Soil Data and Interpretations for Applications in Food and Water Security.

The United States (US) National Cooperative Soil Survey has been digitally available as a database since the mid-1970’s. The database contains information about soil as collected by the National Cooperative Soil Survey over the course of a century. US Soil Survey databases of estimated and measured soil properties have been available by delineated map units as attribute tables that are accessed through the National Soil Survey System (NASIS).  Operators have been able to access the data and “interpret” maps through manipulation of the data “soil characteristics” to discern levels of risk for applications or management practices.  The mapping is intended for natural resource planning and management by landowners, townships, and counties. Examples of information available from the database include available water capacity, soil reaction, electrical conductivity, and frequency of flooding; yields for cropland, woodland, rangeland, and pastureland; and limitations affecting recreational development, building site development, and other engineering uses. This report will show examples of potential reports and maps available for community planning analysis which can be used for food and water security applications.