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Preface
<br />Soil surveys contain information that affects land use planning in survey areas.
<br />They highlight soil limitations that affect various land uses and provide information
<br />about the properties of the soils in the survey areas. Soil surveys are designed for
<br />many different users, including farmers, ranchers, foresters, agronomists, urban
<br />planners, community officials, engineers, developers, builders, and home buyers.
<br />Also, conservationists, teachers, students, and specialists in recreation, waste
<br />disposal, and pollution control can use the surveys to help them understand,
<br />protect, or enhance the environment.
<br />Various land use regulations of Federal, State, and local governments may impose
<br />special restrictions on land use or land treatment. Soil surveys identify soil
<br />properties that are used in making various land use or land treatment decisions.
<br />The information is intended to help the land users identify and reduce the effects of
<br />soil limitations on various land uses. The landowner or user is responsible for
<br />identifying and complying with existing laws and regulations.
<br />Although soil survey information can be used for general farm, local, and wider area
<br />planning, onsite investigation is needed to supplement this information in some
<br />cases. Examples include soil quality assessments ( ,_. _. � I
<br />and certain conservation and engineering
<br />applications. For more detailed information, contact your local USDA Service Center
<br />(o--: s offices.sc.egov.usda.gov,'locator/app?agency=nres) or your NRCS State Soil
<br />Scientist (httpalww•,,v.nres.usda.gov,rrips/portalJnres..,/detail,soilsicoritactus/
<br />res142p2_053951).
<br />Great differences in soil properties can occur within short distances. Some soils are
<br />seasonally wet or subject to flooding. Some are too unstable to be used as a
<br />foundation for buildings or roads. Clayey or wet soils are poorly suited to use as
<br />septic tank absorption fields. A high water table makes a soil poorly suited to
<br />basements or underground installations.
<br />The National Cooperative Soil Survey is ajoint effort of the United States
<br />Department of Agriculture and other Federal agencies, State agencies including the
<br />Agricultural Experiment Stations, and local agencies. The Natural Resources
<br />Conservation Service (NRCS) has leadership for the Federal part of the National
<br />Cooperative Soil Survey.
<br />Information about soils is updated periodically. Updated information is available
<br />through the NRCS Web Soil Survey, the site for official soil survey information.
<br />The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) prohibits discrimination in all its
<br />programs and activities on the basis of race, color, national origin, age, disability,
<br />and where applicable, sex, marital status, familial status, parental status, religion,
<br />sexual orientation, genetic information, political beliefs, reprisal, or because all or a
<br />part of an individual's income is derived from any public assistance program. (Not
<br />all prohibited bases apply to all programs.) Persons with disabilities who require
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