README.md

In brownag/SoilKnowledgeBase: USDA-NRCS Soil Knowledge Base

Soil Knowledge Base

A soil “knowledge base” centered around the National Cooperative Soil Survey (NCSS) standards.

These are standards developed and maintained by the United States Department of Agriculture Natural Resources Conservation Service (USDA-NRCS) Soil and Plant Science Division (SPSD). They are defined in the National Soil Survey Handbook (NSSH*)

The contents of this repository are completely reproducible. You can build an instance of all of the external data from scratch if you install the package off GitHub and run the refresh() command.

This repository is an R package that facilitates management of dependencies, continuous integration, version control of and limited programmatic access to products from official data sources.

Get started

# install.packages("remotes")
remotes::install_github("ncss-tech/SoilKnowledgeBase")

# install all remote data to inst/extdata
SoilKnowledgeBase::refresh()

The repository is regularly updated to reflect changes that happen in a variety of official data sources.

Depending on your application you may be better off simply cloning the repository and calling git pull on a schedule that is convenient for you.

The Structure of the National Soil Survey Handbook (NSSH)

The materials provided in this repository are generally defined somewhere within the NSSH. For now, only top-level links to whole sections of the handbook are available.

These links connect to eDirectives which are the official sources of standards of this nature.

Part & Subpart Part Name Section Link 600 A Introduction, Subpart A General LINK 600 B Introduction, Subpart B General LINK 601 A NCSS Organization, Subpart A General LINK 601 B NCSS Organization, Subpart B General LINK 602 B Conferences of the NCSS, Subpart B General LINK 606 A Working Agreements, Subpart A Operations And Management LINK 606 B Working Agreements, Subpart B Operations And Management LINK 607 A Initial Soil Survey Preparation, Subpart A Operations And Management LINK 607 B Initial Soil Survey Preparation, Subpart B Operations And Management LINK 608 A Program Management, Subpart A Operations And Management LINK 608 B Program Management, Subpart B Operations And Management LINK 609 A QC/QA* and Soil Correlation, Subpart A Operations And Management LINK 609 B QC/QA* and Soil Correlation, Subpart B Operations And Management LINK 610 A Updating Soil Surveys, Subpart A Operations And Management LINK 610 B Updating Soil Surveys, Subpart B Operations And Management LINK 614 A Applying Soil Taxonomy, Subpart A Soil Classification LINK 614 B Applying Soil Taxonomy, Subpart B Soil Classification LINK 617 A Soil Survey Interpretations, Subpart A Soil Interpretations LINK 617 B Soil Survey Interpretations, Subpart B Soil Interpretations LINK 618 A Soil Properties and Qualities, Subpart A Soil Interpretations LINK 618 B Soil Properties and Qualities, Subpart B Soil Interpretations LINK 621 A Soil Potential Ratings, Subpart A Soil Interpretations LINK 621 B Soil Potential Ratings, Subpart B Soil Interpretations LINK 622 A Interpretive Groups, Subpart A Soil Interpretations LINK 622 B Interpretive Groups, Subpart B Soil Interpretations LINK 624 A Soil Quality, Subpart A Soil Interpretations LINK 624 B Soil Quality, Subpart B Soil Interpretations LINK 627 A Legend Development and Data Collection, Subpart A Soil Survey Field Procedures LINK 627 B Legend Development and Data Collection, Subpart B Soil Survey Field Procedures LINK 629 A Glossary of Landform and Geologic Terms, Subpart A Soil Survey Field Procedures LINK 629 B Glossary of Landform and Geologic Terms, Subpart B Soil Survey Field Procedures LINK 630 A Benchmark Soils, Subpart A Soil Survey Field Procedures LINK 630 B Benchmark Soils, Subpart B Soil Survey Field Procedures LINK 631 A Soil Survey Investigations, Subpart A Soil Survey Field Procedures LINK 631 B Soil Survey Investigations, Subpart B Soil Survey Field Procedures LINK 638 Soil Data Systems Soil Survey Information Systems LINK 639 A National Soil Information System (NASIS), Subpart A Soil Survey Information Systems LINK 639 B National Soil Information System (NASIS), Subpart B Soil Survey Information Systems LINK 644 A Delivering Soil Survey Information, Subpart A Soil Survey Publications LINK 644 B Delivering Soil Survey Information, Subpart B Soil Survey Publications LINK 647 A Soil Map Development, Subpart A Soil Maps LINK 647 B Soil Map Development, Subpart B Soil Maps LINK 648 A Digital Soil Mapping Soil Maps LINK 648 B Digital Soil Mapping Soil Maps LINK 649 A Land Resource Areas, Subpart A Soil Maps LINK 649 B Land Resource Areas, Subpart B Soil Maps LINK 651 Advance Soil Survey Information Information Delivery LINK 655 Technical Soil Services Information Delivery LINK 656 A Coastal Zone Soil Survey, Subpart A Information Delivery LINK

• * QC/QA = Quality Control, Quality Assurance

The following are headers within individual handbook parts

Part Subpart Header 600 A 600.0 The Mission of the Soil Science Division, Natural Resources Conservation Service 600 A 600.1 Purpose 600 A 600.2 National Cooperative Soil Survey (NCSS) Standards 600 A 600.3 Principal References and Their Maintenance 600 A 600.4 Conventions and Terminology 600 A 600.5 Standards of the National Cooperative Soil Survey 600 B 600.10 List of Technical References 600 B 600.11 Tracking Flowchart for NSSH Amendments (After Figure 503-D2: Workflow 601 A 601.0 Definition 601 A 601.1 NRCS Organization and Responsibilities 601 B 601.10 Primary Federal Partners 602 B 602.10 Bylaws of the National Cooperative Soil Survey Conference 602 B 602.11 Bylaws of the Western Regional Cooperative Soil Survey Conference 602 B 602.12 Bylaws of the Northeast Cooperative Soil Survey Conference (Revised 602 B 602.13 Bylaws of the North Central Regional Soil Survey Conference (Revised 602 B 602.14 Bylaws of the Southern Regional Cooperative Soil Survey Conference 602 B 602.15 Conducting NCSS Conferences 606 A 606.0 Definition 606 A 606.0 Policy and Responsibilities 606 B 606.10 Template Statement of Commitment for Soil Survey and Ecological Site Inventory Projects 607 A 607.0 Purpose 607 A 607.1 Policy and Responsibilities 607 A 607.2 Preliminary Survey Activities 607 B 607.10 Reference Materials for Soil Surveys 607 B 607.11 Example of a Procedure for Geodatabase Development, File Naming, Archiving, and Quality Assurance 608 A 608.0 Definition and Purpose 608 A 608.1 Responsibilities and Organization 608 A 608.2 Soil Survey Area Designation 608 A 608.3 Areas of Limited Access, Denied Access Areas, and Areas Not Completed 608 A 608.4 Determining Workloads 608 A 608.5 Priorities for Soil Survey Activities 608 A 608.6 Planning Workflow 608 A 608.7 Goals and Progress 608 A 608.8 Developing Other Schedules for Soil Survey Operations 608 A 608.9 Status Maps 608 B 608.10 Long-Range Plan for Initial Soil Surveys 608 B 608.11 Annual Plan of Operations for Initial Soil Surveys 608 B 608.12 Goal and Progress Guidelines 608 B 608.13 Business Area Responsibilities for Goals and Progress 609 A 609.0 Definition and Purpose of Quality Control and Quality Assurance 609 A 609.1 Policy and Responsibilities for Quality Control and Quality Assurance 609 A 609.2 Soil Correlation 609 A 609.3 Seamless Soil Survey 609 A 609.4 Quality Control Reviews 609 A 609.5 Quality Assurance Reviews 609 A 609.6 Field Assistance Visits 609 A 609.7 Final Soil Survey Field Activities for Initial Soil Survey Projects 609 A 609.8 General Soil Maps, Index Maps, and Location Maps 609 B 609.10 Format for Correlation Document 609 B 609.11 List of Soil Property or Quality Attributes for Joining 609 B 609.12 Quality Control Template for Initial Soil Surveys (subject to change to 609 B 609.13 Outline of Items Considered in an Operations Management Review or 609 B 609.14 Initial Field Review Checklist for Initial Soil Surveys 609 B 609.15 Quality Assurance Worksheet for Initial Soil Surveys (subject to change 609 B 609.16 Progress Field Review Checklist for Initial Soil Surveys 609 B 609.17 Final Field Review Checklist for Initial Soil Surveys 609 B 609.18 Project Review Checklist for MLRA Soil Surveys 609 B 609.19 Quality Assurance Worksheet for MLRA Soil Surveys (subject to change 610 A 610.0 Definition and Purpose 610 A 610.1 Policy and Responsibilities 610 A 610.2 Inventory and Assessment 610 A 610.3 Update Strategies 610 A 610.4 Project Plan 610 A 610.5 Prioritizing and Ranking 610 A 610.6 Long-Range Plan 610 A 610.7 Annual Plan of Operation (APO) 610 A 610.8 Certification of Soils Data 610 A 610.9 Publication of Soils Data 610 B 610.10 Agency Resources Concerns 610 B 610.11 Information Items for the Inventory and Assessment 610 B 610.12 Resources for the Inventory and Assessment 610 B 610.13 Sample Project Evaluation Worksheet 610 B 610.14 Project Plan Checklist 610 B 610.15 Example of a Project Evaluation Ranking Procedure 610 B 610.16 Project Description Examples 614 A 614.0 Definition and Purpose 614 A 614.1 Policy and Responsibilities 614 A 614.2 National Soil Classification System 614 A 614.3 Use of the National Soil Classification System in Soil Surveys 614 A 614.4 Soil Taxonomy Committees, Work Groups, and Referees 614 A 614.5 Procedures for Amending Soil Taxonomy 614 A 614.6 The Soil Series 614 B 614.10 Flow Chart of Amendment Process 614 B 614.11 Example of an Official Soil Series Description in HTML 614 B 614.12 Explanation and Content of a Soil Series Description 614 B 614.13 Rounding Numbers from Laboratory Data 614 B 614.14 Significant Digits for Soil Property or Quality Measurements Used as Criteria 617 A 617.0 Purpose 617 A 617.1 Responsibilities 617 A 617.2 Interpretations for Map Unit Components and Map Units 617 A 617.3 Developing and Maintaining Interpretation Guides and Ratings 617 A 617.4 Reviewing and Implementing Soil Interpretative Technologies 617 A 617.5 The National Soil Information System 617 A 617.6 Presenting Soil Interpretations 617 A 617.7 Updating Soil Interpretations 617 A 617.8 Coordinating Soil Survey Interpretations 617 A 617.9 Writing Soil Interpretation Criteria 617 A 617.10 Documenting Soil Interpretation Criteria 617 A 617.11 Requirements for Naming Reports and Interpretations 617 A 617.12 Interpretation Overrides 617 B 617.20 Example of Descriptions for Documenting Interpretations Example Documentation of Interpretations 618 A 618.0 Definition and Purpose 618 A 618.1 Responsibilities 618 A 618.2 Collecting, Testing, and Populating Soil Property Data 618 A 618.3 Soil Properties and Soil Qualities 618 A 618.4 Albedo, Dry 618 A 618.5 Artifacts in the Soil 618 A 618.6 Available Water Capacity 618 A 618.7 Bulk Density, One-Third Bar 618 A 618.8 Bulk Density, Oven Dry 618 A 618.9 Bulk Density, Satiated 618 A 618.10 Calcium Carbonate Equivalent 618 A 618.11 Cation-Exchange Capacity NH4OAc pH 7 618 A 618.12 Climatic Setting 618 A 618.13 Continuous Inundation Class, Depth, and Month 618 A 618.14 Corrosion 618 A 618.15 Crop Name and Yield 618 A 618.16 Diagnostic Horizon Feature - Depth to Bottom 618 A 618.17 Diagnostic Horizon Feature - Depth to Top 618 A 618.18 Diagnostic Horizon Feature - Kind 618 A 618.19 Drainage Class 618 A 618.20 Effective Cation-Exchange Capacity 618 A 618.21 Electrical Conductivity 618 A 648.22 Electrical Conductivity 1:5 (volume) 618 A 618.23 Elevation 618 A 618.24 Engineering Classification 618 A 618.25 Erosion Accelerated, Kind 618 A 618.26 Erosion Class 618 A 618.27 Excavation Difficulty Classes 618 A 618.28 Exchangeable Sodium 618 A 618.29 Extractable Acidity 618 A 618.30 Extractable Aluminum 618 A 618.31 Flooding Frequency Class, Duration Class, Inundation Type, and Month 618 A 618.32 Fragments in the Soil 618 A 618.33 Free Iron Oxides 618 A 618.34 Frost Action, Potential 618 A 618.35 Gypsum 618 A 618.36 Horizon Depth to Bottom 618 A 618.37 Horizon Depth to Top 618 A 618.38 Horizon Designation 618 A 618.39 Horizon Thickness 618 A 618.40 Hydrologic Group 618 A 618.41 Landscape, Landform, Microfeature, Anthroscape, Anthropogenic Landform, and Anthropogenic Microfeature 618 A 618.42 Linear Extensibility Percent 618 A 618.43 Liquid Limit 618 A 618.44 Organic Matter 618 A 618.45 Parent Material, Kind, Modifier, and Origin 618 A 618.46 Particle Density 618 A 618.47 Particle Size 618 A 618.48 Percent Passing Sieves 618 A 618.49 Plasticity Index 618 A 618.50 Ponding Depth, Duration Class, Frequency Class, and Month 618 A 618.51 Pores 618 A 618.52 Reaction 618 A 618.53 Restriction Kind, Depth, Thickness, and Hardness 618 A 618.54 Saturated Hydraulic Conductivity 618 A 618.55 Slope Aspect 618 A 618.56 Slope Gradient 618 A 618.57 Slope Length, USLE 618 A 618.58 Sodium Adsorption Ratio 618 A 618.59 Soil Erodibility Factors, USLE, RUSLE2 618 A 618.60 Soil Erodibility Factors for WEPP 618 A 618.61 Soil Moisture Status 618 A 618.62 Soil Slippage Potential 618 A 618.63 Soil Temperature 618 A 618.64 Subsidence, Initial and Total 618 A 618.65 Sum of Bases 618 A 618.66 Surface Fragments 618 A 618.67 T Factor 618 A 618.68 Taxonomic Family Temperature Class 618 A 618.69 Taxonomic Moisture Class 618 A 618.70 Taxonomic Moisture Subclass (Subclasses of Soil Moisture Regimes) 618 A 618.71 Taxonomic Temperature Regime (Soil Temperature Regimes) 618 A 618.72 Texture Class, Texture Modifier, and Terms Used in Lieu of Texture 618 A 618.73 Von Post Humification Scale 618 A 618.74 Water, One-Tenth Bar 618 A 618.75 Water, One-Third Bar 618 A 618.76 Water, 15 Bar 618 A 618.77 Water, Satiated 618 A 618.78 Water Temperature 618 A 618.79 Wind Erodibility Group and Index 618 B 618.80 Guides for Estimating Risk of Corrosion Potential for Uncoated Steel 618 B 618.81 Guide for Estimating Risk of Corrosion Potential for Concrete 618 B 618.82 Crop Names and Units of Measure Refer to the NASIS-related metadata at 618 B 618.83 Classification of Soils and Soil-Aggregate Mixtures for the AASHTO System 618 B 618.84 Potential Frost Action 618 B 618.85 Distribution of Design Freezing Index Values in the Continental United States 618 B 618.86 Estimating LL and PI from Percent and Type of Clay 618 B 618.87 Texture Triangle and Particle-Size Limits of AASHTO, USDA, and Unified Classification Systems 618 B 618.88 Guide for Estimating Ksat from Soil Properties 618 B 618.89 Guide to Estimating Water Movement Through Bedrock for Layers Designated as R and Cr 618 B 618.90 Rock Fragment Modifier of Texture 618 B 618.91 Soil Erodibility Nomograph 618 B 618.92 Kw Value Associated With Various Fragment Contents 618 B 618.93 General Guidelines for Assigning Soil Loss Tolerance "T" 618 B 618.94 Texture Class, Texture Modifier, and Terms Used in Lieu of Texture 618 B 618.95 Wind Erodibility Groups (WEG) and Index 618 B 618.96 Key Landforms and Their Susceptibility to Slippage 618 B 618.97 Example Worksheets for Soil Moisture State by Month and Depth 618 B 618.98 NASIS Calculation for Estimating AASHTO Group Index 618 B 618.99 NASIS Calculation for Estimating Cation-Exchange Capacity 621 A 621.0 Definition and Purpose 621 A 621.1 Responsibilities 621 A 621.2 General 621 A 621.3 Developing Soil Potential Ratings 621 A 621.4 Steps in Preparing Soil Potential Ratings 621 A 621.5 Collecting Data 621 A 621.6 Definition of Soil Potential Classes 621 A 621.7 Soil Potential Index Concept 621 A 621.8 Procedures for Preparing Soil Potential Ratings 621 A 621.9 Defining Soil Use, Performance Standards, and Criteria for Evaluation 621 A 621.10 Terminology for Limitations and Corrective Measures 621 A 621.11 Format for Presenting Soil Potential Ratings 621 B 621.12 Analysis of Preparations and Procedures for Soil Potential Ratings 622 A 622.0 Definition and Purpose 622 A 622.1 Procedures and Responsibilities 622 A 622.2 Land Capability Classification 622 A 622.3 Farmland Classification 622 A 622.4 Highly Erodible Land - Highly Erodible Soil Map Unit List 622 A 622.5 Hydric Soils 622 A 622.6 Ecological Sites 622 A 622.7 Windbreaks 622 A 622.8 Wildlife Habitat 622 A 622.9 Plant Name, Common 622 A 622.10 Plant Name, Scientific 622 A 622.11 Ecological Site ID 622 A 622.12 Ecological Site Name 622 A 622.13 Earth Cover, Kind 622 B 622.20 Prime and Unique Farmlands 624 A 624.0 Definition and Purpose 624 A 624.1 Quality Concepts 624 B 624.10 Soil Quality Test Kit (Instruction Manual) 624 B 624.11 References 627 A 627.0 Definition and Purpose 627 A 627.1 Policy and Responsibilities 627 A 627.2 Field Studies for Legend Development 627 A 627.3 Map Units of Soil Surveys 627 A 627.4 Map Unit Components 627 A 627.5 Terms Used in Naming Map Units 627 A 627.6 Phases Used to Name Soil Map Units 627 A 627.7 Soil Performance Data Collection 627 A 627.8 Documentation 627 A 627.9 Ecological Site and Soil Correlation Procedures 627 B 627.10 Miscellaneous Areas 627 B 627.11 Example of Form NRCS-SOI-1, "Soil-Crop Yield Data" 627 B 627.12 Instructions for Completing Form NRCS-SOI-1, "Soil-Crop Yield Data" 627 B 627.13 Identification Legend of Map Unit Symbols and Names 627 B 627.14 Form NRCS-SOI-37A, "Feature and Symbol Legend for Soil Survey" 627 B 627.15 Ecological Site and Soil Correlation Checklist 627 B 627.16 Ecological Site Checklist 627 B 627.17 Matrix of Investigation Intensity of Soil Surveys and Documentation 629 A 629.0 Definition and Purpose 629 A 629.1 Responsibilities 629 A 629.2 Definitions 629 A 629.3 References 629 B 629.10 Lists of Landscape, Landform, Microfeature, and Anthropogenic Feature Terms Contained in the Glossary 629 B 629.11 List of Materials or Material-Related, Structure, or Morphological-Feature Terms Contained in the Glossary 629 B 629.12 Genesis-Process Terms and Geologic Time Terms Contained in the Glossary 629 B 629.13 North American Glacial Episodes and General Geologic Time Scale 1, 2 629 B 629.14 Till Terms 630 A 630.0 Definition and Purpose 630 A 630.1 Policy and Responsibilities 630 A 630.2 Criteria for Selecting or Revising Benchmark Soils 630 A 630.3 Maintaining a Record of Benchmark Soil Data Needs 630 B 630.10 Sample Narrative Record for Benchmark Soils 631 A 631.0 Definition and Purpose 631 A 631.1 Policy and Responsibilities 631 A 631.2 Kinds of Projects 631 A 631.3 Laboratory Investigation Methods 631 A 631.4 Field Investigation Methods 631 A 631.5 Investigations Planning 631 A 631.6 Requesting Assistance 631 A 631.7 Laboratory Databases 631 B 631.10 Research Work Plan Checklist 631 B 631.11 Example Research Work Plan 631 B 631.12 Example of a Soil Characterization Work Plan 638 638.0 Definition and Purpose 638 638.1 Procedures and Responsibilities 638 638.2 Components of the National Soil Information System 638 638.3 Managing Soil Spatial and Tabular Databases 638 638.4 Soil Survey Goals and Progress 638 638.5 Distribution of Soils Data 639 A 639.0 Definition and Purpose 639 A 639.1 Policy and Responsibilities 639 A 639.2 Soil Survey Application Security Policy 639 A 639.3 NASIS Organization and Database Objects 639 A 639.4 Guidelines for Changing, Adding, or Deleting Soil Property Data Elements 639 B 639.10 Proposed Amendment to Soil Data Dictionary 644 A 644.0 Definition and Purpose 644 A 644.1 Types of Soil Survey Delivery 644 A 644.2 Policy and Responsibilities 644 A 644.3 Soil Survey Products 644 A 644.4 Development of Point Data 644 A 644.5 Development of Detailed Soil Survey Information 644 A 644.6 Development of a Complete Soil Survey Publication 644 A 644.7 Development of the U.S. General Soil Map 644 B 644.10 Sections of a Soil Survey Publication 644 B 644.11 Record Sheet for Collating State Orders for Published Soil Surveys 644 B 644.12 Example of Letter to Senator - Notification of Availability of Soil Survey 647 A 647.0 Definition and Purpose 647 A 647.1 Procedures and Responsibilities 647 A 647.2 Imagery 647 A 647.3 SSURGO Characteristics 647 A 647.4 Data Capture Specifications 647 A 647.5 Archiving 647 A 647.6 Digital Map Finishing and Print-on-Demand Maps 647 B 647.07 Soil Survey Geographic Data Certification 647 B 647.8 Digital Map Finishing and Print-on-Demand Maps Flowchart 647 B 647.9 Digital Map Finishing and Print-on-Demand Maps Specifications 647 B 647.10 Digital Map Finishing Checklist 647 B 647.11 Digital Map Finishing Certification 647 B 647.12 Glossary 647 B 647.13 SSURGO Metadata Template 648 A 648.0 Definition and Purpose 648 A 648.1 Accuracy and Uncertainty 648 A 648.2 References 648 B 648.10 Glossary 648 B 648.11 Digital Soil Mapping Workflow 648 B 648.12 Raster Soil Survey Areas 648 B 648.13 Metadata 648 B 648.14 References 649 A 649.0 Definition and Purpose 649 A 649.1 Policy and Responsibilities 649 A 649.2 Descriptions 649 A 649.3 Land Resource Area Attributes 649 A 649.4 Cartographic Standards 649 A 649.5 Names and Symbols 649 A 649.6 Coding System for Hierarchical Land Resource Areas for Ecological Sites 649 A 649.7 Establishing or Revising Land Resource Areas 649 A 649.8 Publication 649 B 649.10 References 651 651.0 Definition and Purpose 651 651.1 Policy and Responsibilities 651 651.2 General 651 651.3 Restrictions 651 651.4 Providing Quality Assurance, Quality Control, and Review 651 651.5 Labeling of Advance Soil Survey Information 655 655.0 Definition 655 655.1 Types of Service 655 655.2 Policy 655 655.3 Responsibilities 656 A 656.0 Definition and Purpose 656 A 656.1 Boating Safety

brownag/SoilKnowledgeBase documentation built on April 5, 2025, 1:32 a.m.