Texas Almanac, 1996-1997 Page: 70
672 p. : col. ill., maps, ports. ; 23 cm.View a full description of this book.
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Texas Almanac 1996-1997
and short grasses and species of oak, pine, Juniper and
semiarid plants and shrubs on the rough and mountain-
ous lands. Alkali sacaton and other salt-tolerant plants
occur in the basin.
2. High Plains Soils
The High Plains area comprises the vast high plateau of
more than 19.4 million acres in Northwestem Texas. It lies
in the southem part of the Great Plains province that
includes large similar areas in Oklahoma and New Mexico.
The flat, nearly level surface of very large areas has few
streams of any dissection to cause local relief. However,
several major rivers originate in the High Plains or cross
the area. The largest is the Canadian River which has cut
a deep valley across the Panhandle section.
Plays, small intermittent lakes scattered through the
area, lie up to 20 feet below the surrounding flat plains. A
1965 survey counted more than 19,000 playas in 44 coun-
ties, occupying some 340,000 acres. They receive most of
the runoff from rains, but less than 10 percent of this water
percolating back to the aquifer.
Soils are brown to reddish, mostly deep, clay loams,
sandy loams and sands. Free lime is present under many
soils at various depths. Main series: Pullman, Oton,
Sherm (hardlands); Amarillo, Portale (mixed lands);
Brownfleld, Tivoli (sandy lands); Potter (loamy soils,
shallow over caliche). The Guadalupe, Spur and Bippus
series are the main soils of bottomlands, but are minor in
extent.
The soils are moderately productive, and the flat surface
encourages irrigation and mechanization. ULimited rainfall
and constant danger of wind erosion are handicaps; but
the region is Texas' leading producer of three most
Important crops - cotton, grain sorghums and wheat.
The native vegetation is of three distinct kinds. In the
northern part and on the fine-textured soils south of the
Canadian River, the vegetation is short grasses, mainly
buffalo with some grams. In the southern part on the sandy
loam soils it is largely grama and threeawn. On the deep
sands it is mainly little bluestem, sand dropseed, sideoats
grama and threeawn grasses. In places these sands sup-
port a thick growth of shinoak and sand sage (Artemisia).
3. Rolling Plains Soils
The Rolling Plains comprise an eastern section of the
Great Plains in Northwestem Texas. The area lies west of
the North Central Prairies and extends from the edge of
the Edwards Plateau in Tom Green County northward into
Oklahoma. It includes about 21.7 million acres. The Red
Beds and associated reddish soils led to use of the name
Red Plains by some.
Upland soils are pale brown through reddish brown to
dark grayish brown sandy looms, clay loams and
clays. Most soils have free lime in the lower part and are
saline in places; some are shallow and stony; some are
deep sands. Main series: Miles, Woodward, Springer,
Vernon, Tillman northernn two-thirds); Abilene, Rotan,
Sagerton, Leeray, Throck, Lueders southernn one-
third).
Botomland soils include minor areas of reddish brown,
sandy to clayey, alluvial soils. Main series: ULincoln,
Westola, Colorado, Gageby, Clairemont, Spur, Man-
gum.
On the finer-textured soils curlymesquite, buffalo and
grams grasses are dominant, with some scattered shrubs
in places. On the coarser-textured soils the principal
grasses are little bluestem, sideosts grama and three-
awn grasses with sand sage and shinnery on areas of
deep sand.
4. Rolling Red Prairles Soils
The Rolling Red Prairies occupy about 1 million acres in
North Central Texas adjoining Oklahoma. The area is dom-
inantly prairie. The principal soils are of the Anocon, Blue-
grove, Kamay, Kirkland and Stoneburg series.
Bottomland soils are of the Gaddy, Port, Gowen, Wheat-
wood and Mangum series.
Native vegetation is mainly little bluestem, sideoats,
hairy and blue gram, Indlangrass and buffalograss.
The area is mainly used for cattle ranching and growing
small grains.
5. North Central Prairie Soils
The North Central Prairies occupy about 7 million acres
in Central North Texas. The area lies between the Westemrn
Cross limbers and Rolling Plains and has been referred toas the Reddish Prairie. The area is dominantly prairie, but
small wooded areas are intermixed. The principal soils are
of the Truce, Thurber, Bonti and Owens series. Narrow
strips of alluvial soils, mainly of the Gowen, Clearfork and
Weatfork series, occur in the flood plains of local streams.
Small areas of other soils similar to those of the West
Cross Timbers and Grand Prairie are intermixed. They are
best suited for growing small grains and native grasses.
Native vegetation is mainly little bluestem, sideoats,
hairy and blue grama, Indian and buffalo grass.
Scrubby trees and shrubs, mainly post oak and mes-
quite, and cacti grow rather thickly in places.
6. Edwards Plateau Soils
The 22.7 million acres of the Edwards Plateau are on an
extensive tableland of Southwest Texas. Many of the soils
are shallow over limestone, and streams have cut many
valleys and canyons. Upland soils are dark, calcareous
clays and clay loams, mostly gravelly and stony. Some
deeper, less stony soils occur on the flat divides. Main
series: Tarrant, Eckrant, Brackett and Tobosa (eastern
two-thirds); Ector, Upton, Reagan westernn one-third).
Bottomland soils include minor areas of dark, calcareous,
clayey alluvial soils. Main series: Frio, Oskalla and Dev.
This is principally a ranching region, the center of Texas'
and the nation's mohair and wool production. Except
where there is limited irrigation, crops are mainly such
drought-resistant ones as grain sorghums and grasses.
Grasses, shrubs and scrubby trees dominate the native
vegetation. There are many cedar brakes.
7. Central Basin Soils
The Central Basin, also known as the Llano Basin,
occupies a relatively small area in Central Texas. It
includes parts or all of Llano, Mason, Gillespie and adjoin-
ing counties. The total area is about 1.6 milhon acres.
Upland soils are reddish brown to brown, mostly
gravelly and stony, sandy loams shallow over granite,
lmestone, gneiss and schist; deeper, less stony,
sandy loam soils in the valleys. Main series: Keese,
ULgon, Castell, Katemcy, and Voca. Bottomland soils are
minor areas of dark gray, alluvial soils. Main series:
Fieldcreek.
The native vegetation consists of grass and small oak
and mesquite trees. On some rocky slopes, juniper
forms the principal growth. Ranching is the main enter-
prise, with some farms producing peaches, grain sorghum
and wheat.
8. Northern Rio Grande Plain SoIls
The Northem Rio Grande Plain comprises about 6.3 mil-
lion acres in an area of Southem Texas extending from
Uvalde to Beeville. The main soils are deep, reddish
brown or dark grayish brown, loamy, and of the Clare-
villa, Elmendorf, Floreasvllle, Miguel, Duval and Uvalde
series in the eastem part. Native range is grassland,
thorny brush and cacti. Most of the area is range grazed
by beef cattle. Grain sorghum, cotton, comn, flax and small
grain are grown in the eastern part. Irrigated land in the
Winter Garden area of the westem part produces com,
cotton, grain sorghum and truck crops such as spinach,
carrots and cabbage.
9. Western Rio Grande Plain Soils
The Westem Rio Grande Plain comprises about 5.3 mil-
lion acres in an area of Southwestem Texas from Del Rio
to Rio Grande City. The main upland soils are clayey,
saline and of the Catarina, Cotulia, EIIndlo and Montell
series. The vegetation is mid and short grasses with low
thorny brush and cacti. Soils along the Rio Grande are
mainly the Laredo, Rio Grands, Lagloria and Zalla
series. Most of the soils along the river are used for grow-
ing vegetables and sorghums. The upland soils are used
for grazing beef cattle.
10. Central RIo Grande Plain Soils
The Central Rio Grande Plain comprises about 5.9 mil-
lion acres in an area of Southern Texas from Live Oak to
Hidalgo County. The main soils are Nueces and Sarita
series (sandy); Delfins and Delmit (loamy); Randado
and Cuevltas series (shallow). The vegetation is tall and
mid grasses with scattered trees and shrubs. Much of
the area is used for raising beef cattle. A few areas are
used for growing grain sorghum, cotton and small grain.
11. Lower Rio Grands Valley Soils
The Lower Rio Grande Valley comprises about 2.1 mil-
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Ramos, Mary G. Texas Almanac, 1996-1997, book, 1995; Dallas, Texas. (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth162514/m1/70/: accessed April 18, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu; crediting Texas State Historical Association.