Information Disseminating Soil Survey Information Uses of Soil Surveys Soil surveys most commonly are made for areas that have more than one kind of important land use and for users who have varied interests and needs. These needs may be few and noncomplex in areas of extensive land use where change is not expected or they may be many and complex in areas of intensive land use where changes are expected. Predictions for uses of soils other than farming, grazing, wildlife habitat, and forestry have tended to concentrate on limitations of soils for the intended uses. Where investment per unit of area is high, modifying the soil to improve its suitability for the intended use may be economically feasible.
Soil scientists work with engineers and others to develop ways of improving soils for specific uses.
Such predictions are increasingly important in areas where the demand on soil resources is high. The information assembled in a soil survey may be used to predict or estimate the potentials and limitations of soils for many specific uses. The information must be interpreted in forms that can be used by professional planners and others. A soil survey represents only part of the information that is used to make workable plans, but it is an important part. The predictions of soil surveys serve as a basis for judgment about land use and management for both small tracts and regions of several million acres.