ATTENTION - Update in Progress:

We are currently UPDATING THIS MODULE. The soils data tutorials on these pages were designed to be used with the old NRCS SSURGO format. The GIS materials uses ArcView 3.x. We are currently in the process of updating this module to address the newest SSURGO soils data. Copies of this module will be available to download - and will be posted on this website in the upcoming weeks. Please check back or email us with any questions. We are also will be holding hands-one trainings and workshops dealing with SSURO, Soil Data Mart, Soil Data Viewer and more! Stay tuned for more or contact us!

Tutorials

Using Soils Data

Using Soils Data > Data Tables & Structure

What does each polygon represent?

Each polygon represents a soil map unit. When working with SSURGO soils data (what is SSURGO data?), each map unit represents an area dominated by one to three kinds of soil. The map unit is named for the dominant soil or soils.

The boundaries of soil map units do not necessarily represent an abrupt change of soil type. Usually, the transition occurs over many feet. Map units also do not represent homogenous soil bodies. Every soil body contains inclusions (small bodies of other soils). It is impossible to represent the entire variety of the Earth's soils so soils maps smooth over many of the variations.