Soil Surveys--Soil Surveys--What What areare they?!? they?!?

Natural ResourcesConservation Service

Helping People Help the Land

How to use a Published Soil SurveyHow to use a Published Soil Survey

Each published soil survey is a comprehensive report on the soil

resources of a given county, or parish.

It is a detailed report compiled by the USDA Natural Resources

Conservation Service in cooperation with Agricultural Experiment Stations,

State Soil and Water Conservation Committees, and local soil and

water conservation districts.

What is a published soil survey?What is a published soil survey?

A published soil survey is a detailed report which contains information on all the soils of a county or parish. The publication has maps with soil boundaries and aerial photos and narrative descriptions and tables explaining specific soil properties and features. Published soil surveys are used by farmers, real estate agents, city personnel, land use planners, engineers and others who desire information about the soil resource.

Soil Surveys are in printed books (hard copy format) or on CDs with digital soils data. The digital soils data can be used in GIS (Geographic Information Systems).

Web Soil SurveyWeb Soil Survey NRCS now has soil survey data NRCS now has soil survey data

available onlineavailable online Users from across the U.S. can Users from across the U.S. can

quickly access soils dataquickly access soils data

Visit www.websoilsurvey.nrcs.usda.gov

The major parts of a soil survey publication...The major parts of a soil survey publication...

Index to map unitsIndex to map units Summary of tablesSummary of tables ForewordForeword General soil map unitsGeneral soil map units Detailed soil map unitsDetailed soil map units Prime farmlandPrime farmland Use and management of soilsUse and management of soils Soil propertiesSoil properties Classification of soilsClassification of soils Formation of the soilsFormation of the soils ReferencesReferences GlossaryGlossary TablesTables

Obtain a soil survey publication from the NRCS Obtain a soil survey publication from the NRCS office or your local Soil and Water Conservation office or your local Soil and Water Conservation District office.District office.

Open the soil survey to Open the soil survey to Index To Map SheetsIndex To Map Sheets in in the middle of the publication. It is located the middle of the publication. It is located opposite the opposite the General Soil MapGeneral Soil Map. In the hard copy . In the hard copy books, these maps are large fold out sheets.books, these maps are large fold out sheets.

Locate your site or property on the parish map of Locate your site or property on the parish map of the the Index To Map Sheets.Index To Map Sheets.

Using the soil surveyUsing the soil survey

Your land or site should be within one of the Your land or site should be within one of the small rectangles on the map that has a number…small rectangles on the map that has a number…say 22 or 40.say 22 or 40.

That number is very important--it corresponds to That number is very important--it corresponds to the number on the aerial maps located in the the number on the aerial maps located in the second half of the publication. Your number second half of the publication. Your number should be circled at the top of the aerial should be circled at the top of the aerial photograph, right above the north arrow.photograph, right above the north arrow.

View the aerial map closely Locate landmarks View the aerial map closely Locate landmarks such as roads or streams.such as roads or streams.

Using the soil surveyUsing the soil survey (Continued) (Continued)

Using the soil survey Using the soil survey (Continued)(Continued)...... Notice that the aerial photograph has many lines drawn on Notice that the aerial photograph has many lines drawn on

it. Those lines separate different soil types or areas with it. Those lines separate different soil types or areas with different soil characteristics. Your tract or site should be different soil characteristics. Your tract or site should be located within one of those lines.located within one of those lines.

After you locate your tract of land, look for the small letters After you locate your tract of land, look for the small letters or number imprinted on the map near your tract, but within or number imprinted on the map near your tract, but within the delineation lines such as ScC, or KnC, or LaC. Those the delineation lines such as ScC, or KnC, or LaC. Those letters or numbers designate a “map unit.” Remember that letters or numbers designate a “map unit.” Remember that map unit. Map unit symbols may consist of numbers or map unit. Map unit symbols may consist of numbers or letters, or a combination of both.letters, or a combination of both.

Turn to the Turn to the Index to Map UnitsIndex to Map Units (located at the front) which (located at the front) which lists the map units by symbol and name and shows the lists the map units by symbol and name and shows the page where each map unit is described. Or find the page where each map unit is described. Or find the Table Table of Contentsof Contents and find your Map Unit there. and find your Map Unit there.

Using the soil surveyUsing the soil survey...... After you locate the After you locate the Index to Index to

Map UnitsMap Units and find the and find the corresponding page number for corresponding page number for your map unit or the soil of your your map unit or the soil of your area, go to that page in the soil area, go to that page in the soil survey report.survey report.

Here, you’ll find a detailed Here, you’ll find a detailed description of your map unit or description of your map unit or soil.soil.

Using the soil surveyUsing the soil survey...... If you find a term or soil If you find a term or soil

description in the detailed description in the detailed information sheet on your soil information sheet on your soil and want to learn what that and want to learn what that term means, go the term means, go the GlossaryGlossary section of the report. section of the report.

The The GlossaryGlossary is located in the is located in the center of the publication.center of the publication.

GlossaryAeration, soil. The exchange of air in soil with air from the atmosphere . . .

Using the soil survey--Using the soil survey--TablesTables The The TablesTables section of the soil section of the soil

survey report provides detailed survey report provides detailed information on the suitability and information on the suitability and limitations of the map units as limitations of the map units as well as management and well as management and production potential of the production potential of the various soils.various soils.

Tables help landowners, Tables help landowners, community leaders, and community leaders, and developers and builders know if developers and builders know if it’s good to build on a certain it’s good to build on a certain location or if a different location location or if a different location would be better suited to their would be better suited to their needs.needs.

TABLE 1.--TEMPERATURE AND PRECIPITATION

TABLE 2.--FREEZE DATES IN SPRING AND FALL

TABLE 3.--GROWING SEASON

TABLE 4.--ACREAGE AND PROPORTIONAL EXTENT OF THE SOILS

Using the Using the TablesTables...... Tables offer detailed information on Tables offer detailed information on

crops and pasture, woodland crops and pasture, woodland management and productivity, management and productivity, recreation, wildlife habitat, and recreation, wildlife habitat, and engineering.engineering.

Tables give detailed information on Tables give detailed information on engineering index properties, physical engineering index properties, physical and chemical properties, soil and and chemical properties, soil and water features, soil fertility levels, and water features, soil fertility levels, and physical and chemical analysis of physical and chemical analysis of selected soils.selected soils.

To use the tables, simply remember To use the tables, simply remember your map unit symbol and find it in the your map unit symbol and find it in the appropriate table.appropriate table.

Other useful information...Other useful information... The soil survey report has other useful The soil survey report has other useful

information about ALL the soils in the area. information about ALL the soils in the area. You can learn about:You can learn about:

The general soils mapThe general soils map Which soils are considered prime farmlandWhich soils are considered prime farmland How to best use and manage soilsHow to best use and manage soils What the processes of soil formation areWhat the processes of soil formation are What the factors of soil formation areWhat the factors of soil formation are What landforms and surface geology are in What landforms and surface geology are in

the areathe areaThere’s SO There’s SO MUCH to MUCH to learn!!!learn!!!

Find out more about soil Find out more about soil surveys...surveys...

If, after reviewing your personal soil If, after reviewing your personal soil survey report, you still have unanswered survey report, you still have unanswered questions about the soil survey or your questions about the soil survey or your soil, please contact the USDA Natural soil, please contact the USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service or Resources Conservation Service or conservation district office nearest you.conservation district office nearest you.

They know a lot about soil and They know a lot about soil and are here to serve!are here to serve!

Contact NRCSContact NRCS The USDA Natural Resources Conservation The USDA Natural Resources Conservation

Service office number is located in the telephone Service office number is located in the telephone book under U.S. Government.book under U.S. Government.

Visit Visit www.nrcs.usda.govwww.nrcs.usda.gov online online

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