Soil series profile

Pintura soil series

Pintura is a somewhat excessively drained soil with a fine sand surface, mapped on 301,662 acres in 6 counties across 2 states. Hydrologic group A.

#1126 by mapped area Typic Torripsamments (Entisols)

Drainage class: Somewhat excessively drained
Hydrologic group: A
Typical topsoil pH: 8.2
Mapped area: 302k

Typical Pintura 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 Pintura horizons (representative values)
Depth	Texture	pH	Clay	Sand	Organic matter
0–6 in (H1)	Fine sand	8.2	7%	92%	0.35%
6–60 in (H2)	Fine sand	8.2	6%	93%	0.18%

Representative values from the most extensive Pintura map unit (Wink-Pintura complex, survey area NM690). 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 Pintura soil means for gardens, lawns and septic systems

For gardens

Typical topsoil in Pintura soils is moderately alkaline: pH 8.2 (most land between 7.6 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).

Sandy topsoil covers 89% of mapped Pintura 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 fine sand (46% of mapped Pintura acres).

>99% of mapped Pintura acres is excessively or somewhat excessively drained: water moves through fast, so gardens need more frequent watering in dry spells.

For lawns and yards

>99% of mapped acres is in hydrologic group A, where water soaks in fast. Lawns there dry out quickly; deeper, less frequent watering and organic matter help.

For a septic system

For conventional septic absorption fields, NRCS rates 77% of the acres in mapped Pintura soils very limited, 0% somewhat limited and 22% not limited.

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 Pintura soil is found

Mapped acres

Pintura is mapped in New Mexico and Utah.

Counties with the most mapped Pintura soil
County	Acres	Share of county land
Doña Ana County, NM	142,115	5.5%
Luna County, NM	69,135	3.6%
Otero County, NM	35,046	0.9%
Washington County, UT	26,980	2.4%
Chaves County, NM	14,370	0.4%
Hidalgo County, NM	14,015	0.6%

Septic absorption fields

NRCS rating, share of Pintura acres

Not limited 22%

Somewhat limited 0%

Very limited 77%

Not rated <1%

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

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Septic tank absorption field rating across mapped Pintura acres.
Category	Share of acres
Not limited	21.8%
Somewhat limited	0.0%
Very limited	77.3%
Not rated	0.9%

Drainage, water table and flooding

Share of Pintura 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 3–6% (median 3%).
Topsoil organic matter: Median 0.3%.

Drainage class

Excessively drained 0%

Somewhat excessively drained >99%

Well drained 0%

Moderately well drained 0%

Somewhat poorly drained 0%

Poorly drained 0%

Very poorly drained 0%

Not rated <1%

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

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Drainage class across mapped Pintura acres.
Category	Share of acres
Excessively drained	0.0%
Somewhat excessively drained	99.1%
Well drained	0.0%
Moderately well drained	0.0%
Somewhat poorly drained	0.0%
Poorly drained	0.0%
Very poorly drained	0.0%
Not rated	0.9%

Hydrologic soil group

A: fast infiltration (mostly sandy or gravelly) >99%

B: moderate infiltration 0%

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 <1%

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

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Hydrologic soil group across mapped Pintura acres.
Category	Share of acres
A: fast infiltration (mostly sandy or gravelly)	99.1%
B: moderate infiltration	0.0%
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%
Not rated	0.9%

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 Pintura (component kind "Series") in SSURGO: 301,662 acres.
Method: Shares are by mapped acres of Pintura components. The profile comes from the single largest Pintura component. Full methodology.

Independent reference site. No government affiliation or endorsement.

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