Natural Resources Conservation Service

Soils

United States Department of Agriculture

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On-the-Job Training Modules

OJT for MLRA Soil Survey Offices

OJT module completion checklist for MLRA Soil Survey Offices (XLSX; 16 KB)

SF-182 Instructions for OJT Modules (PDF; 309 KB) — Employees may benefit by having completed OJT modules in their learning history in Aglearn. This requires completing a SF-182 for each module as an external learning request. These instructions will help facilitate this process by creating a template for repeated use.

000 Map Unit Design and Mapping Soils

001 Understand the MLRA concept for doing soil survey (PDF; 84 KB)
002 Understand the relationship of the factors of soil formation in your soil survey area (PDF; 1.55 MB)
003 Understand the concepts of landscape models and soil catenas (PDF; 56 KB)
004 Understand soil variability within the landscape continuum in your soil survey area (PDF; 599 KB)
005 How to differentiate between scales and orders of mapping in soil survey (PDF; 257 KB)
006 Understand what environmental issues exist in your soil survey area and how to deal with related emergencies (PDF; 165 KB)
007 Understanding the processes of mapping soils (PDF; 11.6 MB)
008 How to identify native and nonnative plants and relate them to soils in your soil survey area (PDF; 354 KB)
009 How to plan traversing in your soil survey area based on scale and order of soil survey (PDF; 100 KB)
010 How to design a map unit (PDF; 145 KB)
011 How to recognize and use components in soil survey (PDF; 119 KB)
012 How to recognize and distinguish map units in soil survey (PDF; 99 KB)
013 How to name map units (PDF; 130 KB)
014 How to establish and track a proposed new map unit (PDF; 73 KB)
015 How to use a soils key for your soil survey area (PDF; 225 KB)
016 How to develop a soils key for your soil survey area (PDF; 108 KB)
017 How to effectively orient yourself on a photographic image while mapping or traveling in the field in your soil survey area (PDF; 34 KB)
018 How to use a topographic map in your soil survey area (PDF; 75 KB)
019 How to interpret photo images in your soil survey area (PDF; 82 KB)
020 How to complete premapping in your soil survey area using hardcopy resources (PDF; 36 KB)
021 How to complete premapping in your soil survey area using digital data resources (PDF; 38 KB)
022 How to describe rock fragments on the soil surface (surface stoniness) (PDF; 54 KB)
023 How to let people know where you are when you go to the field in your soil survey area (PDF; 84 KB)
024 How to present soil survey program benefits to landowners to gain access permission in your soil survey area (PDF; 89 KB)
025 How to effectively communicate and maintain professionalism with sometimes angry or uncooperative landowners and the general public when attempting to gain access to private property (PDF; 89 KB)

100 Soil Describing

101 How to use the Field Book for Describing and Sampling Soils (PDF; 67 KB)
102 How to fill out a 232 soil description form (PDF; 37 KB)
103 How to create sketches for a 232 soil description (PDF; 46 KB)
104 Understand the differences between soil properties and qualities (PDF; 65 KB)
105 How to differentiate and identify soil horizons in the field (PDF; 41 KB)
106 Color — How to use the Munsell Soil Color Charts to describe soil colors (PDF; 67 KB)
107 Color — How to describe soil matrix colors (PDF; 36 KB)
108 How to describe mottles (PDF; 34 KB)
109 How to describe redoximorphic features (PDF; 34 KB)
110 How to describe concentrations (PDF; 34 KB)
111 How to describe ped and void surface features (PDF; 34 KB)
112 Texture — How to describe sand, silt, and clay in the soil (PDF; 176 KB)
113 Texture — How to distinguish sand fractions in the field (PDF; 100 KB)
114 Texture — How to estimate texture with different kinds of clay (PDF; 37 KB)
115 Texture — How to describe texture in organic soil material (PDF; 39 KB)
116 Fragments — How to describe content of rock and other fragments in the soil (PDF; 42 KB)
117 Fragments — How to describe size of rock and other fragments in the soil (PDF; 37 KB)
118 Fragments — How to describe kinds of rock and other fragments in the soil (PDF; 35 KB)
119 How to describe soil structure (PDF; 34 KB)
120 Soil Consistence — How to describe rupture resistance (PDF; 36 KB)
121 Soil Consistence — How to describe block, ped, and clod cementation (PDF; 35 KB)
122 Soil Consistence — How to describe manner of failure (PDF; 145 KB)
123 Soil Consistence — How to describe stickiness and plasticity (PDF; 34 KB)
124 How to describe roots in soil (PDF; 35 KB)
125 How to describe pores in soil (PDF; 35 KB)
126 How to describe cracks in soil (PDF; 34 KB)
127 How to describe field chemical responses in soil (PDF; 36 KB)
128 How to describe pedogenic carbonate stages (PDF; 34 KB)
129 How to describe human derived artifacts in soils (PDF; 34 KB)
130 How to describe soil crusts (PDF; 34 KB)
131 How to describe special features (PDF; 33 KB)
132 How to describe saturated hydraulic conductivity (PDF; 34 KB)
133 How to describe soil odor (PDF; 33 KB)
134 Subaqueous soils — How to fill out a subaqueous soil description form (PDF; 38 KB)
135 Subaqueous soils — How to describe vibracore sampling (PDF; 34 KB)

200 Soil Classification

201 How to use Soil Taxonomy and the Keys to Soil Taxonomy — Overview (PDF; 106 KB)
202 How to use The Guy Smith Interviews: Rationale for Concepts in Soil Taxonomy (PDF; 3.03 MB)
203 How to identify diagnostic horizons and characteristics of the higher categories (PDF; 36 KB)
204 How to identify soil orders (PDF; 65 KB)
205 How to identify the control sections of soils in your survey area (PDF; 65 KB)
206 How to identify family classes (PDF; 618 KB)
207 How to relate a pedon description with lab data to classification — Overview (PDF; 51 KB)
208 How to use the Official Soil Series Descriptions (OSD) web pages (PDF; 1.73 MB)
209 Understand the Official Soil Series Descriptions (PDF; 40 KB)
210 How to develop a new soil series (PDF; 34 KB)
211 How to name a new soil series (PDF; 454 KB)
212 How to develop a range of characteristics for a new soil series (PDF; 34 KB)
213 How to maintain and process an Official Soil Series Description (PDF; 37 KB)
214 How to use the Soil Series Classification Database (SC) web pages (PDF; 1.15 MB)

300 Soil Survey Documentation

301 Understand documentation standards for soil survey (PDF; 67 KB)
302 How to document your decisions with soil descriptions, field notes, sketches, GPS coordinates, and photography (PDF; 66 KB)
303 Transect — How to plan for transect data (PDF; 57 KB)
304 Transect — How to collect transect data (PDF; 64 KB)
305 How to collect field notes (PDF; 39 KB)
306 Understand the concept of typical or representative pedons in soil survey (PDF; 81 KB)
307 Understand the interrelationship of MUDs, TUDs, and OSDs (PDF; 131 KB)
308 How to use transect data in map unit design (PDF; 67 KB)
309 How to develop a range of characteristics for a taxonomic unit description (PDF; 38 KB)
310 How to prepare SoilDB for use with R (PDF; 98 KB)

400 Sampling and Characterization

401 Understand your cultural resources and endangered species responsibilities (PDF; 54 KB)
402 Understand OSHA standards regarding excavations (PDF; 65 KB)
403 MSDS — Understand the purpose of the Material Safety Data Sheet for soil survey offices (PDF; 702 KB)
404 MSDS — How to use the Material Safety Data Sheet for soil survey offices (PDF; 539 KB)
405 How to properly request laboratory analysis to meet your needs (PDF; 67 KB)
406 Understand the standard procedures for sampling soils (PDF; 91 KB)
407 Bulk Density — How to sample with oriented clods (PDF; 34 KB)
408 Bulk Density — How to sample with the core method (PDF; 38 KB)
409 Bulk Density — How to sample with the compliant cavity method (PDF; 38 KB)
410 Bulk Density — How to sample with the ring excavation method (PDF; 38 KB)
411 Bulk Density — How to sample with the frame excavation method (PDF; 38 KB)
412 How to sample for salinity tests (PDF; 34 KB)
413 How to prepare, handle, and ship samples to the NSSC Kellogg Soil Survey Laboratory (PDF; 105 KB)
414 How to sample for engineering tests (PDF; 1.96 MB)
415 How to access and use soil characterization data (PDF; 38 KB)
416 How to analyze and summarize lab data reports for specific important soil properties in your survey area (PDF; 37 KB)
417 How to apply lab data to physical and chemical soil properties and qualities (PDF; 37 KB)
418 How to do particle-size analysis in the soil survey office (PDF; 34 KB)
419 How to do chemical analysis in the soil survey office (PDF; 34 KB)

500 Soil Survey Information

501 How to access and use the information on the soils.usda.gov web site (PDF; 47 KB)
502 How to find, access, and use the Web Soil Survey web site (PDF; 104 KB)
503 How to find, access, and use the eFOTG web site (PDF; 34 KB)
504 How to find, access, and use the Geospatial Data Gateway web site (PDF; 34 KB)
505 Understand where to find and how to use NCSS standards and other guidance documents (PDF; 68 KB)
506 Understand the content and function of the NSSH (PDF; 65 KB)
507 Understand the content and function of the Geomorphic Description System (PDF; 66 KB)

600 Equipment Use and Operation

601 How to manage waypoints and operate, navigate, and determine location using a GPS (PDF; 33 KB)
602 How to use soil augers, push probes, and back saver probes correctly (PDF; 50 KB)
603 How to use shovels, spades, and pickaxes correctly (PDF; 56 KB)
604 How to take photographs for soil survey – basics (PDF; 36 KB)
605 How to use a Suunto clinometer for slope and height measurements (PDF; 74 KB)
606 How to locate and safely avoid pipelines and other utilities (PDF; 58 KB)

700 Ecological Inventory

701 How to access and use the Ecological Site Information System (PDF; 55 KB)
702 How to find, access, and use the Web Soil Survey website (PDF; 104 KB)
703 How to access ecological site information within Web Soil Survey (PDF; 47 KB)
704 How to access and use the PLANTS database (PDF; 50 KB)
705 How to conduct a belt transect (PDF; 49 KB)
706 How to conduct a gap intercept (PDF; 50 KB)
707 How to conduct a line point intercept (PDF; 50 KB)
708 How to conduct a riparian channel vegetation survey (PDF; 46 KB)
709 How to conduct the cover board method (PDF; 49 KB)
710 How to conduct the daubenmire method (PDF; 52 KB)
711 How to conduct the dry weight rank method (PDF; 49 KB)
712 How to conduct the point-intercept method (PDF; 53 KB)
713 How to conduct the step-point method (PDF; 51 KB)
714 How to construct a riparian channel and gully profile (PDF; 46 KB)
715 How to determine plant frequency (PDF; 51 KB)
716 How to determine plant species richness (PDF; 47 KB)
717 How to determine tree density (PDF; 46 KB)
718 How to gather background information for an ecological site (PDF; 53 KB)
719 How to locate, access, and use local flora information (PDF; 48 KB)
720 How to measure plant production with the comparative yield method (PDF; 53 KB)
721 How to measure plant production with the double weight sampling method (PDF; 51 KB)
722 How to measure plant production with the harvest method (PDF; 50 KB)
723 How to measure plant production (PDF; 51 KB)
724 How to measure vegetation structure (PDF; 46 KB)
725 How to name and assign an ID to an ecological site (PDF; 106 KB)
726 How to set up a vegetation transect (PDF; 50 KB)
727 How to set up for photo points (PDF; 49 KB)
728 How to use and interpret repeat photography (PDF; 49 KB)
729 How to conduct reconnaissance for ESDs using low-intensity traverses (PDF; 51 KB)
730 How to develop a sampling strategy for ESD development (PDF; 52 KB)
732 Understanding the ESD quality control, quality assurance, correlation, and certification process (PDF; 199 KB)
733 Understanding the development of State-and-Transition Models (STMs) in Ecological Site Descriptions (ESDs) (PDF; 63 KB)
734 How to recognize a state change versus a different ecological site (PDF; 45 KB)

800 Geophysical Tools

801 Understand EMI technology (PDF; 5.78 MB)
802 How to setup and calibrate the EM38 (PDF; 33 KB)
803 How to use the EM38 with Allegro and Geonics Dat38W (PDF; 34 KB)
804 How to use the EM38 with Archer and Geonics Dat38W (PDF; 34 KB)
805 How to use the EM38 with Trimble Yuma and Geonics Dat38W (PDF; 38 KB)
806 How to setup and configure the Profiler EMP-400 (PDF; 495 KB)
807 How to process data from the Profiler EMP-400 (PDF; 1.69 MB)
808 How to use the Dual EM with Allegro handheld and Starpal software (PDF; 113 KB)
809 How to conduct an EMI investigation (PDF; 1.45 MB)
810 How to import and process data using Surfer software (PDF; 8.52 MB)
811 How to create and display EMI data in ArcGIS (PDF; 82 KB)
812 How to convert data to information for the customer (PDF; 9.76 MB)
820 Understand GPR and how GPR works (PDF; 652 KB)
821 Understand the uses of GPR for soil investigations (PDF; 917 KB)
822 Understand determining depth of exploration and dielectric permittivity for GPR (PDF; 545 KB)
823 Understand the factors influencing GPR subsurface detection (PDF; 398 KB)

OJT in Soils and Soil Survey for Non Soil Scientist Disciplines

OJT module completion checklist for Non Soil Scientist Disciplines (XLSX; 13 KB)

SF-182 Instructions for OJT Modules (PDF; 309 KB) — Employees may benefit by having completed OJT modules in their learning history in Aglearn. This requires completing a SF-182 for each module as an external learning request. These instructions will help facilitate this process by creating a template for repeated use.

1000 Soil Science

1001 Understand the basics of soil interpretation ratings (PDF; 161 KB)
1002 Understand the various interpretive groups in use in your area — overview (PDF; 98 KB)
1003 How to find and acquire soil information (PDF; 106 KB)
1004 How to identify soil risks and hazards — overview (PDF; 106 KB)
1005 Understand the water-holding capacity property of soils (PDF; 58 KB)
1006 Understanding hydric soils (PDF; 125 KB)
1007 Understand hydric soil indicators and criteria common to your region (PDF; 84 KB)
1008 Soil salinity – understand the what, where, and how of salinity development (PDF; 62 KB)
1009 Soil salinity – how to identify and measure (PDF; 36 KB)
1010 Soil salinity – understand the effects and management practices to apply (PDF; 39 KB)
1011 Understand human alteration of soil quality and soil health in your area — overview (PDF; 87 KB)
1012 Understand the importance of organic matter and soil carbon to soil quality and soil health (PDF; 134 KB)
1013 Understand the information found within the FOTG sections I and II (PDF; 85 KB)
1014 How to find, access, and use the Web Soil Survey web site (PDF; 34 KB)
1015 How to use Web Soil Survey interpretative information (PDF; 40 KB)
1016 How to use the Soil Data Viewer (basic) (PDF; 36 KB)
1017 Understand soil and plant relationships in your area — physical and chemical properties (PDF; 117 KB)
1018 Understand how soil investigations can resolve your natural resource issues (37 KB)
1019 Understand the effects of limiting layers on land use — overview (123 KB)
1020 Understanding the processes of soil erosion (PDF; 60 KB)
1021 How to determine the erodibility of soils in your area using spatial and attribute data (PDF; 106 KB)
1022 How to recognize potential suitable locations for agricultural waste storage facilities, dams, and ponds using soil information (PDF; 40 KB)
1023 How to recognize potential suitable sites for agricultural waste storage facilities, ponds, and dams onsite (PDF; 40 KB)
1024 How to complete NHEL and HEL determinations (PDF; 67 KB)
1025 How to complete the FPPA forms (PDF; 720 KB)

1100 Soil Survey

1101 Understand the NCSS standards used in soil survey and the kind of information in each (PDF; 85 KB)
1102 Understand map units, delineations, and the components within your survey area (PDF; 723 KB)
1103 Understand the relationship of the factors of soil formation in your soil survey area (PDF; 1.54 MB)
1104 How to identify landscapes, landforms, and surface morphometry — overview (PDF; 78 KB)
1105 How to key down from landscapes to landforms to associated soil map units and soil components in your area (PDF; 77 KB)
1106 Understand the catena concept and its relationship to the soil as a continuum across the landscape in your area (PDF; 39 KB)
1107 Understand the soil survey procedures used in developing initial soil surveys (PDF; 99 KB)
1108 Understand the uses and limitations of soil survey information (PDF; 166 KB)
1109 Understand the procedures for updating soil survey projects (PDF; 33 KB)
1110 How the novice can use the Illustrated Guide to Soil Taxonomy to classify soils (PDF; 43 KB)
1111 How to use the Illustrated Guide to Soil Taxonomy to understand the soils of the area (PDF; 60 KB)

1200 Describing Soils

1201 How to determine soil texture in the USDA Soil Classification System (PDF; 443 KB)
1202 How to recognize soil pedon horizon boundaries and depths (PDF; 35 KB)
1203 How to recognize soil structure (PDF; 39 KB)
1204 Understand how soil structure affects other soil qualities (PDF; 89 KB)
1205 Understand the significance of soil color in your survey area (PDF; 83 KB)
1206 How to use the Munsell Soil Color Charts to describe soil colors (PDF; 96 KB)
1207 How to recognize limiting soil layers in your area (PDF; 40 KB)
1208 How to measure soil pH and its importance (PDF; 105 KB)
1209 How to determine soil texture using the Unified Classification System (PDF; 3.98 MB)
1210 How to conduct a soil compaction test (PDF; 48 KB)
1211 How to conduct a soil stability test (PDF; 51 KB)