Arkansas NRCS Announces Web Soil Survey

Agriculture Secretary Mike Johanns announced the launch of a USDA Web Soil Survey site that will provide secure public access to the national soils information system. This site is a simple yet powerful way to access and analyze soils data that contributes to every aspect of public and private land use and development.

Prior to today's launch, all soil survey maps were printed and bound into soil survey books that were free to the public at local USDA Service Centers, NRCS field offices and public libraries. The once familiar soil survey publications will be phased out slowly and the federal government's initiative of electronic government information (eGov) will replace the printed publications.

Currently, NRCS has soils 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 will be updated and maintained online as the single authoritative source of soil survey information.

"Soil surveys are the foundation for land conservation activities as well as private and commercial land development," said Johanns. "Soil survey maps help to enable agricultural producers, conservationists, engineering firms, county and city planners, and others to make informed decisions concerning land use. Posting soil survey information on the internet is one more step in our effort to make information more accessible to the citizens we serve."

Soil surveys are conducted in a partnership effort known as the National Cooperative Soil Survey. “The Web Soil Survey provides access to soil information and maps using latest technologies in a user-friendly fashion”, said Luis A. Hernandez, NRCS State Soil Scientist. “We are in the process of completing soil mapping of the entire state. Soil mapping is an ongoing process because land use and user needs change over time. By next year, Arkansas residents with a computer and access to the internet will have access to the latest soil information for every acre of land in the state.”

The website has been designed with three easy to use features:  Define, View, and Explore.  It operates much like internet sites that provide locator and directional information. When viewers visit the web soil survey, they are asked to "Define" a geographic area of interest by selecting a state and county or just by highlighting an area or areas. Once a location has been defined and projected on the screen, the viewer has the choice to print the map and related information, save it to their hard drive or download the data for use in a geographic information system (GIS).

To view the website go to http://soils.usda.gov/survey.

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