This data set replaces the SSOILS data in previous versions of FGDL.
This soil survey contains information that can be applied in managing farms and wetlands; in selecting sites for roads, ponds, buildings, and other structures; and in judging the suitability of tracts of land for farming, industry, and recreation.
This soil survey depicts information about the kinds and distribution of soils on the landscape. The soil map and data used in the SSURGO product were prepared by soil scientists as part of the National Cooperative Soil Survey
Digital versions of hydrography, cultural features, and other associated layers that are not part of the SSURGO data set may be available from the primary organization listed in the Point of Contact.
A note about data scale:
Scale is an important factor in data usage. Certain scale datasets are not suitable for some project, analysis, or modeling purposes. Please be sure you are using the best available data.
1:24000 scale datasets are recommended for projects that are at the county level. 1:24000 data should NOT be used for high accuracy base mapping such as property parcel boundaries. 1:100000 scale datasets are recommended for projects that are at the multi-county or regional level. 1:125000 scale datasets are recommended for projects that are at the regional or state level or larger.
Vector datasets with no defined scale or accuracy should be considered suspect. Make sure you are familiar with your data before using it for projects or analysis. Every effort has been made to supply the user with data documentation. For additional information, see the References section and the Data Source Contact section of this documentation. For more information regarding scale and accuracy, see our webpage at: <http://geoplan.ufl.edu/education.html>
Soil scientists identify small areas of soils or miscellaneous (nonsoil) areas that have properties and behavior significantly different than the named soils in the surrounding map unit. These minor components may be indicated as special features. If they have a minimal effect on use and management, or could not be precisely located, they may not be indicated on the map.
Specific National Cooperative Soil Survey standards and procedures were used in the classification of soils, design and name of map units, and location of special soil features. These standards are outlined in Agricultural Handbook 18, Soil Survey Manual, 1993, USDA, SCS; Agricultural Handbook 436, Soil Taxonomy, Soil Survey Staff, 1975, USDA, SCS; and all Amendments; Keys to Soil Taxonomy, Soil Survey Staff, (current issue); National Soil Survey Handbook, title 430-VI, (current issue).
The actual composition and interpretive purity of the map unit delineations were based on data collected by scientists during the course of preparing the soil maps. Adherence to National Cooperative Soil Survey standards and procedures is based on peer review, quality control, and quality assurance. Quality control is outlined in the memorandum of understanding for the soil survey area and in documents that reside with the Natural Resources Conservation Service state soil scientist. Four kinds of map units are used in soil surveys: consociations, complexes, associations, and undifferentiated groups.
Consociations - Consociations are named for the dominant soil. In a consociation, delineated areas are dominated by a single soil taxon and similar soils. At least one half of the pedons in each delineation are of the same soil component so similar to the named soil that major interpretations are not affected significantly. The total amount of dissimilar inclusions of other components in a map unit generally does not exceed about 15 percent if limiting and 25 percent if nonlimiting. A single component of a dissimilar limiting inclusion generally does not exceed 10 percent if very contrasting.
Complexes and associations - Complexes and associations are named for two or more dissimilar components with the dominant component listed first. They occur in a regularly repeating pattern. The major components of a complex cannot be mapped separately at a scale of about 1:24,000. The major components of an association can be separated at a scale of about 1:24,000. In each delineation of either a complex or an association, each major component is normally present, though their proportions may vary appreciably from one delineation to another. The total amount of inclusions in a map unit that are dissimilar to any of the major components does not exceed 15 percent if limiting and 25 percent if nonlimiting. A single kind of dissimilar limiting inclusion usually does not exceed 10 percent.
Undifferentiated groups - Undifferentiated groups consist of two or more components that do not always occur together in the same delineation, but are included in the same named map unit because use and management are the same or similar for common uses. Every delineation has at least one of the major components and some may have all of them. The same principles regarding proportion of inclusions apply to undifferentiated groups as to consociations.
Minimum documentation consists of three complete soil profile descriptions that are collected for each soil added to the legend, one additional per 3,000 acres mapped; three 10 observation transects for each map unit, one additional 10 point transect per 3,000 acres.
A defined standard or level of confidence in the interpretive purity of the map unit delineations is attained by adjusting the kind and intensity of field investigations. Field investigations and data collection are carried out in sufficient detail to name map units and to identify accurately and consistently areas of about 3 or 4 acres.
For example, on long gently sloping landscapes the transition occurs gradually over many feet. Where landscapes change abruptly from steep to level, the transition will be very narrow. Soil delineation boundaries and special soil features generally were digitized within 0.01 inch of their locations on the digitizing source. The digital map elements are edge matched between data sets. The data along each quadrangle edge are matched against the data for the adjacent quadrangle. Edge locations generally do not deviate from centerline to centerline by more than 0.01 inch.
From these 5 tables only data from a selected group of fields were joined to the shapefile. If you wish to get more data then you can visit NRCS website and download the access database for your county.
-When received the shapefile was in UTM projection and was projected to Albers HPGN. -DESCRIPT field added based on COMPNAME -FGDLAQDATE added based on date GeoPlan acquired data.
The map unit symbol uniquely identifies each closed delineation map unit. Each symbol is linked to a map unit name. The map unit symbol is also the key for linking information in the National Soil Information System tables. The map unit symbols are not carried within the modified Digital Line Graph file; however, they are made available in a companion attribute file. The attribute file links the minor codes in the Digital Line Graph files to the map unit symbols.
Map Unit Delineations are described by the National Soil Information System database. This attribute database gives the proportionate extent of the component soils and the properties for each soil. The database contains both estimated and measured data on the physical and chemical soil properties and soil interpretations for engineering, water management, recreation, agronomic, woodland, range, and wildlife uses of the soil.
The National Soil Information System database contains static metadata. It documents the data structure and includes such information as what tables, columns, indexes, and relationships are defined as well as a variety of attributes of each of these database objects. Attributes include table and column descriptions and detailed domain information.
The National Soil Information System database also contains a distribution metadata. It records the criteria used for selecting map units and components for inclusion in the set of distributed data.
Special features are described in the feature table. It includes a feature label, feature name, and feature description for each special and ad hoc feature in the survey area.
U.S. Department of Agriculture. (current issue). Keys to Soil Taxonomy. Soil Surv. Staff, Soil Conserv. Serv.
U.S. Department of Agriculture. (current issue). National Soil Survey Handbook, title 430-VI. Soil Surv. Staff, Natural Resources Conservation Service.
U.S. Department of Agriculture. 1993. Soil Survey Manual. Soil Surv. Staff, U.S. Dep. Agric. Handb. 18.