Soil series profile

Wink soil series

Wink is a well drained soil with a loamy fine sand surface, mapped on 477,342 acres in 11 counties across 2 states. Hydrologic group A.

#612 by mapped area coarse-loamy Typic Calciorthids (Aridisols)

Drainage class: Well drained
Hydrologic group: A
Typical topsoil pH: 8.2
Mapped area: 477k

Typical Wink 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 Wink horizons (representative values)
Depth	Texture	pH	Clay	Sand	Organic matter
0–10 in (H1)	Loamy fine sand	8.2	10%	81%	0.25%
10–20 in (H2)	Sandy loam	8.2	13%	67%	0.25%
20–60 in (H3)	Sandy loam	8.2	13%	83%	0.25%

Representative values from the most extensive Wink 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 Wink soil means for gardens, lawns and septic systems

For gardens

Typical topsoil in Wink soils is moderately alkaline: pH 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 74% of mapped Wink 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 sandy loam (53% of mapped Wink acres).

100% of mapped Wink acres is moderately well to excessively drained, which suits most garden plants.

For lawns and yards

88% 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 <1% of the acres in mapped Wink soils very limited, 2% somewhat limited and 97% not limited (1% not rated, such as urban land, pits or water).

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 Wink soil is found

Mapped acres

Wink is mapped in New Mexico and Texas.

Counties with the most mapped Wink soil
County	Acres	Share of county land
Doña Ana County, NM	158,106	6.2%
El Paso County, TX	81,807	12.6%
Valencia County, NM	79,974	11.5%
Bernalillo County, NM	49,643	6.6%
Lea County, NM	49,284	1.8%
Sierra County, NM	27,644	1.1%
Eddy County, NM	16,794	0.6%
Socorro County, NM	8,411	0.2%
Otero County, NM	3,516	0.1%
Loving County, TX	2,162	0.5%
Sandoval County, NM	2	0.0%

Septic absorption fields

NRCS rating, share of Wink acres

Not limited 97%

Somewhat limited 2%

Very limited <1%

Not rated 1%

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

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Septic tank absorption field rating across mapped Wink acres.
Category	Share of acres
Not limited	96.9%
Somewhat limited	2.1%
Very limited	0.1%
Not rated	1.0%

Drainage, water table and flooding

Share of Wink 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 1–4% (median 2%).
Topsoil organic matter: Median 0.2%.

Drainage class

Excessively drained 0%

Somewhat excessively drained 0%

Well drained 100%

Moderately well drained 0%

Somewhat poorly drained 0%

Poorly drained 0%

Very poorly drained 0%

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

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Drainage class across mapped Wink acres.
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

A: fast infiltration (mostly sandy or gravelly) 88%

B: moderate infiltration 12%

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%

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

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Hydrologic soil group across mapped Wink acres.
Category	Share of acres
A: fast infiltration (mostly sandy or gravelly)	87.7%
B: moderate infiltration	12.3%
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 Wink (component kind "Series") in SSURGO: 477,342 acres.
Method: Shares are by mapped acres of Wink components. The profile comes from the single largest Wink component. Full methodology.

Independent reference site. No government affiliation or endorsement.

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