PROVINCEGulf Coastal Plains

Coastal PrairiesInterior Coastal PlainsBlackland Prairies

Grand PrairieEdwards Plateau

PrincipalPecos CanyonsStockton Plateau

Central Texas UpliftNorth-Central PlainsHigh Plains

Central

SouthernCanadian Breaks

Basin and Range

MAX. ELEV. (ft)

300800

10001250

30002000420020003000

4750380038008750

MIN. ELEV. (ft)

0300450450

45012001700800900

2900235022001700

TOPOGRAPHY

Nearly flat prairie, <1 ft/mi to GulfParallel ridges (questas) and valleysLow rolling terrainLow stairstep hills west; plains east

Flat upper surface with box canyonsSteep-walled canyonsMesa-formed terrain; highs to westKnobby plain; surrounded by questasLow north-south ridges (questas)

Flat prairies slope east and southHighly dissected; local solution valleysFlat; many playas; local dune fieldsNorth-south mountains and basins

GEOLOGIC STRUCTURE

Nearly flat strataBeds tilted toward GulfBeds tilted south and eastStrata dip east

Beds dip south; normal faulted

Unfaulted, near-horizontal bedsCentripetal dips, strongly faultedWest dip; minor faults

Slight dips east and south

Some complex folding and faulting

BEDROCK TYPES

Deltaic sands and mudsUnconsolidated sands and mudsChalks and marlsCalcareous east; sandy west

Limestones and dolomitesLimestones and dolomitesCarbonates and alluvial sedimentsGranites; metamorphics; sediments

Eolian silts and fine sands

Igneous; metamorphics; sedimentsQAd8544

Limestones; sandstones; shales

SouthernHigh

Plains

Central High Plains

Coastal Prairie

s

CORPUSCHRISTI

BROWNSVILLE

Breaks

GuadalupePeak

StocktonPlateau

PecosCanyons

PHYSIOGRAPHIC MAP OF TEXAS1996

BUREAU OF ECONOMIC GEOLOGYTHE UNIVERSITY OF TEXAS AT AUSTIN

University Station, Box XAustin, Texas 78713-8924

(512) 471-1534

0

0 100

50 100

200 300 kilometers

200 miles150

HOUSTON

AUSTIN

DALLAS

MIDLAND

AMARILLO

EL PASO

SAN ANTONIO

Canadian

RIO GRANDE

Balcones EscarpmentBla

ckla

nd P

rair

ies

Inte

rior C

oast

al P

lain

s

Wes

tern

Tim

bers