SepticFacts

Sample report · fictional data

SepticFactsSeptic system check

Lot screening report

Can This Land Have a Septic System?

Sample County, Oregon

Parcel number
SAMPLE-000-000
Lot area
4.8 acres
Report date
2026-10-26

What we found

YellowPossible, with extra steps

Septic looks possible here, but the soil map suggests this lot may need more than a standard system.

Very limited mapped soil and shallow rock could mean a more costly septic system.

Based on mapped site conditions (soils, flood zones, wetlands and slope) and your sewer answer. Local septic rules were not part of this result.

Screening estimate from public maps. Not a soil test or a permit decision.

Septic rating of mapped soilVery limitedSomewhat limited
Sample outline (fictional). Soil zones are illustrative. Imagery: USGS The National Map.

01What could make septic difficult

Soil
Very limited on 85% of the lot
USDA rates most of the mapped soil here Very limited for a drainfield (the buried area that spreads septic water into the soil).
Shallow rock
About 34 in deep
The soil map shows rock close to the surface in the main soil type.
Steep ground
24% average slope
Steep ground leaves fewer places for a drainfield.

02What this means for you

As mapped, the USDA NRCS soil survey rates this soil Very limited for septic. NRCS uses that rating when the soil has one or more features that are unfavorable for the use. A field evaluation finds which feature applies, so ask Sample County Onsite Septic Program what it would take.

Soil maps are county-scale and can miss small patches of different soil, so the soil where a drainfield would go may be different.

A system that costs more than a standard one may be needed. A mound is a raised sand bed built above the ground. Mounds and sand filters typically cost more, use a pump and need regular checks. Get a quote from a designer or installer before you set your price.

What to do before you buy

  1. 1

    Call Sample County Onsite Septic Program. Ask which septic tests this lot needs and who can do them.

  2. 2

    Ask for old septic records. Request past test results, permits or septic plans from the seller and from Sample County Onsite Septic Program.

  3. 3

    Talk to a septic designer. Ask what type of system may fit, where it could go and roughly what it would cost.

  4. 4

    Protect your offer. Ask your agent about making your offer depend on any septic evaluation Sample County Onsite Septic Program requires, with enough time to get a system quote too.

Who to call

Sample County Onsite Septic Program

541-555-0100

From SiteFacts research, Unverified

Confirm these details on the office's website before you call.

Find the county office: Oregon DEQ onsite septic contacts by county

From the state's official page, Verified, checked 2026-11-09.

SepticFacts / Public-data desk screening | Sample County, OR1 / 2

Details behind the result

What the Maps Show

Main soil type on the map: Bellpine (about 57% of this lot)

03Soil and land conditions

FactorMapped valueWhat it means
Depth to rockAbout 34 in (bedrock)Major concern
How water moves in soilModerately high (4.2 µm/s)Good sign
Average steepness (elevation data)24%From elevation data
Steepness on the soil map20%Major concern (soil survey estimate)
How well soil drainsWell drainedWater drains readily
Standing water0%Good sign
FloodingNoneGood sign
Groundwater depthNot listedUnknown

These can differ. Elevation data covers this lot; the soil map estimates slope across the whole soil type.

These are estimates from USDA soil maps, not tests on this lot. Soil maps are county-scale and can miss small patches of different soil, so the soil where a drainfield would go may be different.

04Other things we checked

Flood risk
FEMA maps place this lot in Zone X, outside the high-risk flood area.
Wetlands
No wetland is mapped on the lot or within about 330 feet (US Fish and Wildlife Service).
Public sewer
You told us the lot has no public sewer, so we screened it for septic. We did not check sewer-district maps. Ask the county whether a sewer line runs close enough to require a connection.

05Rules to check with the county

Local septic rules: Not on file. We don't have cited septic rules for this county yet, so this result is based on mapped site conditions and your sewer answer.

Ask Sample County Onsite Septic Program which distances apply to this lot, such as from property lines, wells, homes and water.

Oregon septic rules: OAR 340-071. Source: OAR 340-071, Verified, checked 2026-11-09.

Permit documents

Contact the permitting authority for current septic permit applications, fees and requirements.

Questions to ask Sample County Onsite Septic Program

  • Which septic tests or evaluations does this lot need, such as a soil evaluation or a perc test?
  • Who can do them, and how long do they usually take?
  • What distances do you require from property lines, wells, homes and water?
  • Is there a minimum lot size for a septic system here?
  • Are there past septic permits or evaluations on file for this lot?
  • If a standard system does not fit, which other types do you allow, such as a mound or sand filter?
  • What are the fees for the evaluation and the permit?

Sources

  • USDA NRCS soil survey (SSURGO), 2026-10-26
  • Your answer at intake, 2026-10-26
  • FEMA National Flood Hazard Layer, 2026-10-26
  • USFWS National Wetlands Inventory, 2026-10-26
  • USGS 3DEP elevation data, 2026-10-26

Data behind this result: Every check behind this result returned data.

Report run on 2026-10-26 with septicfacts-flag/rules.v1.

Show full citations

Full citations

  • USDA NRCS soil survey (SSURGO): SSURGO mukey 000201 (BeE); ENG - Septic Tank Absorption Fields, retrieved 2026-10-26
  • USGS 3DEP elevation data: USGS 3DEP /getSamples grid, retrieved 2026-10-26
  • FEMA National Flood Hazard Layer: FEMA NFHL layer 28; DFIRM SAMPLE01, retrieved 2026-10-26
  • USFWS National Wetlands Inventory: NWI layer 0; 0 feature(s) on the parcel, retrieved 2026-10-26

Every reason behind this result

Each reason comes from the data listed with it, under the rules version shown below. No AI writes or changes these reasons.

Main reasons

  • About 85% of this lot is in soils NRCS rates "Very limited" for septic absorption fields. The soil survey is county-scale, so this needs a closer look. A site evaluation through the local septic permitting office (soil test pits or a perc test, depending on the state) determines whether this site can support a system, and which type.

    • USDA NRCS soil survey (SSURGO): SSURGO mukey 000201 (BeE); ENG - Septic Tank Absorption Fields · 2026-10-26

  • The main soil, Bellpine (map unit BeE), is rated "Very limited" for septic absorption fields by NRCS and is affected by a shallow restrictive layer (such as bedrock or hardpan). Map-unit values (for the whole map unit, not this component): ponding frequency 0%; flooding frequency "None". The soil survey is county-scale, so this needs a closer look. A site evaluation through the local septic permitting office (soil test pits or a perc test, depending on the state) determines whether this site can support a system, and which type.

    • USDA NRCS soil survey (SSURGO): SSURGO mukey 000201 (BeE); ENG - Septic Tank Absorption Fields · 2026-10-26

  • About 85% of this lot is in soils NRCS rates "Very limited" for septic absorption fields. The main soil here is affected by a shallow restrictive layer (such as bedrock or hardpan). The soil survey is county-scale, so this needs a closer look. A site evaluation through the local septic permitting office (soil test pits or a perc test, depending on the state) determines whether this site can support a system, and which type.

    • USDA NRCS soil survey (SSURGO): SSURGO mukey 000201 (BeE); ENG - Septic Tank Absorption Fields · 2026-10-26

Unknowns

  • SepticFacts has no cited county septic rules on file for this county yet. Confirm the local rules with the agency that issues septic permits where the lot is.

    • Local septic rules on file · 2026-10-26

  • No sewer-connection requirement was found; sewer availability was not verified.

    • Your answer at intake: Intake answer to the public sewer question: no · 2026-10-26
    • Sewer-district map data: Sewer district check: no district data for this area · 2026-10-26

Points in favor

  • No FEMA Special Flood Hazard Area was measured on the parcel.

    • FEMA National Flood Hazard Layer: FEMA NFHL layer 28; DFIRM SAMPLE01 · 2026-10-26

  • No mapped NWI wetland was measured on the parcel.

    • USFWS National Wetlands Inventory: NWI layer 0; 0 feature(s) on the parcel · 2026-10-26

  • Every data layer returned an answer.

    • USDA NRCS soil survey (SSURGO): SSURGO mukey 000201 (BeE); ENG - Septic Tank Absorption Fields · 2026-10-26
    • FEMA National Flood Hazard Layer: FEMA NFHL layer 28; DFIRM SAMPLE01 · 2026-10-26
    • USFWS National Wetlands Inventory: NWI layer 0; 0 feature(s) on the parcel · 2026-10-26
    • USGS 3DEP elevation data: USGS 3DEP /getSamples grid · 2026-10-26

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