What the city soil map shows

Longview's GIS lists the general soil areas for Gregg and Upshur counties: Bowie-Cuthbert-Kirvin, Lilbert, Mantachie-Iuka, Kullit-Sacul, Urbo, Darco, Mollville-Latch, Cuthbert-Redsprings, open water and "Oil Wasteland" (City of Longview GIS). That last one is a reminder of how much of this county was drilled.

Five soils and what they mean

SoilWhere and what (USDA)For a pool
MantachieRiver and creek flood plains; loamy; water table 1–1.5 ft in wet periods; floods in winter and early springCheck the flood map; expect pumping; raise the deck
UrboClayey flood-plain soil, very slow to drain, in a shrink-swell class; water table 1–2 ft late winterMovement and standing water; engineered drainage
SaculUplands on 2–25% slopes; loamy over clay; water table 2–4 ft in late winter and springSlope work; winter seepage into the dig
KullitFlat ridge tops; loamy over clay; water table 2–3 ft in winter and springEasy access, but plan for water in the hole
LilbertThick loamy sand over a slower subsoil, on 1–8% slopes, under pineFast digging; hole walls can slump; good deck drainage

USDA Official Series Descriptions. Soils change within a block; check your address on the Web Soil Survey.

The Sabine bottoms

The Sabine runs along the south side of Longview, and its bottomland lies close to parts of Longview, Kilgore and Gladewater. The National Weather Service gauge below Longview reaches minor flood at 25 ft and major flood at 35 ft; crests have topped 35 ft in 1966, 1971, 1989, 1990, 2016 and 2019 (NWS). On a bottomland lot, look the address up on FEMA’s flood maps before you design anything, and expect a city development permit for work in a mapped flood zone.

Lots in the old oil field

The East Texas Oil Field, opened in 1930, spread across Gregg, Rusk, Smith, Upshur and Cherokee counties, with tens of thousands of wells and more than a thousand in downtown Kilgore alone (Handbook of Texas). Many of today's neighborhoods sit on old leases. Search your address on the Railroad Commission's public GIS viewer for wells and pipelines, and make sure 811 is called before digging. Old private flowlines may not be marked, so mention any capped pipe or concrete pad you know about.

Questions for the builder

Sources & further reading

  1. City of Longview GIS: Gregg and Upshur soil map units
  2. USDA: Mantachie
  3. USDA: Urbo
  4. USDA: Sacul
  5. USDA: Kullit
  6. USDA: Lilbert
  7. NWS: Sabine River below Longview. Flood categories and crests
  8. Handbook of Texas: East Texas Oilfield
  9. Railroad Commission GIS viewer

Editorial note: General planning information, not engineering or legal advice. Prices are estimates; confirm current rules with your local officials and a qualified pro.