**National Cooperative Soil Survey - Federal Lands Advisory Group (FLAG)
Plan for Completing Soil Survey's and Ecological Sites for the Nation**

**Presented by Pete Biggam, FLAG Chair, at the National Cooperative Soil
Survey Conference**

**June, 2007**

**[Introduction]{.underline}**

This plan was developed by NRCS and NCSS partners in the States, and the
Federal Lands Advisory Group (FLAG) whose goal is to develop cooperative
solutions for completion and update of soil and potential natural
vegetation inventories of the nation, develop common priorities and a
common plan that ensures the effective use of agency resources while
recognizing the unique missions and objectives of each agency. FLAG is a
national level group whose membership includes those federal agencies
actively participating in the soil survey of the U.S. including Bureau
of Indian Affairs (BIA), Bureau of Land Management (BLM), Department of
Defense (DoD), Forest Service (FS), National Park Service (NPS), and
National Resource Conservation Service (NRCS).

**[Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA)]{.underline}**

The BIA as the primary contact for Native Americans lands desires the
completion of primarily 1:24,000 scale soil surveys to support the land
management decision making processes. Soil surveys are needed to meet
needs for farming, community planning, land development, grazing and
forest management. Soil survey and ecological site data are necessary to
accomplish land health assessments, grazing permit renewal, energy and
mineral permitting and leasing, restoring natural fire processes,
restoring health of the land, maintaining clean water and air, and
invasive plant control. Soil information is fundamental in assessing
soil capabilities, limitations, and vulnerability to degradation and
loss of capacity to sustain the health of the land.

**[Bureau of Land management (BLM)]{.underline}**

The BLM desires the completion of primarily 1:24,000 scale soil surveys
on public lands to support the land management decision making process.
Soil survey and ecological site data are necessary to accomplish
rangeland health assessments, grazing permit renewal, energy and mineral
permitting and leasing, restoring natural fire processes, restoring
health of the land, maintaining clean water and air, and invasive plant
control. Soil information is fundamental in assessing soil capabilities,
limitations, and vulnerability to degradation and loss of capacity to
sustain the health of the land. All public land activity that disturbs
the soil benefits from the information and interpretations provided in
soil surveys. Most soil and ecological mapping on public land has been
accomplished via reimbursable agreements with the NRCS.

**[Department of Defense (DoD) - Army]{.underline}**

Each Service's natural resources management implementing guidelines
require soils planning level survey as part of an installation's INRMP.
Each Service either names NRCS as the source from which to obtain soils
data or requires that the soil survey be done to NCSS standards and
procedures. Each installation's mission normally dictates the level of
detail needed. E.g. The Army's standard is a 1:12,000 soil survey to
support installations where millions of miles of vehicle (from ATV's
through main battle tanks) traffic and other land intensive mission
training takes place. On those installations that DoD is closing, clean
up requirements often need soil surveys to understand the fate and
transport of chemicals and constituents of concern. Installations
needing a soil survey enter into an agreement with the NRCS. At the
installation's request, the soil survey may be restricted from public
access due to national security concerns.

**[Forest Service (FS)]{.underline}**

The National Forest System uses soil resource inventories and
terrestrial ecological unit inventories to develop land and resource
management plans as well as project plans. For over fifty years the
Forest Service has endeavored to acquire soil data, devise, formulate
maps and develop interpretations for land management prescriptions for
land managers. Over the years, the format and level of detail required
for displaying soil information has changed and become more data
intensive. Additionally, the Forest Service has pursued an ecological
approach to land stewardship. This evolution has increased the need of
soil resource inventories to collect and classify vegetation data in
conjunction with progressive inventories along with data storage. The
focus for the Forest Service is on correlating and data base development
for areas mapped by Forest Service and on completing surveys at
primarily 1:24,000 scale where no modern soil resource inventory or
terrestrial ecological unit inventory exists.

**[National Park Service (NPS)]{.underline}**

The NPS Soil Inventory and Monitoring Program is acquiring appropriate,
detailed geospatial soil data bases which will define the distribution
of soil types, determine their physical, chemical and biological
characteristics, and provide interpretations needed to assess soil
capabilities, limitations, and vulnerabilities to degradation, as well
as promoting a soil conservation ethic and supporting soil resources
management, vital signs monitoring, ecological restoration activities,
and facilities development decisions within the agency.

The NPS is currently working with NRCS, via Interagency Agreements, to
support dedicated soil survey crews in strategic locations to map NPS
lands as well as refine and/or develop ecological site descriptions to
meet agency needs.

**[National Resource Conservation Service (NRCS)]{.underline}**

NRCS completes surveys and ecological sites on private lands, including
Native American lands based on the kinds of information needed to manage
those lands. Traditionally this has meant a Soil Survey at a scale of
1:12,000 to 1:24,000 on cropland and urban land areas, at a scale of
1:24,000 to 1:62,500 on range and forestlands and at a scale of
1:250,000 to 1:1,000,000 to provide a general level of information where
more detailed information is not needed or has not been developed. The
soil survey's show the locations and extent of soils, data about the
physical and chemical properties of those soils, and information derived
from that data about potentialities and problems of use on each kind of
soil in sufficient detail to meet all reasonable needs for farmers,
agricultural technicians, community planners, tax commissioners,
engineers, homeowners, developers, ranchers, foresters and other land
managers, and scientists in planning and transferring the findings of
research and experience to specific land areas.

In addition, NRCS provides expertise to enable the NCSS to develop and
maintain a uniform system for mapping and assessing soil resources so
that soil information from different locations can be shared, regardless
of which agency collects it. NRCS also provides training in soil survey
to Federal agencies and assists other Federal agencies with their soil
inventories on a reimbursable basis.

**[Status of Soil Survey]{.underline}**

Significant progress has been made, but large part of the U.S. remains
and many of these lands are intermingled especially in the West. These
intermingled areas make it very inefficient to map only agency or
private land areas. In addition, coordination and priorities have
largely been competed at the region, state, forest level, district or
county levels with sporadic and fluctuating funding levels.

**[Plan Actions]{.underline}**

In order to accelerate the initial soil survey the NCSS will complete
the following actions:

1.  Re-focus states with initial mapping remaining away from update and
    maintenance to of older soil surveys to completing the initial soil
    survey.

2.  Evaluate production rates for states with initial mapping remaining
    and where necessary revise rates in order to increase mapping rates.

3.  Detail agency staff, provide overtime for agency staff and contract
    for additional staff.

4.  Develop ecological site descriptions concurrent with completion of
    these soil surveys.

5.  Exploit technology to accelerate mapping rates and improve overall
    quality.

6.  Review and correlate soil surveys completed by Forest Service and
    others and input these data into the designated database. Establish
    state office staff dedicated to this function.

7.  Establish monthly teleconferences and biannual meetings to monitor
    progress and resolve problems.

8.  Coordinate mapping according to joint priorities in order to
    maximize efficiencies.

9.  Shift funding NRCS funding for non-federal lands from states where
    the initial soil survey is completed to states where initial soil
    surveys remain.

10. Shift SSURGO funding to hire new employees or equivalent contractors
    to map non-federal lands.

11. Increase FY 07 funding from BLM by \$600 thousand and Forest Service
    by to between \$500 thousand and \$1 million. NPS increases FY07
    funding by \$500,000 to \$ 3.0 million

12. Increase FY 08 funding for FS by 12 million per year for a 5 year
    total of \$60 million and funding for BLM by 7.4 million per year
    for 5 year total of \$37 million.

**Agency Annual Plans**

**[Bureau of Land Management]{.underline}** - First and Second Priority
Areas (average mapping rate is 500,000 acres per year in Alaska and
100,000 acres per year for rest of U.S.)

  -------------- ---------------- --------------- --------------- --------------- --------------- --------------- ---------------
  **States**     **Acres          **FY 07 Acres** **FY 08 Acres** **FY 09 Acres** **FY 10 Acres** **FY 11 Acres** **FY 12 Acres**
                 Remaining**                                                                                      

  Alaska         13,271,000                       2,654,200       2,654,200       2,654,200       2,654,200       2,654,200

  Arizona        2,467,000                        493,400         493,400         493,400         493,400         493,400

  California\*   12,165,000                       2,433,000       2,433,000       2,433,000       2,433,000       2,433,000

  Colorado       35,000                                                                           35,000           

  Idaho          134,000                                                                          67,000          67,000

  Montana        389,000                                                          129,667         129,667         129,667

  Nevada         1,796,000                        359,200         359,200         359,200         359,200         359,200

  New Mexico     1,184,000                                        296,000         296,000         296,000         296,000

  Oregon         6,036,000        1,006,000       1,006,000       1,006,000       1,006,000       1,006,000       1,006,000

  Utah           2,206,000                        441,200         441,200         441,200         441,200         441,200

  Wyoming        5,830,000        971,667         971,667         971,667         971,667         971,667         971,667

  **Total**      **32,242,000**   **1,977,667**   **8,358,667**   **8,654,667**   **8,784,333**   **8,886,333**   **8,851,333**

  AK SY@ 500,000 27               0               5               5               5               5               5

  AK Cost        \$2,123,360                      \$424,672       \$424,672       \$424,672       \$424,672       \$424,672

  Lower 48 SY@   322              20              57              60              61              62              62
  100,000                                                                                                         

  Lower 48 Cost  \$25,793,600     \$1,582,133     \$4,563,573     \$4,800,373     \$4,904,107     \$4,985,707     \$4,957,707

  Total Cost     \$27,916,960     \$1,582,133     \$4,988,245     \$5,225,045     \$5,328,779     \$5,410,379     \$5,382,379
  -------------- ---------------- --------------- --------------- --------------- --------------- --------------- ---------------

**[Bureau of Land Management]{.underline}** - First Priority (Average
Rate 100,000 acres per year

  --------------- ------------------ ----------------- ----------------- ----------------- ----------------- ----------------- -----------------
  **States with   **Priority One     **FY 07 Acres**   **FY 08 Acres**   **FY 09 Acres**   **FY 10 Acres**   **FY 11 Acres**   **FY 12 Acres**
  Initial         Acres Remaining**                                                                                            
  Mapping**                                                                                                                    

  Arizona         2,467,000                            493,400           493,400           493,400           493,400           493,400

  California      1,619,000                            323,800           323,800           323,800           323,800           323,800

  Colorado        35,000                                                                                     35,000             

  Idaho           118,000                                                                                    59,000            59,000

  Montana         389,000                                                                  129,667           129,667           129,667

  Nevada          836,000                                                209,000           209,000           209,000           209,000

  New Mexico      1,184,000                                              296,000           296,000           296,000           296,000

  Oregon          5,524,000          920,667           920,667           920,667           920,667           920,667           920,667

  Utah            1,235,000                            247,000           247,000           247,000           247,000           247,000

  Wyoming         4,777,000          796,167           796,167           796,167           796,167           796,167           796,167

  **Total**       **18,184,000**     **1,716,833**     **2,781,033**     **3,286,033**     **3,415,700**     **3,509,700**     **3,474,700**

  **Staff Years @ **182**            **17**            **28**            **33**            **34**            **35**            **35**
  100,000**                                                                                                                    

  **Total Cost**  **\$14,547,200**   **\$1,373,467**   **\$2,224,827**   **\$2,628,827**   **\$2,732,560**   **\$2,807,760**   **\$2,779,760**
  --------------- ------------------ ----------------- ----------------- ----------------- ----------------- ----------------- -----------------

**[U.S. Forest Service]{.underline}** -- Correlation and Database

  ------------- ------------------ --------------- --------------- --------------- --------------- --------------- ---------------
  **States with **Acres            **FY 07 Acres** **FY 08 Acres** **FY 09 Acres** **FY 10 Acres** **FY 11 Acres** **FY 12 Acres**
  Initial       Remaining**                                                                                        
  Mapping**                                                                                                        

  Arizona       3,350,033          0               670,007         670,007         670,007         670,007         670,007

  California    1,851,601          0               462,900         462,900         462,900         462,900         0

  Colorado      4,924,750          0               984,950         984,950         984,950         984,950         984,950

  New Mexico    1,860,678          0               620,226         620,226         620,226         0               0

  Utah          2,696,514          0               539,303         539,303         539,303         539,303         539,303

  Wyoming       4,114,184          822,837         822,837         822,837         822,837         822,837         0

  **Total**     **18,797,760**     **822,837**     **4,100,222**   **4,100,222**   **4,100,222**   **3,479,996**   **2,194,259**

  **Staff Years ** **              **8**           **41**          **41**          **41**          **35**          **22**
  @ 500,000**                                                                                                      

  **Total Cost  **\$501,273.60**   **\$131,654**   **\$656,036**   **\$656,036**   **\$656,036**   **\$556,799**   **\$351,082**
  Per Yr**                                                                                                         
  ------------- ------------------ --------------- --------------- --------------- --------------- --------------- ---------------

**[U.S. Forest Service]{.underline}** -- Mapping

  -------------- -------------------- --------------- ----------------- ----------------- ----------------- ----------------- -----------------
  **States with  **Acres Remaining**  **FY 07 Acres** **FY 08 Acres**   **FY 09 Acres**   **FY 10 Acres**   **FY 11 Acres**   **FY 12 Acres**
  Initial                                                                                                                     
  Mapping**                                                                                                                   

  Alabama        15,000               0               15,000            0                 0                 0                 0

  Alaska         439,000              0               87,800            87,800            87,800            87,800            87,800

  Arizona        2,625,563            300,000         465,113           465,113           465,113           465,113           465,113

  Arkansas       250,000              0               83,333            83,333            83,333            0                 0

  California     663,783              0               132,757           132,757           132,757           132,757           132,757

  Colorado       3,244,572                            648,914           648,914           648,914           648,914           648,914

  Florida        250,000              0               83,333            83,333            83,333            0                 0

  Georgia        125,000              0               62,500            62,500            0                 0                 0

  Idaho          14,141,190           0               2,828,238         2,828,238         2,828,238         2,828,238         2,828,238

  Illinois       29,720               0               0                 29,720            0                 0                 0

  Maine          40,040               0               15,000            40,040            0                 0                 0

  Michigan       166,060              0               0                 0                 83,030            83,030            0

  Minnesota      2,098,336                            419,667           419,667           419,667           419,667           419,667

  Mississippi    550,000              0               110,000           110,000           110,000           110,000           110,000

  Missouri       273,188              0               0                 0                 54,638            54,638            54,638

  Montana        7,736,712            0               1,547,342         1,547,342         1,547,342         1,547,342         1,547,342

  Nevada         2,325,128            0                                 581,282           581,282           581,282           581,282

  New Hampshire  578,187              0               115,637           115,637           115,637           115,637           115,637

  New Mexico     3,812,585            300,000         702,517           702,517           702,517           702,517           702,517

  New York       262,900              0               0                 87,633            87,633            87,633            0

  Oregon         9,670,572            200,000         1,894,114         1,894,114         1,894,114         1,894,114         1,894,114

  Pennsylvania   109                  0               109               0                 0                 0                 0

  Texas          155,724              0               100,000           55,724            0                 0                 0

  Utah           985,119                              197,024           197,024           197,024           197,024           197,024

  Vermont        109,002              0               100,000           9,002             0                 0                 0

  Virginia       40,000               0               40,000            0                 0                 0                 0

  Washington     4,016,862            200,000         763,372           763,372           763,372           763,372           763,372

  W. Virginia    214,000              0               71,333            71,333            71,333            0                 0

  Wyoming        1,076,450            0               215,290           215,290           215,290           215,290           215,290

  **Total**      **55,894,802**       **1,000,000**   **10,698,395**    **11,231,688**    **11,172,369**    **10,934,369**    **10,763,706**

  **Staff Years  ** **                **10**          **107**           **112**           **112**           **109**           **108**
  @ 100000**                                                                                                                  

  **Total Cost   **\$7,440,070.24**   **\$800,000**   **\$8,558,716**   **\$8,985,350**   **\$8,937,895**   **\$8,747,495**   **\$8,610,965**
  Per Yr**                                                                                                                    
  -------------- -------------------- --------------- ----------------- ----------------- ----------------- ----------------- -----------------

**[Natural Resources Conservation Service and Bureau of Indian
Affairs]{.underline}** -- Mapping

  ------------- ---------------- ------------ ----------- ----------- ----------- ------------- ---------- ----------- ------------
  **States with **Acres          **Average    **FTE       **Current   **Out of    **FTE         **FTE      **Current   **Date
  Initial       Remaining**      Mapping      Required to (2007 to    State Soil  Contract Soil Required   2007 to     Complete**
  Mapping**                      Rate**       complete    2011) Soil  Scientist   Scientist**   for ESD**  2011 FTE    
                                              Soil        Scientist   Details                              for ESD**   
                                              Survey**    FTE**       FTE**                                            

  Alabama       1,509,119        37,728       40          30          6                                                3/31/2010

  Alaska        15,293,924       243,534      63          29          40                        0          0           9/30/2011

  Arizona       5,955,738        88,892       67          50          10          7             31         5           9/30/2011

  California    6,322,310        61,085       104         118         6           0             52         13          9/30/2011

  Florida       273,510          39,073       7           15          0           0                                    12/31/2009

  Georgia       1,860,381        37,208       50          30          20                                               9/30/2009

  Maine         2,500,000        38,462       65          50          15                                               9/30/2011

  Minnesota     2,523,850        35,005       72          50          22          0             0          0           9/30/2011

  Mississippi   1,199,616        34,275       35          20          15                                               12/31/2009

  Montana       1,521,674        43,107       35          90          14          0             4          3           12/31/2010

  New York      1,794,600        40,786       44          40          4                                                12/31/2010

  Oregon        3,849,845        59,228       65          45          20                        30         3           9/30/2011

  Texas         5,567,487        64,738       86          200                                   49                     10/1/2010

  Utah          2,822,631        49,520       57          30          20          10            20         10          9/30/2011

  Vermont       366,200          40,689       9           15                                                           12/31/2009

  Virginia      814,275          39,915       20          45                                                           9/30/2009

  Washington    794,703          51,271       16          65                                    6                      9/30/2009

  Wyoming       8,108,642        49,143       165         116         98                        20         10          9/30/2011

  **Totals**    **63,078,505**   **58,537**   **1,000**   **1,038**   **290**     **17**        **211**    **43**      ** **
  ------------- ---------------- ------------ ----------- ----------- ----------- ------------- ---------- ----------- ------------

[**National Park Service Priorities** - Mapping]{.underline} (average
mapping rate is 500,000 acres per year in Alaska and 100,000 acres per
year for rest of U.S.)

  ------------ ------------------ ----------------- ----------------- ----------------- ----------------- ----------------- -----------------
  **States     **Acres            **FY 07 Acres**   **FY 08 Acres**   **FY 09 Acres**   **FY 10 Acres**   **FY 11 Acres**   **FY 12 Acres**
  with Initial Remaining**                                                                                                  
  Mapping**                                                                                                                 

  Alaska       48,563,764         8,093,960         8,093,960         8,093,960         8,093,960         8,093,960         8,093,964

  Arizona      240,458            120,000           120,458                                                                  

  California   5,888,293          888,293           1,000,000         1,000,000         1,000,000         1,000,000         1,000,000

  Colorado     158,654                              80,000            78,654                                                 

  Florida      2,367,095                            473,419           473,419           473,419           473,419           473,419

  Minnesota    218,910                                                                  100,000           100,000           18,910

  Montana      1,013,572                            213,572           200,000           200,000           200,000           200,000

  New Mexico   313,051                              104,350           104,350           104,351                              

  South Dakota 242,756            80,919            80,919            80,918                                                 

  Texas        191,265                              91,265            100,000                                                

  Utah         1,443,427          240,572           240,571           240,571           240,571           240,571           240,571

  Virginia     199,045            66,349            66,348            66,348                                                 

  Washington   1,663,057          277,177           277,176           277,176           277,176           277,176           277,176

  West         88,006             45,000            43,006                                                                   
  Virginia                                                                                                                  

  Wyoming      2,658,280          443,050           443,046           443,046           443,046           443,046           443,046

  **Total**    **65,249,633**     **10,255,320**    **11,328,090**    **11,158,442**    **10,932,523**    **10,828,172**    **10,747,086**

  **Alaska     **97**             **16**            **16**            **16**            **16**            **16**            **16**
  Staff Years                                                                                                               
  @ 500,000                                                                                                                 
  ac/yr**                                                                                                                   

  **Alaska     **\$7,776,000**    **\$1,296,000**   **\$1,296,000**   **\$1,296,000**   **\$1,296,000**   **\$1,296,000**   **\$1,296,000**
  Total Cost                                                                                                                
  Per Yr**                                                                                                                  

  **Lower 48   **166**            **22**            **32**            **30**            **28**            **27**            **27**
  Staff Years                                                                                                               
  @ 100,000                                                                                                                 
  ac/yr**                                                                                                                   

  **Lower 48   **\$13,300,000**   **\$1,728,000**   **\$2,587,200**   **\$2,404,800**   **\$2,270,400**   **\$2,187,200**   **\$2,122,400**
  Total Cost                                                                                                                
  Per Yr**                                                                                                                  

  **Total      **\$21,076,000**   **\$3,024,000**   **\$3,883,200**   **\$3,700,800**   **\$3,566,400**   **\$3,483,200**   **\$3,418,400**
  Cost**                                                                                                                    
  ------------ ------------------ ----------------- ----------------- ----------------- ----------------- ----------------- -----------------

**[Summary of All Agencies]{.underline} -- Mapping and Ecological Site
Description Development**

  ------------ --------------- ------------ --------------- ------------ ------------ --------------
  **Agency**   **Prioritized   **Required   **Required      **Total      **Cost per   **Total
               Acres Remaining Staff Years  Staff Years for Staff Years  Staff Year** Projected Cost
               (millions)**    for Soil     Ecological Site Required**                (millions)**
                               Mapping**    Development**                             

  **BLM**      **32.2**        **350**      **115**         **465**      **\$110k**   **\$51.15**

  **USFS**     **55.9**        **558**      **184**         **742**      **\$110k**   **\$81.60**

  **NPS**      **65.2**        **263**      **87**          **347**      **\$110k**   **\$38.17**

  **DoD -      **4.8**         **88**       **29**          **117**      **\$110k**   **\$12.87**
  Army**                                                                              

  **Tribal and **63**          **1000**     **306**         **1306**     **\$110k**   **\$143.66**
  Private                                                                             
  Lands                                                                               
  NRCS/BIA**                                                                          

  ** **        ** **           ** **        ** **           ** **        ** **        ** **

  **TOTALS**   **221.1**       **2259**     **721**         **2977**     **\$110k**   **\$327.45**
  ------------ --------------- ------------ --------------- ------------ ------------ --------------