The Soil Survey
Investigations Division (USDA SCS) formed in 1952 with Dr. Guy D. Smith as
Director.� Dr. Robert V. Ruhe headed
field Soil-Geomorphology Investigations.�
Dr. Lyle T. Alexander headed field soil sampling and generation of
analytical analyses in support of the soil survey mapping program.� In the reorganization, Dr. Guy D. Smith was
given staff leadership in development of a new classification system, later
called Soil Taxonomy.� In developing the
system, he drew heavily on research carried out by the laboratoies
and that by university colleagues and those� overseas, particularly in Ghent, Belgium.
Four
Soil-Geomorphology projects were established:�
1) Eastern Iowa
on the Iowan Erosion Surface, Bob Ruhe; 2) Desert Project in southern New.
Mexico, Leland Gile and John Hawley; 3) Atlantic Coastal Plain Project in
eastern North Carolina, Ray Daniels, Erling Gambel, and Dennis Nettleton; 4) �Wilamette Valley in Oregon, Roger Parsons and
C. A. Balstar.�
Dr. Lyle T.
Alexander headed operations of Soil Survey Laboratories in Beltsville MD; Lincoln NE, Robert
Grossman; and Riverside CA, Klaus Flach; that provided soil sampling
and analytical support for Soil Survey Field Parties.� Laboratory projects were engaged jointly with
the Land-Grant University faculty representative.� The 3 laboratories combined in 1975 to form
the National Soil Survey Lab (NSSL) in Lincoln, NE.� The major tasks were soil characterization to
support accelerated soil mapping and revision of the water and wind erosion
models.� The eruption of Mt. St. Helens produced a unique opportunity to examine
volcanic ash, its aerial distribution, and its composition.� With help from USAID soils in several were sampled
countries to be analyzed and classified at NSSL.� �Soil
Taxonomy was promoted as a common communication tool.