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Archive of Highlights
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In cooperation with the University of
Nebraska-Lincoln Extension, the National Soil
Survey Center has developed a Virtual Tour of
the Dr. Charles E. Kellogg Soil Survey
Laboratory. The video is available on the
NRCS-NSSC
YouTube channel at
http://www.youtube.com/user/nrcsnssc and the
direct link to the video is
http://youtu.be/BOW80LlCx-M.
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GovDelivery is a government-to-citizen
communication solution. Subscribers are notified
(by E-mail or text) when a web site has been
updated which gives subscribers the latest news
and information as soon as it is available. If
you are interested in signing up for
NRCS
Soils E-mail updates, please click on the “Get
E-MAIL updates” located in the panel on the
right-side of this page. Other
NRCS
subscriptions are also available. |
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jNSM v1.5.1 is ready for
release to the public and USDA users. A CCE
approved version will be pushed to USDA
users around July 6. This software was
developed to provide a better understanding of
soil climate in soil survey. It is an update
to a traditional soil climate simulation model
called Newhall Simulation Model (NSM).
The jNSM software is a mesoscale model that is
appropriate for use in regional geospatial
analyses that support the MLRA update of
published digital soil geographic databases (SSURGO/STATSGO2).
This software can be used with monthly, serially
complete records from weather stations, Soil
Climate Analysis Network (SCAN) stations, and
local soil climate monitoring sensors. Output
includes soil moisture and temperature regime
classification, biological window calendars and
precipitation/potential evapo-transpiration
climographs, plus a summary of model inputs and
user information. |
...More Info
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On June 4th, the National Soil Survey
Laboratory was named after Dr. Charles E.
Kellogg, an American pioneer of soil science who
was instrumental in bringing a national focus on
the value of soil data for the public good. |
...More Info
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The NCSS Regional Conferences will be held in
Bowling Green, Kentucky on May 21-25; Lincoln,
Nebraska on June 4-7; Orono, Maine on June
18-21; and Davis, California on June 25-28.
Information has been posted for the
South (Bowling Green) Region, the
North Central (Lincoln) Region, the
West (Davis) Region, and the
Northeast (Orono) Region. These pages include
registration forms, agendas, accommodations, and
contacts. |
...More Info
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There are currently eight Soil Climate Research
Stations in Antarctica. Data collected in
2011 has been uploaded for each of these
stations: Bull Pass, Don Juan Pond, Granite
Harbour, Marble Point, Minna Bluff, Mt. Fleming,
Scott Base, Victoria Valley. A ninth station has
been installed at Bull Pass East and data is
being collected. |
...More Info
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The National Cooperative Soil Survey Soil
Characterization Data has moved. The new URL is
http://ncsslabdatamart.sc.egov.usda.gov.
Please update any bookmarks or links. The
database contains analytical data for more than
20,000 pedons of U.S. soils and about 1,100
pedons from other countries. |
...More Info
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GlobalSoilMap.net is a global consortium that
has been formed with the aim of making a new
digital soil map of the world using
state-of-the-art and emerging technologies for
soil mapping and predicting soil properties at
fine resolution. This new global soil map will
be supplemented by interpretation and
functionality options that aim to assist better
decisions in a range of global issues like food
production and hunger eradication, climate
change, and environmental degradation. This is
an initiative of the Digital Soil Mapping
Working Group of the International Union of Soil
Sciences (IUSS). This effort is organized by
continent (nodes). The North America Node is
comprised of Canada, Mexico, and the United
States. Currently, the National Cooperative Soil
Survey provides the leadership for the North
America Node. Jon Hempel (Director of the USDA-NRCS
National Soil Survey Center) is the Node Leader
and James Thompson (West Virginia University) is
the Scientific Coordinator. |
...More Info
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This translation will expand the horizons of U.S.
Soil Taxonomy by allowing professionals in all
parts of the world to apply and interpret the
system in a more uniform and consistent way.
While soils differ globally, the ability to
apply a system that is universally understood
and accepted is a goal shared by many soil
scientists. As the world struggles with global
warming and other environmental challenges,
having a universally accepted method that can be
applied when soil problems are addressed will
contribute to successful outcomes. |
...More Info
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Taking pride in who we are and what we do was
the motivation behind the recent “sprucing up”
of the offices of the National Soil Survey
Center (NSSC). The NSSC
is an important part of NRCS,
the federal agency committed to soil and
conservation. Jon Hempel, the Center’s director, wanted that commitment to
become a clear message for anyone who spends time at the Center. With that goal
in mind, Hempel turned NSSC gathering places into museum-like spaces designed to
inform, inspire, and motivate all who work or visit the Center. |
...More Info
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The National Soil Survey Center has released the 11th Edition of the
Keys to Soil Taxonomy in e-book format.
E-readers make it easy to take notes,
highlight text, and search for key words. The ease
and convenience of having reference documents
on one device will increase the use of
this information,
which will improve the consistency
and quality of soil survey information. |
...More Info
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Web Soil Survey (WSS) has been upgraded to
version 2.3. Enhancements include: the ability
to import a Shapefile boundary to set the AOI;
the ability to export an AOI boundary for use in
other applications; the ability to bookmark an
AOI so that the user can return to it later; the
ability to embed AOI coordinates in a URL to
open WSS and set the AOI; quick navigation by
street address for U.S. territories; new
lat/long data entry options in Quick Navigation;
and compatibility with Internet Explorer 9 and Firefox 5
browsers. Updated brochures (English and
Spanish) are available at
http://soils.usda.gov/survey/. |
...More Info
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The National Soil Survey Center, in cooperation
with the National Cooperative Soil Survey and
University of Nebraska-Lincoln, joined forces to
prepare a hydrometer training video. This video
explains the step-by-step procedures for
conducting particle-size analysis using
hydrometer equipment supplied to every MLRA
soil survey office in the country. The video has
nationwide application and even covers proper
handling of material from soil quarantine areas
as well as proper refuse disposal. |
...More Info
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Soil Stories was born out of a collaborative
effort between the Earth Sciences and Resources
Institute at the University of South Carolina and South Carolina NRCS.
Dr. Buz Kloot, the film’s director,
cinematographer, scriptwriter, and editor,
worked with State Soil Scientist Pam Thomas to
get all the information about soils across, but
in a way that was engaging.
In the production, the main character, Francine,
embarks on a journey of discovery that begins
with her realization that soil is alive and that
without soil, life as we know it would not
exist.
In her journey of discovery she meets with soil
scientists who help her “see” beneath the
surface of the soil and help her understand how
diverse yet ordered soil bodies are in the
landscape and how much work has been done in
soil survey. More videos are available at
www.vimeo.com/nrcsesrscconnect. |
...More Info
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The National Soil Survey Center sponsored the
Soil Science Institute at Kansas State
University in Manhattan, Kansas, June 6-24,
2011. The intensive 3 week course was designed
as a mid-career training session allowing career
soil scientists to learn of new technological
advances in soil science as well as being
refreshed in soil chemistry, soil micromorphology, soil physics, statistics, soil
fertility and soil mineralogy. This year the
Institute had 15 NRCS soil scientists and 1 BLM
environmental scientist in attendance. Dr.
Mickey Ransom, Professor of Soil Science at
Kansas State University, coordinated the
Institute. |
...More Info
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More than 1,000 block diagrams from published
soil surveys are available in electronic form.
Users can search the columns of metadata for
specific key words, such as a series name or a
county. The image files can be opened in a Web
browser. They are available as TIFF, PDF, and AI
(Adobe Illustrator) files. |
...More Info
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Soil Survey Investigations Report No. 45, Soil
Survey Laboratory Information Manual, version
2.0, is now available online. This manual serves
as a companion reference for SSIR No. 42 (Soil
Survey Laboratory Methods Manual). It provides
brief summaries of the Soil Survey Laboratory
methods as well as detailed discussion of the
use and application of the resulting data. |
...More Info
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