What's My Soil

A field guide to the soil under your feet

Soil series profile

Ciervo soil series

Ciervo is a moderately well drained soil with a clay surface, mapped on 117,673 acres in 3 counties in CA. Hydrologic group D.

#3062 by mapped area fine Vertic Haplocambids (Aridisols)

Drainage class
Moderately well drained
77% of mapped acres
Hydrologic group
D
40% of mapped acres
Typical topsoil pH
8.2
moderately alkaline · range 8.2–8.2
Mapped area
118k
acres in 3 counties, 1 state

Typical Ciervo profile

Texture and pH by depth

Typical Ciervo soil profile by depth 0 in 10 in 20 in 30 in 40 in 50 in 0–17 in · Ap · pH 8.2 · 40% clay Clay 17–27 in · Bw · pH 8.3 · 47% clay Clay 27–41 in · Bknyz · pH 8.0 · 47% clay Silty clay 41–60 in · Bknz · pH 8.2 · 34% clay Clay loam
Depth to scale. More strongly shaded layers hold more clay. Horizon names are the soil survey's (A = topsoil, B = subsoil, C = parent material).
Show as a table
Typical Ciervo horizons (representative values)
Depth Texture pH Clay Sand Organic matter
0–17 in (Ap) Clay 8.2 40% 32% 0.9%
17–27 in (Bw) Clay 8.3 47% 17% 0.6%
27–41 in (Bknyz) Silty clay 8.0 47% 11% 0.6%
41–60 in (Bknz) Clay loam 8.2 34% 35% 0.5%

Representative values from the most extensive Ciervo map unit (Ciervo clay, 0 to 2 percent slopes, survey area CA653). Other map units of this series vary within the series range.

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

What this means

What Ciervo soil means for gardens, lawns and septic systems

For gardens

Typical topsoil in Ciervo soils is moderately alkaline: pH 8.2. Acid-loving plants such as blueberries and azaleas struggle without amended beds, and some trees and shrubs show iron chlorosis (yellow leaves with green veins).

Clayey topsoil covers 75% of mapped Ciervo acres. Clay holds water and nutrients but drains slowly and compacts if worked wet: add compost, avoid tilling soggy soil and consider raised beds. The most common surface texture is clay (75% of mapped Ciervo acres).

77% of mapped Ciervo acres is moderately well to excessively drained, which suits most garden plants.

For lawns and yards

On 75% 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 75% of the acres in mapped Ciervo soils very limited, 0% somewhat limited and 0% not limited (25% 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.

Flooding is mapped on 77% of the acres (0% occasional, 0% 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.

Where Ciervo soil is found

Mapped acres

Ciervo is mapped in California.

Counties with the most mapped Ciervo soil
County Acres Share of county land
Fresno County, CA 115,214 2.4%
Kern County, CA 2,300 0.0%
Kings County, CA 159 0.0%

Septic absorption fields

NRCS rating, share of Ciervo acres

Not limited 0%
Somewhat limited 0%
Very limited 75%
Not rated 25%
Septic tank absorption field rating across mapped Ciervo acres. Scale 0 to 100% of mapped land.
Show as a table
Septic tank absorption field rating across mapped Ciervo acres.
CategoryShare of acres
Not limited0.0%
Somewhat limited0.0%
Very limited75.0%
Not rated25.0%

Drainage, water table and flooding

Share of Ciervo acres

Depth to seasonal high water table
About 4.4 feet (53 in) (median where reported); within 18 inches on <1% of acres.
Flooding
Mapped as flooding on 77% of acres (0% occasional, 0% frequent).
Slope
Typically 0–0% (median 0%).
Topsoil organic matter
Median 0.9%.

Drainage class

Excessively drained 0%
Somewhat excessively drained 0%
Well drained <1%
Moderately well drained 77%
Somewhat poorly drained 0%
Poorly drained 0%
Very poorly drained 0%
Not rated 23%
Drainage class across mapped Ciervo acres. Scale 0 to 100% of mapped land.
Show as a table
Drainage class across mapped Ciervo acres.
CategoryShare of acres
Excessively drained0.0%
Somewhat excessively drained0.0%
Well drained0.1%
Moderately well drained77.1%
Somewhat poorly drained0.0%
Poorly drained0.0%
Very poorly drained0.0%
Not rated22.8%

Hydrologic soil group

A: fast infiltration (mostly sandy or gravelly) 0%
B: moderate infiltration 0%
C: slow infiltration 35%
D: very slow infiltration (clayey, shallow or wet) 40%
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 25%
Hydrologic soil group across mapped Ciervo acres. Scale 0 to 100% of mapped land.
Show as a table
Hydrologic soil group across mapped Ciervo acres.
CategoryShare of acres
A: fast infiltration (mostly sandy or gravelly)0.0%
B: moderate infiltration0.0%
C: slow infiltration34.5%
D: very slow infiltration (clayey, shallow or wet)40.4%
A/D: D as is, A if drained0.0%
B/D: D as is, B if drained0.0%
C/D: D as is, C if drained0.0%
Not rated25.0%

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 Ciervo (component kind "Series") in SSURGO: 117,673 acres.
Method
Shares are by mapped acres of Ciervo components. The profile comes from the single largest Ciervo component. Full methodology.

Independent reference site. No government affiliation or endorsement.

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