National Soil Survey Center News and Notifications USDANRCS

National Soil Survey Center News and Notifications USDA-NRCS National Soil Survey Center Presentation to Regional NCSS Conferences June 2014

Staffing • Current Acting positions • Acting National Leader for Soil Survey Research and Laboratory-Michael Robotham • Acting National Leader for Soil Quality and Ecosystems-Dave Hoover • Acting National Leader for Soil Survey Standards-Dave Hoover • Planned vacancy announcements • Soil Survey Interpretations-(Dobos) Soil Survey Standards-(Scheffe)

Budget • Funding of University CESU agreements • ~$500 currently allocated • 5 Projects funded in FY 13 • Requests for assistance-NB to be sent out in August

Soil Business Systems Software Web Soil Survey 3. 1 release • Up tp 100 distinct polygonal areas may be defined for a single AOI Next NASIS release • Database changes including Ecological Site Inventory data object • Several new Excel forms for capturing veg data • Various other column and domain changes

Soil Business Systems Projects Disaggregation Ecological Site Inventory Web Migration Laboratory Data 5

Soil Business Systems Data SSURGO • New data downloads through Web Soil Survey g. SSURGO • New downloads through Geospatial Data Gateway – new User Guide included plus VALU Table Database Raster soil survey • Raster Soil Survey for Essex County, VT posted to Geospatial Data Gateway 6

Soil Business Systems Data SSURGO • New data downloads through Web Soil Survey • January 2014 Official Version g. SSURGO • New state and CONUS downloads through Geospatial Data Gateway • May 2014 Release based on January 2014 Official Release Raster soil survey • Raster Soil Survey for Essex County, VT posted to Geospatial Data Gateway 7

Soil Quality and Ecosystems Publications National Ecological Site Handbook Released April 2014 Soil Quality Indicator Sheets New releases in 2014 8

Soil Quality and Ecosystems Dynamic Soil Properties Projects Selection of 2014 projects Rapid Carbon Assessment Soil Health Rapid Assessment Tool Status Scheduled for testing Soil Quality Training SH 101, SQ Buckets, TSS Module 7, Land Grant SH Training, Webinars Soil Health Literature Review Purpose and content 9

Research and Laboratory • NSSC researchers continue to be involved in a wide range of research projects • Soil Systems Research is moving forward as the central framework for future activities • Continue to support priority agency efforts including CEAP • NSSC employees continue to provide assistance and support to soil survey regions and states as KSSL liaisons. • Updated liaison list available at: http: //www. nrcs. usda. gov/Internet/FSE_DOCUMENTS/

Research and Laboratory The Kellogg Soil Survey Laboratory (KSSL) continues to work on a wide variety of projects • Priority is to served NRCS customer needs • Additional special projects in 2014 • • Haiti Soil Survey Pilot Project • National Rapid Carbon (Ra. CA) projects • Soil Health projects • Requirements for submitting materials: • Refer to web site for most up-to-date information • http: //www. nrcs. usda. gov/Internet/FSE_DOCUMENTS/nrcs 142 p 2_052597. zip. • Contact your liaison if you have questions

Research and Laboratory • Provide funding for research projects as in previous years • Regional research committee input is requested to inform priorities • Request for information sent out in early July • FY 2015 request for NSSC assistance is being developed • NSSC expertise and analytical services remain firmly in place: • The NSSC is YOUR service center • With new budget formulas, funding for assistance may be handled differently • Goal is to have request for assistance out by mid-July

Geospatial Research Unit • 2 yr. USDA Carbon. Scapes project is seeking volunteers to perform assessment of current web application to design new beginner and intermediate user interfaces. See http: //157. 182. 212. 197/USDA/Default. aspx Please contact sharon. waltman@usda. gov to volunteer. • Soil Parent Material Mapping to Teach Soils in support of the Isee 2 NIFA grant is underway. SSSA Symposium with oral and poster presentations are planned and will feature WI, IL, IN, OH, KY, WV, and TX. See http: //isee. purdue. edu/

Technical Soil Services New National Leader as of December 1, 2013 – Michael Robotham • Primary SSD point of contact for State Soil Scientists • Key ongoing projects: • • Hydric soils and related issues National Technical Committee on Hydric Soils – just met in Connecticut in late May • Advanced Hydric Soils Training (NM) in early June • • RUSLE 2, WEPS • CDSI, Programs and Conservation Planning

Technical Soil Services • NEW -- Technical Soil Services for State Soil Scientists course • Scheduled for late-July and early-August • Distance learning course – multiple ½ day sessions along with supplementary activities • Updates to the Technical Soil Services Handbook (TSSH) • Updates to the TSS reporting tables • Prototype TSS reporting spreadsheet (thanks to Kevin Godsey) available on request

Standards Revisions to the NSSH Targeted sections Revisions to Soil Taxonomy New proposals and why ICOMTAX Proposed structure in separate presentation Update of the Soil Survey Manual Two-year project

Interpretations • Need for national interpretations

Interpretations NB-430 -14 -3 Calculated Soil Interpretation Factors in NASIS-complete this FY • Teleconferences • Monthly updates of Progress map • Manual Overrides for documented potential SDJR projects FY 15

Hydrologic Soil Group • Data elements used in the HSG calculation – – – – horizon depth top (rv) in Component Horizon Table horizon depth bottom (rv) in Component Horizon Table Ksat (rv) in Component Horizon Table restriction depth top (rv) in Component Restrictions Table restriction kind in Component Restrictions Table moisture depth top (rv) in Component Soil Moisture Table moisture status in Component Soil Moisture Table month in Component Month Table

K Factor (Kf and Kw)-Erodibility Factor Kf—Erodibility fine earth fraction(<2 mm); Kw—whole soil • Nomograph in NSSH Exhibit 618 -12 and Ag Hndk no. 537. The nomograph is less accurate for subsoils than for surface soils. • Minimum Ksat is based on the minimum Ksat within the top 50 cm from the top of the horizon being rated for K; includes bedrock if it is within the 50 cm depth. •

Soil Vulnerability Indexes Ø Analytical tool to categorize soils into simple groups for analysis of CEAP cropland data. Ø Three variables, k-factor, slope, and hydrologic group. Ø Losses of sediment via runoff and losses of nitrogen via leaching from our calibrated model runs.

Science of Interpretations Training • Define a soil interpretation and explain its application • Understand how soil, landscape, and site characteristics impact land use- Lit review • Decide how soil properties might impact the land use proposed • Develop a criteria table for an interpretation

New Standards

Continuing Standards Soil Climate Investigations Editorial Assistance Soil Moisture/Soil Temperature (SM/ST) Soil Climate Analysis Network (SCAN) Training

Soil Data Join Recorrelation • Evaluate (historical documentation) • Harmonize (to build MLRA map unit data) • Document (future work) • National Goal – 1 billion acres evaluated in 5 years 25

International • Global. Soil. Map. net -Version 0. 1 for the US complete • IUSS - Proposal at the WCSS for Soil Taxonomy to be an IUSS supported system of Soil Classification -Universal Soil Classification System Working Group • Global Soil Partnership - FAO led partnership for recognition of the importance of soils for food security, climate change adaptation, sustaining biodiversity and key ecosystem services.