The Van Horn-Sierra Blanca region lies athwart part of the boundary between two contrasting geologic provinces. The contrast between these two provinces, splendidly displayed by Holocene landforms in the present map area, has a history that dates back to at least Late Precambrian time.

This Guidebook represents an updating of Bureau of Economic Geology Guidebook No. 5, Field Excursion-Geology of Llano Region and Austin Area. It also represents a modification of Geology of the Llano Region and Austin Area, Texas, published by the Shreveport Geological Society in 1971.

The Eastern Shelf was a constructional platform developed on the margin of the sediment-starved Midland Basin during Late Pennsylvanian and Early Permian time. A mixed terrigenous-carbonate sedimentary province characterized the shelf during most of its history.

The Texas Coastal Zone is marked by diversity in geography, resources, climate, and industry.

Mountain-bounded basins or bolsons are the most important aquifer systems throughout most of southwestern and western United States and northern Mexico.