Soil series profile
Woo soil series
Woo is a well drained soil with a clay loam surface, mapped on 37,474 acres in 2 counties in CA. Hydrologic group C.
- Drainage class
- Well drained 89% of mapped acres
- Hydrologic group
- C 81% of mapped acres
- Typical topsoil pH
- 7.5 slightly alkaline · range 7.5–7.5
- Mapped area
- 37k acres in 2 counties, 1 state
Typical Woo profile
Texture and pH by depth
Show as a table
| Depth | Texture | pH | Clay | Sand | Organic matter |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 0–15 in (H1) | Clay loam | 7.5 | 31% | 35% | 1.5% |
| 15–60 in (H2) | Clay loam | 7.9 | 27% | 35% | 0.75% |
What this means
What Woo soil means for gardens, lawns and septic systems
For gardens
Typical topsoil in Woo soils is slightly alkaline: pH 7.5. 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).
Loamy topsoil (loam, silt loam and similar) covers 76% of mapped Woo acres: generally the easiest soil to garden, holding moisture without staying waterlogged. The most common surface texture is clay loam (53% of mapped Woo acres).
89% of mapped Woo acres is moderately well to excessively drained, which suits most garden plants.
For lawns and yards
On 89% 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 89% of the acres in mapped Woo soils very limited, 0% somewhat limited and 0% not limited (11% 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.
Where Woo soil is found
Mapped acres
Woo is mapped in California.
| County | Acres | Share of county land |
|---|---|---|
| Merced County, CA | 37,042 | 3.0% |
| Stanislaus County, CA | 433 | 0.0% |
Septic absorption fields
NRCS rating, share of Woo acres
Show as a table
| Category | Share of acres |
|---|---|
| Not limited | 0.0% |
| Somewhat limited | 0.0% |
| Very limited | 89.3% |
| Not rated | 10.7% |
Drainage, water table and flooding
Share of Woo acres
- Depth to seasonal high water table
- About 0 inches (median where reported); within 18 inches on 8% of acres.
- Flooding
- Not mapped as flooding on most acres.
- Slope
- Typically 1–1% (median 1%).
- Topsoil organic matter
- Median 1.5%.
Drainage class
Show as a table
| Category | Share of acres |
|---|---|
| Excessively drained | 0.0% |
| Somewhat excessively drained | 0.0% |
| Well drained | 89.3% |
| Moderately well drained | 0.0% |
| Somewhat poorly drained | 0.0% |
| Poorly drained | 0.0% |
| Very poorly drained | 0.0% |
| Not rated | 10.7% |
Hydrologic soil group
Show as a table
| Category | Share of acres |
|---|---|
| A: fast infiltration (mostly sandy or gravelly) | 0.0% |
| B: moderate infiltration | 0.0% |
| C: slow infiltration | 81.1% |
| 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 | 8.2% |
| Not rated | 10.7% |
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 Woo (component kind "Series") in SSURGO: 37,474 acres.
- Method
- Shares are by mapped acres of Woo components. The profile comes from the single largest Woo component. Full methodology.