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Unified descriptions and structures for USDA-NRCS / National Cooperative Soil Survey / Soil and Plant Science Division standards.

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Soil Knowledge Base

refresh inst/extdata R build status html-docs

A soil “knowledge base” centered around the National Cooperative Soil Survey (NCSS) standards.

These are standards developed and maintained by the United States Department of Agriculture Natural Resources Conservation Service (USDA-NRCS) Soil and Plant Science Division (SPSD). They are defined in the National Soil Survey Handbook (NSSH*)

The contents of this repository are completely reproducible. You can build an instance of all of the external data from scratch if you install the package off GitHub and run the refresh() command.

This repository is an R package that facilitates management of dependencies, continuous integration, version control of and limited programmatic access to products from official data sources.

Get started

# install.packages("remotes")
remotes::install_github("ncss-tech/SoilKnowledgeBase")

# install all remote data to inst/extdata
SoilKnowledgeBase::refresh()

The repository is regularly updated to reflect changes that happen in a variety of official data sources.

Depending on your application you may be better off simply cloning the repository and calling git pull on a schedule that is convenient for you.

The Structure of the National Soil Survey Handbook (NSSH)

The materials provided in this repository are generally defined somewhere within the NSSH. For now, only top-level links to whole sections of the handbook are available.

These links connect to eDirectives which are the official sources of standards of this nature.

Part & Subpart Part Name Section Link
600 A Introduction, Subpart A General LINK
600 B Introduction, Subpart B General LINK
601 A NCSS Organization, Subpart A General LINK
601 B NCSS Organization, Subpart B General LINK
602 B Conferences of the NCSS, Subpart B General LINK
606 A Working Agreements, Subpart A Operations And Management LINK
606 B Working Agreements, Subpart B Operations And Management LINK
607 A Initial Soil Survey Preparation, Subpart A Operations And Management LINK
607 B Initial Soil Survey Preparation, Subpart B Operations And Management LINK
608 A Program Management, Subpart A Operations And Management LINK
608 B Program Management, Subpart B Operations And Management LINK
609 A QC/QA* and Soil Correlation, Subpart A Operations And Management LINK
609 B QC/QA* and Soil Correlation, Subpart B Operations And Management LINK
610 A Updating Soil Surveys, Subpart A Operations And Management LINK
610 B Updating Soil Surveys, Subpart B Operations And Management LINK
614 A Applying Soil Taxonomy, Subpart A Soil Classification LINK
614 B Applying Soil Taxonomy, Subpart B Soil Classification LINK
617 A Soil Survey Interpretations, Subpart A Soil Interpretations LINK
617 B Soil Survey Interpretations, Subpart B Soil Interpretations LINK
618 A Soil Properties and Qualities, Subpart A Soil Interpretations LINK
618 B Soil Properties and Qualities, Subpart B Soil Interpretations LINK
621 A Soil Potential Ratings, Subpart A Soil Interpretations LINK
621 B Soil Potential Ratings, Subpart B Soil Interpretations LINK
622 A Interpretive Groups, Subpart A Soil Interpretations LINK
622 B Interpretive Groups, Subpart B Soil Interpretations LINK
624 A Soil Quality, Subpart A Soil Interpretations LINK
624 B Soil Quality, Subpart B Soil Interpretations LINK
627 A Legend Development and Data Collection, Subpart A Soil Survey Field Procedures LINK
627 B Legend Development and Data Collection, Subpart B Soil Survey Field Procedures LINK
629 A Glossary of Landform and Geologic Terms, Subpart A Soil Survey Field Procedures LINK
629 B Glossary of Landform and Geologic Terms, Subpart B Soil Survey Field Procedures LINK
630 A Benchmark Soils, Subpart A Soil Survey Field Procedures LINK
630 B Benchmark Soils, Subpart B Soil Survey Field Procedures LINK
631 A Soil Survey Investigations, Subpart A Soil Survey Field Procedures LINK
631 B Soil Survey Investigations, Subpart B Soil Survey Field Procedures LINK
638 Soil Data Systems Soil Survey Information Systems LINK
639 A National Soil Information System (NASIS), Subpart A Soil Survey Information Systems LINK
639 B National Soil Information System (NASIS), Subpart B Soil Survey Information Systems LINK
644 A Delivering Soil Survey Information, Subpart A Soil Survey Publications LINK
644 B Delivering Soil Survey Information, Subpart B Soil Survey Publications LINK
647 A Soil Map Development, Subpart A Soil Maps LINK
647 B Soil Map Development, Subpart B Soil Maps LINK
648 A Digital Soil Mapping Soil Maps LINK
648 B Digital Soil Mapping Soil Maps LINK
649 A Land Resource Areas, Subpart A Soil Maps LINK
649 B Land Resource Areas, Subpart B Soil Maps LINK
651 Advance Soil Survey Information Information Delivery LINK
655 Technical Soil Services Information Delivery LINK
656 A Coastal Zone Soil Survey, Subpart A Information Delivery LINK
  • * QC/QA = Quality Control, Quality Assurance

The following are headers within individual handbook parts

Part Subpart Header
600 A 600.0 The Mission of the Soil Science Division, Natural Resources Conservation Service
600 A 600.1 Purpose
600 A 600.2 National Cooperative Soil Survey (NCSS) Standards
600 A 600.3 Principal References and Their Maintenance
600 A 600.4 Conventions and Terminology
600 A 600.5 Standards of the National Cooperative Soil Survey
600 B 600.10 List of Technical References
600 B 600.11 Tracking Flowchart for NSSH Amendments (After Figure 503-D2: Workflow
601 A 601.0 Definition
601 A 601.1 NRCS Organization and Responsibilities
601 B 601.10 Primary Federal Partners
602 B 602.10 Bylaws of the National Cooperative Soil Survey Conference
602 B 602.11 Bylaws of the Western Regional Cooperative Soil Survey Conference
602 B 602.12 Bylaws of the Northeast Cooperative Soil Survey Conference (Revised
602 B 602.13 Bylaws of the North Central Regional Soil Survey Conference (Revised
602 B 602.14 Bylaws of the Southern Regional Cooperative Soil Survey Conference
602 B 602.15 Conducting NCSS Conferences
606 A 606.0 Definition
606 A 606.0 Policy and Responsibilities
606 B 606.10 Template Statement of Commitment for Soil Survey and Ecological Site Inventory Projects
607 A 607.0 Purpose
607 A 607.1 Policy and Responsibilities
607 A 607.2 Preliminary Survey Activities
607 B 607.10 Reference Materials for Soil Surveys
607 B 607.11 Example of a Procedure for Geodatabase Development, File Naming, Archiving, and Quality Assurance
608 A 608.0 Definition and Purpose
608 A 608.1 Responsibilities and Organization
608 A 608.2 Soil Survey Area Designation
608 A 608.3 Areas of Limited Access, Denied Access Areas, and Areas Not Completed
608 A 608.4 Determining Workloads
608 A 608.5 Priorities for Soil Survey Activities
608 A 608.6 Planning Workflow
608 A 608.7 Goals and Progress
608 A 608.8 Developing Other Schedules for Soil Survey Operations
608 A 608.9 Status Maps
608 B 608.10 Long-Range Plan for Initial Soil Surveys
608 B 608.11 Annual Plan of Operations for Initial Soil Surveys
608 B 608.12 Goal and Progress Guidelines
608 B 608.13 Business Area Responsibilities for Goals and Progress
609 A 609.0 Definition and Purpose of Quality Control and Quality Assurance
609 A 609.1 Policy and Responsibilities for Quality Control and Quality Assurance
609 A 609.2 Soil Correlation
609 A 609.3 Seamless Soil Survey
609 A 609.4 Quality Control Reviews
609 A 609.5 Quality Assurance Reviews
609 A 609.6 Field Assistance Visits
609 A 609.7 Final Soil Survey Field Activities for Initial Soil Survey Projects
609 A 609.8 General Soil Maps, Index Maps, and Location Maps
609 B 609.10 Format for Correlation Document
609 B 609.11 List of Soil Property or Quality Attributes for Joining
609 B 609.12 Quality Control Template for Initial Soil Surveys (subject to change to
609 B 609.13 Outline of Items Considered in an Operations Management Review or
609 B 609.14 Initial Field Review Checklist for Initial Soil Surveys
609 B 609.15 Quality Assurance Worksheet for Initial Soil Surveys (subject to change
609 B 609.16 Progress Field Review Checklist for Initial Soil Surveys
609 B 609.17 Final Field Review Checklist for Initial Soil Surveys
609 B 609.18 Project Review Checklist for MLRA Soil Surveys
609 B 609.19 Quality Assurance Worksheet for MLRA Soil Surveys (subject to change
610 A 610.0 Definition and Purpose
610 A 610.1 Policy and Responsibilities
610 A 610.2 Inventory and Assessment
610 A 610.3 Update Strategies
610 A 610.4 Project Plan
610 A 610.5 Prioritizing and Ranking
610 A 610.6 Long-Range Plan
610 A 610.7 Annual Plan of Operation (APO)
610 A 610.8 Certification of Soils Data
610 A 610.9 Publication of Soils Data
610 B 610.10 Agency Resources Concerns
610 B 610.11 Information Items for the Inventory and Assessment
610 B 610.12 Resources for the Inventory and Assessment
610 B 610.13 Sample Project Evaluation Worksheet
610 B 610.14 Project Plan Checklist
610 B 610.15 Example of a Project Evaluation Ranking Procedure
610 B 610.16 Project Description Examples
614 A 614.0 Definition and Purpose
614 A 614.1 Policy and Responsibilities
614 A 614.2 National Soil Classification System
614 A 614.3 Use of the National Soil Classification System in Soil Surveys
614 A 614.4 Soil Taxonomy Committees, Work Groups, and Referees
614 A 614.5 Procedures for Amending Soil Taxonomy
614 A 614.6 The Soil Series
614 B 614.10 Flow Chart of Amendment Process
614 B 614.11 Example of an Official Soil Series Description in HTML
614 B 614.12 Explanation and Content of a Soil Series Description
614 B 614.13 Rounding Numbers from Laboratory Data
614 B 614.14 Significant Digits for Soil Property or Quality Measurements Used as Criteria
617 A 617.0 Purpose
617 A 617.1 Responsibilities
617 A 617.2 Interpretations for Map Unit Components and Map Units
617 A 617.3 Developing and Maintaining Interpretation Guides and Ratings
617 A 617.4 Reviewing and Implementing Soil Interpretative Technologies
617 A 617.5 The National Soil Information System
617 A 617.6 Presenting Soil Interpretations
617 A 617.7 Updating Soil Interpretations
617 A 617.8 Coordinating Soil Survey Interpretations
617 A 617.9 Writing Soil Interpretation Criteria
617 A 617.10 Documenting Soil Interpretation Criteria
617 A 617.11 Requirements for Naming Reports and Interpretations
617 A 617.12 Interpretation Overrides
617 B 617.20 Example of Descriptions for Documenting Interpretations Example Documentation of Interpretations
618 A 618.0 Definition and Purpose
618 A 618.1 Responsibilities
618 A 618.2 Collecting, Testing, and Populating Soil Property Data
618 A 618.3 Soil Properties and Soil Qualities
618 A 618.4 Albedo, Dry
618 A 618.5 Artifacts in the Soil
618 A 618.6 Available Water Capacity
618 A 618.7 Bulk Density, One-Third Bar
618 A 618.8 Bulk Density, Oven Dry
618 A 618.9 Bulk Density, Satiated
618 A 618.10 Calcium Carbonate Equivalent
618 A 618.11 Cation-Exchange Capacity NH4OAc pH 7
618 A 618.12 Climatic Setting
618 A 618.13 Continuous Inundation Class, Depth, and Month
618 A 618.14 Corrosion
618 A 618.15 Crop Name and Yield
618 A 618.16 Diagnostic Horizon Feature - Depth to Bottom
618 A 618.17 Diagnostic Horizon Feature - Depth to Top
618 A 618.18 Diagnostic Horizon Feature - Kind
618 A 618.19 Drainage Class
618 A 618.20 Effective Cation-Exchange Capacity
618 A 618.21 Electrical Conductivity
618 A 648.22 Electrical Conductivity 1:5 (volume)
618 A 618.23 Elevation
618 A 618.24 Engineering Classification
618 A 618.25 Erosion Accelerated, Kind
618 A 618.26 Erosion Class
618 A 618.27 Excavation Difficulty Classes
618 A 618.28 Exchangeable Sodium
618 A 618.29 Extractable Acidity
618 A 618.30 Extractable Aluminum
618 A 618.31 Flooding Frequency Class, Duration Class, Inundation Type, and Month
618 A 618.32 Fragments in the Soil
618 A 618.33 Free Iron Oxides
618 A 618.34 Frost Action, Potential
618 A 618.35 Gypsum
618 A 618.36 Horizon Depth to Bottom
618 A 618.37 Horizon Depth to Top
618 A 618.38 Horizon Designation
618 A 618.39 Horizon Thickness
618 A 618.40 Hydrologic Group
618 A 618.41 Landscape, Landform, Microfeature, Anthroscape, Anthropogenic Landform, and Anthropogenic Microfeature
618 A 618.42 Linear Extensibility Percent
618 A 618.43 Liquid Limit
618 A 618.44 Organic Matter
618 A 618.45 Parent Material, Kind, Modifier, and Origin
618 A 618.46 Particle Density
618 A 618.47 Particle Size
618 A 618.48 Percent Passing Sieves
618 A 618.49 Plasticity Index
618 A 618.50 Ponding Depth, Duration Class, Frequency Class, and Month
618 A 618.51 Pores
618 A 618.52 Reaction
618 A 618.53 Restriction Kind, Depth, Thickness, and Hardness
618 A 618.54 Saturated Hydraulic Conductivity
618 A 618.55 Slope Aspect
618 A 618.56 Slope Gradient
618 A 618.57 Slope Length, USLE
618 A 618.58 Sodium Adsorption Ratio
618 A 618.59 Soil Erodibility Factors, USLE, RUSLE2
618 A 618.60 Soil Erodibility Factors for WEPP
618 A 618.61 Soil Moisture Status
618 A 618.62 Soil Slippage Potential
618 A 618.63 Soil Temperature
618 A 618.64 Subsidence, Initial and Total
618 A 618.65 Sum of Bases
618 A 618.66 Surface Fragments
618 A 618.67 T Factor
618 A 618.68 Taxonomic Family Temperature Class
618 A 618.69 Taxonomic Moisture Class
618 A 618.70 Taxonomic Moisture Subclass (Subclasses of Soil Moisture Regimes)
618 A 618.71 Taxonomic Temperature Regime (Soil Temperature Regimes)
618 A 618.72 Texture Class, Texture Modifier, and Terms Used in Lieu of Texture
618 A 618.73 Von Post Humification Scale
618 A 618.74 Water, One-Tenth Bar
618 A 618.75 Water, One-Third Bar
618 A 618.76 Water, 15 Bar
618 A 618.77 Water, Satiated
618 A 618.78 Water Temperature
618 A 618.79 Wind Erodibility Group and Index
618 B 618.80 Guides for Estimating Risk of Corrosion Potential for Uncoated Steel
618 B 618.81 Guide for Estimating Risk of Corrosion Potential for Concrete
618 B 618.82 Crop Names and Units of Measure Refer to the NASIS-related metadata at
618 B 618.83 Classification of Soils and Soil-Aggregate Mixtures for the AASHTO System
618 B 618.84 Potential Frost Action
618 B 618.85 Distribution of Design Freezing Index Values in the Continental United States
618 B 618.86 Estimating LL and PI from Percent and Type of Clay
618 B 618.87 Texture Triangle and Particle-Size Limits of AASHTO, USDA, and Unified Classification Systems
618 B 618.88 Guide for Estimating Ksat from Soil Properties
618 B 618.89 Guide to Estimating Water Movement Through Bedrock for Layers Designated as R and Cr
618 B 618.90 Rock Fragment Modifier of Texture
618 B 618.91 Soil Erodibility Nomograph
618 B 618.92 Kw Value Associated With Various Fragment Contents
618 B 618.93 General Guidelines for Assigning Soil Loss Tolerance "T"
618 B 618.94 Texture Class, Texture Modifier, and Terms Used in Lieu of Texture
618 B 618.95 Wind Erodibility Groups (WEG) and Index
618 B 618.96 Key Landforms and Their Susceptibility to Slippage
618 B 618.97 Example Worksheets for Soil Moisture State by Month and Depth
618 B 618.98 NASIS Calculation for Estimating AASHTO Group Index
618 B 618.99 NASIS Calculation for Estimating Cation-Exchange Capacity
621 A 621.0 Definition and Purpose
621 A 621.1 Responsibilities
621 A 621.2 General
621 A 621.3 Developing Soil Potential Ratings
621 A 621.4 Steps in Preparing Soil Potential Ratings
621 A 621.5 Collecting Data
621 A 621.6 Definition of Soil Potential Classes
621 A 621.7 Soil Potential Index Concept
621 A 621.8 Procedures for Preparing Soil Potential Ratings
621 A 621.9 Defining Soil Use, Performance Standards, and Criteria for Evaluation
621 A 621.10 Terminology for Limitations and Corrective Measures
621 A 621.11 Format for Presenting Soil Potential Ratings
621 B 621.12 Analysis of Preparations and Procedures for Soil Potential Ratings
622 A 622.0 Definition and Purpose
622 A 622.1 Procedures and Responsibilities
622 A 622.2 Land Capability Classification
622 A 622.3 Farmland Classification
622 A 622.4 Highly Erodible Land - Highly Erodible Soil Map Unit List
622 A 622.5 Hydric Soils
622 A 622.6 Ecological Sites
622 A 622.7 Windbreaks
622 A 622.8 Wildlife Habitat
622 A 622.9 Plant Name, Common
622 A 622.10 Plant Name, Scientific
622 A 622.11 Ecological Site ID
622 A 622.12 Ecological Site Name
622 A 622.13 Earth Cover, Kind
622 B 622.20 Prime and Unique Farmlands
624 A 624.0 Definition and Purpose
624 A 624.1 Quality Concepts
624 B 624.10 Soil Quality Test Kit (Instruction Manual)
624 B 624.11 References
627 A 627.0 Definition and Purpose
627 A 627.1 Policy and Responsibilities
627 A 627.2 Field Studies for Legend Development
627 A 627.3 Map Units of Soil Surveys
627 A 627.4 Map Unit Components
627 A 627.5 Terms Used in Naming Map Units
627 A 627.6 Phases Used to Name Soil Map Units
627 A 627.7 Soil Performance Data Collection
627 A 627.8 Documentation
627 A 627.9 Ecological Site and Soil Correlation Procedures
627 B 627.10 Miscellaneous Areas
627 B 627.11 Example of Form NRCS-SOI-1, "Soil-Crop Yield Data"
627 B 627.12 Instructions for Completing Form NRCS-SOI-1, "Soil-Crop Yield Data"
627 B 627.13 Identification Legend of Map Unit Symbols and Names
627 B 627.14 Form NRCS-SOI-37A, "Feature and Symbol Legend for Soil Survey"
627 B 627.15 Ecological Site and Soil Correlation Checklist
627 B 627.16 Ecological Site Checklist
627 B 627.17 Matrix of Investigation Intensity of Soil Surveys and Documentation
629 A 629.0 Definition and Purpose
629 A 629.1 Responsibilities
629 A 629.2 Definitions
629 A 629.3 References
629 B 629.10 Lists of Landscape, Landform, Microfeature, and Anthropogenic Feature Terms Contained in the Glossary
629 B 629.11 List of Materials or Material-Related, Structure, or Morphological-Feature Terms Contained in the Glossary
629 B 629.12 Genesis-Process Terms and Geologic Time Terms Contained in the Glossary
629 B 629.13 North American Glacial Episodes and General Geologic Time Scale 1, 2
629 B 629.14 Till Terms
630 A 630.0 Definition and Purpose
630 A 630.1 Policy and Responsibilities
630 A 630.2 Criteria for Selecting or Revising Benchmark Soils
630 A 630.3 Maintaining a Record of Benchmark Soil Data Needs
630 B 630.10 Sample Narrative Record for Benchmark Soils
631 A 631.0 Definition and Purpose
631 A 631.1 Policy and Responsibilities
631 A 631.2 Kinds of Projects
631 A 631.3 Laboratory Investigation Methods
631 A 631.4 Field Investigation Methods
631 A 631.5 Investigations Planning
631 A 631.6 Requesting Assistance
631 A 631.7 Laboratory Databases
631 B 631.10 Research Work Plan Checklist
631 B 631.11 Example Research Work Plan
631 B 631.12 Example of a Soil Characterization Work Plan
638 638.0 Definition and Purpose
638 638.1 Procedures and Responsibilities
638 638.2 Components of the National Soil Information System
638 638.3 Managing Soil Spatial and Tabular Databases
638 638.4 Soil Survey Goals and Progress
638 638.5 Distribution of Soils Data
639 A 639.0 Definition and Purpose
639 A 639.1 Policy and Responsibilities
639 A 639.2 Soil Survey Application Security Policy
639 A 639.3 NASIS Organization and Database Objects
639 A 639.4 Guidelines for Changing, Adding, or Deleting Soil Property Data Elements
639 B 639.10 Proposed Amendment to Soil Data Dictionary
644 A 644.0 Definition and Purpose
644 A 644.1 Types of Soil Survey Delivery
644 A 644.2 Policy and Responsibilities
644 A 644.3 Soil Survey Products
644 A 644.4 Development of Point Data
644 A 644.5 Development of Detailed Soil Survey Information
644 A 644.6 Development of a Complete Soil Survey Publication
644 A 644.7 Development of the U.S. General Soil Map
644 B 644.10 Sections of a Soil Survey Publication
644 B 644.11 Record Sheet for Collating State Orders for Published Soil Surveys
644 B 644.12 Example of Letter to Senator - Notification of Availability of Soil Survey
647 A 647.0 Definition and Purpose
647 A 647.1 Procedures and Responsibilities
647 A 647.2 Imagery
647 A 647.3 SSURGO Characteristics
647 A 647.4 Data Capture Specifications
647 A 647.5 Archiving
647 A 647.6 Digital Map Finishing and Print-on-Demand Maps
647 B 647.07 Soil Survey Geographic Data Certification
647 B 647.8 Digital Map Finishing and Print-on-Demand Maps Flowchart
647 B 647.9 Digital Map Finishing and Print-on-Demand Maps Specifications
647 B 647.10 Digital Map Finishing Checklist
647 B 647.11 Digital Map Finishing Certification
647 B 647.12 Glossary
647 B 647.13 SSURGO Metadata Template
648 A 648.0 Definition and Purpose
648 A 648.1 Accuracy and Uncertainty
648 A 648.2 References
648 B 648.10 Glossary
648 B 648.11 Digital Soil Mapping Workflow
648 B 648.12 Raster Soil Survey Areas
648 B 648.13 Metadata
648 B 648.14 References
649 A 649.0 Definition and Purpose
649 A 649.1 Policy and Responsibilities
649 A 649.2 Descriptions
649 A 649.3 Land Resource Area Attributes
649 A 649.4 Cartographic Standards
649 A 649.5 Names and Symbols
649 A 649.6 Coding System for Hierarchical Land Resource Areas for Ecological Sites
649 A 649.7 Establishing or Revising Land Resource Areas
649 A 649.8 Publication
649 B 649.10 References
651 651.0 Definition and Purpose
651 651.1 Policy and Responsibilities
651 651.2 General
651 651.3 Restrictions
651 651.4 Providing Quality Assurance, Quality Control, and Review
651 651.5 Labeling of Advance Soil Survey Information
655 655.0 Definition
655 655.1 Types of Service
655 655.2 Policy
655 655.3 Responsibilities
656 A 656.0 Definition and Purpose
656 A 656.1 Boating Safety

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Unified descriptions and structures for USDA-NRCS / National Cooperative Soil Survey / Soil and Plant Science Division standards.

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