Web Soil Survey by Julie MacSwain, State Public Affairs Specialist

Soil surveys began in 1899 as part of the nation's earliest efforts on behalf of cooperative conservation. Known as the National Cooperative Soil Survey, it has evolved into a partnership of state and federal agencies working together to collect, classify, interpret and provide soils information.

Today, NRCS has available the Web Soil Survey via the internet.  You can access this soil information by visiting the following website: 

 http://websoilsurvey.nrcs.usda.gov/app/ 

 This site provides critical soils information for land developers, farmers, home buyers, and city planners. The ability to deliver internet access to the public enhances cooperative conservation efforts.  This site is a simple yet powerful way to access and analyze soils data that contributes to every aspect of public and private land use and development.

For years, the familiar soil survey books were free to the public in most NRCS field offices, but these are being replaced through the use of the internet. The launch of Web Soil Survey will bring information on soil properties and soil usage to everyone with access to a computer. People without computer access will be able to acquire soil survey information from any NRCS field office or by going to the local library.

            The website has been designed with three easy to use features-Define, View and Explore and operates much like internet sites that provide locator and directional information. When viewers visit the web soil survey, they are asked to "Define" a geographic area of interest by selecting a state and county or just by highlighting an area or areas. Once a location has been defined and projected on the screen, the viewer has the choice to print the map and related information, save it to their hard drive or download the data for use in a geographic information system (GIS).

            The viewer also can "Explore" the designated location for specific soils data giving the viewer important information on soil suitability in relationship to usage. This flexibility provides the viewer an opportunity to build a customized report that addresses the viewer's individual needs. Information can be delivered in a variety of formats to include print, CD, DVD or other media.

            Soil surveys that are digitized to Soil survey Geographic data base are available for the Web Soil Survey. 

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