A few large reservoirs provide water for cities and towns and for recreation and irrigation. In most of the area, shallow wells supply water for domestic use, but ground water is scarce in places where sandstone and shale are near the surface. Most of the soils are Ustalfs. They are well drained and moderately well drained, medium textured and coarse textured. These soils have a thermic temperature regime, an ustic moisture regime, and mixed or siliceous mineralogy.
Tall grass is interspersed with trees and underbrush.
Little bluestem, purpletop tridens, indiangrass, switchgrass, big bluestem, sand lovegrass, post oak, blackjack oak, elm, coralberry, greenbrier, and elbowbush are dominant species. Engelmann-daisy, Maxmilian sunflower, and trailing wildbean are among the numerous perennial forbs. Soil Conservation Service Handbook 296.