Soil Maps for Production Agriculture. Jarrod O. Miller, Extension Agronomist

Soil Maps for Production Agriculture Jarrod O. Miller, Extension Agronomist

Origination of Soil Mapping Originally mapped by Division of Soils Federal Bureau of Soils Soil Conservation Service (SCS) started in the 1930 s to combat soil erosion and the dust bowl Renamed the Natural Resources Conservation Service in 1994

First Soil Surveys 1899-1900 Soil Maps Soil Descriptions and Uses Cecil County, MD was one of the first mapped

Walk the Fields, Dig a Hole, Make a Map Soils were described, categorized and named Names can change! 3

Soil Mapping and Naming Sassafras Othello Soils were mapped based on their genetic characteristics How they were formed May not relate to what you can do with them Soils with different names may have similar uses for agriculture 4

1907 Federal Bureau of Soils 5

1909 First National Soils Map Soil Associations (Brevik and Hartemink, 2012) 6

1931 More detail, still follows geology Atlas of American Agriculture 7

(Brevik and Hartemink, 2012) 1938 More detail, still follows geology 8

2008 Soil Orders 9

More Detail at the State/County Scale Still just associations 10

Actual Soil Survey Still not that accurate 11

NRCS scanned in old soil surveys

Useful Information in Old Surveys Old Soil Descriptions Just be careful. Sometimes the soil has been renamed or these are old interpretations. 1975 13

Useful Information in Old Surveys County Soil Formation 1975 14

Useful Information in Old Surveys Soil Association Figures 1975 15

Useful Information in Old Surveys Site Suitability Ratings You can also find this online 1975 16

Official Series Descriptions (OSD) Want to know more about your soil type? Meant more for soil scientists tho See where else it is mapped These are not written for you 17

TAXONOMIC CLASS: Fine-loamy, mixed, active, mesic Typic Endoaquults TYPICAL PEDON: Fallsington sandy loam on a 1 percent slope, in a cultivated field. (Colors are for moist soil.) Ap--0 to 25 cm (0 to 10 inches); very dark grayish brown (10YR 3/2), sandy loam, light brownish gray (10YR 6/2) dry; moderate medium granular structure; friable; slightly sticky, nonplastic; many fine roots; moderately acid; abrupt smooth boundary. (0 to 25 cm (0 to 12 inches thick)) E--25 to 36 cm (10 to 14 inches; light brownish gray (2.5Y 6/2), sandy loam; weak medium subangular blocky structure; very friable; slightly sticky; nonplastic; common fine and very fine roots; common medium distinct light olive brown (2.5Y 5/4) iron accumulations; moderately acid; clear wavy boundary. (0 to 25 cm (0 to 10 inches)) Btg1--36 to 50 cm (14 to 20 inches); light brownish gray (10YR 6/2), sandy clay loam; moderate medium subangular blocky structure; friable; moderately sticky, slightly plastic; common fine roots; common distinct clay films on faces of peds and in pores; common medium prominent yellowish brown (10YR 5/8) and strong brown (7.5YR 4/6)iron accumulations; common medium faint gray (10YR 6/1) iron depletions; extremely acid; clear smooth boundary. Btg2--50 to 74 cm (20 to 29 inches); grayish brown (2.5Y 5/2), sandy clay loam; moderate medium subangular blocky structure; friable; moderately sticky, slightly plastic; common fine roots along ped faces; common prominent clay films on faces of peds; common coarse prominent brownish yellow (10YR 6/8) and strong brown (7.5YR 5/8)iron accumulations; common medium faint gray (5Y 6/1) iron depletions extremely acid; clear wavy boundary. (Combine thickness of the Btg horizons is 25 to 75 cm (10 to 30 inches.)) BCtg--74 to 102 cm (29 to 40 inches); gray (2.5Y 6/1), sandy loam; weak very coarse subangular blocky structure; very friable; slightly sticky, slightly plastic; very few faint clay films on faces of peds; common medium prominent brownish yellow (10YR 6/8) and olive yellow (2.5Y 6/6) iron accumulations; very strongly acid; clear wavy boundary. ( 0 to 30 cm (0 to 12 inches thick)) Soil Series: Fallsington Look for: 1. Horizon 2. Color 3. Texture CBg--102 to 178 cm ( 40 to 70 inches); gray (2.5Y 5/1), loamy sand; weak moderate subangular blocky structure; firm; slightly sticky, nonplastic; few fine prominent yellowish brown (10YR 5/8) iron accumulations; common medium faint gray (2.5Y 6/1) iron depletions; very strongly acid; clear wavy boundary. Cg--178 to 191 cm (70 to 75 inches); light brownish gray (2.5Y 6/2), sand; single grained; loose; very strongly acid.

NRCS went digital: Web Soil Survey Not as user friendly the first time

UC Davis Soil Web User friendly Laptop, Tablet, or Cellphone Zoom to current location or use address

UC Davis Soil Web Click on region/soil Click on soil name Check out profile Check properties Look at suitability ratings

Using Web Soil Survey for Agriculture 1. Determine area of interest 2. Easiest to choose State and County

Using Web Soil Survey for Agriculture Sussex, DE Use zoom tool Select area of interest

Using Web Soil Survey for Agriculture Zoomed in on part of county I want to see Drew a box AOI to get soils map

Using Web Soil Survey for Agriculture Click on Soil Map to get this page Same as UC Davis, just more work. Click on soil name for info

Using Web Soil Survey for Agriculture Then use: Soil data explorer Suitability and limitations for Use Vegetative Productivity

Using Web Soil Survey for Agriculture Not every AOI may have the same suitability's This one has irrigated and non-irrigated yields, only (component) worked

Using Web Soil Survey for Agriculture Now you have a map of estimated corn yields instead of just a name

Using Web Soil Survey for Agriculture Use the legend to see expected yields. Your actual yields may be higher (hopefully not lower)

Using Web Soil Survey for Agriculture Can be printed

Using Web Soil Survey for Agriculture Then use: Soil data explorer Soil Properties and Qualities Soil Organic Matter View rating

Using Web Soil Survey for Agriculture Now you have an organic matter map. You can do the same with clay, ect

Soil Yields vs Organic Matter Yields Organic Matter Floodplains have highest organic matter, but lowest yields. Red = lowest, Dark blue = highest 33

Maps are Not Meant to Be for Precision Ag UC Davis Soil Web 34

Maps are Not Meant to Be for Precision Ag Sussex County Paper Survey 35

Always Understand the Limits of Soil Series Names are based on genetic characteristics (soil formation) Two soils with different names may have the same yields Maps were made county by county by different individuals 36

Someone really liked this soil name in one county 37

This soil predicted the PA/MD border 38

Look at Soil Properties Instead Horizon Name Soil texture Soil Color Horizon Thickness Root Limiting Layers Drainage Class Land Capability Class 39

Horizons affect plant growth A horizon lower clay B horizon higher clay

What do those letters mean?

Soil Horizons for agriculture A horizon thicker and darker means better management B horizon More clay = more water and nutrient holding C horizon Not weathered A B C

A formed at the surface - Color darkened by organic materials Suffix Ap plowed Ag grey colors from water saturation Ab buried A

Common B-horizon subscripts Bw weak formation (young soil) Bg Gray matrix (saturated) Bx Pan Layer (dense) Bt Clay accumulation (older soil) Bg CLAY Bt Bw Bx

Sassafras Ap Bt More water and nutrient holding C horizon: Lighter sand color

Othello Btg Clay accumulation and wet soil Eolian Silt 2C: Discontinuity Fluviomarine Sand Othello

Parent Material: Loamy fluviomarine sediments Parent Material: Sandy marine and eolian deposits 48

Land Capability Classes related to plant growth Class 1 soils have slight limitations that restrict their use. Class 2 soils have moderate limitations that restrict the choice of plants or that require moderate conservation practices. Class 3 soils have severe limitations that restrict the choice of plants or that require special conservation practices, or both. Class 4 soils have very severe limitations that restrict the choice of plants or that require very careful management, or both. Class 5 soils are subject to little or no erosion but have other limitations, impractical to remove, that restrict their use mainly to pasture, rangeland, forestland, or wildlife habitat. Class 6 soils have severe limitations that make them generally unsuitable for cultivation and that restrict their use mainly to pasture, rangeland, forestland, or wildlife habitat. Class 7 soils have very severe limitations that make them unsuitable for cultivation and that restrict their use mainly to grazing, forestland, or wildlife habitat. Class 8 soils and miscellaneous areas have limitations that preclude commercial plant production and that restrict their use to recreational purposes, wildlife habitat, watershed, or esthetic purposes. 49

Class I Typically not very limited 50

Class II Limitations noted by the additional letter e - erosion w - water s - problem with rooting zone (stones, low water holding, low fertility, saline c poor climatic conditions 51

Class VIII Best for forest, recreation or environmental protection 52

Using Soil Maps for Production Agriculture Don t just rely on the name, check out the properties Use UC Davis Soil Web for quick views of soil properties, even where you stand Use Web Soil Survey to create maps of yield, organic matter, clay content Use Official Series Descriptions to read about properties Old soil surveys are good to read about soil scientists interpretations 54