Web Soil Survey: A Beginner's Perspective

By Sarah Weber

Web Soil Survey (WSS) provides soil data and information produced by the National Cooperative Soil Survey and is operated by the USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS). There are soil maps and data available for more than 95% of the nation's counties. The information obtained from the WSS provides land managers, agriculturalists, agencies, and other providers electronic access to soil and related information needed to make land-use and management decisions (USDA, n.d.).

This was my first time using Web Soil Survey and I began by watching Using the Web Soil Survey to gain a general understanding of how to navigate within the tool. There is a number of other online tutorials available including a how-to guide from the USDA. There are several ways to create an Area of Interest (AOI) such as defining an area on a map, selecting from menu options like county, or importing your own data. I chose the Catalina Foothills area in Tucson as my AOI. I specifically wanted to view an AOI that captured developed space as well as mostly undisturbed habitat and, therefore, chose to define the area using the rectangle tool. From there, a user can look at the area through a wide range of detailed information like water features, chemical properties, erosion factors, and other physical properties. There are also ratings for land use such as development, sanitation facilities, and vegetation productivity. The results can then be printed or downloaded. 

A few other call-outs:

  • The website times out after 20 minutes. I recommend utilizing the "Link" from the top navigation and bookmarking your work so you can return to it, if needed.
  • The overall UI is a bit outdated in comparison to other mapping tools. There is a short learning curve to become familiar with the nuances. 
  • There is a lot of general information to be explored (glossary of terms, descriptions of themes, etc.) that can be helpful.
Web Soil Survey Screenshot - Tucson, AZ with Ecological Sites

                        
References

Web Soil Survey. (n.d.). United States Department of Agriculture (USDA). https://websoilsurvey.nrcs.usda.gov/app/

Using the Web Soil Survey. (February 2016). Agricultural Nutrient Management Program. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vszIhcghykk&t=109s

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