Soil series profile
Estacado soil series
Estacado is a well drained soil with a clay loam surface, mapped on 770,230 acres in 39 counties across 2 states. Hydrologic group B.
- Drainage class
- Well drained 100% of mapped acres
- Hydrologic group
- B 100% of mapped acres
- Typical topsoil pH
- 7.9 moderately alkaline · range 7.9–8.2
- Mapped area
- 770k acres in 39 counties, 2 states
Typical Estacado profile
Texture and pH by depth
Show as a table
| Depth | Texture | pH | Clay | Sand | Organic matter |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 0–6 in (Ap) | Clay loam | 7.9 | 28% | 35% | 2.5% |
| 6–19 in (Bt1) | Clay loam | 8.0 | 34% | 34% | 1.5% |
| 19–38 in (Bt2) | Clay loam | 8.0 | 34% | 34% | 1.5% |
| 38–50 in (Btk) | Clay loam | 8.2 | 38% | 38% | 0.5% |
| 50–80 in (Btkk) | Clay loam | 8.3 | 40% | 40% | 0.3% |
What this means
What Estacado soil means for gardens, lawns and septic systems
For gardens
Typical topsoil in Estacado soils is moderately alkaline: pH 7.9 (most land between 7.9 and 8.2). Acid-loving plants such as blueberries and azaleas struggle without amended beds, and some trees and shrubs show iron chlorosis (yellow leaves with green veins).
Loamy topsoil (loam, silt loam and similar) covers 100% of mapped Estacado acres: generally the easiest soil to garden, holding moisture without staying waterlogged. The most common surface texture is clay loam (64% of mapped Estacado acres).
100% of mapped Estacado acres is moderately well to excessively drained, which suits most garden plants.
For lawns and yards
Most land is in hydrologic groups B and C, where rain soaks in at a moderate pace.
For a septic system
For conventional septic absorption fields, NRCS rates 0% of the acres in mapped Estacado soils very limited, 100% somewhat limited and 0% not limited.
Only a licensed site evaluation or perc test at the actual lot decides whether a system is allowed and which design.
Where Estacado soil is found
Mapped acres
Estacado is mapped in Texas and New Mexico.
| County | Acres | Share of county land |
|---|---|---|
| Curry County, NM | 71,217 | 8.1% |
| Deaf Smith County, TX | 69,221 | 7.2% |
| Castro County, TX | 68,840 | 12.0% |
| Randall County, TX | 62,311 | 10.6% |
| Lubbock County, TX | 61,006 | 10.6% |
| Carson County, TX | 39,232 | 6.6% |
| Hale County, TX | 37,519 | 5.8% |
| Quay County, NM | 35,998 | 1.9% |
| Lynn County, TX | 35,156 | 6.2% |
| Parmer County, TX | 31,573 | 5.6% |
| Borden County, TX | 28,894 | 5.0% |
| Oldham County, TX | 26,746 | 2.8% |
| Swisher County, TX | 26,621 | 4.7% |
| Floyd County, TX | 26,184 | 4.1% |
| Lipscomb County, TX | 18,219 | 3.1% |
| Armstrong County, TX | 16,451 | 2.8% |
| Hockley County, TX | 15,557 | 2.7% |
| Roberts County, TX | 13,468 | 2.3% |
| Potter County, TX | 12,802 | 2.2% |
| Gray County, TX | 11,864 | 2.0% |
| Dawson County, TX | 10,478 | 1.8% |
| Crosby County, TX | 10,304 | 1.8% |
| Briscoe County, TX | 6,904 | 1.2% |
| Lamb County, TX | 6,515 | 1.0% |
| Roosevelt County, NM | 6,024 | 0.4% |
| Tom Green County, TX | 3,909 | 0.4% |
| Howard County, TX | 3,678 | 0.6% |
| Garza County, TX | 3,644 | 0.6% |
| Donley County, TX | 2,972 | 0.5% |
| Terry County, TX | 2,083 | 0.4% |
| Bailey County, TX | 1,394 | 0.3% |
| Glasscock County, TX | 1,076 | 0.2% |
| Martin County, TX | 1,012 | 0.2% |
| Dickens County, TX | 611 | 0.1% |
| Cochran County, TX | 393 | 0.1% |
| Lea County, NM | 238 | 0.0% |
| Motley County, TX | 89 | 0.0% |
| Yoakum County, TX | 15 | 0.0% |
| Hemphill County, TX | 12 | 0.0% |
Septic absorption fields
NRCS rating, share of Estacado acres
Show as a table
| Category | Share of acres |
|---|---|
| Not limited | 0.0% |
| Somewhat limited | 100.0% |
| Very limited | 0.0% |
Drainage, water table and flooding
Share of Estacado acres
- Depth to seasonal high water table
- None reported within about 6.5 feet (median where reported).
- Flooding
- Not mapped as flooding on most acres.
- Slope
- Typically 0–2% (median 0%).
- Topsoil organic matter
- Median 2.5%.
Drainage class
Show as a table
| Category | Share of acres |
|---|---|
| Excessively drained | 0.0% |
| Somewhat excessively drained | 0.0% |
| Well drained | 100.0% |
| Moderately well drained | 0.0% |
| Somewhat poorly drained | 0.0% |
| Poorly drained | 0.0% |
| Very poorly drained | 0.0% |
Hydrologic soil group
Show as a table
| Category | Share of acres |
|---|---|
| A: fast infiltration (mostly sandy or gravelly) | 0.0% |
| B: moderate infiltration | 100.0% |
| C: slow infiltration | 0.0% |
| D: very slow infiltration (clayey, shallow or wet) | 0.0% |
| A/D: D as is, A if drained | 0.0% |
| B/D: D as is, B if drained | 0.0% |
| C/D: D as is, C if drained | 0.0% |
Sources & data dates
- Source
- USDA NRCS Soil Survey Geographic Database (SSURGO), queried through Soil Data Access. Public domain.
- Data date
- SSURGO as published on November 3, 2026 (most recent survey area update October 26, 2026). NRCS refreshes SSURGO each October.
- Scope
- All map unit components named Estacado (component kind "Series") in SSURGO: 770,230 acres.
- Method
- Shares are by mapped acres of Estacado components. The profile comes from the single largest Estacado component. Full methodology.