Web Soil Survey (WSS) provides soil data and information produced by the National Cooperative Soil Survey. It is operated by the USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) and provides access to the largest natural resource information system in the world. NRCS has soil maps and data available online for more than 95 percent of the nation’s counties and anticipates having 100 percent in the near future. The site is updated and maintained online as the single authoritative source of soil survey information.
Historical and supplemental documents are available below. Printed soil survey reports were the main source of soils information from 1899 to 2005. Most of these reports are county-based, have been converted to PDF, and are available from links below. The reports are also available at Federal depository libraries. USDA phased out the printing of reports after making Web Soil Survey the official source for information in 2005.
A basic system of soil classification for making and interpreting soil surveys
Definitions of soil and soil survey, information on careers, some basics on soil formation and classification, and a soil science glossary.
Soil health, also referred to as soil quality, is defined as the continued capacity of soil to function as a vital living ecosystem that sustains plants, animals, and humans. This definition speaks to the importance of managing soils so they are sustainable for future generations. To do this, we need to remember that soil contains living organisms that when provided the basic necessities of life - food, shelter, and water - perform functions required to produce food and fiber.
Start Web Soil Survey (WSS)
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