Welcome to the Soil and Plant Science Division Interpretations Testing Worksite

The interpretations called on this page are under development. Your careful evaluation is requested. We will generally provide three formats of output tables. One will be a 5 class dominant condition report. One will be a manuscript-style tabular report that includes information on the limiting features. Finally, a mapping export that reports an un-reclassed fuzzy number will be provided.

Some caution must be exercised in using these interpretations because they are run against the transactional database, as opposed to the public database (SSURGO). Because of this, the data may change and map units may not always align with those found on Web Soil Survey.


Link to the Interpretations Focus Team page:

Click here to go to the Soil Survey Interpretations Focus Team web page.

Soil Survey Area Symbols Reports

**You will need the soil survey area symbol as a parameter in the interpretations testing reports.**

Get a table of the soil survey area symbols for a state
This report prompts for the state FIPS code, followed by a percent sign. If your county FIPS code does not appear in the table, that means your county is made up of several soil survey areas. In this case, use the next report to find which soil survey area symbols you need:
Get a table of the counties and associated soil survey areas for a state



Obtain spatial data for mapping interpretive results:

Click here to go to Box, the place where gSSURGO by state is stored.
The data produced from the mapping exports is best linked to the gridded SSURGO product.


Interpretations Testing Reports



Salinization due to salt water intrusion:




An interpretation is being developed to inform salt water intrusion and innundation for coastal areas where a coastal plain is present, from New Jersey to Texas. These reports prompt for the soil survey area symbol. Use percent sign as a wildcard. This interpretation may not be on Web Soil Survey, but the results can be viewed here. Direct questions to Kristine Ryan.


Runs the Coastal Plain salinization due to saltwater encroachment interpretation for a soil survey area. This report includes the reasons (manuscript style).
This report prompts for the soil survey area symbol. Use percent sign as a wildcard. This interpretation is not yet on Web Soil Survey, but the results can be viewed here.


Runs the Coastal Plain salinization due to saltwater encroachment interpretation for a soil survey area. This report produces an export for mapping.
This report prompts for the soil survey area symbol. Use percent sign as a wildcard. This interpretation may not be on Web Soil Survey, but the results can be viewed here. Direct questions to Kristine Ryan.




Subaqueous soil chemical properties and the coastal zone data site:



Runs the Subaqueous Soils Chemical Properties Report for a soil survey area. Several SAS attributes are not yet posted to Web Soil Survey but can be found here. You need to enter a soil survey area symbol at the prompt.
Use the percent sign as a wildcard.



For more information on subaqueous soils, you can visit the subaqueous soils data site at:
This site provides various tables on the distribution of subaqueous soil mapping and coastal zone interpretations.





Soil Suitability for Domestic Natural Rubber Production:


Natural rubber is a strategic material needed for all aircraft tires. Tropical sources of latex are compromised by political considerations and supply chain disruption. Thus, domestic sources must be explored. Two plants, Russian dandelion (TKS) and guayule show promise. TKS is a temperate climate plant having fairly wide adaptation in the continentalo US. Guayule is a desert plant having a fairly narrow natural range, limited to the southwest US.


This report creates a mapping export of the TKS site suitability rule for a soil survey area or perhaps a small state.
This report prompts for the soil survey area symbol. Use percent sign as a wildcard.


This report creates a mapping export of the guayule site suitability rule for a soil survey area or perhaps a small state.
This report prompts for the soil survey area symbol. Use percent sign as a wildcard.



Slope, pH. electrical conductivity, depths to restictions and other factors affect the suitablity of soils and sites to these crops.
This report creates a portrait table report of the TKS site suitability model rule for a soil survey area or perhaps a small state.
This report prompts for the soil survey area symbol. Use percent sign as a wildcard.


This report creates a portrait table report of the guayule site suitability model rule for a soil survey area or perhaps a small state.
This report prompts for the soil survey area symbol. Use percent sign as a wildcard.


The Longleaf pine site suitability will help inform restoration efforts.



This report creates a mapping export of the longleaf pine site suitability rule for a soil survey area or perhaps a small state.
This report prompts for the soil survey area symbol. Use percent sign as a wildcard.


This report creates a manuscript style table of the longleaf pine site suitability rule for a soil survey area or perhaps a small state. This report shows why a soil was rated as it does.
This report prompts for the soil survey area symbol. Use percent sign as a wildcard.




New tropical crop productivity indices, starting with plantains, coffee (arabica),and cacao:

Runs the Plantains productivity index interpretation for a soil survey area. This report creates a mapping export.
This report prompts for the soil survey area symbol. Use percent sign as a wildcard. This interpretation is not yet on Web Soil Survey, but the results can be viewed here.


Runs the Plantains productivity index interpretation for a soil survey area. This report creates a mapping export but also shows the reasons.
This report prompts for the soil survey area symbol. Use percent sign as a wildcard. This interpretation is not yet on Web Soil Survey, but the results can be viewed here.


Run the Plantains productivity index on a soil survey area
This report prompts for the soil survey area symbol. Use percent sign as a wildcard. This report displays the limiting features.


Runs the Coffee suitability index interpretation for a soil survey area. This report creates a mapping export.
This report prompts for the soil survey area symbol. Use percent sign as a wildcard. This interpretation is not yet on Web Soil Survey, but the results can be viewed here.


Run the Coffee suitability index on a soil survey area
This report prompts for the soil survey area symbol. Use percent sign as a wildcard. This report displays the limiting features.


Run the Cacao suitability index on a soil survey area
This report prompts for the soil survey area symbol. Use percent sign as a wildcard. This report displays the limiting features.


Runs the Cacao suitability index interpretation for a soil survey area. This report creates a mapping export.
This report prompts for the soil survey area symbol. Use percent sign as a wildcard. This interpretation is not yet on Web Soil Survey, but the results can be viewed here.


Soil Mass Movement Risk:



Runs the soil mass movement risk model for a soil survey area. This report includes the reasons (manuscript style).
This report prompts for the soil survey area symbol. Use percent sign as a wildcard. This interpretation is not yet on Web Soil Survey, but the results can be viewed here.


Runs the soil mass movement risk model for a soil survey area. This report uses a most limiting style of map unit aggregation.
This report prompts for the soil survey area symbol. Use percent sign as a wildcard. This interpretation is not yet on Web Soil Survey, but a mapping export can be created here.


Conservation Practice Standards screening tools:



Manuscript style report tables:



Run the Conservation Practice Standards Screening Tools for Brush Management, Contour Buffer Strips, and Cover Crops for a soil survey area.
This report prompts for the soil survey area symbol. Use percent sign as a wildcard. Results for Brush Management (314), Contour Buffer Strips (332), and Cover Crop (340) are reported.


Run the Conservation Practice Standards Screening Tools for Filter Strips, Fencing, and Watering Facility, Trough or Tank for a soil survey area.
This report prompts for the soil survey area symbol. Use percent sign as a wildcard. Currently, Filter Strips (393), Fencing (382), and Watering Facility, Trough or Tank (614) are examined on this report.


Run the Conservation Practice Standards Screening Tools for Forage and Biomass Planting and Heavy Use Area Protection for a soil survey area.
This report prompts for the soil survey area symbol. Use percent sign as a wildcard. This report examines Forage and Biomass Planting (512) and Heavy Use Area Protection (561).


Run the Conservation Practice Standards Screening Tools for Irrigation Pipeline Above Ground and Irrigation Pipeline Below Ground for a soil survey area.
This report prompts for the soil survey area symbol. Use percent sign as a wildcard. Currently, Irrigation Pipeline Above Ground (430) and Irrigation Pipeline Below Ground (430) are available on this report.


Retrieves the metadata for the conservation practice standard of interest.
This report prompts for the fully qualified rule name, including the quotation marks, from below. Copy and paste the name into the rule name field.



Fully qualified rule names:

"NSSC Regional Interpretations":"CPS - Brush Management (314)"

"NSSC Regional Interpretations":"CPS - Cover Crop (340)"

"NSSC Regional Interpretations":"CPS - Heavy Use Area Protection (561)"


National Commodity Crop Productivity Index, Soil Survey Area Average (Arable Lands) Report:



This report runs the NCCPI for a soil survey area and then calculates a weighted average index on the arable lands.
This report prompts for the soil survey area symbol. Use percent sign as a wildcard.

Soils in Land Capability Classes 1-4, along with subclass 6e, are considered arable. Also, for Iowa, a county average Iowa Corn Suitability Rating is calculated. For states other than Iowa, this field will contain 666. The last line in the table contains the summary. Note that for most of the domain of row crop agriculture, the Soil Survey Area and County Symbols are the same.




Coccidioides habitat information:



Runs the Valley fever habitat model for a soil survey area. This report includes the reasons (manuscript style).
This report prompts for the soil survey area symbol. Use percent sign as a wildcard. This interpretation may not be on Web Soil Survey, but the results can be viewed here.


Runs the Valley fever habitat model for a soil survey area. This report uses a five-class dominant condition map unit aggregation.
This report prompts for the soil survey area symbol. Use percent sign as a wildcard.


Runs the Valley fever habitat model for a soil survey area. This report produces an export for mapping.
This report prompts for the soil survey area symbol. Use percent sign as a wildcard.

For more information on the Coccidioides soil habitat model, please visit protocols.io at:
Sends you to protocols.io



Regional Interpretations:




A variety of interpretations have been developed for regions of the country. These interpretations may be displayed on Web Soil Survey, but many are not. By running the Regional Interpretations Report, you can get a list of these interpretations. The name format is 'fully qualified' which means you copy the full name and paste it into the parameter box on the Regional Interpretations report. Use a percent sign as a wildcard.


Runs a report to get the names of the regional interpretations. Copy the entire row to be pasted into the rule name field in the next report.
This report prompts for the interpretation (rule) name, but since you may not know any, just enter a percent sign as a wildcard.


Runs any regional interpretation you want for a soil survey area. This report includes the reasons.
This report prompts for the soil survey area symbol. Use percent sign as a wildcard. Paste the fully qualified name from the rule name report into the rule name field. These interpretations may not be on Web Soil Survey for the soil survey area in which you are interested, but the results can be viewed here.


Retrieves the metadata for a regional interpretation.
This report prompts for the fully qualified rule name from the rule name report. Paste it into the rule name field.


Questions, suggestions, or errors with the reports Send E-Mail to: Robert Dobos