Burrowing animals in Maryland?

Question

I am finding tunnels in my yard out off the back corner of my house. They seem kind of big to be moles or voles. The ground is raised about the size of half a baseball and you can see S like shapes of the tunnels. When you step on them you can feel you foot sink like you just stepped in sand. What kind of animal could this be and what kind of damage could it do to my Mound Septic System or my house?

Answer 1

A good possiblity is that they are moles (Hairy-Tailed Mole). Golphers are another possiblity. Both are fairly good sized, and their tunnels sink easily when stepped on.

While they can tear through soil with moderate work, I highly doubt they can disturb a septic system or a house. They can damage trees, though. They are attracted to rotting wood in the ground, and they can do damage to healthy roots systems.