Soil series profile

Vista soil series

Vista is a well drained soil with a coarse sandy loam surface, mapped on 324,991 acres in 13 counties in CA. Hydrologic group B.

#1018 by mapped area coarse-loamy Typic Xerochrepts (Inceptisols)

Drainage class: Well drained
Hydrologic group: B
Typical topsoil pH: 6.7
Mapped area: 325k

Typical Vista 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 Vista horizons (representative values)
Depth	Texture	pH	Clay	Sand	Organic matter
0–23 in (H1)	Coarse sandy loam	6.5	11%	65%	0.75%
23–27 in (H2)	Bedrock	Not reported	Not reported	Not reported	Not reported

Representative values from the most extensive Vista map unit (Vista coarse sandy loam, 30 to 75 percent slopes, survey area CA053). 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 Vista soil means for gardens, lawns and septic systems

For gardens

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

Loamy topsoil (loam, silt loam and similar) covers 92% of mapped Vista acres: generally the easiest soil to garden, holding moisture without staying waterlogged. The most common surface texture is coarse sandy loam (87% of mapped Vista acres).

96% of mapped Vista acres is moderately well to excessively drained, which suits most garden plants.

For lawns and yards

Most land is in hydrologic groups B and C, where rain soaks in at a moderate pace.

For a septic system

For conventional septic absorption fields, NRCS rates 96% of the acres in mapped Vista 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 Vista soil is found

Mapped acres

Vista is mapped in California.

Counties with the most mapped Vista soil
County	Acres	Share of county land
Madera County, CA	60,483	6.2%
San Diego County, CA	55,370	2.4%
Monterey County, CA	52,317	2.4%
Kern County, CA	44,301	0.8%
Fresno County, CA	39,548	0.8%
Tulare County, CA	30,388	1.2%
Riverside County, CA	23,166	0.8%
Los Angeles County, CA	10,110	0.3%
San Luis Obispo County, CA	5,925	0.4%
San Bernardino County, CA	669	0.0%
Ventura County, CA	524	0.1%
Orange County, CA	288	0.1%
San Benito County, CA	140	0.0%

Septic absorption fields

NRCS rating, share of Vista acres

Not limited 0%

Somewhat limited 0%

Very limited 96%

Not rated 4%

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

Show as a table

Septic tank absorption field rating across mapped Vista 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 Vista 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 12–53% (median 23%).
Topsoil organic matter: Median 0.8%.

Drainage class

Excessively drained 0%

Somewhat excessively drained 2%

Well drained 94%

Moderately well drained 0%

Somewhat poorly drained 0%

Poorly drained 0%

Very poorly drained 0%

Not rated 4%

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

Show as a table

Drainage class across mapped Vista acres.
Category	Share of acres
Excessively drained	0.0%
Somewhat excessively drained	1.8%
Well drained	94.2%
Moderately well drained	0.0%
Somewhat poorly drained	0.0%
Poorly drained	0.0%
Very poorly drained	0.0%
Not rated	4.0%

Hydrologic soil group

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

B: moderate infiltration 90%

C: slow infiltration 2%

D: very slow infiltration (clayey, shallow or wet) 4%

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

Show as a table

Hydrologic soil group across mapped Vista acres.
Category	Share of acres
A: fast infiltration (mostly sandy or gravelly)	0.0%
B: moderate infiltration	89.7%
C: slow infiltration	2.0%
D: very slow infiltration (clayey, shallow or wet)	4.2%
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 Vista (component kind "Series") in SSURGO: 324,991 acres.
Method: Shares are by mapped acres of Vista components. The profile comes from the single largest Vista component. Full methodology.

Independent reference site. No government affiliation or endorsement.

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