Soil Survey of Dallas County, Texas Page: 4
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SOIL SURVEY
units, for major land uses and shows soil properties that
limit use. Soil potential ratings are based on the prac-
tices commonly used in the survey area to overcome soil
limitations. These ratings reflect the ease of overcoming
the limitations. They also reflect the problems that will
persist even if such practices are used. The ratings do
not take into consideration the location of the soils in
relation to transportation systems and other facilities.
Each map unit is rated for cultivated crops, pasture,
urban uses, recreation areas and sanitary facilities. Culti-
vated crops include cotton, grain sorghum, wheat, and
others grown extensively in the survey area. Pasture
refers to areas where native range plants are used for
grazing by livestock. Urban uses include residential, com-
mercial, and industrial developments. Intensive recrea-
tion areas are campsites, picnic areas, ballfields, and
other areas that are subject to heavy foot traffic. Exten-
sive recreation areas are those used for nature study
and as wilderness. Sanitary facilities include septic tank
absorption fields, sewage lagoons, and sanitary landfills.
Map unit descriptions
1. Houston Black-Helden
Deep, nearly level to strongly sloping, clayey soils; on
uplands
This map unit consists mainly of moderately alkaline,
moderately well drained and well drained soils that have
slopes of 0 to about 12 percent. This unit makes up
about 29 percent of the county.
Houston Black soils make up about 51 percent of this
unit, and Heiden soils make up 16 percent. Minor soils
make up the rest.
Houston Black soils are moderately well drained. They
are nearly level and gently sloping and are on broad
uplands. Typically, the surface layer is very dark gray to
black clay about 50 inches thick. The layer below that is
dark grayish brown clay to a depth of 70 inches or more.
Heiden soils are well drained. They are gently sloping
to strongly sloping and are on uplands. Typically, the
surface layer is dark gray clay about 37 inches thick. To
a depth of 56 inches, the soil is grayish brown clay. To a
depth of 78 inches, it is clay mottled in shades of gray
and yellow.
Minor soils in this map unit are the gently rolling and
rolling Altoga and Lewisville soils on uplands, the nearly
level to gently sloping Branyon and Burleson soils on
uplands, and the nearly level Frio and Trinity soils on
flood plains.
The soils in this map unit are used as cropland and
pasture and for urban uses. They have high potential for
grain sorghum, cotton, small grain, and improved bermu-
dagrass.
The very high shrink-swell potential, low strength, cor-
rosivity, and clayey texture of the soils are the main
limitations to urban uses. The clayey texture and veryslow permeability are the main limitations
uses.to recreation
2. Eddy-Stephen-Austin
Very shallow, shall//ow, and moderately deep, gently s/op-
ing to moderately steep, loamy and clayey soils; on up-
lands
This map unit consists mainly of moderately alkaline,
well drained soils. Slopes are mainly 1 to 8 percent but
range from 1 to 20 percent. This unit makes up about 20
percent of the county.
Eddy soils make up about 23 percent of the unit,
Stephen soils 17 percent, and Austin soils 15 percent
(fig. 1). Minor soils and pits and dumps make up the rest.
Eddy soils are very shallow to shallow. They are gently
sloping to moderately steep and are on ridges and the
side slopes of ridges. Typically, the surface layer is gray-
ish brown clay loam about 4 inches thick. To a depth of
11 inches, the soil consists of platy chalk limestone
fragments and about 15 percent grayish brown clay, by
volume. White, platy and massive chalky limestone is
below a depth of 11 inches.
Stephen soils are shallow. They are gently sloping and
are on ridges. Typically, the surface layer is very dark
grayish brown silty clay about 5 inches thick. To a depth
of 14 inches, the soil is very dark grayish brown silty
clay. White, platy and massive chalky limestone is below
a depth of 14 inches.
Austin soils are moderately deep. They are gently
sloping to sloping and are in valleys. Typically, the sur-
face layer is very dark grayish brown silty clay about 10
inches thick. To a depth of 32 inches, the soil is brown
silty clay. White, platy chalky limestone is below a depth
of 32 inches.
The minor soils in this unit are the gently sloping and
sloping Altoga and Lewisville soils on the side slopes of
ridges, the gently sloping to steep Brackett soils on the
side slopes of ridges, the gently sloping Dalco soils in
narrow valleys, the nearly level Frio soils on narrow flood
plains, and the gently sloping to strongly sloping Silawa
soils on uplands. Also included in this unit are a few
areas of Pits and Dumps where limestone and shale
have been quarried and some small areas of Urban land.
The soils in this unit are used as cropland, pasture-
land, and rangeland and for urban uses. Grain sorghum,
wheat, and oats are the main crops. These soils have
low potential for improved bermudagrass. Woody vegeta-
tion covers most of the rangeland. The steeper soils
have a sparse grass cover. The restricted root zone,
droughtiness, and slope are the main limitations to the
use of these soils as cropland.
The depth to rock and the slope are the main limita-
tions to urban uses. The underlying rock is soft and is a
good footing for foundations. The clayey texture, depth
to rock, moderately slow permeability, and slope of the
soils and the gravel content of the shallow and very
shallow soils are the main limitations to recreation uses.
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General Soil Map, Dallas County, Texas (Map)
Map displays soil types along with creeks, towns, schools, churches, power transmission lines, oil and gas pipelines, roads, and railroads. Includes legend and symbols. Scale 1:253,400
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Coffee, Daniel R. Soil Survey of Dallas County, Texas, book, 1980; Washington D.C.. (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth130211/m1/14/?rotate=180: accessed July 16, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu; crediting UNT Libraries Government Documents Department.