Information on Texas Soils
	There are several sources of information on the soils in Texas. The place to start is the USDA-Natural Resources Conservation Service (formerly the Soil Conservation Service). They publish "soil surveys" for each county, in cooperation with state agencies. Check here for the status of soil surveys in Texas (you can also see it in map form). There are also soils data for GIS applications, found in the Soil Survey Geographic (SSURGO) Database, from the USDA-NRCS. Click here for a map showing the certification schedule of SSURGO data in Texas. If interested in SSURGO data, please go to the National SSURGO Database.
	You can also find specific information on Texas soils in the Texas Soil Characterization Database, compiled by Texas A&M University's Soil & Crop Science Department. Maps and analytical information for over 100 soils can be found on the Soil Characterization Laboratory's web page.

 

 

 

Soil Surveys
These soil surveys (they're usually books but older surveys may be available on CD) are essentially soil inventories compiled for each county, and contain information on the different soils that are present, including soil use and management (suitability for foundations, sewage-disposal systems, gardening and landscaping, etc.). Each soil survey has a county-wide general soil map, and has aerial photographs showing where the different soils have been mapped. You can find copies of soil surveys in several places: offices of the Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS), public libraries, colleges, universities, and county courthouses. The Web Soil Survey is another way you can examine soil data and produce customized reports.