counties with the most mapped Cieneba soil
County	Acres	Share of county land
San Diego County, CA	169,717	7.3%
Riverside County, CA	122,708	4.1%
Monterey County, CA	114,496	5.3%
Tulare County, CA	70,810	2.8%
Kern County, CA	51,687	0.9%
Orange County, CA	46,072	9.2%
San Luis Obispo County, CA	34,505	2.1%
San Benito County, CA	15,763	1.8%
San Bernardino County, CA	10,530	0.2%
Los Angeles County, CA	4,952	0.2%
Fresno County, CA	522	0.0%

Septic absorption fields

NRCS rating, share of Cieneba acres

Not limited 0%

Somewhat limited 0%

Very limited 96%

Not rated 4%

Septic tank absorption field rating across mapped Cieneba acres. Scale 0 to 100% of mapped land.

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Septic tank absorption field rating across mapped Cieneba acres.
Category	Share of acres
Not limited	0.0%
Somewhat limited	0.0%
Very limited	95.8%
Not rated	4.2%

Drainage, water table and flooding

Share of Cieneba 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 23–63% (median 48%).
Topsoil organic matter: Median 0.8%.

Drainage class

Excessively drained <1%

Somewhat excessively drained 95%

Well drained <1%

Moderately well drained 0%

Somewhat poorly drained 0%

Poorly drained 0%

Very poorly drained 0%

Not rated 4%

Drainage class across mapped Cieneba acres. Scale 0 to 100% of mapped land.

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Drainage class across mapped Cieneba acres.
Category	Share of acres
Excessively drained	0.4%
Somewhat excessively drained	95.4%
Well drained	0.8%
Moderately well drained	0.0%
Somewhat poorly drained	0.0%
Poorly drained	0.0%
Very poorly drained	0.0%
Not rated	3.5%

Hydrologic soil group

A: fast infiltration (mostly sandy or gravelly) 0%

B: moderate infiltration 0%

C: slow infiltration 0%

D: very slow infiltration (clayey, shallow or wet) 96%

A/D: D as is, A if drained 0%

B/D: D as is, B if drained 0%

C/D: D as is, C if drained 0%

Not rated 4%

Hydrologic soil group across mapped Cieneba acres. Scale 0 to 100% of mapped land.

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Hydrologic soil group across mapped Cieneba acres.
Category	Share of acres
A: fast infiltration (mostly sandy or gravelly)	0.0%
B: moderate infiltration	0.0%
C: slow infiltration	0.0%
D: very slow infiltration (clayey, shallow or wet)	95.8%
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%
Not rated	4.2%

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 Cieneba (component kind "Series") in SSURGO: 649,302 acres.
Method: Shares are by mapped acres of Cieneba components. The profile comes from the single largest Cieneba component. Full methodology.

Independent reference site. No government affiliation or endorsement.

Full narrative description: USDA Official Soil Series Description for Cieneba.