Soil Survey Program

Overview

Soil surveys provide a field-based scientific inventory of soil resources, including soil maps, data about the physical and chemical properties of soils, and information on the potentials and limitations of each soil. Soil surveys have many uses, but are developed to help people make decisions on how to best use the land. These decisions are based on properties and characteristics of the soils, which are published in the soil survey report or as part of a digital database.

2006 Accomplishments

Modern soil survey information is available for the entire state of West Virginia. In fiscal year 2006, update mapping was completed on over 586,551 acres, the third highest acreage in the East region.  Our focus is now on updating the soil surveys that were published in the late 1950s and early 1960s. It is important to keep the base imagery, soil physical and chemical properties, and interpretations up-to-date.

Soil Survey Updating in Progress
Soil Survey update project work is underway on private and Federal lands in five counties. The updates are conducted when existing soil information is outdated or inadequate to meet current needs. The five counties needing updating or maintenance include Marshall, Preston, Tucker, Fayette, and Raleigh. The staff is currently working to place all of the official soil survey data on the NRCS website to be accessed electronically.

NRCS works cooperatively with West Virginia University, the USDA Forest Service, and the West Virginia Conservation Agency to maintain and update soil surveys on Federal and private land in West Virginia.

Soil Survey Digitizing
The digitizing of soil maps and the development of soil survey geographic databases are an integral part of the soil survey process today. Demand for digital soils data increases each year. This information is utilized in a Geographic Information System (GIS) and is being used more commonly by local units of government as well as by federal and state agencies.

Development of digital soils data is ongoing for all counties in West Virginia. Currently, there are 41 of West Virginia’s 55 counties in digital format posted to the NRCS website. These are available on the internet as the Web Soil Survey.

Six full-time employees (four NRCS and two WV Conservation Agency) staff a modern soil survey information center in Summersville WV. They complete digital soil surveys and prepare them for public use.

The Soil Survey Geographic Database (SSURGO) is the most detailed geographic database. Using the Web Soil Survey, a digital soils data viewer, or Soils Explorer, a user can browse through the digital soils maps and accompanying reference data, selected interpretations, and a photo gallery with pictures of soil profiles, landscapes, and block diagrams.

Digitized Soil Surveys may be downloaded from: http://soildatamart.nrcs.usda.gov or interactively at the Web Soil Survey: http://websoilsurvey.nrcs.usda.gov/app/

2006 Success Story:

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