Soil series profile

Hueco soil series

Hueco is a well drained soil with a loamy fine sand surface, mapped on 106,454 acres in 3 counties across 2 states. Hydrologic group B.

#3350 by mapped area coarse-loamy Petrocalcic Paleargids (Aridisols)

Drainage class: Well drained
Hydrologic group: B
Typical topsoil pH: 7.9
Mapped area: 106k

Typical Hueco profile

Texture and pH by depth

Depth to scale. More strongly shaded layers hold more clay. Horizon names are the soil survey's (A = topsoil, B = subsoil, C = parent material).

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Typical Hueco horizons (representative values)
Depth	Texture	pH	Clay	Sand	Organic matter
0–4 in (H1)	Loamy fine sand	7.9	5%	79%	0.75%
4–26 in (H2)	Fine sandy loam	7.9	13%	67%	0.3%
26–58 in (H3)	Cemented material	Not reported	Not reported	Not reported	Not reported
58–80 in (H4)	Variable	Not reported	Not reported	Not reported	Not reported

Representative values from the most extensive Hueco map unit (Hueco-Wink association, hummocky, survey area TX624). Other map units of this series vary within the series range.

Stock photo for illustration, not a sample of this soil series. Credit on the Sources & method page.

What this means

What Hueco soil means for gardens, lawns and septic systems

For gardens

Typical topsoil in Hueco soils is moderately alkaline: pH 7.9 (most land between 7.6 and 7.9). 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).

Sandy topsoil covers 93% of mapped Hueco acres. It drains fast and warms early in spring, but dries out and loses nutrients quickly: mulch, compost and steady watering help. The most common surface texture is loamy fine sand (93% of mapped Hueco acres).

93% of mapped Hueco 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 93% of the acres in mapped Hueco soils very limited, 0% somewhat limited and 0% not limited (7% not rated, such as urban land, pits or water).

Where the soil is very limited (slow permeability, a high water table, flooding, shallow bedrock or steep slopes), alternative systems such as mound or sand-filter designs are common and cost more.

Only a licensed site evaluation or perc test at the actual lot decides whether a system is allowed and which design.

Generated from the mapped numbers above using fixed rules, not a site visit. See how these notes are written.

Where Hueco soil is found

Mapped acres

Hueco is mapped in Texas and New Mexico.

Counties with the most mapped Hueco soil
County	Acres	Share of county land
El Paso County, TX	85,113	13.1%
Otero County, NM	19,366	0.5%
Doña Ana County, NM	1,976	0.1%

Septic absorption fields

NRCS rating, share of Hueco acres

Not limited 0%

Somewhat limited 0%

Very limited 93%

Not rated 7%

Septic tank absorption field rating across mapped Hueco acres. Scale 0 to 100% of mapped land.

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Septic tank absorption field rating across mapped Hueco acres.
Category	Share of acres
Not limited	0.0%
Somewhat limited	0.0%
Very limited	93.2%
Not rated	6.8%

Drainage, water table and flooding

Share of Hueco 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 2–2% (median 2%).
Topsoil organic matter: Median 0.8%.

Drainage class

Excessively drained 0%

Somewhat excessively drained 0%

Well drained 93%

Moderately well drained 0%

Somewhat poorly drained 0%

Poorly drained 0%

Very poorly drained 0%

Not rated 7%

Drainage class across mapped Hueco acres. Scale 0 to 100% of mapped land.

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Drainage class across mapped Hueco acres.
Category	Share of acres
Excessively drained	0.0%
Somewhat excessively drained	0.0%
Well drained	93.2%
Moderately well drained	0.0%
Somewhat poorly drained	0.0%
Poorly drained	0.0%
Very poorly drained	0.0%
Not rated	6.8%

Hydrologic soil group

A: fast infiltration (mostly sandy or gravelly) 0%

B: moderate infiltration 93%

C: slow infiltration 0%

D: very slow infiltration (clayey, shallow or wet) 0%

A/D: D as is, A if drained 0%

B/D: D as is, B if drained 0%

C/D: D as is, C if drained 0%

Not rated 7%

Hydrologic soil group across mapped Hueco acres. Scale 0 to 100% of mapped land.

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Hydrologic soil group across mapped Hueco acres.
Category	Share of acres
A: fast infiltration (mostly sandy or gravelly)	0.0%
B: moderate infiltration	93.2%
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%
Not rated	6.8%

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 Hueco (component kind "Series") in SSURGO: 106,454 acres.
Method: Shares are by mapped acres of Hueco components. The profile comes from the single largest Hueco component. Full methodology.

Independent reference site. No government affiliation or endorsement.

Full narrative description: USDA Official Soil Series Description for Hueco.