Soil Data Explorer - HOUSTON BLACK

Official Series Description

Lab Data Summary

Aggregate lab data for the HOUSTON BLACK soil series. This aggregation is based on all pedons with a current taxon name of HOUSTON BLACK, and applied along 1-cm thick depth slices. Solid lines are the slice-wise median, bounded on either side by the interval defined by the slice-wise 5th and 95th percentiles. The median is the value that splits the data in half. Five percent of the data are less than the 5th percentile, and five percent of the data are greater than the 95th percentile. Values along the right hand side y-axis describe the proportion of pedon data that contribute to aggregate values at this depth. For example, a value of "90%" at 25cm means that 90% of the pedons correlated to HOUSTON BLACK were used in the calculation. Source: KSSL snapshot (updated 2020-03-18). Methods used to assemble the KSSL snapshot used by SoilWeb / SDE

Pedons used in the lab summary:

MLRA	Lab ID	Pedon ID	Taxonname	CI	NSSL / NASIS Reports	Link To SoilWeb GMap
86A	80P0001	77TX027002	Houston Black	6	Primary | Supplementary | Taxonomy | Pedon | Water Retention | Correlation | Andic Soil Properties	31.0430565,-97.3486099
86A	78P0002	77TX027002A	Houston Black	3	Primary | Supplementary | Taxonomy | Pedon | Water Retention | Correlation | Andic Soil Properties	31.0430565,-97.3486099
86A	78P0003	77TX027003	Houston Black	3	Primary | Supplementary | Taxonomy | Pedon | Water Retention | Correlation | Andic Soil Properties	31.0430565,-97.3486099
86A	78P0472	78TX027003	Houston Black	7	Primary | Supplementary | Taxonomy | Pedon | Water Retention | Correlation | Andic Soil Properties	31.0333328,-97.3499985
86A	85P0188	84TX145001	HOUSTON BLACK	7	Primary | Supplementary | Taxonomy | Pedon | Water Retention | Correlation | Andic Soil Properties	31.4761105,-96.8861084
86A	85P0189	84TX145002	Houston Black	7	Primary | Supplementary | Taxonomy | Pedon | Water Retention | Correlation | Andic Soil Properties	31.4761105,-96.8861084
86A	92P0595	92TX085001	Houston Black	7	Primary | Supplementary | Taxonomy | Pedon | Water Retention | Correlation | Andic Soil Properties	32.9874992,-96.7644424
86A	92P0596	92TX085002	Houston Black	7	Primary | Supplementary | Taxonomy | Pedon | Water Retention | Correlation | Andic Soil Properties	32.9874992,-96.7644424
86A	92P0597	92TX085003	Houston Black	7	Primary | Supplementary | Taxonomy | Pedon | Water Retention | Correlation | Andic Soil Properties	32.9874992,-96.7644424
86A	96P0256	96TX027001	Houston Black	8	Primary | Supplementary | Taxonomy | Pedon | Water Retention | Correlation | Andic Soil Properties	30.9880829,-97.1805267
86A	96P0259	96TX027001A	Houston Black	7	Primary | Supplementary | Taxonomy | Pedon | Water Retention | Correlation | Andic Soil Properties	30.9880943,-97.1721878
86A	96P0257	96TX027002	Houston Black	8	Primary | Supplementary | Taxonomy | Pedon | Water Retention | Correlation | Andic Soil Properties	30.9880562,-97.1805191
86A	96P0258	96TX027003	Houston Black	8	Primary | Supplementary | Taxonomy | Pedon | Water Retention | Correlation | Andic Soil Properties	30.9880943,-97.1805191
86A	S08TX491002	S08TX491002	Houston Black	6	Primary | Supplementary | Taxonomy | Pedon | Water Retention | Correlation | Andic Soil Properties	30.5853786,-97.2786026
86A	S08TX491004	S08TX491004	Houston Black	6	Primary | Supplementary | Taxonomy | Pedon | Water Retention | Correlation | Andic Soil Properties	30.5251713,-97.2815323
86A	S09TX309010	S09TX309010	Houston Black	6	Primary | Supplementary | Taxonomy | Pedon | Water Retention | Correlation | Andic Soil Properties	31.6151218,-96.8676529
86A	S09TX331009	S09TX331009	Houston Black	6	Primary | Supplementary | Taxonomy | Pedon | Water Retention | Correlation | Andic Soil Properties	30.9818115,-96.9535828
86A	40A4579	S1953TX139001	HOUSTON BLACK	3	Primary | Supplementary | Taxonomy | Pedon | Water Retention | Correlation | Andic Soil Properties	32.5397224,-96.660553
86A	40A4580	S1954TX027090	Houston Black	3	Primary | Supplementary | Taxonomy | Pedon | Water Retention | Correlation | Andic Soil Properties	31.0413895,-97.1488876
86A	40A4587	S1956TX085003	Houston Black	6	Primary | Supplementary | Taxonomy | Pedon | Water Retention | Correlation | Andic Soil Properties	33.1736107,-96.4883347
86A	40A4584	S1956TX085004	Houston Black	7	Primary | Supplementary | Taxonomy | Pedon | Water Retention | Correlation | Andic Soil Properties	33.1713905,-96.4916687
86A	S81TX257003	S1981TX257003	Houston Black	5	Primary | Supplementary | Taxonomy | Pedon | Water Retention | Correlation | Andic Soil Properties	32.6691399,-96.4044724
86A	S78TX027004	S78TX027004	Houston Black	3	Primary | Supplementary | Taxonomy | Pedon | Water Retention | Correlation | Andic Soil Properties	31.044445,-97.336113
86A	S78TX027005	S78TX027005	Houston Black	3	Primary | Supplementary | Taxonomy | Pedon | Water Retention | Correlation | Andic Soil Properties	31.0449715,-97.3476944
86A	S78TX145002	S78TX145002	Houston Black	3	Primary | Supplementary | Taxonomy | Pedon | Water Retention | Correlation | Andic Soil Properties	31.0733337,-97.08461
86A	S80TX145001	S80TX145001	Houston Black	3	Primary | Supplementary | Taxonomy | Pedon | Water Retention | Correlation | Andic Soil Properties	31.0075836,-97.05439
86A	S80TX145002	S80TX145002	Houston Black	4	Primary | Supplementary | Taxonomy | Pedon | Water Retention | Correlation | Andic Soil Properties	31.0075836,-97.05439
86A	S81TX217002	S81TX217002	Houston Black	6	Primary | Supplementary | Taxonomy | Pedon | Water Retention | Correlation | Andic Soil Properties	31.9046669,-96.8655548
86A	S81TX217004	S81TX217004	Houston Black	6	Primary | Supplementary | Taxonomy | Pedon | Water Retention | Correlation | Andic Soil Properties	31.8630944,-96.9609472
86A	S81TX217005	S81TX217005	Houston Black	6	Primary | Supplementary | Taxonomy | Pedon | Water Retention | Correlation | Andic Soil Properties	31.9170284,-97.1678619
n/a	S95TX027001	S95TX027001	Houston Black	6	Primary | Supplementary | Taxonomy | Pedon | Water Retention | Correlation | Andic Soil Properties	n/a
n/a	S95TX027002	S95TX027002	Houston Black	6	Primary | Supplementary | Taxonomy | Pedon | Water Retention | Correlation | Andic Soil Properties	n/a

Water Balance

Monthly water balance estimated using a leaky-bucket style model for the HOUSTON BLACK soil series. Monthly precipitation (PPT) and potential evapotranspiration (PET) have been estimated from the 50th percentile of gridded values (PRISM 1981-2010) overlapping with the extent of SSURGO map units containing each series as a major component. Monthly PET values were estimated using the method of Thornthwaite (1948). These (and other) climatic parameters are calculated with each SSURGO refresh and provided by the fetchOSD function of the soilDB package. Representative water storage values (“AWC” in the figures) were derived from SSURGO by taking the 50th percentile of profile-total water storage (sum[awc_r * horizon thickness]) for each soil series. Note that this representation of “water storage” is based on the average ability of most plants to extract soil water between 15 bar (“permanent wilting point”) and 1/3 bar (“field capacity”) matric potential. Soil moisture state can be roughly interpreted as “dry” when storage is depleted, “moist” when storage is between 0mm and AWC, and “wet” when there is a surplus. Clearly there are a lot of assumptions baked into this kind of monthly water balance. This is still a work in progress.

Sibling Summary

Siblings are those soil series that occur together in map units, in this case with the HOUSTON BLACK series. Sketches are arranged according to their subgroup-level taxonomic structure. Source: SSURGO snapshot (updated 2024-10-24), parsed OSD records (updated 2024-10-23) and snapshot of SC database (updated 2024-10-23).

Select annual climate data summaries for the HOUSTON BLACK series and siblings. Series are sorted according to hierarchical clustering of median values. Source: SSURGO map unit geometry and 1981-2010, 800m PRISM data (updated 2024-10-23).

Geomorphic description summaries for the HOUSTON BLACK series and siblings. Series are sorted according to hierarchical clustering of proportions and relative hydrologic position within an idealized landform (e.g. top to bottom). Most soil series (SSURGO components) are associated with a hillslope position and one or more landform-specific positions: hills, mountain slopes, terraces, and/or flats. Proportions can be interpreted as an aggregate representation of geomorphic membership. The values printed to the left (number of component records) and right (Shannon entropy) of stacked bars can be used to judge the reliability of trends. Small Shannon entropy values suggest relatively consistent geomorphic association, while larger values suggest lack thereof. Source: SSURGO component records (updated 2024-10-23).

There are insufficient data to create the 3D mountains figure.

There are insufficient data to create the 3D flats position figure.

Competing Series

Soil series competing with HOUSTON BLACK share the same family level classification in Soil Taxonomy. Source: parsed OSD records (updated 2024-10-23) and snapshot of the SC database (updated 2024-10-23).

Select annual climate data summaries for the HOUSTON BLACK series and competing. Series are sorted according to hierarchical clustering of median values. Source: SSURGO map unit geometry and 1981-2010, 800m PRISM data (updated 2024-10-23).

Geomorphic description summaries for the HOUSTON BLACK series and competing. Series are sorted according to hierarchical clustering of proportions and relative hydrologic position within an idealized landform (e.g. top to bottom). Proportions can be interpreted as an aggregate representation of geomorphic membership. Most soil series (SSURGO components) are associated with a hillslope position and one or more landform-specific positions: hills, mountain slopes, terraces, and/or flats. The values printed to the left (number of component records) and right (Shannon entropy) of stacked bars can be used to judge the reliability of trends. Shannon entropy values close to 0 represent soil series with relatively consistent geomorphic association, while values close to 1 suggest lack thereof. Source: SSURGO component records (updated 2024-10-23).

There are insufficient data to create the 3D mountains figure.

Soil series sharing subgroup-level classification with HOUSTON BLACK, arranged according to family differentiae. Hovering over a series name will print full classification and a small sketch from the OSD. Source: snapshot of SC database (updated 2024-10-23).

Block Diagrams

Click a link below to display the diagram. Note that these diagrams may be from multiple survey areas.

1. TX-2010-11-03-02 | Fannin County - 2001

   Pattern of soils and parent material in the Houston Black-Leson general soil map unit (Soil Survey of Fannin County, Texas; 2001).

2. TX-2010-11-04-08 | Milam County - 2004

   Typical pattern of soils and underlying material in the Houston Black-Heiden-Ferris general soil map unit (Soil Survey of Milam County, Texas; 2004).

3. TX-2010-12-02-01 | McLennan County -

   Typical pattern of soils in the Heiden-Houston Black-Ferris general soil map unit (Soil Survey of McLennan County, Texas).

4. TX-2012-03-20-23 | Comal and Hays Counties - June 1984

   Pattern of soils in the Heiden-Houston Black general soil map unit (Soil Survey of Comal and Hays Counties, TX; 1984).

5. TX-2012-03-20-41 | Ellis County - August 1964

   Block diagram showing relation of eight soil associations in Ellis County to the underlying materials and surface relief (Soil Survey of Ellis County, TX; 1964).

6. TX-2012-03-20-42 | Ellis County - August 1964

   Geographical association of soils on benches. Burleson clay, terrace; Houston Black clay, terrace; and Lewisville soils are in soil association 1 (Soil Survey of Ellis County, TX; 1964).

7. TX-2012-03-20-43 | Ellis County - August 1964

   Representative pattern of soils in soil association 2. Ellis and Houston clays occupy the more sloping areas; Houston Black clay occupies the nearly level areas (Soil Survey of Ellis County, TX; 1964).

8. TX-2012-03-20-44 | Ellis County - August 1964

   Relation of soils in soil association 4 to the underlying chalky bedrock. Eddy soils and Stephen silty clay soils are in soil association 4 (Soil Survey of Ellis County, TX; 1964).

9. TX-2012-03-20-45 | Ellis County - August 1964

   Geographical association of soils on sloping and gently sloping blackland. Austin silty clay and Houston Black clay soils are in soil association 5 (Soil Survey of Ellis County, TX; 1964).

10. TX-2012-03-20-46 | Ellis County - August 1964

    Geographical association of soils on flood plains. The Wilson and the Crockett soils are in soil association 7 (Soil Survey of Ellis County, TX; 1964).

11. TX-2012-03-21-18 | Johnson County - October 1985

    Typical pattern of soils and parent material in the Heiden-Houston Black-Ferris map unit (Soil Survey of Johnson County, TX; 1985).

12. TX-2012-03-21-52 | Navarro County - December 1974

    Typical pattern of soils in the Houston Black-Heiden association (Soil Survey of Navarro County, TX; 1974).

13. TX-2012-03-22-11 | Williamson County - January 1983

    Typical landscape pattern of the Branyon-Houston Black-Burleson general soil map unit (Soil Survey of Williamson County, TX; 1983).

14. TX-2012-03-22-14 | Williamson County - January 1983

    Typical landscape pattern of the Austin-Houston Black-Castephen general soil map unit (Soil Survey of Williamson County, TX; 1983).

15. TX-2012-03-22-17 | Williamson County - January 1983

    Typical landscape pattern of the Tinn general soil map unit (Soil Survey of Williamson County, TX; 1983).

Map Units

Map units containing HOUSTON BLACK as a major component. Limited to 250 records.

Map Unit Name	Symbol	Map Unit Area (ac)	Map Unit Key	National Map Unit Symbol	Soil Survey Area	Publication Date	Map Scale
Houston Black clay, 1 to 3 percent slopes	HoB	1581	393301	2ssh0	tx021	1972	1:24000
Houston Black clay, 0 to 1 percent slopes	HoA	1184	393300	2shgy	tx021	1972	1:24000
Houston Black clay, 1 to 3 percent slopes	HoB	55019	391100	2ssh0	tx027	1972	1:24000
Houston Black clay, 0 to 1 percent slopes	HoA	12451	391099	2shgy	tx027	1972	1:24000
Houston Black clay, 3 to 5 percent slopes	HoC	7066	391101	2wg8y	tx027	1972	1:24000
Houston Black-Urban land complex, 1 to 5 percent slopes	HuC	3284	391102	f3z6	tx027	1972	1:24000
Houston Black clay, 1 to 3 percent slopes	HsB	28571	390476	2ssh0	tx029	2000	1:24000
Houston Black gravelly clay, 1 to 3 percent slopes	HuB	27357	390480	2sshn	tx029	2000	1:24000
Houston Black gravelly clay, 3 to 5 percent slopes	HuC	21002	390481	2shgt	tx029	2000	1:24000
Houston Black gravelly clay, 5 to 8 percent slopes	HuD	5525	390482	f3b6	tx029	2000	1:24000
Houston Black clay, 3 to 5 percent slopes	HsC	4621	390477	2wg8y	tx029	2000	1:24000
Houston Black clay, 0 to 1 percent slopes	HsA	1948	390475	2shgy	tx029	2000	1:24000
Houston Black clay, 1 to 3 percent slopes	HoB	14897	363516	2ssh0	tx055	1972	1:20000
Houston Black gravelly clay, 3 to 8 percent slopes	HpD	3053	363518	2shgs	tx055	1972	1:20000
Houston Black clay, 3 to 5 percent slopes, moderately eroded	HoC2	1570	363517	2shh2	tx055	1972	1:20000
Houston Black clay, 1 to 3 percent slopes	HoB	189910	364076	2ssh0	tx085	1965	1:20000
Houston Black clay, 0 to 1 percent slopes	HoA	42206	364075	2shgy	tx085	1965	1:20000
Houston Black clay, 2 to 4 percent slopes, eroded	HoB2	22626	364077	d6vf	tx085	1965	1:20000
Houston Black-Urban land complex, 0 to 4 percent slopes	45	64959	364828	d7mn	tx113	1975	1:20000
Houston Black clay, 1 to 3 percent slopes	44	30424	364827	2ssh0	tx113	1975	1:20000
Houston Black clay, 0 to 1 percent slopes	43	9092	364826	2shgy	tx113	1975	1:20000
Houston Black clay, 1 to 3 percent slopes	44	2742	364996	2ssh0	tx121	1975	1:24000
Houston Black clay, 0 to 1 percent slopes	43	507	364995	2shgy	tx121	1975	1:24000
Houston Black clay, 1 to 3 percent slopes	HoB	2329	365064	2ssh2	tx123	1973	1:20000
Houston Black clay, 0 to 1 percent slopes	HoA	702	365063	2shgz	tx123	1973	1:20000
Houston Black clay, 1 to 3 percent slopes	HaB	104748	365302	2ssh0	tx139	1962	1:20000
Houston Black clay, 0 to 1 percent slopes	HaA	18220	365301	2shgy	tx139	1962	1:20000
Houston Black clay, 1 to 3 percent slopes	35	42802	365454	2ssh0	tx145	1975	1:20000
Houston Black clay, 0 to 1 percent slopes	34	10494	365453	2shgy	tx145	1975	1:20000
Houston Black clay, 1 to 3 percent slopes	HoB	27217	365526	2ssh1	tx147	1989	1:24000
Fairlie and Houston Black clays, 1 to 3 percent slopes	33	64423	366669	d9k1	tx181	1977	1:20000
Fairlie and Houston Black clays, 0 to 1 percent slopes	32	3812	366668	d9k0	tx181	1977	1:20000
Houston Black clay, 1 to 3 percent slopes	HoB	40190	366860	2ssh0	tx187	1973	1:20000
Houston Black gravelly clay, 3 to 5 percent slopes	HpC	11678	366862	2shgt	tx187	1973	1:20000
Houston Black gravelly clay, 1 to 3 percent slopes	HpB	2811	366861	2sshn	tx187	1973	1:20000
Houston Black clay, 0 to 1 percent slopes	HoA	1015	366859	2shgy	tx187	1973	1:20000
Houston Black clay, 1 to 3 percent slopes	49	85448	367763	2ssh0	tx217	1975	1:20000
Houston Black clay, 0 to 1 percent slopes	48	24621	367762	2shgy	tx217	1975	1:20000
Houston Black-Urban land complex, 0 to 3 percent slopes	50	1401	367765	dbpd	tx217	1975	1:20000
Houston Black clay, 1 to 3 percent slopes	17	51192	367878	2ssh1	tx231	1978	1:24000
Houston Black clay, 1 to 3 percent slopes	HoB	6382	368179	2ssh0	tx251	1981	1:20000
Houston Black clay, 0 to 1 percent slopes	HoA	4672	368178	2shgy	tx251	1981	1:20000
Houston Black clay, 1 to 3 percent slopes	HoB	33127	369401	2ssh0	tx293	1991	1:24000
Houston Black clay, 1 to 3 percent slopes	HoB	41197	370104	2ssh0	tx309	1992	1:24000
Houston Black clay, 1 to 3 percent slopes	HoB	33867	370678	2ssh0	tx331	1988	1:24000
Houston Black clay, 1 to 3 percent slopes	HbB	51343	370945	2ssh0	tx349	1968	1:24000
Houston Black clay, 0 to 1 percent slopes	HbA	5461	370944	2shgy	tx349	1968	1:24000
Houston Black clay, 2 to 5 percent slopes, eroded	HbC2	4226	370947	dg01	tx349	1968	1:24000
Houston Black clay, 3 to 5 percent slopes	HbC	3967	370946	2wg8y	tx349	1968	1:24000
Houston Black clay, 5 to 8 percent slopes	HbD	668	370948	dg02	tx349	1968	1:24000
Houston Black clay, 1 to 3 percent slopes	HoB	14841	371443	2ssh1	tx387	1972	1:24000
Houston Black-Urban land complex, 1 to 4 percent slopes	HuB	10754	372381	dhh9	tx439	1979	1:20000
Houston Black clay, 1 to 3 percent slopes	HoB	7403	372380	2ssh0	tx439	1979	1:20000
Houston Black clay, 1 to 3 percent slopes	HnB	71307	393214	2ssh0	tx453	1969	1:20000
Houston Black clay, 3 to 5 percent slopes, moderately eroded	HnC2	22509	393215	2shh2	tx453	1969	1:20000
Houston Black soils and Urban land, 0 to 8 percent slopes	HsD	8323	393217	f65f	tx453	1969	1:20000
Houston Black gravelly clay, 2 to 8 percent slopes, moderately eroded	HoD2	8019	393216	f65d	tx453	1969	1:20000
Houston Black clay, 0 to 1 percent slopes	HnA	7389	393213	2shgy	tx453	1969	1:20000
Houston Black clay, 1 to 3 percent slopes	23	5570	575953	2ssh2	tx471	1975	1:20000
Houston Black-Urban land complex, 1 to 3 percent slopes	24	40	575954	mbb5	tx471	1975	1:20000
Houston Black clay, 1 to 3 percent slopes	HoB	42715	373560	2ssh0	tx491	1981	1:20000
Houston Black clay, 3 to 5 percent slopes, moderately eroded	HoC2	3348	373561	2shh2	tx491	1981	1:20000
Houston Black clay, 0 to 1 percent slopes	HoA	3083	373559	2shgy	tx491	1981	1:20000
Houston Black soils and Urban land, 1 to 5 percent slopes	HouC	44	3130116	2ssgm	tx491	1981	1:20000
Houston Black clay, 1 to 3 percent slopes	19	1838	373911	dk2n	tx601	1977	1:31680
Houston Black clay, 0 to 1 percent slopes	18	1403	373910	dk2m	tx601	1977	1:31680
Houston Black clay, 1 to 3 percent slopes	HoB	20463	390703	2ssh0	tx604	1981	1:20000
Houston Black gravelly clay, 3 to 8 percent slopes	HvD	4526	390705	2shgs	tx604	1981	1:20000
Houston Black gravelly clay, 1 to 3 percent slopes	HvB	3864	390704	2sshn	tx604	1981	1:20000
Houston Black clay, 1 to 3 percent slopes	HoB	77684	374478	2ssh0	tx612	1973	1:20000
Houston Black clay, 0 to 1 percent slopes	HoA	13860	374477	2shgy	tx612	1973	1:20000
Houston Black clay, 3 to 5 percent slopes	HoC	2187	374479	2wg8y	tx612	1973	1:20000
Houston Black clay, 1 to 3 percent slopes	27	76363	393357	2ssh1	tx614	1975	1:20000
Houston Black clay, 0 to 1 percent slopes	26	9408	393356	2shh0	tx614	1975	1:20000

Map of Series Extent

Approximate geographic distribution of the HOUSTON BLACK soil series. To learn more about how this distribution was mapped, or to compare this soil series extent to others, use the Series Extent Explorer (SEE) application. Source: generalization of SSURGO geometry (updated 2024-10-30).