America's vitality is rooted in the soil. Today, private landowners across Texas are partnering with NRCS to conserve and improve soil. Additionally, NRCS is also a leader in soil science, playing a pivotal role in classifying and mapping soils as part of the National Cooperative Soil Survey.
NRCS is strongly rooted in soil, as the agency was born as the Soil Conservation Service in 1935, during the Dust Bowl, a time of eroded topsoil and fierce dust storms. Since then, conserving and studying soil is at the forefront of what we do.
NRCS offers technical and financial assistance to help producers plan and implement conservation practices that prevent soil erosion and degradation and improve soil health.
When soil issues arise, they can have long-term and costly impacts to soil health and production goals. If your land has soil issues, you can explore further with the Conservation Concerns Tool on farmers.gov.
Texas State Soil
Houston Black is the state soil of Texas. The Houston Black soil developed from calcareous clays and marls that were deposited during the Cretaceous Age from the receding and advancing of ancient seas. The soil is dark in color and is sticky and moldable when wet. Because of these qualities, it's often called "black gumbo."
Texas Soil and GIS Resources
Additional Information
Official Soil Series Descriptions (OSD)
The Official Soil Series Descriptions (OSD) is a national collection of more than 20,000 detailed soil series descriptions. These descriptions, in a text format, serve as a national standard.
Learn MoreSoil Surveys by State
Historical soil surveys have been scanned, converted to portable document format (pdf), and archived on a public download site.
Learn MoreFarmland Protection Policy Act
The Farmland Protection Policy Act (FPPA) is intended to minimize the impact Federal programs have on the unnecessary and irreversible conversion of farmland to nonagricultural uses.
Learn MoreTexas Contacts
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Alan Stahnke
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State Soil Scientist
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Ashley Anderson
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Soil Scientist
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Samuel Araya
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Soil Scientist
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Ryan Nagelkirk
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State GIS Specialist
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Steven Diehl
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Cartographer
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