Soil series profile

Delhi soil series

Delhi is a somewhat excessively drained soil with a loamy sand surface, mapped on 160,844 acres in 10 counties in CA. Hydrologic group A.

#2287 by mapped area Typic Xeropsamments (Entisols)

Drainage class: Somewhat excessively drained
Hydrologic group: A
Typical topsoil pH: 6.7
Mapped area: 161k

Typical Delhi 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).

Show as a table

Typical Delhi horizons (representative values)
Depth	Texture	pH	Clay	Sand	Organic matter
0–7 in (A)	Loamy sand	6.7	4%	80%	0.75%
7–25 in (C1)	Loamy sand	6.7	3%	80%	0.25%
25–60 in (C2)	Loamy sand	6.7	3%	80%	0.25%

Representative values from the most extensive Delhi map unit (Delhi loamy sand, 0 to 3 percent slopes, MLRA 17, survey area CA654). 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 Delhi soil means for gardens, lawns and septic systems

For gardens

Typical topsoil in Delhi soils is neutral: pH 6.7 (most land between 6.5 and 7.0), the range most vegetables, flowers and lawn grasses prefer.

Sandy topsoil covers 96% of mapped Delhi acres. It drains fast and warms early in spring, but dries out and loses nutrients quickly: mulch, compost and steady watering help. The most common surface texture is loamy sand (48% of mapped Delhi acres).

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

For lawns and yards

96% 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 96% of the acres in mapped Delhi 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 Delhi soil is found

Mapped acres

Delhi is mapped in California.

Counties with the most mapped Delhi soil
County	Acres	Share of county land
Fresno County, CA	47,473	1.0%
Merced County, CA	46,709	3.8%
San Joaquin County, CA	20,351	2.3%
San Bernardino County, CA	20,210	0.4%
Stanislaus County, CA	8,731	0.9%
Contra Costa County, CA	7,234	1.6%
Riverside County, CA	4,918	0.2%
Madera County, CA	2,830	0.3%
Tulare County, CA	2,388	0.1%
Los Angeles County, CA	1	0.0%

Septic absorption fields

NRCS rating, share of Delhi acres

Not limited 0%

Somewhat limited 0%

Very limited 96%

Not rated 4%

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

Show as a table

Septic tank absorption field rating across mapped Delhi acres.
Category	Share of acres
Not limited	0.0%
Somewhat limited	0.0%
Very limited	96.4%
Not rated	3.6%

Drainage, water table and flooding

Share of Delhi 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 1–6% (median 2%).
Topsoil organic matter: Median 0.8%.

Drainage class

Excessively drained 0%

Somewhat excessively drained 96%

Well drained <1%

Moderately well drained 0%

Somewhat poorly drained 0%

Poorly drained 0%

Very poorly drained 0%

Not rated 3%

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

Show as a table

Drainage class across mapped Delhi acres.
Category	Share of acres
Excessively drained	0.0%
Somewhat excessively drained	96.4%
Well drained	0.4%
Moderately well drained	0.0%
Somewhat poorly drained	0.0%
Poorly drained	0.0%
Very poorly drained	0.0%
Not rated	3.2%

Hydrologic soil group

A: fast infiltration (mostly sandy or gravelly) 96%

B: moderate infiltration 0%

C: slow infiltration 0%

D: very slow infiltration (clayey, shallow or wet) 0%

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 Delhi acres. Scale 0 to 100% of mapped land.

Show as a table

Hydrologic soil group across mapped Delhi acres.
Category	Share of acres
A: fast infiltration (mostly sandy or gravelly)	96.4%
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%
Not rated	3.6%

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 Delhi (component kind "Series") in SSURGO: 160,844 acres.
Method: Shares are by mapped acres of Delhi components. The profile comes from the single largest Delhi component. Full methodology.

Independent reference site. No government affiliation or endorsement.

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