State soil summary
Soil types in South Dakota
The most widespread soil series in South Dakota are Clarno, Opal, Pierre. Pick a county below, or enter a ZIP code for the county you live in.
- Well or moderately well drained
- 89% of mapped land
- Typical topsoil pH
- 7.0 neutral · most land 6.5–7.8
- Septic fields very limited
- 85% 2% not limited
- Subject to flooding
- 8% of land, any frequency
South Dakota counties
1 county reports, by population
| County | Most common soil | Well drained | Topsoil pH | Septic very limited |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Minnehaha County | Nora | 76% | 6.7 | 76% |
What this means
What South Dakota soils mean for gardens, lawns and septic systems
For gardens
Typical topsoil in South Dakota is neutral: pH 7.0 (most land between 6.5 and 7.8), the range most vegetables, flowers and lawn grasses prefer.
Loamy topsoil (loam, silt loam and similar) covers 75% of the land: generally the easiest soil to garden, holding moisture without staying waterlogged. The most common surface texture is loam (32% of the land).
89% of the land is moderately well to excessively drained, which suits most garden plants.
For lawns and yards
On 72% of the land, 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 septic systems
For conventional septic absorption fields, NRCS rates 85% of the land in South Dakota very limited, 13% somewhat limited and 2% not limited.
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 8% of the land (3% occasional, 3% frequent).
Only a licensed site evaluation or perc test at the actual lot decides whether a system is allowed and which design.
Statewide mix
Share of all mapped land
Drainage
Show as a table
| Category | Share of land |
|---|---|
| Excessively drained | 3.6% |
| Somewhat excessively drained | 2.1% |
| Well drained | 69.7% |
| Moderately well drained | 13.3% |
| Somewhat poorly drained | 3.6% |
| Poorly drained | 5.7% |
| Very poorly drained | 1.9% |
| Not rated | 0.2% |
Septic absorption fields
Show as a table
| Category | Share of land |
|---|---|
| Not limited | 2.0% |
| Somewhat limited | 13.4% |
| Very limited | 84.5% |
| Not rated | 0.1% |
Topsoil pH
Show as a table
| Category | Share of land |
|---|---|
| Strongly acidic (below 5.5) | 0.2% |
| Moderately to slightly acidic (5.5–6.4) | 7.6% |
| Near neutral (6.5–7.3) | 63.3% |
| Alkaline (7.4 and up) | 28.7% |
| Not reported | 0.1% |
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
- South Dakota: 50,067,542 acres of mapped land in 66 counties, pooled (not an average of county figures).
- Method
- Shares are by mapped land area: each map unit’s acres in the county times each soil component’s percentage. Open water is excluded. Topsoil values use the first mineral horizon of each component. Full methodology.