Browse Map

Explore away

Explore Map Collection

Check out our basemaps

Print a Map Plus

Generate a high-quality PDF

Field Guide

Discover local flora, fauna, geology, and more

Local Flora & Fauna

Learn the ecology of your area

Local Geology

Learn the geologic formation at your feet

Get Started or Sign In

Welcome

Continue with Apple

Already have an account? Sign In

MAP

Topo

Measure

Topo

Ecoregions

Public Lands

...

BASEMAPS

Default Weather

Temperature

Smoke

...

WEATHER

Northern Nueces Alluvial Plains

Ecoregion on Great Plains, TX

Print Map

Generate High-Quality PDF

The Northern Nueces Alluvial Plains ecoregion differs from much of Ecoregion 31 due to greater precipitation (22-28 in.), numerous streams that flow from the Balcones Canyonlands (30c), transitional vegetation patterns, different mosaic of soils and surficial materials, and land cover that includes more cropland and pasture. Broad Holocene and Pleistocene-age alluvial fans and other alluvial plain deposits characterize the region. The region has a hyperthermic soil temperature regime with aridic ustic and typic ustic soil moisture regimes. Soils are mostly very deep, moderately fine-textured and medium-textured. Mollisols and Alfisols are typical, with some Inceptisols. General vegetation types include some mesquite- live oak-bluewood parks in the north, and mesquite-granjeno parks in the south. Some open grassland with scattered honey mesquite, plateau live oak, and other trees occur. Little bluestem, sideoats grama, lovegrass tridens, multiflowered false rhodesgrass, Arizona cottontop, plains bristlegrass, and other mid grasses are dominant on deeper soils. Open grassland with scattered low-growing brush, such as guajillo, blackbrush, elbowbush, and kidneywood, characterize shallower soils. Arizona cottontop, sideoats grama, green sprangletop, and false rhodesgrass are dominant mid grasses on these soils. Some floodplain forests may have hackberry, plateau live oak, pecan, and cedar elm, with black willow and eastern cottonwood along the banks. Cropland is common, but large areas are used as rangeland. The main crops are corn, cotton, small grains, and vegetables. Most cropland areas are irrigated. Hunting leases for white-tailed deer, northern bobwhite, and mourning dove are an important source of income.

— EPA

Taxonomy

Classified As

Ecoregion