Soil Series Atlas

Soils of Texas

1,565 soil series mapped on 154.40 million acres

050100150200250cm1 ft2 ft3 ft4 ft5 ft6 ft7 ft8 ftATopsoil0–20 cm · 0–8 inBwSubsoil · color or structure change20–61 cm · 8–24 inBkss1Subsoil · slickensides (shrink–swell),lime (carbonate) build-up61–97 cm · 24–38 inBkss2Subsoil · slickensides (shrink–swell),lime (carbonate) build-up97–203 cm · 38–80 inBkss3Subsoil · slickensides (shrink–swell),lime (carbonate) build-up203–264 cm · 80–104 in050100150200250cmATopsoil0–20 cm · 0–8 inBwSubsoil · color orstructure change20–61 cm · 8–24 inBkss1Subsoil · slickensides(shrink–swell), lime(carbonate) build-up61–97 cm · 24–38 inBkss2Subsoil · slickensides(shrink–swell), lime(carbonate) build-up97–203 cm · 38–80 inBkss3Subsoil · slickensides(shrink–swell), lime(carbonate) build-up203–264 cm · 80–104 in
Houston Black, to scale.

Vertisols — clay soils that shrink and crack when dry

The state soil, Houston Black, ranks 9th of 1,565 series here on 1,411,597 acres. First place goes to Ector, a Mollisol covering 2.0% of the state’s mapped soil. No order holds a majority; Mollisols lead with 32.9%, ahead of Alfisols at 27.0%.

Atlas series mapped in TexasGuide: state soils and where series began

Soil orders in Texas

AlabamaArizonaColoradoFloridaGeorgiaIndianaKansasMaineMassachusettsMinnesotaNew JerseyNorth CarolinaNorth DakotaOklahomaPennsylvaniaSouth DakotaTexasWyomingConnecticutMissouriWest VirginiaIllinoisNew MexicoArkansasCaliforniaDelawareDistrict of ColumbiaIowaKentuckyMarylandMichiganMississippiMontanaNew HampshireNew YorkOhioOregonTennesseeUtahVirginiaWashingtonWisconsinNebraskaSouth CarolinaIdahoNevadaVermontLouisianaRhode Island

Largest series in Texas

  1. EctorMollisols · 3,079,771 acres1.99%
  2. PullmanMollisols · 3,053,015 acres1.98%
  3. TarrantMollisols · 2,922,657 acres1.89%
  4. AmarilloAlfisols · 2,411,020 acres1.56%
  5. EckrantMollisols · 1,906,622 acres1.23%
  6. ReaganAridisols · 1,800,531 acres1.17%
  7. OltonMollisols · 1,511,210 acres0.98%
  8. MilesAlfisols · 1,436,967 acres0.93%
  9. Houston BlackVertisols · 1,411,597 acres0.91%
  10. CrockettAlfisols · 1,305,439 acres0.85%

Atlas series mapped in Texas

  1. Ruston216 cm · Typic Paleudults
  2. Port183 cm · Cumulic Haplustolls
  3. Houston Black264 cm · Udic Haplusterts
  4. Valentine203 cm · Typic Ustipsamments
  5. Smithdale211 cm · Typic Hapludults
  6. Ector102 cm · Lithic Calciustolls
  7. Pullman203 cm · Torrertic Paleustolls
  8. Amarillo251 cm · Aridic Paleustalfs
  9. Tarrant76 cm · Lithic Calciustolls
  10. Bibb152 cm · Typic Fluvaquents
  11. Guyton203 cm · Typic Glossaqualfs
  12. Reagan127 cm · Ustic Haplocalcids
  13. Sacul203 cm · Aquic Hapludults
  14. Eckrant76 cm · Lithic Haplustolls