Drake soils are on calcareous eolian dunes and have 35 percent or less clay in the particle-size control section. Estacado soils are on surrounding plains and have an argillic horizon. Portales and Pep soils are on slightly higher landscape positions and have 18 to 35 percent clay in the particle-size control section. Somewhat poorly drained. Very slow permeability.
Surface runoff is negligible.
These soils occasionally pond for brief to long periods. Many areas are planted to wheat in the fall and utilized for livestock pasture during the winter months, or during dry years, some areas are cultivated to cotton or grain sorghum. Native vegetation varies according to amount of water available. It includes western wheatgrass, buffalograss, blue grama, vine mesquite, texas blueweed, kochia, western ragweed, cocklebur, sunflower, and mares-tail. Bur ragweed, sedges, spike rushes, bushy knotweed, frog-fruit, and saltmarsh aster may occur in wetter areas.