Overview

The Soils datalayer has been automated from published soils surveys as provided on various media by the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS). All soils data released by MassGIS have been "SSURGO-certified," which means they have been reviewed and approved by the NRCS and meet all standards and requirements for inclusion in the national release of county-level digital soils data. Soil survey areas are roughly based on county boundaries.

The SSURGO-certified soils dataset is generally the most detailed level of soil geographic data developed by the National Cooperative Soil Survey. The information was prepared by digitizing maps, by compiling information onto a planimetric correct base and digitizing, or by revising digitized maps using remotely sensed and other information. The data include a detailed, field verified inventory of soils and miscellaneous areas that normally occur in a repeatable pattern on the landscape and that can be cartographically shown at the scale mapped. Data for survey areas were developed using various scale base maps: some areas at a 1:25,000 or 1:12,000 scale, or at larger scales where source materials (e.g. 1:5,000 MassGIS ortho imagery) were available. Details for a specific survey area are provided in the NRCS-produced metadata that are distributed with the spatial data.

The soil map units are linked to attributes in the National Soil Information System (NASIS) relational database, which gives the proportionate extent of the component soils and their properties.

At MassGIS the soils datalayer is stored in ArcSDE for Oracle as the statewide feature class SOILS_POLY. Two companion layers, SOILSPOT_PT and SOILSPOT_ARC, represent "special" or "ad hoc" features such as gravel pits, wet areas, bedrock escarpments and others. These layers display the location of features too small to delineate at the mapping scale, but they are large enough and contrasting enough to significantly influence use and management.

The status for each survey area is stored in the statewide layer named SOILSTAT_POLY. View the Status Map
Updated November 5, 2010, for new data for Plymouth. Also, the adjacent survey areas (Barnstable, Bristol North, Bristol South, and Norfolk-Suffolk) were replaced, as these were edited to edge-match with Plymouth. With the November 2010 update, soils data are available for all survey areas in the state except for Franklin, which is under development.

Maps that use NRCS SSURGO data must show the source (NRCS) and date and, space permitting, contain the following notation: 

"This Soil Survey Geographic (SSURGO) data base was produced by the U.S. Department of Agriculture, Natural Resources Conservation Service and cooperating agencies for the Soil Survey of _______ County, (state). The soils were mapped at a scale of ______ with a _______ acre minimum size delineation. Enlargement of these maps to scales greater than that at which they were originally mapped can cause misunderstanding of the detail of mapping. If enlarged, maps do not show the small areas of contrasting soil that could have been shown at a larger scale. The depicted soil boundaries and interpretations derived from them do not eliminate the need of onsite sampling, testing, and detailed study of specific sites for intensive uses. Thus, this map and its interpretations are intended for planning purposes only. Digital data files are periodically updated. Files are dated, and users are responsible for obtaining the latest version of the data."

Scale and minimum mapping unit, along with all other details of production and editing of both the spatial and attribute data, may be found in the FGDC-style metadata produced for each survey area by NRCS. These metadata files (in plain text format) are distributed with the data by MassGIS and also may be viewed at http://soildatamart.nrcs.usda.gov/Survey.aspx?State=MA (select a survey area and click the "View Metadata" button).

Limitations on Use

This data set is not designed for use as a primary regulatory tool in permitting or siting decisions, but may be used as a reference source. This is public information and may be interpreted by organizations, agencies, units of government, or others based on needs; however, they are responsible for the appropriate application. Federal, State, or local regulatory bodies are not to reassign to the Natural Resources Conservation Service any authority for the decisions that they make. The Natural Resources Conservation Service will not perform any evaluations of these maps for purposes related solely to State or local regulatory programs.

Photographic or digital enlargement of these maps to scales greater than at which they were originally mapped can cause misinterpretation of the data. If enlarged, maps do not show the small areas of contrasting soils that could have been shown at a larger scale. The depicted soil boundaries, interpretations, and analysis derived from them do not eliminate the need for onsite sampling, testing, and detailed study of specific sites for intensive uses. Thus, these data and their interpretations are intended for planning purposes only. Digital data files are periodically updated. Files are dated, and users are responsible for obtaining the latest version of the data.

Attributes

Soils Polygons

Each SOILS_POLY polygon contains the following items:

		MUSYM		Map Unit symbol. This field is included in data distributed by NRCS from the SSURGO Data Mart Web site and uniquely identifies each closed delineation mapunit.
		MUKEY		Map Unit Key for linking information in the National Soil Information System (NASIS) tables. This field is included in data distributed by NRCS from the SSURGO Data Mart Web site.
		SS_AREA		Abbreviation for soil survey area (MassGIS added this field): BARN   BARNSTABLE BERK BERKSHIRE BRIS BRISTOL SOUTH BRISNO BRISTOL NORTH DUKES DUKES ESNOR ESSEX NORTH ESSOU ESSEX SOUTH FRAN FRANKLIN HAMDCE HAMPDEN CENTRAL HAMPCE HAMPSHIRE CENTRAL   HHEA   HAMPDEN-HAMPSHIRE EAST HHWE HAMPDEN-HAMPSHIRE WEST MIDDSX MIDDLESEX NANTCK NANTUCKET NORSUF NORFOLK-SUFFOLK PLYMTH PLYMOUTH WONE WORCESTER NORTHEAST WONW WORCESTER NORTHWEST WORS WORCESTER SOUTH
		MUSYM_AREA		Concatenation of MUSYM and SS_AREA, to correlate the map unit symbol to its soil survey area. In some cases, a mapunit may have different properties in different survey areas. Useful for some table joins. MassGIS added this field.
		SLOPE		Slope of the landscape, derived from the last character of the MUSYM item, if present. MassGIS added this field. Possible SLOPE codes are: A: 0-3%   B: 3-8%   C: 8-15% D: 15-25% E: 25-35% 0: Water or urban land (no assigned slope)

Special ("spot") Features

Each special/ad hoc feature (SOILSPOT_ARC and SOILSPOT_PT) contains the following items:
 

AREASYMBOL		The identifying symbol given to the specified geographic area to which the legend applies.
SPATIALVER		A sequential integer number used to denote the serial version of the spatial data for a soil survey area.
FEATSYM		A symbol that, within the context of a particular soil survey area, uniquely identifies a point or line spot feature. Current codes include: BLD    Boulder spot BLO Blowout BOU Bouldery spot CLA Clay spot DIS Disturbed area DRY Dry spot ESB Escarpment, bedrock ESO Escarpment, other GPI Gravel pit GRA Gravelly spot GUL Gully LDF Landfill LVS Levee MAR Marsh or swamp MPI Mine or quarry   ROC    Rock outcrop SAN Sandy spot SIL Silt spot SKP Stockpile SLP Short, steep slope SLW Spoil area or landfill SNK Sinkhole SPO Spoil Area STN Stony spot STR Stripped land STV Very stony spot TLL Till spot WAT Perennial water WET Wet spot WOI Intermittent water body
FEATKEY		A non-connotative string of characters used to uniquely identify a record in the Feature Description table.
SS_AREA		Abbreviation of the survey area (field added by MassGIS)
LABEL		Equal to the FEATSYM field, kept in the data distributed by MassGIS for legacy application purposes.

Soils Project Status

The SOILSTAT_POLY attribute table contains the following items storing status information for each survey area:
 

SS_AREA		Abbreviation of the survey area
SURVEY_ARE		Full survey area name
COUNTY		County name (the survey area may comprise part of a county)
STATUS		Status code
STATUS_DESC		Status description
Current STATUS and STATUS_DESC values include:  SC - SSURGO CERTIFIED (Available for disribution)  DC - DATABASE COMPILATION UNDERWAY

Prime Farmland Soils

In ArcSDE, MassGIS has created the spatial view SOILS_POLY_PRIMEFARMLAND, based on the FARMLNDCL field in the SOILS_POLY_MAPUNIT table. Categories of prime farmland include:
 

All Areas Are Prime Farmland		Land that has the best combination of physical and chemical characteristics for producing food, feed, forage, fiber, and oilseed crops, and is also available for these uses (the land could be cropland, pastureland, rangeland, forest land, or other land, but not urban built-up land or water). For a full definition, see http://soils.usda.gov/technical/handbook/contents/part622.html#04.
Farmland of Unique Importance		Land other than prime farmland that is used for the production of specific high value food and fiber crops. Examples of such crops are citrus, tree nuts, olives, cranberries, fruit, and vegetables.
Farmland of Statewide Importance		This is land, in addition to prime and unique farmlands, that is of statewide importance for the production of food, feed, fiber, forage, and oil seed crops, as determined by the appropriate state agency or agencies. Generally, these include lands that are nearly prime farmland and that economically produce high yields of crops when treated and managed according to acceptable farming methods.

For full defnitions of these categories see Section 657.5 -- Identification of Important Farmlands on http://soils.usda.gov/technical/handbook/contents/part622.html.

To create this theme using shapefiles or personal geodatabase feature classes, join SOILS_POLY to SOILS_POLY_MAPUNIT on the MUKEY field and display on FARMLNDCL.

These tables are contained in Microsoft Access 2000 databases (one for each available survey area) created by NRCS and which conform to the SSURGO II National Soil Information System (NASIS) attribute structure. This attribute database gives the proportionate extent of the component soils and the properties for each soil. The database contains both estimated and measured data on the physical and chemical soil properties and soil interpretations for engineering, water management, recreation, agronomic, woodland, range, and wildlife uses of the soil.

The Access databases are available by clicking on the "Soils Polygons and Special (Spot/Ad Hoc) Features" download link at the top of this page (this will take you to the download page, and the Access databases are listed in the "Metadata" column). The databases are also distributed on MassGIS Data Viewer CDs. When the Access databases are first opened, a Soil Reports form appears that allows the user to quickly query the database and create a report for that survey area. For descriptiions of the Access tables, see the "SSURGO Metadata" reports inside each Access database.

For documentation of all the tables in the Access databases see http://soildatamart.nrcs.usda.gov/SSURGOMetadata.aspx.

In the ArcSDE database internal to MassGIS, combined tables exist for the following relational tables:

Table Name		Description		What it Contains
SOILS_POLY_COMPONENT		Map Unit Component		Lists the map unit components identified in the referenced map unit, and selected properties of each component.
SOILS_POLY_COCROPYLD		Component Crop Yield		Lists commonly grown crops and their expected range in yields when grown on the referenced map unit component. Yields for the map unit as a whole are given in the Mapunit Crop Yield table (SOILS_POLY_MUCROPYLD).
SOILS_POLY_COFORPROD		Component Forest Productivity		Lists the site index and the annual productivity in cubic feet per acre per year (CAMI) of forest overstory tree species that typically occur on the referenced map unit component.
SOILS_POLY_COHYDRICCRITERIA		Component Hydric Criteria		Lists the hydric soil criteria met for those referenced map unit components that are classified as a "hydric soil."
SOILS_POLY_COINTERP		Component Interpretation		Lists the predictions of behavior and limiting features for specified uses made for the referenced map unit component.
SOILS_POLY_COMONTH		Component Month		Lists the monthly flooding and ponding characteristics for the referenced map unit component. This table has one row for each month of the year for each component key.
SOILS_POLY_COPWINDBREAK		Component Potential Windbreak		Lists the windbreak plant species commonly recommended for the referenced map unit component. A windbreak plant listed in this table may be used alone or in combination with other plants.
SOILS_POLY_CORESTRICTIONS		Component Restrictions		Lists the root restrictive feature(s) or layer(s) for the referenced map unit component.
SOILS_POLY_COSOILMOIST		Component Soil Moisture		Describes the typical soil moisture profile for the referenced map unit component during the month referenced in the Component Month table. The soil moisture profiles for each month, taken as a group of twelve months, describe the representativesituation for the component throughout the year.
SOILS_POLY_COTREESTOMNG		Component Trees To Manage		Lists the trees commonly recommended for managing on the referenced map unit component.
SOILS_POLY_MAPUNIT		Mapunit		Identifies the map units included in the referenced legend. Data related to the map unit as a whole are also given. Includes map unit (MUSYSM) and map unit description (MUNAME) for all unique map units across the state.
SOILS_POLY_MUAGGATT		Mapunit Aggregated Attribute		Records a variety of soil attributes and interpretations that have been aggregated from the component level to a single value at the map unit level. They have been aggregated by one or more appropriate means in order to express a consolidatedvalue or interpretation for the map unit as a whole.
SOILS_POLY_MUCROPYLD		Mapunit Crop Yield		Lists commonly grown crops and their expected yields for the referenced map unit as a whole. Yields for individual map unit components are given in the Component Crop Yield table (SOILS_POLY_COCROPYLD).
SOILS_POLY_MUTEXT		Mapunit Text		Notes and narrative descriptions related to the referenced map unit.

These additional non-relational tables provide further information:
 

SOILS_POLY_CODES		Database codes		Stores information on all codes used in the database
SOILS_POLY_LEGEND		Summary information on all available survey areas		Survey area names, codes, total acreage, scale of data development
SOILS_POLY_MDSTATTABS		Table Static Metadata		Records metadata (names, descriptions, etc.) about the tables that make up the tabular data set in each Access database. Each record in this table represents one table.
SOILS_POLY_MDSTATTABCOLS		Table Column Static Metadata		Table records the metadata for all columns of all tables that make up the tabular data set. Each record in this table represents one column of a particular table.

The following table provides descriptions of the codes used in the SOILSPOT layers:
 

SOILS_POLY_FEATURE

Special feature codes

Stores information on all codes used in the 'LABEL' item in the SOILSPOT arc and point layers.

For lists and descriptions of all the tables and the codes in the SSURGO 2 database, please refer to the SSURGO Metadata PDF documents "Tables", "Table Columns", "Table Column Descriptions", and "Domains".

On MassGIS Data Viewer CDs, soils polygons and special features are included in Shapefile format for available areas in the 'Physical_Resources' folder. In the 'soilmeta' sub-folder are the NASIS-formatted related tables for all available survey areas, in Microsoft Access 2000 databases inside self-extracting executables. These NASIS tables may be used to produce reports and generate thematic soils maps, and are necessary for use with NRCS' Soil Data Viewer product (see the next section, Displaying the Data). Additionally, users may download data and metadata from the links at the top of this page.

MassGIS distributes soils data online by survey area, not by USGS Quad (see download links above). Specifics for each survey area (such as dates of compilation and other details) can be found in the FGDC-compliant metadata text files that MassGIS distributes with all SSURGO data.

Maintenance

These datalayers are maintained by NRCS. MassGIS will download and make available updated and new survey areas they become available. Please see the current status map.

Further information is available in the form of documents produced and maintained by the NRCS. These documents include: 

• SSURGO Metadata - documents, diagrams and reports describing the SSURGO standard, as well as the tools and procedures that are necessary to effectively use this data, can be found at http://soildatamart.nrcs.usda.gov/SSURGOMetadata.aspx.
   
  
• The National Soil Survey Handbook, a multi-chapter guide that provides the main operational and procedural guidance for the soil survey program. All Handbook chapters are viewable on the Web and available for download in Microsoft Word 6.0 format. Please visit http://soils.usda.gov/technical/handbook/.
   
  
• The Soil Survey Manual, a single volume book which provides the major principles and practices needed for making and using soil surveys and for assembling and using data related to them. The Manual is intended primarily for use by soil scientists engaged in the classification and mapping of soils and in the interpretation of soil surveys. Although the Manual is oriented to the needs of those actively engaged in preparing soil surveys for publication, workers and students who have limited soils experience or are less familiar with the soil survey process also will be able to use the information. The Manual may be viewed in Microsoft Word and Adobe PDF formats on the web at http://soils.usda.gov/technical/manual/.
   
  
• The NASIS (National Soil Information System) Web site at http://soils.usda.gov/technical/nasis/. NASIS consists of multiple interrelated soil applications and databases. This data system aids in the collection, storage, manipulation and dissemination of soil information.
  
  
• Massachusetts Soil Survey - The Web site http://nesoil.com/massachusetts_soil_survey.htm contains information on Massachusetts soils surveys, including detailed descriptions of soil map units.
   

Last Updated 11/5/2010
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