NRCS Web Soil Survey

RESOURCE DESCRIPTION

The Web Soil Survey (WSS) provides public access to nationwide soil data and information collected as part of the National Cooperative Soil Survey. It is operated by the US Department of Agriculture (USDA) Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS). The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) Office of Historic and Environmental Preservation (OEHP) uses WSS data to ensure actions taken are in compliance with areas designated as prime farmland. Information available in the WSS is largely available at the county level, and includes soil type by percent land coverage and acres, water by percent land coverage and acres, risk of corrosion of steel or concrete, soil health, and vegetative productivity. A number of additional metrics related to land classifications and land management are also available (such as suitability for hand planting or road building). Additionally, WSS data serve as inputs to hydrological models, such as WRF-Hydro, which consider soil properties when modeling surface runoff. Runoff is a critical process that is considered in flood inundation modeling.

BROAD DATA CATEGORIES

• Agriculture and natural resources

SPECIFIC DATA ELEMENTS

• Hurricane
• Earthquake
• Flood

GEOGRAPHIC COVERAGE

Continental US (CONUS); Hawaii; Alaska; Pacific Basin; Puerto Rico; US Virgin Islands