Online Soil Resource for Landowners
CJ Brinlee, Soil Conservationist Student Trainee, USDA-NRCS

      The most fundamental resource available to farmers and land managers is soil, it is the basic ingredient behind any kind of land development. The type of soil under consideration can easily limit the efficiency of planting or development, nutrients available dictates the future health of a crop and fertilization needs, moisture holding capacity can limit the suitability of pond development. Knowing about the soil you want to plant or develop is essential before beginning any project. For farmers wanting to put in a crop it’s imperative to know fertilization and liming needs, as well as the suitability of the soil for cop production. For developers wanting to build on the property it’s useful to know the soil type, limitations and suitability for foundations, basements, waste management and more. For land managers desiring to put in ponds, knowing the soil type can prevent later grief over the effectiveness of the pond’s capacity for retaining water.

      One very useful technique for farmers before determining when to fertilize and with what, is to send a soil sample in for analyses. In fact, anyone about to put in a crop or a food plot would be wise to have the soil tested first. This allows a land manager to determine the available nutrients, liming requirements, and any other limitations to be taken into consideration. A useful tool for land developers and farmers seeking information on their type of soil and its suitabilities and restrictions is a soil survey, and now such surveys can be easily accessed and navigated on the internet. Developed by the USDA-NRCS, the Web Soil Survey allows you to look up your land and determine its soil type and suitability with just a few clicks on your home computer.

      The Web Soil Survey can be located at http://websoilsurvey.nrcs.usda.gov/app/, but the easiest way to find it is to go to Google and type in Web Soil Survey, it will be the first hit on the list. Once in, click the green button that says Start WSS, this should open a new window in which you can choose and analyze your Area of Interest. Navigate by state and county and find your property by zooming in on the generated map. Once you’ve located your property, use the AOI polygon button on the far right of the Interactive Map toolbar and draw out the boundaries of your land, double click to finish and the site will generate the Area of Interest information.

      For basic information on the type and suitability of the soil, proceed to the Soil Data Explorer tab, and click on the Soil Reports tab beneath that. Select the AOI Inventory option, and then the Map Unit Description (Brief) to view the suitabilities and restrictions of your land for agriculture (AGR), pasture and hay grazing (PHG), range (RNG), and the description of your soils (SOI). Select whichever reports you wish to view and click View Report. For a printer friendly version to create a hardcopy available for later reference, simply click the Printable Version button located above the map and tabs. 

      Now that you have the basic information about your soil, browse through the rest of the available data to find whatever else you require or are curious about. Other useful figures can be found under Soil Chemical Properties where the pH and salinity of your soil can be determined. The Web Soil Survey provides all the data of the old soil surveys, but compiled together for easier access. This resource can be invaluable for farmers, landowners and developers. For more information on soil analyses and soil surveys contact the USDA-NRCS office located at 200 E First Street, or call 903-583-9513 x3