In recent decades, Southern Hodna, an arid region of Algeria, is subject to an agricultural development with irrigation using groundwater. The problem of land degradation in this area has been studied by the characterization of surface soils at four sites and uncultivated control samples. The use of statistical analysis (ANOVA, PCA and comparing a mean to a standard) was used to characterize the soil, to study the variation of soil parameters and to determine the factors affecting soils evolution. Generally, the surface soils have a low proportion of limestone and the gypsum is almost absent. They are influenced by the coarse fraction and are, consequently, permeable. The soils have an alkaline pH and are mostly not or lightly saline. The principal component analysis indicates that the water and wind morphogenesis is the main factor influencing the soils of the study area. Salinity and gypsum are secondary factors. The results also show that soils, where the intensity of development in irrigation is the most intense particular site D and B, are subject to silting process. The evaluation of efficiency of hydro-agricultural requires, here more than elsewhere, monitoring water quality and soil and not forgetting, in this context, special importance to agricultural extension.