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North Dakota Agricultural Land Assessment 2016 Self Study Instructional Manual
To be used in fulfilling the educational certification requirements of North Dakota Century Code 57-
02-01.1 for North Dakota assessment officials.
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Contents UNIT 1 ................................................................................................................................................................................ 4
WHAT IS AGRICULTURAL PROPERTY? ........................................................................................................... 5
UNIT 2 ................................................................................................................................................................................ 7
THE ASSESSMENT PROCESS ................................................................................................................................ 7
UNIT 3 .............................................................................................................................................................................. 10
LEGAL DESCRIPTIONS ........................................................................................................................................ 10
Metes and Bounds ................................................................................................................................................... 10
Public Land Survey System .................................................................................................................................... 14
Subdividing Sections ............................................................................................................................................... 19
Platted Subdivision .................................................................................................................................................. 21
UNIT 4 .............................................................................................................................................................................. 25
SOILS AND SOIL SURVEYS ................................................................................................................................. 25
What is soil? (less technical) ................................................................................................................................... 25
What is soil? (more technical) ................................................................................................................................ 25
How does soil form? ............................................................................................................................................... 26
Parent Material ......................................................................................................................................................... 26
Climate ....................................................................................................................................................................... 26
Living organisms ...................................................................................................................................................... 27
Landscape position .................................................................................................................................................. 27
Time ........................................................................................................................................................................... 28
What are soil horizons? ........................................................................................................................................... 28
What is a soil scientist? ............................................................................................................................................ 29
What is a soil survey? .............................................................................................................................................. 29
Who uses a soil survey?........................................................................................................................................... 30
What is a map unit? ................................................................................................................................................. 30
What is a consociation, complex, association, undifferentiated group, or miscellaneous area? ................. 31
What is an Official Series Description? ................................................................................................................ 31
INFORMATION FOR LAND USERS ................................................................................................................. 32
Homebuyers.............................................................................................................................................................. 32
Land Use Planners ................................................................................................................................................... 32
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Appraisers ................................................................................................................................................................. 33
Developers and Builders ......................................................................................................................................... 33
Sewage lagoons ......................................................................................................................................................... 35
Sanitary landfills ....................................................................................................................................................... 35
Disposing of other kinds of waste ........................................................................................................................ 36
Why soil data are needed ........................................................................................................................................ 36
Selecting recreation areas ........................................................................................................................................ 37
Maintaining recreation areas .................................................................................................................................. 37
Construction Engineers .......................................................................................................................................... 38
Determining soil hazards ........................................................................................................................................ 38
How soil surveys can help engineers .................................................................................................................... 38
Farmers and Ranchers ............................................................................................................................................. 40
How soil surveys can help farmers ....................................................................................................................... 40
How soil surveys can help ranchers ...................................................................................................................... 41
What soil data are available? ................................................................................................................................... 42
CROPLAND ................................................................................................................................................................ 42
Land capability classification .................................................................................................................................. 42
Capability classes ...................................................................................................................................................... 43
Capability subclasses................................................................................................................................................ 43
Capability units ......................................................................................................................................................... 44
Soil erosion and crop production .......................................................................................................................... 44
PASTURELAND AND HAYLAND ..................................................................................................................... 49
Forage ........................................................................................................................................................................ 49
Forage Suitability Groups ....................................................................................................................................... 50
Pastureland Condition ............................................................................................................................................. 50
RANGELAND ............................................................................................................................................................ 50
What is rangeland? ................................................................................................................................................... 50
What is range management? ................................................................................................................................... 51
What is an ecological site? ...................................................................................................................................... 51
What is an ecological site description? ................................................................................................................. 51
What is a historic climax plant community? ........................................................................................................ 52
What is a similarity index? ...................................................................................................................................... 52
How is similarity index calculated? ....................................................................................................................... 52
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What is trend? ........................................................................................................................................................... 53
How is range trend determined? ........................................................................................................................... 53
What is rangeland health? ....................................................................................................................................... 54
URBAN USES .............................................................................................................................................................. 54
Soils information helps people make many different decisions ....................................................................... 55
Urban areas include developed and developing land ......................................................................................... 55
Developed land ........................................................................................................................................................ 55
Rural transportation land ........................................................................................................................................ 55
Urban and built-up areas ........................................................................................................................................ 55
Developing land ....................................................................................................................................................... 56
A brief guide to soils in urban areas ..................................................................................................................... 56
Understanding the suitability and limitations ratings ......................................................................................... 56
Urban land map units .............................................................................................................................................. 57
Components and kinds of map units ................................................................................................................... 59
Minor components .................................................................................................................................................. 59
Kinds of map units .................................................................................................................................................. 59
UNIT 5 .............................................................................................................................................................................. 61
NDSU PRODUCTION FORMULA AND INUNDATED LAND ................................................................ 61
County Average Agricultural Value ...................................................................................................................... 61
Average Agricultural Value for Each County ..................................................................................................... 62
Average Agricultural Value for Each Assessment District ............................................................................... 62
Assessor Estimates Value Of Each Parcel of Agricultural Land ..................................................................... 63
Assessor’s Or Township Board’s Estimate of Average Value ......................................................................... 63
Implementation of Soil Type and Soil Classification Data Required .............................................................. 63
Land Used for Extraction of Oil, Natural Gas, or Subsurface Minerals ........................................................ 63
UNIT 6 .............................................................................................................................................................................. 64
METHOD OF VALUATION & ASSIGNING VALUE TO SOIL TYPES BASED ON
PRODUCTIVITY ....................................................................................................................................................... 64
Assigning Value to Soil Types Based on Productivity ....................................................................................... 65
UNIT 7 ......................................................................................................................................................................... 70
MODIFIERS ................................................................................................................................................................ 70
POTENTIAL MODIFIERS ................................................................................................................................. 71
UNIT 8 ......................................................................................................................................................................... 74
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ACTUAL USE IN AGRICULTURAL LAND ASSESSMENT ........................................................................ 74
Cropland And Noncropland Breakpoint Establishment .................................................................................. 75
Assigning Cropland And Noncropland Values To Each Soil Type Or Class ............................................... 77
Assigning Other Use Categories: Nonproductive Lands .................................................................................. 78
Agricultural Improvements .................................................................................................................................... 79
UNIT 9 .............................................................................................................................................................................. 80
FINAL CONSIDERATIONS .................................................................................................................................. 80
APPENDIX 1 ................................................................................................................................................................... 81
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UNIT 1
WHAT IS AGRICULTURAL PROPERTY?
Agricultural property in terms of land area is the most dominant property type in the state
of North Dakota. For the 2016 assessment year 37,889,422 acres were reported by County
Directors of Tax Equalization that can be found in all 53 counties, organized and unorganized
townships, as well as within the boundaries of both large and small cities. Placing the true and
full value on a single agricultural parcel or multiple parcels in a county is a complex process that
requires considerable knowledge, attention to detail, and consistency to ensure fair and equitable
treatment to all land owners in an assessment jurisdiction.
North Dakota Century Code § 57-02-01(1) provides the definition of agricultural land.
“Agricultural property” means platted or unplatted lands used for raising agricultural crops or
grazing farm animals, except lands platted and assessed as agricultural property prior to March
30, 1981, shall continue to be assessed as agricultural property until put to a use other than
raising agricultural crops or grazing farm animals. Agricultural property includes land on
which a greenhouse or other building is located if the land is used for a nursery or other purpose
associated with the operation of the greenhouse. The time limitations contained in this section
may not be construed to prevent property that was assessed as other than agricultural property
from being assessed as agricultural property if the property otherwise qualifies under this
subsection.
a. Property platted on or after March 30, 1981, is not agricultural property when any four
of the following conditions exist:
(1) The land is platted by the owner.
(2) Public improvements including sewer, water, or streets are in place.
(3) Topsoil is removed or topography is disturbed to the extent that the property
cannot be used to raise crops or graze farm animals.
(4) Property is zoned other than agricultural.
(5) Property has assumed an urban atmosphere because of adjacent residential or
commercial development on three or more sides.
(6) The parcel is less than ten acres [4.05 hectares] and not contiguous to
agricultural property.
(7) The property sells for more than four times the county average true and full
agricultural value.
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b. Land that was assessed as agricultural property at the time the land was put to use for
extraction of oil, natural gas, or subsurface minerals as defined in section 38-12-01 must
continue to be assessed as agricultural property if the remainder of the surface owner’s
parcel on which the subsurface mineral activity is occurring continues to qualify for
assessment as agricultural property under this subsection.”
The term ―agricultural land‖ is subdivided into ―cropland‖ and ―non-cropland.‖ Cropland is land
used for raising agricultural crops. Non-cropland is land used for grazing farm animals. There is
no official classification for wasteland or land that is too poor to raise a crop or graze animals;
that is still classified as non-cropland.
Section 57-02-27.2 of the North Dakota Century Code relates to the valuation and assessment of
agricultural lands. Subsection (7) of this statute provides:
“In determining the relative value of lands for each assessment district compared to the county
average, the county director of tax equalization shall use soil type and soil classification data
from detailed and general soil surveys.”
Subsection (8) of N.D.C.C. Section 57-02-27.2 further provides that to determine the relative
value of each assessment parcel, the local assessor must apply the following considerations (in
descending order of significance) to the assessment determination:
1. Soil type and soil classification data from detailed or general soil surveys;
2. The schedule of modifiers that must be used to adjust agricultural property
assessments within the county as approved by the state supervisor of assessments
(under subsection 9); and
3. Actual use of the property for cropland or non-cropland purposes by the owner
of the parcel.
With regard to implementation of this system by counties, N.D.C.C. § 57-02-27.2(10), provides:
“For any county that has not fully implemented use of soil type and soil classification
data from detailed or general soil surveys by February first of any taxable year after
2011, the tax commissioner shall direct the state treasurer to withhold five percent of
that county's allocation each quarter from the state aid distribution fund under section
57-39.2-26.1 beginning with the first quarter of 2013, and continuing until the tax
commissioner certifies to the state treasurer that that county has fully implemented use
of soil type or soil classification data…..”
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UNIT 2
THE ASSESSMENT PROCESS1
The government officials responsible for administering the property tax system, and for
establishing the value of property for ad valorem tax purposes, are known by many different
names in various countries throughout the world. In Mexico, for example, they are called
valuators or appraisers. In the United States and Canada, they are called evaluators, directors of
equalization, property appraisers, and tax assessors. The term assessor is used in this text.
Assessors may be elected, appointed, or employed under civil service.
The assessment function may be performed at the state or provincial level of government or at
lower levels. At the state level, the function is carried out by individual administrators, members
of a board, or commissioners. Their primary roles are to establish policies and procedures,
promulgate administrative rules, and, in many states, provide equalization functions. At the local
level, the assessment jurisdiction may be the same as a county, city, township, or school district
or may cross political boundaries under a consolidated government, such as a city-county or
regional government. Valuation functions are typically accomplished at this level. State and
provincial statues delineate both the governmental structure and the scope of the assessor‘s
authority.
Most assessors have similar duties and responsibilities. The assessor is responsible for discovery,
listing, and valuing all taxable property; this may include both real and personal property. (Real
property is generally defined as land and all things attached to the land. Personal property is
defined as all other property.) In accomplishing these duties, the assessor must not allow any
property to escape assessment. Also, values must be estimated correctly so that individual
owners pay only their fair share of the property tax.
All the duties of the assessor are repeated periodically, and many are repeated annually. The
duties of the assessor can be classified as discovering, listing, and valuing all the taxable
property in the jurisdiction, including the following:
Locating and identifying all taxable property in the jurisdiction
Making an inventory of all taxable property, including quantity, quality, and
important characteristics
Classifying each property and determining the extent to which it is taxable
Estimating the market value of each taxable property
1 Text for Unit 2 has been taken verbatim from the International Association of Assessing Officer’s Property Assessment Valuation, Third Edition, pages 2-4. As per copyright requirements, written permission has been obtained by IAAO to reproduce this material as presented in this manual. IAAO, “The Assessment Process” in Property Assessment Valuation, 3rd ed. Garth Thimgan, CAE, 2-4. Kansas City: IAAO, 2010
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Calculating the taxable value (sometimes a fraction of market value) of each
property
Notifying owners of the taxable property of their properties
Defending value estimates and valuation methods during appeals
Preparing and certifying the assessment roll of the entire jurisdiction
To accomplish the initial task of discovering property, the assessor needs a mapping system,
preferably a geographic information system (GIS), which shows every parcel of land. With an
inadequate mapping system, it is difficult to verify that all land has been discovered and that
measurements resulting in square-footage and acreage calculations are accurate. Recorded
information such as deeds and building permits assists in the discovery of taxable property.
Also, periodic on-site inspections of buildings and other improvements attached to the land
should be conducted. At the time of inspection, the data collector records pertinent data on the
buildings, other improvements, and the land.
The discovery of personal property usually requires two steps. First, the property owner files a
return with the assessor itemizing any personal property that may be taxable. Second, the
assessor audits the property owner‘s records, physically inspects the property, and then appraises
or values it.2
After property has been discovered, the assessor must assign a parcel identifier (a sequence of
numbers or numbers and letters). A parcel identification system in which each property is
assigned a unique identifier is essential to this task.
The next step is to classify property according to its proper category. In most jurisdictions, these
classifications are real property, personal property, exempt property, and, in some cases, property
owned or operated by a public utility. The classification may determine how the property is
assessed. Exempt property may or may not be assessed, depending on jurisdictional regulations.
Property must also be identified according to situs (location for purposes of taxation). In the
case of real property, situs is the same as the physical location of the property. In the case of
personal property, situs is the taxable location, which may be different from the physical
location, because personal property often can be moved from place to place. An assessor
mandated to value personal property such as motor vehicles, boats, aircraft, and cattle must
determine whether the property may be taxed within the jurisdiction and, in some cases, the
proration of the year for which it may be taxed. Such decisions often require reference to laws
and court decisions.2
2 N.D.C.C. § 57-02-08 (25) provides for the exemption of personal property in the state of North Dakota. The student is advised to review these portions of Century Code and their potential effects of the valuation of agricultural land. Personal property will not be discussed further in this course material.
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Having discovered, identified, and classified all the property in the jurisdiction; the assessor must
then value each property. General, specific, and comparative data on all types of property are
collected, analyzed, and processed into indications of value for each individual property. The
property is then assessed at its market value or at some legally authorized fraction thereof,
known as the assessed value, which is usually the taxable value of the property. However, there
are a few exceptions in which the assessed value and the taxable value are not the same. This
text uses the term assessed value to refer to the taxable value.3
Most jurisdictions require that after making the assessment the assessor notify the property
owner of the value and various government agencies of the total value of different types of
property. The assessment roll is then certified and delivered to the appropriate agency so the roll
can be reviewed, taxes computed, bills sent, and moneys collected.
The assessment function is not yet complete. The assessor‘s value is subject to review. Property
owners may request an informal review by the assessor‘s office while it still has control of the
roll and can review and change values.
If property owners are not satisfied with the results of an informal hearing, they may request a
formal review before a quasi-judicial appeals board. In all jurisdictions, owners can request a
formal review by the appropriate trial court. In a formal review, the assessor may be asked to
provide evidence to support the valuation methods used to estimate the value.4
The end product of the assessment process is the generation of tax bills to collect the revenues
that fund local government services. Tax bills generally are not the responsibility of the assessor
and are not discussed in this text.
3 N.D.C.C. § 57-02-01 defines True and Full value, Assessed Value, and Taxable Value. As the text suggests, assessed value and taxable value are not the same in North Dakota. The student is also encouraged to review N.D.C.C. § 57-02-27 for the determination of these values. 4 N.D.C.C. § 57-02-51 provides for the notice of the township and city boards of equalization as well as the statutory meeting date. The township and city board meetings are the start of the “informal” hearings. The “formal” process is outlined in N.D.C.C. § 57-23-04.
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UNIT 3
LEGAL DESCRIPTIONS5
Legal descriptions are used to convey land, or various interests in land, from one owner to
another. Consequently, they should permanently identify and distinguish individual parcels of
land. Since no two parcels of land are exactly the same, a legal description should be unique,
applying to one and only one parcel. Legal descriptions are simply a statement that provides the
location, size, and shape of a specific parcel or real estate. The primary methods of describing
land used in the United States are metes and bounds, PLSS, and platted subdivision.
The metes and bounds method of describing land originated in England. In sixteenth-century
England the surveyor acted as the manager for a nobleman who owned land. One of his primary
responsibilities was to annually walk over the land, note the boundaries, and inventory the
holdings. This method of surveying (identifying the boundary of an estate by the points at which
it meets other boundaries or objects such as roads and streams) became known as metes and
bounds. The 13 original states plus Tennessee, West Virginia, Texas, and Hawaii use this
method.
The PLSS was established in 1785 when the Continental Congress passed an ordinance directing
that the public lands of the United States be surveyed and subdivided according to a system that
incorporated spherical coordinates for the primary lines and rectangular coordinates for the
secondary lines. Although other laws have since expanded the system, clarified the survey
methods, and changed some procedures, the system is basically as it was in 1785. The major
reason that all states are not covered under the PLSS is that private ownership of land had
already occurred in some areas prior to the adoption of this system.
Platted subdivisions is a method of describing land that first produces a plat or map of an area
and then identifies individual parcels by numbered lots. Often subdivision plats are filed or
recorded and individual descriptions identify specific lots from this recorded plat.
Metes and Bounds
Much of the land colonized prior to 1800 was characterized by scattered settlements. Because
agriculture was the main economy, people were encouraged to settle far apart and land was
selected based on its ability to grow crops rather than on its geometric shape. This type of land
settlement led to the problem of defining irregularly shaped parcels. In general, parcels of land
5 Text for Unit 3 has been taken verbatim from the International Association of Assessing Officer’s Property Assessment Valuation, Third Edition, pages 119-135. As per copyright requirements, written permission has been obtained by IAAO to reproduce this material as presented in this manual. IAAO, “Legal Descriptions” in Property Assessment Valuation, 3rd ed, Garth Thimgan, CAE, 119-135. Kansas City: IAAO, 2010.
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were described by using natural features as the most significant information. The following is a
typical early metes and bounds description:
Beginning at the mouth of Fountain Creek and continuing upstream with Fountain Creek
to the confluence of Silver Creek, thence up Silver Creek to the Stillhouse Road thence
along said road to a point in Pidgin River, thence along the river back to the beginning.
In addition to natural features, metes and bounds descriptions include artificial features such as
roads, rock piles, and adjoining owners. After the introduction of survey methods, the use of
natural or manmade features gave way to more abstract descriptions based on distance and
direction from an established point. A crude early survey might read as follows:
Beginning at the N.E. corner of the White Lightning Bridge over Duck River; thence
along a compass bearing of 90° for 500 yards, thence along a compass sighting of 10°
for 500 yards, thence along a compass sighting of 300° for 950 yards, thence along a
compass sighting of 170° for 1,000 yards back to the point of beginning.
When survey methods were used, the description likely included an estimate of the parcel‘s size
in common units such as acres.
While a metes and bounds description that contains references only to features is almost
impossible to draw and map, it does provide the property owner with a reasonable and easily
understood method of describing land. The property owner can, without any survey training or
knowledge, walk and identify the boundaries of the property by simply traveling from one
feature to the next. In times past property owners routinely reviewed their boundaries with
adjoining property owners to ensure a clear understanding of property line location. As time
progressed and the practice of reviewing boundary lines diminished, boundary disputes and
unknown boundary locations resulted, especially in areas of rugged terrain.
Over the years, surveying technology and practices have improved, and parcel boundaries are
typically described by using a bearing to determine the direction of each individual line. Since
most boundary lines do not run either due north, south, east, or west, it was necessary to
determine their exact direction. A bearing often provides the number of degrees, minutes, and
seconds to the east or west of a due north or south direction. As an example, a boundary line that
runs in a northeasterly direction can be precisely described as being N 45° E. A proper metes
and bounds description contains both a bearing and a distance (length) for each boundary line as
well as references to the natural and cultural features that are encountered along each line and at
each property corner. A proper metes and bounds description contains the direction and length
of each line, as well as the natural and cultural features, because the bearings and distances
provide the shape and size of the tract, while references to natural and cultural features provide
the necessary information to properly locate the tract.
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A metes and bounds legal description should always contain the following information:
Point of beginning. This should be easily identified, permanent, well-referenced,
and near the property. One of the most difficult aspects of locating a metes and
bounds description is determining its correct beginning point, and because of this,
surveyors often go to extraordinary measures to locate a well-defined, clearly
locatable point. Utilizing a method (such as X and Y coordinates) not disturbed
by changes in the surrounding area is very desirable.
Definite corners. Clearly defined points are preferable, with reference to
monuments such as iron pins.
Length and direction of each side of the property. All lengths (in feet and
decimals) and directions (by angles) should be given. Omitting a distance or
direction, even one to the point of beginning, can cause confusion and result in
errors in the calculations. The date of the survey is also important, especially if
the directions are given in bearings that were calculated from magnetic north.
Names of adjoining owners and features. Names of adjoining owners should be
provided to avoid claims for land in case an error in the description leaves a gap.
References to features such as streams or roads are also important.
Area. To aid in identifying the property, the amount of area contained in the
description should be included. The following is an example of a proper metes
and bounds description:
Beginning at an iron pin located in the South right-of-way of Main Street.
Said iron pin is located at a distance of 284’ from the intersection of the
east ROW of Maple Street and the South ROW of Main Street. Said point
is also located at the northwest corner of a lot now owned by John Smith,
thence along Smith’s line S 1° E a distance of 251.4’ to a point in Wilson’s
line, thence with Wilson S 77° E a distance of 197.3’ to a point in Cook’s
line, thence with Cook N 44° E a distance of 134.5’ to a point, thence
continuing with Cook N 2° E for a distance of 210’ to an iron pin in the
South ROW of Main Street, thence along the South ROW of Main Street S
88° W a distance of 300; to the point of beginning. Containing 1.55 acres
more or less.
This description properly plotted is illustrated in Figure 6-15.
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The ownership mapper frequently encounters discrepancies between two adjoining surveys or
even conflicting information within a single description. Surveying practices can vary from tract
to tract and result in one surveyor using Magnetic North while another references all directions
to True North. Also, one surveyor might have correctly used horizontal measurement techniques
while another did not. And last, it is very possible that a description contains an error caused by
a typing mistake, the reversing of numbers, or the omission of critical information.
When description discrepancies are encountered, the ownership mapper must attempt to
determine the intent of the parties involved. What did the person who was selling the property
intend to sell and what did the person who was buying the property intend to buy? Using the
concept of intent is critical to the mapping process and is usually developed from experience.
An experienced mapper can often determine the intent of the parties and can continue the
mapping process even when the description information is in error or critically important
information is omitted.
An aid in determining intent is to understand and apply the concept of Precedence of Calls.
When a discrepancy exists between two tracts or even when conflicting information is found in a
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single map description, Precedence of Calls often provides the necessary guidance to map the
parcel. The following Precedence of Calls should be used when attempting to resolve a
description discrepancy:
1. A description on which the conveyance is based
2. Monuments (natural or manmade)
3. Adjoining owner
4. Distance and direction
5. Distance or direction
6. Size
Metes and bounds descriptions are the oldest method of determining the size, shape, and location
of a tract of land. This method gives the writer the ability to describe any tract, regardless of its
size, shape, or location. Metes and bounds surveying has improved because of the advanced
technology available to today‘s surveyors. However, the cadastral mapper must often work with
older descriptions that have been used again and again and contain errors that have occurred over
time as the descriptions were copied from one deed to the next. Accurate base maps are a
tremendously valuable tool for the mapper in a metes and bounds area. With a base map, the
cadastral mapper can see the location of the features referenced in the description and use them
to accurately locate the property lines.
Public Land Survey System
During the late 1700s, the United States found itself in need of a national land policy. Since the
Federal Government owned a considerable amount of land, it decided to subdivide and sell the
land to raise funds needed for a new government. The amount of money raised proved to be less
than expected, but the survey system developed during this process has proven to be an excellent
method for describing land.
The Continental Congress in 1785 directed that the public land of the United States be surveyed
and subdivided according to a system that incorporated spherical coordinates (latitude and
longitude) for the primary lines and rectangular coordinates for the secondary lines. The primary
purpose of the survey work was to mark boundaries on the ground. Thus the corners established
on the ground by the original surveyors are to be considered correct and take precedence over
subsequent field notes and plats.
The 13 original states along with Kentucky, Tennessee, Texas, West Virginia, and Hawaii were
not included in this survey. The 13 original colonies (which included West Virginia at the time)
had already experienced private ownership of their lands. The states of Tennessee and Kentucky
had also transferred land to private ownership by way of a process known as bounty land. A
land bounty is a grant of land from a government as a reward to repay citizens for the risks and
hardships they endured in the service of their country, usually in a military-related capacity.
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Commonly referred to as Revolutionary War Land Grants, these bounty lands were tracts of
considerable size. Some of the 13 original states lacked enough vacant land to offer a bounty
land program, while others selected reserves in their western domains for bounty land use.
Portions of what would become other states were settled through the bounty land program, most
notably in Ohio, which today has an area identified as the U.S. Military Tract, which includes all
or portions of 12 current-day counties. Texas was not included in the PLSS, because it was not
part of the United States at the time and Hawaii would not become a state for many years. The
Canadian system covers Alberta, British Columbia, Manitoba, Saskatchewan, and northwest
Ontario. Figure 6-16 shows the United States and the area covered by PLSS.
Independent points of origin called Initial Points were established across those portions of the
United States covered by the system. A true meridian called the Principal Meridian and a true
parallel called the Base Line pass through each Initial Point. The areas referenced by a Principal
Meridian and a Base Line vary in size from a portion of a state to several states. Figure 6-17
shows the location of the Principal Meridians and the Base Lines.
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The basic unit of the rectangular survey system is the township. Each township is bounded by
two parallels of latitude and two meridians of longitude. A township measures 6 miles square
and contains 36 square secondary units called sections. Because meridians converge, however,
not all townships are perfectly square.
To allow for convergence of meridians toward the North Pole, secondary axes are located at 24-
mile intervals north and south of the Base Line and at 24-mile intervals (less convergence) east
and west of the Principal Meridian. The east-west axes (Standard Parallels) are continuous
throughout their length. They are true parallels and are encountered north and south of the Base
Line. For example, the third Standard Parallel south would be 72 miles south of the Base Line.
The north-south axes (Guide Meridians) are not continuous throughout their length because of
the convergence. They must be shifted at the Base Line and each Standard Parallel. They are
true meridians, however, and are counted east and west of the Principal Meridian.
Standard corners are located on the Base Line and on Standard Parallels at intervals of 2,640 feet
(40 chains). They are used to establish meridonial lines between parallels. Correction corners,
also called closing corners, are located on the Base Line and on Standard Parallels where the
meridonial lines coming from the standard corners of adjacent parallels meet the subject
Standard Parallel. The standard lines thus formed establish quadrangles measuring 24 miles
north and south and 24 miles (less convergence) east and west. Principal Meridians, Base Lines,
and Guide Meridians are illustrated in Figure 6-18.
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Each township is subdivided into 36 sections by section lines running east-west and north-south
at 1-mile intervals. The east-west section lines are parallel to both the north and south
boundaries of the township but the north-south section lines are parallel only to the east
boundary because of the convergence of the range lines. With the exception of those sections
along the north and the west boundaries, all sections are 1 mile square. Sections are numbered
consecutively, beginning with 1 in the northeast corner and ending with 36 in southeast corner.
A section is described by Number, Tier, Range, and Principal Meridian. A township with
standard sections is illustrated in Figure 6-20.
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Ideally, 25 of the 36 sections in a township each contain 640 acres total. The 10 sections along
the north and west boundaries (numbers 1-5, 7, 18, 19, 30, and 31) each contain 480 acres in
regular subdivisions plus 4 fractional lots, each containing 40 acres plus or minus adjustments.
Section 6 should contain 360 acres in regular subdivisions plus 7 fractional lots. The fractional
lots (also called fractional forties or government lots) are numbered beginning with 1 in the
northeast corner and numbering alternately east to west. Fractional lots also result from irregular
boundaries caused by meandering water bodies, mining claims, American Indian reservations,
and other factors.
The use of fractional lots was developed in order to provide as many good sections within a
township as possible. Because of the curvature of the earth (convergence of meridians) and
errors in the original surveys, it was not possible to have 36 good sections, and this method
provides a systematic way to address these problems. Fractional lots are illustrated in Figure 6-
21.
When the location of regular section corners occurs in navigable bodies of water, meander lines
are established roughly parallel to the bank. If a non-navigable body of water covers the point at
which a section corner would fall, the regular section lines are used. Meander lines typically run
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along the mean high-water mark (where vegetation ceases) in a series of straight lines. Meander
corners are located where the meander lines intersect the regular section lines. Meander lines do
not usually serve as property boundaries; they are primarily for mapping and surveying. Plats
prepared for field notes often show the meander lines as the water‘s edge, thus indicating that the
property boundary extends to the water boundary.
Subdividing Sections
The concept of land description using the PLSS is to identify a uniform size tract of land. The
following is an example of a government survey description: NE ¼ of the NW ¼ of Section 34,
TS 3 N, R 4 E of the Eighth Principal Meridian. Remember that all government survey
descriptions must be worked backwards. Figure 6-22 shows the process of arriving at an
individual parcel description from the Principal Meridian to the township and finally to a section.
The sections are then divided into uniform sizes.
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Irregularities
Unfortunately, irregularities are often found in areas that use PLSS. These irregularities are
typically caused either by poor surveying practice during the original program development or
by the fact that land passed to private ownership prior to the survey being completed.
An interesting application of the PLSS is found in the state of Ohio, where the system was
developed. The different concepts were explored, and as a result, the state of Ohio currently has
a mixture of systems; this is illustrated in Figure 6-23.
Another interesting example of an area that utilizes the PLSS is Louisiana, where the ownership
of land had already transferred to private individuals. Since the main method of transportation
was the waterways, it was important for all land to have access; this is illustrated by the ―ribbon
farms‖ or ‖long lots‖ (see Figure 6-24) that run back from the water.
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The PLSS is a simplified method of describing land. However, the cadastral mapper must be
aware of the potential for errors in the original surveys and the issues associated with converging
meridians. An accurate base map, especially with section corners located by surveyors and used
as the control, is a very valuable asset.
Platted Subdivision
A platted subdivision (see Figure 6-25) is the means of describing property by numbered lots.
Larger subdivisions often have multiple sections, phases, or ―blocks‖ that can also be included in
the description. Typically, a large property, formally described by either metes and bounds or
PLSS, is subdivided and re-described as a number of smaller properties called lots. Typical
descriptions for these types of properties are as follows:
Block 1 of Smith Subdivision as recorded in Plat Book 76 Page 230.
Lot 1 of Block 3 of the Jones Subdivision as recorded in Plat Book 25 Page 234.
Tract A of the Falling Water Plat as recorded in Plat Book 34 Page 54.
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The most difficult issue in mapping these types of properties is creating an insert or enlargement
of the platted area. The original area is identified on the smaller scale map (usually 1 inch = 400
feet rural map), and the coordinate values for the subdivision‘s exterior boundary are determined
and transferred to a larger scale map (usually 1‖ = 100 feet urban map). This identifies the
perimeter of the subdivision. The streets and individual lots can then be plotted on the larger
scale map at the desired scale. The larger the scale is sufficient to see the smaller lots and also to
add the needed additional data such as dimensions, street names, lot numbers, parcel numbers,
and so on.
Another interesting aspect of mapping subdivision plats is that most of them contain
considerable information useful to the cadastral mapper, including curve data (usually shown in a
curve data table), street widths, and adjoining properties. In most jurisdictions, before the legal
description of a property can change (from PLSS or metes and bounds) to the platted subdivision
method, a plat of the subdivision must be recorded at the county office that receives such
documents. If there is no official plat recorded, there is no authority to change a legal
description in the assessment books.
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During the late-1800s, land in the United States was being developed rapidly. In new cities and
towns, large landholders were subdividing and selling their land. The land and its subdivisions
(lots and blocks) were surveyed and mapped, and the map was recorded with the recorder of
deeds or other local government agency. Often the map was named, for example, ―Original
Town of Walnut Grove.‖ If the map contained a metes and bounds survey, it was possible, by
adding numbers to each scale unit, to create a legal description by simple reference to the units
and their numbers as shown on the map. A verbal example of such a description is as follows:
Lot 7, Block 2, tract 1523, filed February 24, 1955, in map book 35, at page 52, Office of
the Recorder.
This method of describing land was used in urbanized areas prior to the development of the
systematic system of platted subdivisions.
The platted subdivision method of describing land is widely used in all states. Because platted
subdivisions are typically based on good surveys and because several parcels are often covered
in this manner, these types of parcels should be mapped early in the initial mapping process.
Remember that the steps in the initial mapping process recommend road right-of-ways and
governmental boundaries as the first items of information to be mapped, followed by subdivided
property. The subdivided properties provide a level of control that is useful in this effort.
Once the initial mapping program is complete and the jurisdiction moves to the maintenance
mode, the mapping of platted subdivisions becomes part of the standard maintenance process.
As previously stated, platted subdivisions are usually based on good survey information, and the
exterior of the subdivision can provide survey data that improve the original mapping in some
areas.
The majority of legal descriptions in existence today are designed to define the outer boundaries
of tax parcel polygons as they appear to lie on a nearly flat plane upon the earth‘s surface and are
described by their relationship to the north, south, east, and west. However, increasing land
values, trends in real estate ownership, and new energy technologies are just some of the
socioeconomic factors that affect real estate ownership rights. Sometimes these property rights
have to be described in three dimensions. Often three-dimensional legal descriptions are referred
to as vertical or air-rights legal descriptions and typically are a combination of either a platted
subdivision or a metes and bounds description with the addition of elevation information. The
following are some examples of the need for three dimensional legal descriptions:
The airspace above an operating railroad property is sold to another owner to
build a high-rise office building. Both property interests have to be described.
Owners of commercial solar collectors or wind energy turbines need to own rights
to the airspace surrounding their devices, for obvious reasons.
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Surveyors sometimes use three dimensional legal descriptions in condominium
declarations when the condominium is in a mixed-use and –ownership building.
Townhome parcels are being built where one level of a building is shared by more
than one owner.
Some central business district subdivisions of multilevel buildings are now listed
with three dimensional lots at various elevations
A high-rise condominium association sells its parking garage located in the first
four floors of the building to a professional parking company. New three-
dimensional legal descriptions are needed for the garage and the condominiums.
This third dimension is the relationship of a point or points in a legal description to another
vertical point above or points on, above, or below the earth‘s surface. These vertical points are
often associated with sea level somewhere in the world. Near the ocean, the relationship of a
vertical point to sea level is meaningful. Somewhere in the center of the country, where ground
level is nowhere near the ocean, it can be difficult to visualize a vertical point referenced to sea
level. To make vertical points easier to envision, some local governments create a benchmark
that establishes a zero point in elevation. These benchmarks are usually referenced to sea level
somewhere. The following are very simple examples of two three-dimensional legal
descriptions that contain a multilevel commercial/office building located on Lot 1 in a
subdivision being sold to two individuals. One party will own the ground floor commercial
space, basement area, and below, and the other party will own the office space and above.
Parcel 1 (office Space)
That part of Lot 1 in the Columbia City Subdivision lying above an elevation of 225.67
feet sea level.
Parcel 2 (Retail Space)
That part of Lot 1 in the Columbia City Subdivision lying below an elevation of 225.67
feet sea level.
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UNIT 4
SOILS AND SOIL SURVEYS6
What is soil? (less technical)
Soil is a naturally occurring mixture of mineral and organic ingredients with a definite form,
structure, and composition. The exact composition of soil changes from one location to another.
The following is the average composition by volume of the major soil ingredients:
45% Minerals (clay, silt, sand, gravel, stones).
25% Water (the amount varies depending upon precipitation and the water-holding
capacity of the soil).
25% Air (an essential ingredient for living organisms).
5% Organic matter or humus (both living and dead organisms).
A soil is composed primarily of minerals which are produced from parent material that is
weathered or broken into small pieces. Beyond occasional stones, gravel, and other rock debris,
most of the mineral particles are called sand, silt, or clay. These mineral particles give soil
texture. Sand particles range in diameter from 2 mm to 0.05 mm, are easily seen with the unaided
eye, and feel gritty. [One millimeter (mm) is about the thickness of a dime.] Silt particles are
between 0.05 mm and 0.002 mm and feel like flour. Clay particles are smaller than 0.002 mm
and cannot be seen with the unaided eye. Clay particles are the most reactive mineral ingredient
in the soil. Wet clay usually feels sticky.
Water and air occupy the pore spaces—the area between the mineral particles. In these small
spaces, water and air are available for use by plants. These small pore spaces are essential to the
life of soil organisms, to soil productivity, and to plant growth.
The final ingredient of a soil is organic matter. It is comprised of dead plant and animal material
and the billions of living organisms that inhabit the soil.
(From "Conserving Soil," NRCS)
What is soil? (more technical)
Soil is a natural body which consists of solids (minerals and organic matter), liquid, and gases
that occurs on the land surface, occupies space, and is characterized by one or both of the
following: (1) horizons, or layers, that are distinguishable from the initial material as a result of
additions, losses, transfers, and transformations of energy and matter or (2) the ability to support
6 The information contained in Unit 4 comes from the Natural Resource Conservation Service’s Web Soil Survey website. http://websoilsurvey.sc.egov.usda.gov/App/WebSoilSurvey.aspx when selecting an area of interest to gather soils information, the student may then view selected topics of information under the Intro to Soils tab. For purposes of this manual, the major topics of Introduction to Soils, Cropland, Pastureland and Hayland, Rangeland, and Urban Uses have been selected. This information contains source references that are included in the NRCS material on the Web Soil Survey site.
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rooted plants in a natural environment. The upper limit of soil is the boundary between soil and
air, shallow water, live plants, or plant materials that have not begun to decompose.
Areas are not considered to have soil if the surface is permanently covered by water too deep
(typically more than 2.5 meters) for the growth of rooted plants. The lower boundary that
separates soil from the nonsoil underneath is most difficult to define. Soil consists of horizons
near the earth's surface that, in contrast to the underlying parent material, have been altered by
the interactions of climate, relief, and living organisms over time. Commonly, soil grades at its
lower boundary to hard rock or to earthy materials virtually devoid of animals, roots, or other
marks of biological activity. For purposes of classification, the lower boundary of soil is
arbitrarily set at 2 meters.
(From "Soil Taxonomy," second edition, 1999)
How does soil form?
Soils develop as a result of the interactions of climate, living organisms, and landscape position
as they influence parent material decomposition over time. Differences in climate, parent
material, landscape position, and living organisms from one location to another as well as the
amount of time the material has been in place all influence the soil-forming process.
The five soil-forming factors are:
Parent material,
Climate,
Living organisms,
Landscape position, and
Time.
Parent Material
Parent material refers to that great variety of unconsolidated organic (such as fresh peat) and
mineral material in which soil formation begins. Mineral material includes partially weathered
rock, ash from volcanoes, sediments moved and deposited by wind and water, or ground-up rock
deposited by glaciers. The material has a strong effect on the type of soil developed as well as
the rate at which development takes place. Soil development may take place quicker in materials
that are more permeable to water. Dense, massive, clayey materials can be resistant to soil
formation processes. In soils developed from sandy parent material, the A horizon may be a little
darker than its parent material, but the B horizon tends to have a similar color, texture, and
chemical composition.
Climate
Climate is a major factor in determining the kind of plant and animal life on and in the soil. It
determines the amount of water available for weathering minerals and transporting the minerals
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and elements released. Climate through its influence on soil temperature, determines the rate of
chemical weathering.
Warm, moist climates encourage rapid plant growth and thus high organic matter production.
The opposite is true for cold, dry climates. Organic matter decomposition is also accelerated in
warm, moist climates. Under the control of climate, freezing and thawing or wetting and drying
break parent material apart.
Rainfall causes leaching. Rain dissolves some minerals, such as carbonates, and transports them
deeper into the soil. Some acid soils have developed from parent materials that originally
contained limestone. Rainfall can also be acid, especially downwind from industrial production.
Living organisms
Plants affect soil development by supplying upper layers with organic matter, recycling nutrients
from lower to upper layers, and helping to prevent erosion. In general, deep rooted plants
contribute more to soil development than shallow rooted ones because the passages they create
allow greater water movement, which in turn aids in leaching. Leaves, twigs, and bark from large
plants fall onto the soil and are broken down by fungi, bacteria, insects, earthworms, and
burrowing animals. These organisms eat and break down organic matter releasing plant nutrients.
Some change certain elements, such as sulfur and nitrogen, into usable forms for plants.
Microscopic organisms and the humus they produce also act as a kind of glue to hold soil
particles together in aggregates. Well-aggregated soil is ideal for providing the right combination
of air and water to plant roots.
Landscape position
Landscape position causes localized changes in moisture and temperature. When rain falls on a
landscape, water begins to move downward by the force of gravity, either through the soil or
across the surface to a lower elevation. Even though the landscape has the same soil-forming
factors of climate, organisms, parent material, and time, drier soils at higher elevations may be
quite different from the wetter soils where water accumulates. Wetter areas may have reducing
conditions that will inhibit proper root growth for plants that require a balance of soil oxygen,
water, and nutrients.
Steepness, shape, and length of slope are important because they influence the rate at which
water flows into or off the soil. If unprotected, soils on slopes may erode leaving a thinner
surface layer. Eroded soils tend to be less fertile and have less available water than uneroded
soils of the same series.
Aspect affects soil temperature. Generally, for most of the continental United States, soils on
north-facing slopes tend to be cooler and wetter than soils on south-facing slopes. Soils on north-
facing slopes tend to have thicker A and B horizons and tend to be less droughty.
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Time
Time is required for horizon formation. The longer a soil surface has been exposed to soil-
forming agents like rain and growing plants, the greater the development of the soil profile. Soils
in recent alluvial or windblown materials, or soils on steep slopes where erosion has been active
may show very little horizon development.
Soils on older, stable surfaces generally have well-defined horizons because the rate of soil
formation has exceeded the rate of geologic erosion or deposition. As soils age, many original
minerals are destroyed. Many new ones are formed. Soils become more leached, more acid, and
more clayey. In many well drained soils, the B horizons tend to become redder in color with
time.
(Found in "From the Surface Down," NRCS)
What are soil horizons?
Soils are deposited in or developed into layers. These layers, called horizons, can be seen where
roads have been cut through hills, where streams have scoured through valleys, or in other areas
where the soil is exposed.
Where soil-forming factors are favorable, five or six master horizons may be in a mineral soil
profile. Each master horizon is subdivided into specific layers that have a unique identity. The
thickness of each layer varies with location. Under disturbed conditions, such as intensive
agriculture, or where erosion is severe, not all horizons will be present. Young soils have fewer
major horizons.
The uppermost layer generally is an organic horizon, or O horizon. It consists of fresh and
decaying plant residue from such sources as leaves, needles, twigs, moss, lichens, and other
organic material accumulations. Some organic materials were deposited under water. The
subdivisions Oa, Oe, and Oi are used to identify levels of decomposition. The O horizon is dark
because decomposition is producing humus.
Below the O horizon is the A horizon. The A horizon is mainly mineral material. It is generally
darker than the lower horizons because of the varying amounts of humified organic matter. This
horizon is where most root activity occurs and is usually the most productive layer of soil. It may
be referred to as a surface layer in a soil survey. An A horizon that has been buried beneath more
recent deposits is designated as Ab.
The E horizon generally is bleached or whitish in appearance. As water moves down through this
horizon, soluble minerals and nutrients dissolve and some dissolved materials are washed
(leached) out. The main feature of this horizon is the loss of silicate clay, iron, aluminum,
humus, or some combination of these, leaving a concentration of sand and silt particles.
Below the A or E horizon is the B horizon, or subsoil. The B horizon is usually lighter colored,
denser, and lower in organic matter than the A horizon. It commonly is the zone where leached
materials accumulate. The B horizon is further defined by the materials that make up the
accumulation, such as the letter t in the designation Bt, which identifies that clay has
accumulated. Other illuvial concentrations or accumulations include iron, aluminum, humus,
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carbonates, gypsum, or silica. Soil not having recognizable concentrations within B horizons but
showing a color or structural difference from adjacent horizons is designated Bw.
Still deeper is the C horizon or substratum. The C horizon may consist of less clay, or other less
weathered sediments. Partially disintegrated parent material and mineral particles are in this
horizon. Some soils have a soft bedrock horizon that is given the designation Cr. C horizons
described as 2C consist of different material, usually of an older age than horizons which overlie
it.
The lowest horizon, the R horizon, is bedrock. Bedrock can be within a few inches of the surface
or many feet below the surface. Where bedrock is very deep and below normal depths of
observation, an R horizon is not described.
(Found in "From the Surface Down," NRCS)
What is a soil scientist?
A soil scientist studies the upper few meters of the earth's crust in terms of its physical and
chemical properties; distribution, genesis and morphology; and biological components. A soil
scientist needs a strong background in the physical and biological sciences and mathematics.
(From "Careers in Soil Science" http://www.nrcs.usda.gov/wps/portal/nrcs/detail/soils/edu/
?cid=nrcs142p2_054277 )
What is a soil survey?
One of the main tools available to help land users determine the potentials and limitations of
soils is a soil survey. Soil surveys are available through the USDA, Natural Resources
Conservation Service (NRCS). The surveys are made by NRCS in cooperation with other
Federal, State, and local agencies. Our offices can provide this information, but more and more
soil surveys are also available on the Internet. Web Soil Survey allows you to produce a
customized soil survey for your own area of interest.
A soil survey generally contains soils data for one county, parish, or other geographic area, such
as a major land resource area. During a soil survey, soil scientists walk over the landscapes, bore
holes with soil augers, and examine cross sections of soil profiles. They determine the texture,
color, structure, and reaction of the soil and the relationship and thickness of the different soil
horizons. Some soils are sampled and tested at soil survey laboratories for certain soil property
determinations, such as cation-exchange capacity and bulk density.
Like any tool, a soil survey is helpful only if you know what it can and can't do, and if you use it
accordingly. The survey does not replace careful onsite investigation or analysis by a soil
scientist
(Found in "From the Surface Down," NRCS)
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Who uses a soil survey?
Soil surveys available from the Natural Resources Conservation Service are intended for many
different users. They can help homebuyers or developers determine soil-related hazards or
limitations that affect homesites. They can help land use planners determine the suitability of
areas for housing or onsite sewage disposal systems. They can help farmers estimate the
potential crop or forage production of his land. They can be used to determine the suitability and
limitations of soils for pipelines, buildings, landfills, recreation areas, and many other uses.
Many people assume that soils are all more or less alike. They are unaware that great differences
in soil properties can occur within even short distances. Soils may be seasonally wet or subject to
flooding. They may be shallow to bedrock. They may be too unstable to be used as a foundation
for buildings or roads. Very clayey or wet soils are poorly suited to septic tank absorption fields.
A high water table makes a soil poorly suited to basements or underground installations.
These soil properties and many others that affect land use are given in soil surveys. Each soil
survey describes the properties of soils in the county or area surveyed and shows the location of
each kind of soil on detailed maps.
What is a map unit?
A map unit delineation on a soil map represents an area dominated by one or more major kinds
of soil or miscellaneous areas. A map unit is identified and named according to the taxonomic
classification of the dominant soils. Within a taxonomic class there are precisely defined limits
for the properties of the soils. On the landscape, however, the soils are natural phenomena, and
they have the characteristic variability of all natural phenomena. Thus, the range of some
observed properties may extend beyond the limits defined for a taxonomic class. Areas of soils
of a single taxonomic class rarely, if ever, can be mapped without including areas of other
taxonomic classes. Consequently, every map unit is made up of the soils or miscellaneous areas
for which it is named and some minor components that belong to taxonomic classes other than
those of the major soils.
Most minor soils have properties similar to those of the dominant soil or soils in the map unit,
and thus they do not affect use and management. These are called noncontrasting, or similar,
components. They may or may not be mentioned in a particular map unit description. Other
minor components, however, have properties and behavioral characteristics divergent enough to
affect use or to require different management. These are called contrasting, or dissimilar,
components. They generally are in small areas and could not be mapped separately because of
the scale used. Some small areas of strongly contrasting soils or miscellaneous areas are
identified by a special symbol on the maps. The contrasting components are mentioned in the
map unit descriptions. A few areas of minor components may not have been observed, and
consequently they are not mentioned in the descriptions, especially where the pattern was so
complex that it was impractical to make enough observations to identify all the soils and
miscellaneous areas on the landscape.
The presence of minor components in a map unit in no way diminishes the usefulness or
accuracy of the data. The objective of mapping is not to delineate pure taxonomic classes but
rather to separate the landscape into landforms or landform segments that have similar use and
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management requirements. The delineation of such segments on the map provides sufficient
information for the development of resource plans. If intensive use of small areas is planned,
however, onsite investigation is needed to define and locate the soils and miscellaneous areas.
What is a consociation, complex, association, undifferentiated group, or miscellaneous
area?
A consociation is a kind of map unit that consists of one major soil or miscellaneous area plus
any components of minor extent. The major component is identified in the map unit name.
"Consociation" is a coined term.
Some map units are made up of two or more major soils or miscellaneous areas. These map units
are complexes, associations, or undifferentiated groups.
A complex consists of two or more soils or miscellaneous areas in such an intricate pattern or in
such small areas that they cannot be shown separately on the maps. The pattern and proportion of
the soils or miscellaneous areas are somewhat similar in all areas.
An association is made up of two or more geographically associated soils or miscellaneous areas
that are shown as one unit on the maps. Because of present or anticipated uses of the map units in
the survey area, it was not considered practical or necessary to map the soils or miscellaneous
areas separately. The pattern and relative proportion of the soils or miscellaneous areas are
somewhat similar.
An undifferentiated group is made up of two or more soils or miscellaneous areas that could be
mapped individually but are mapped as one unit because similar interpretations can be made for
use and management. The pattern and proportion of the soils or miscellaneous areas in a mapped
area are not uniform. An area can be made up of only one of the major soils or miscellaneous
areas, or it can be made up of all of them.
Miscellaneous areas have little or no soil material and support little or no vegetation.
What is an Official Series Description?
The Official Soil Series Descriptions (OSD) is a national collection of more than 20,000 detailed
soil series descriptions, covering the United States, Territories, Commonwealths, and Island
Nations served by USDA-NRCS. The descriptions, in a text format, serve as a national standard.
The soil series is the lowest category of the national soil classification system. The name of a soil
series is the common reference term, used to name soil map units. Soil series are the most
homogenous classes in the system of taxonomy. "Official Soil Series Descriptions" define
specific soil series in the United States, Territories, Commonwealths, and Island Nations served
by USDA-NRCS. They are descriptions of the taxa in the series category of the national system
of soil classification. They serve mainly as specification for identifying and classifying soils. The
descriptions contain soil properties that define the soil series, distinguish it from other soil series,
serve as the basis for the placement of that soil series in the soil family, and provide a record of
soil properties needed to prepare soil interpretations.
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(From "OSD Fact Sheet" http://www.nrcs.usda.gov/wps/portal/nrcs/detail/soils/home/
?cid=nrcs142p2_053586 )
INFORMATION FOR LAND USERS
Homebuyers
The foundation supports the walls, the walls support the roof, and the soil holds them all. But
how can you tell if the soil will be a good "home" for your house? You need to answer some
important questions:
Is the soil stable, or does it have properties that can cause the foundation or walls to
crack?
Is the soil in an area subject to flooding?
Will storm runoff drain safely away from the house and lot? Or will it turn your yard,
or basement, into a pond?
Does the soil have a seasonal high water table that can cause a basement to flood or a
septic system to fail?
Is the soil deep enough for a basement to be dug economically? For garden and
landscape plants to take root and thrive?
Is the soil so steep that erosion may be severe?
A soil survey can help you answer these and many other questions about the soil.
Land Use Planners
Soil surveys can help planners make and substantiate the decisions that local government
officials translate into zoning ordinances, building permits, authorizations for sewer extension,
and other regulations that mold a growing community. Information about soil limitations for
given uses helps prevent major mistakes in land use and unnecessary costs to individuals and the
community.
Soil surveys help in determining the extent of floodprone areas, and they rate the hazards that
affect use of soils in such areas. In many states soil surveys are used to guide municipal and
other government agencies in restricting the use of flood plains for housing, septic tank
absorption fields, and other forms of intensive development.
Zoning areas for housing, recreation, commercial, and other kinds of development should take
account of the suitability and limitations of soils for such uses. Soil surveys describe soil
properties in detail and can help planners establish general patterns of soil suitability and
limitations for various land uses.
Erosion and sedimentation may increase where land is being developed. Sediment has become a
major pollutant, and communities throughout the nation spend millions of dollars every year just
to remove sediment from drinking water.
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Planners and other authorities can use soil maps and soil data to identify sources of sediment and
to develop plans for controlling erosion and sedimentation.
Septic tank absorption fields do not work in wet or impermeable soils. Soil surveys provide
detailed descriptions of soil properties that can be used to determine the suitability of areas for
absorption fields. They indicate soil hazards that affect absorption fields, such as slow
permeability caused by high clay content, the presence of a high water table, or excessive
permeability that may allow effluent to pollute ground water. In many parts of the United States
soil surveys are used as a basis for ordinances that regulate use of land for septic tank absorption
fields.
Through use of soil surveys, roads and highways can be routed to avoid major soil hazards, and
sources of borrow material needed in constructing highways can be located. Contractors can bid
for work more accurately and can consider soil suitability and limitations in planning and
designing specific structures.
Recreation uses of land should be based on suitability of soils. Soil surveys can help in
identifying areas suitable for campsites, golf courses, manmade fishponds, and many other
recreation facilities. They also can help in planning the construction and layout of large
recreation areas that have restrooms, parking areas, outbuildings, and other structures.
Prime farmland can be identified through use of soil surveys. Other areas suited to development
and not so well suited to farming may be selected for development instead.
In planning uses for specific areas, an onsite investigation by a trained professional can
determine if there are any soil hazards or limitations, and whether these can be overcome by
corrective measures.
Appraisers
In appraising the income potential of farmland it is essential to distinguish between income
differences caused by soil properties and those caused by management. If two farms are
managed in much the same way and still show differences in income, it is likely that the soils
differ in inherent productivity. Likewise, two farms that have identical soil resources have the
same potential productivity even if they are now managed differently.
Soil surveys available from the Natural Resources Conservation Service can help bankers, loan
companies, tax assessors, farmers, and others who need to know about the productivity of
farmland obtain reliable estimates of the potential productivity of soils in their area.
Developers and Builders
As a developer or builder, you probably know of construction projects on which time and money
were lost because of unforeseen soil hazards. Soil surveys available from the Natural Resources
Conservation Service (NRCS) can help you anticipate soil hazards at proposed construction
areas, plan optimum development, and ensure adequate conservation during and after
construction.
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Soil surveys can help you determine whether tracts are suitable for development and avoid cost
overruns caused by unforeseen soil hazards. By studying soil maps and supporting data in soil
surveys, you can determine the soil conditions in areas where you plan to build and decide what
additional investigations, if any, are needed. Soil surveys can help you avoid the unnecessary
complications that attend failure of foundations, soil slippage, flooded basements, and other
structural breakdowns caused by adverse soil properties. Special foundations, walls, and floor
drains can be planned if soil hazards indicate that buildings of standard design would likely fail.
Soil surveys describe soil properties in detail so that you can anticipate such problems and
prepare alternative designs or select other areas for development.
Waste Disposal Entities
Whether you are a homeowner, land use planner, board of health official, county sanitarian, or
land developer, waste management concerns you. Soil surveys available from the Natural
Resources Conservation Service can help in planning the disposal of liquid and solid wastes
through septic tank absorption fields, sewage lagoons, and sanitary landfills.
Septic Tank Absorption Fields
Because of rapid suburban expansion, the number of homes that do not have access to a public
sewage disposal system has increased greatly. The most common system for individual homes is
one in which the sewer line from the house leads to an underground septic tank in the yard.
Overflow from the tank disperses into the soil through a system of underground drains or
perforated pipes.
To design a system that will work, you need to know the capacity of the soil to absorb effluent.
Movement of effluent through soil is determined mainly by the porosity of the soil, the size of
the soil particles, and by the kind of clay in the soil. Effluent moves faster through sandy and
gravelly soils than through clayey soils. Soils high in clay content have limited pore space for
holding effluent. Some kinds of clay expand when wet and close the pores entirely. Such soils
are unsuitable for absorption fields. If the soil is not porous, the effluent simply builds up and
seeps to the surface.
Soils that have a high water table may be saturated part of the year. A saturated soil cannot
absorb additional liquid, and the unfiltered septic tank effluent discharged into the drains may
seep to the surface. If there is a seasonal high water table, the septic tank absorption field may
work in dry seasons but fail in wet seasons.
Soil that is shallow to rock or soil that has a cemented layer just below the bottom of the trench
in which drains are laid lacks space for the effluent to be absorbed. About 4 feet of soil material
between the bottom of the trench and any rock formation is necessary for absorption, filtration,
and purification of septic tank effluent. More than 4 feet may be required if the underlying rock
is limestone that contains water used for domestic use.
Steep slopes—15 percent or steeper—make it difficult to control the distribution of effluent.
Effluent distributed into soil on a steep slope may seep onto the ground surface at a lower level.
Digging drain trenches on the contour insures that the effluent flows slowly through the drains
and disperses throughout the absorption field.
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Soils that are subject to flooding should not be used for absorption fields. Flooding destroys the
effectiveness of the field and allows unfiltered effluent to pollute the stream.
Before a septic tank absorption field or onsite sewage facility is designed for a specific area, an
onsite investigation by a trained professional can determine if there are any soil hazards or
limitations and whether these can be overcome by corrective measures.
Sewage Lagoons
Sewage lagoons are shallow manmade ponds used to hold sewage for the time required for
bacterial decomposition, after which the clarified water is released from the lagoon.
The lagoon must be capable of holding water with a minimum of seepage. The soil material in
the bottom of the lagoon and in the embankment should be free of stones and boulders that
interfere with compaction. Porous soils have severe limitations for sewage lagoons because
water moves through the soil too rapidly.
The soil also should be low in organic-matter content to reduce the potential growth of aquatic
plants. There should be no hazard of flooding, and the depth to water table should be at least 40
inches. Slope should be no more than about 7 percent.
Sanitary Landfills
Sanitary landfill is one way to dispose of garbage, boxes, plastic and metal containers, and other
solid wastes. Refuse is spread, compacted, and covered with soil material daily.
Landfill cannot be placed just anywhere. The properties of the soil and the kind of management
determine the success of a sanitary landfill.
Soils used for landfill should not be subject to flooding or have a high water table. Flooding the
landfill causes pollution of offsite areas. If the water table is seasonally high, leachate from the
landfill may contaminate ground water.
Steep slopes cause an erosion hazard. More care is needed on sloping to steep soils to dispose of
runoff water, including that from adjacent higher elevations. More grading is required for the
roads that lead to and from a landfill on sloping to steep soils than on nearly level soils. Soils
used for landfill should be easy to excavate and should hold up under heavy vehicular traffic in
all kinds of weather. Most fine-textured (high clay content) soils are plastic and sticky when wet
and are difficult to excavate, grade, and compact.
Water movement through the soil should be moderate to slow to retard the movement of leachate
from the landfill into underlying layers where it may pollute ground water.
Cover material must be easy to dig, move, and spread over the refuse during both wet and dry
periods. It must be easy to compact to reduce the rate of water intake. The area from which the
cover material is taken should be suitable for revegetating in order to prevent erosion in the
borrow area. Soil used for the final cover layer should be well suited to the growth of plants.
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Disposing of Other Kinds of Waste
Research is being conducted on the disposal of many kinds of wastes into soils. Such wastes
include animal wastes from feedlots; residues from vegetable, meat, poultry, and dairy
processing plants; chemicals used for fertilizers, pesticides, and herbicides; and effluent and
sludge from municipal sewage plants.
Basic factors to consider in disposing of these wastes into the soil are the ability of the soil to
assimilate wastes safely, the quality of the waste, particularly its content of nutrients and heavy
metals, and the ability of vegetation grown in the disposal areas to utilize the nutrients in the
waste. Soil properties that affect use for landfills also affect use of soils for disposing of other
kinds of wastes.
Park Boards and Recreation Area Planners
More ski resorts, dude ranches, camps, parks, picnic areas, and other private and public
recreation areas are needed to meet the growing demand for recreation. But just because
recreation is for fun does not mean the selection and layout of areas can be haphazard. Soil
suitability and limitations should be considered in planning recreation areas.
This Web site tells how soil surveys available from the Natural Resources Conservation Service
can help you select tracts suitable for recreation development and plan adequate conservation to
ensure that the areas remain attractive and usable.
Why Soil Data Are Needed
It cannot be assumed that just any piece of land can be used for recreation. Some soils are as
unsuitable for recreation as they are for supporting buildings or for growing oranges. Among the
soil properties that affect recreation uses are the following.
Flood hazard severely limits use of soils for camps and recreation buildings, but such soils are
suitable for hiking and nature study and other less intensive uses.
High water tables impose severe limitations on use of soils for campsites, roads and trails,
playgrounds, and picnic areas.
Droughtiness makes it difficult to grow grass needed to prevent erosion, and droughty soils may
require irrigation to maintain vegetation.
Some clayey soils swell when wet and shrink when dry. This shrinking and swelling may
damage floors and foundations of recreation buildings. Such soils may fail to support roads and
other structures unless special design is used.
Steep slopes limit the use of soils for playgrounds, campsites, buildings, roads, and trails, but are
appropriate for hiking areas.
If bedrock is at shallow depth, it is difficult to level soils for playgrounds and campsites, to
construct roads and trails, and to establish vegetation. Shallow soils are poorly suited for uses
that require extensive grading.
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A clayey or sandy surface layer makes some soils undesirable for playgrounds, campsites, or
other uses that require heavy foot traffic.
Soils high in clay content are sticky when wet and remain wet for long periods after rains. Loose
sandy soils are unstable and dusty when dry. Sandy loam and loam soils are the most suitable for
recreation uses that require heavy foot traffic.
Stones, gravel, and rocks impose moderate to severe limitations on use of soils for campsites,
playgrounds, trails, and other uses that require heavy foot traffic.
The absorptive capacity of soils determines whether a septic tank absorption field will work. The
soil should be deep and permeable, there should be no seasonal high water table, the slope should
not be steep, and there should be no danger of flooding.
Suitability for impounding water determines whether the soil can be used for manmade
fishponds. Ponds are desirable for other recreation uses, such as shooting preserves, dude
ranches, vacation farms, and wildlife and nature study areas. Soils suited to manmade ponds
generally are deep, have low permeability when compacted, are not steep, and have a low
susceptibility to piping.
Selecting Recreation Areas
Soil surveys can help you select areas suitable for a wide range of recreation uses, including the
following:
wetland refuges for waterfowl
wildlife management
open space or nature study areas
parks
athletic fields
ski areas
golf courses
campsites, hiking trails, and picnic areas
dude ranches
woodlands
hunting reserves
manmade ponds
Maintaining Recreation Areas
For the manager of a ski resort, dude ranch, camp, park, picnic area, playground, or other private
or public recreation area, a soil survey can provide information necessary for planning a
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conservation program to protect the area against erosion and other kinds of site damage. A soil
survey can guide you in selecting a use for each area, based on the suitability of the soil. For
example, soils that are susceptible to erosion can be planted to trees, shrubs, and grasses and
used in a nonintensive way, such as for nature study. Loamy, well-drained soils can be used for
play areas and other uses that require heavy foot traffic.
A soil survey also helps in determining the kind of conservation measures needed to protect the
soils while in use. Soil information, which for many years has helped farmers and ranchers
prepare conservation plans, can also be used by a camp operator or manager of any recreation
area. Vegetation adapted to the soil can be selected and planted to protect the soil from erosion.
Dams, terraces, diversions, waterways, and other mechanical measures to control water runoff
can be installed in critical areas. In wet areas, if the soil and topography permit and if outlets are
available, drains can be installed.
An onsite investigation of a specific site by a trained professional can determine if there are any
soil hazards or limitations, and whether these can be overcome by corrective measures.
Construction Engineers
On many construction projects a major soil hazard is discovered only after the site has been
selected and construction is underway. The unforeseen hazard generally leads to delays in
construction and to cost overruns.
If soil hazards are known before construction begins, special compensating designs can be
prepared in advance or alternate sites can be selected. Although nearly any site can be made
suitable for most uses if enough money is spent, avoiding poor sites where possible helps keep
construction and maintenance costs to a minimum.
Soil surveys available from the Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) can help
engineers anticipate soil-related hazards that affect construction of buildings, highways,
pipelines, transmission lines, and similar installations.
Determining Soil Hazards
Soil surveys show the location of and describe each kind of soil in the county or area and
describe the soil properties. These data can help engineers anticipate soil-related problems and
plan onsite inspection. Failure to investigate adequately may lead to expensive delays in
construction or eventual structural breakdown.
How Soil Surveys Can Help Engineers
Construction engineers are particularly interested in soil properties that may require special
structural measures to overcome or special maintenance once construction is completed. Soil
surveys describe important soil properties that affect construction, including the following:
Shrink-swell potential: Certain kinds of clay soils expand when wet and shrink when dry,
and special foundations are required to compensate for this movement. Soil surveys
identify soils that have large shrink-swell potential.
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Wetness: Soil surveys provide data on natural soil drainage, permeability, depth to
seasonal water table, and suitability for winter grading for various kinds of soils. They
can help engineers anticipate seasonal limitations on the use of heavy machinery for
earthmoving and compacting and estimate the hazard of flooding or damage to
underground structures caused by soil wetness.
Depth to bedrock: Soil surveys show areas where bedrock is at a depth of less than 5 or 6
feet and indicate the kind of bedrock.
Erodibility: Soil surveys provide information on how susceptible each soil is to erosion.
Slope is only one factor contributing to erodibility. Other soil properties are also
important, especially those properties that determine the cohesiveness of soil particles.
These properties commonly vary within different layers of the same soil and cause
different degrees of erodibility in different soil layers.
Flood hazard: The hazards of flooding and ponding are rated in soil surveys, and flood-
prone areas are shown on soil maps. Such information does not take the place of
hydrologic studies to determine the severest flood expected once in 10, 25, 50, or 100
years, but it does provide reliable estimates of areas where floods are most likely.
Slope: Slope gradient is a determining factor in establishing the final grade of a
construction site and the amount of cut and fill needed to achieve the final grade. Ranges
in slope are recorded in soil surveys, and areas where cuts and fills may be needed can be
identified by studying soil maps. Slope particularly affects the installation of underground
conduits and the construction of roads and highways.
Bearing capacity: Soil surveys give estimates of the particle size and plasticity of soils,
and each soil layer is classified according to the Unified and the AASTHO systems.
These classifications help in evaluating soils for shallow foundations and determining
ease of compaction, ease of winter grading, trafficability, density, moisture relationships,
susceptibility to frost action, and other properties.
Corrosion potential: Standard concrete deteriorates rapidly in very acid soils, and steel
corrodes in soils that are highly saline or acid. The corrosion potential of each kind of soil
is rated in soil surveys.
Organic layers: Muck and peat are very soft and unstable, and if drained, they subside.
Areas of organic soils are shown in soil surveys, and the thickness of organic layers is
indicated.
Ease of excavation: Excavating friable soils may cost half as much as excavating soils
that are hard and compact. Sticky, clayey soils are difficult to spread in thin layers. Some
soils are very susceptible to sloughing in trenches; others are stable. All these properties
may differ from layer to layer in the same soil. Data presented in soil surveys can be used
by engineers to anticipate earthmoving problems and to prepare more accurate bids for
earth-moving.
Soil surveys also provide interpretations of the effect of soil properties on many kinds of land
use. These interpretations and other data can be used to determine soil suitability as a source of
topsoil, sand and gravel, roadfill for highway subgrade, and impermeable material. The
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interpretations also show the degree and kind of limitations of soils if used for septic tank
absorption fields, foundations for low buildings, underground utility lines, pipelines, highways,
roads, streets, and parking lots.
Farmers and Ranchers
As farmer or rancher you don't have time or capital to spend on elaborate agricultural research
and experiments or on mapping and studying soils. But you are interested in the results of such
studies if they can help you to manage more profitably.
Soil surveys contain detailed maps and descriptions of soils in your area. This information can
contribute to the management of your farm or ranch. For specific sites and uses, an onsite
investigation of the soils by a trained professional can determine if there are any soil hazards or
limitations, and whether these can be overcome by corrective measures.
How Soil Surveys Can Help Farmers
To stay in business, farmers have to evaluate important developments in agricultural
management. A soil survey can play a major part in this aspect of managing a farm.
Management practices: Farm production depends largely on fitting soil management practices to
the soil properties as accurately as possible. It is the right combination of a number of practices
that gets optimum results. Researchers try various combinations of fertilizers, tillage methods,
water management, and conservation measures. Combinations that produce the greatest yields at
the least cost on soils at experiment stations can be expected to give equally good results on
similar soils elsewhere. Soil descriptions presented in the soil survey of your area can help you
evaluate prospective changes in management of your soils.
New practices also are constantly on trial at state and other agricultural experiment stations. By
comparing soils at such stations with those described in the soil survey of your area, you can
estimate the likely success of new practices on your farm.
Special crops: You may want to know if new or special crops will work for you. The soil
survey of your area describes soil properties that affect crop growth and provides
information that could save you costly experiments in determining the best way to
manage your land for unfamiliar crops.
Crop yields: Estimated yields of major crops under a high level of management are
included in published soil surveys. The estimated yields can help you calculate
approximately what returns to expect on your soils and determine whether a high level of
management would increase yields enough to pay the extra cost.
Conservation plan: A soil survey can help you determine how intensively you can use
your soils without damage. It also helps in determining what conservation measures are
needed to control erosion and maintain or increase the productivity of your farm.
Reclaiming land: Some severely eroded soils respond readily to soil treatments, such as
fertilizer, lime, and green manure, but other soils respond very poorly. A soil survey can
help you decide whether added treatment to reclaim soils is likely to succeed.
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Waste disposal: Feedlots, poultry and broiler plants, and dairy farms dispose of manure
and other wastes into soils. A soil survey helps in determining how much waste the soils
can absorb and in what form.
Recreation: A soil survey can help in selecting areas suitable for manmade ponds. It also
can help in planning development of land for fee fishing, hunting, camping, and other
recreation facilities used to supplement income.
How Soil Surveys Can Help Ranchers
As a rancher, you want the greatest amount of high-quality forage from your range. Because
forage yields depend in large part on soil properties, detailed knowledge of the soils on your
ranch can help you manage your range more effectively.
Range potential: A soil survey provides detailed soil descriptions that can help you relate
the kinds of soil on your ranch to the distinctive kind and amount of vegetation each soil
can support. Soil texture, depth, wetness, available water, slope, and topographic position
are among the important soil properties that affect range potential. Deep loamy soils on
bottom lands may produce the most desirable range plants. On uplands where rainfall is
moderate, medium-textured soils that take in water readily may produce desirable plants
if grazing is controlled. In some dry areas sandy soils are more productive than clayey
soils. Grouping the soils on your range according to their potential productivity helps you
plan the kind of management needed to increase forage yields.
Range management: A soil survey can help you estimate the likely benefits of
management practices. For example, the soil in an area of brush or mesquite may have
such low potential productivity that the cost of chaining or chemical removal may not be
worth the ultimate yield in forage. On the other hand, there may be rocky areas or
hillsides where the soils are capable of producing more forage if properly managed. A
soil survey can help you determine such natural differences in productivity.
Grazing management: If range is overgrazed, desirable plants decrease and less desirable
plants may take over the site. A soil survey can help you identify soils that are producing
at less than their potential. Each soil survey names the main species of desirable and
undesirable range plants that grow on the soils and provide estimates of forage yields
than can be expected under favorable and unfavorable conditions.
Pasture, hay, and silage: You may need to grow more winter feed or establish more
pasture. A soil survey rates soil suitability for hay and pasture plants so that you can
determine which areas will be most productive for this use.
Wildlife and recreation: To supplement income, many ranchers use their land for fee
hunting or other kinds of recreation. A soil survey provides information that can help you
manage your land for wildlife habitat or identify areas suitable for recreation
development.
Conservation plan: A soil survey can help you plan conservation management of your
range. Soil maps and soil descriptions help you identify problem areas, select suitable
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areas for stock ponds, and establish schedules for grazing and proper use of the soils on
your range.
What Soil Data Are Available?
Soil surveys contain detailed maps and descriptions of soils and they provide interpretations of
soil properties for farming and ranching where such land use is practiced. Among the soil
properties that affect use of soils for farming and ranching are the content of sand, silt, and clay,
acidity and alkalinity, flood hazard, depth to water table, natural drainage, erodibility, organic-
matter content, and fertility. These and many other properties described in soil surveys provide
basic information for managing soils on a farm or ranch.
To determine whether a soil survey of your area is available, call the local office of the Natural
Resources Conservation Service. The soil conservationist or soil scientist will welcome an
opportunity to discuss conservation management of your soils with you.
CROPLAND
Cropland is defined as a land cover or land use category that includes areas used for the
production of adapted crops for harvest. Two subcategories of cropland are recognized:
cultivated and noncultivated. Cultivated cropland is land that is used for either row crops or
close-grown crops. Hayland or pastureland that is in a rotation with row crops or close-grown
crops also is considered cultivated cropland. Noncultivated cropland includes permanent hayland
and horticultural cropland.
Reference:
"2001 Annual NRI Glossary of Key Terms," National Resources Inventory, USDA, NRCS
Land Capability Classification
Determinations of land capability involve consideration of the risks of land damage from erosion
and other causes and the difficulties in land use resulting from physical land characteristics and
from climate. Land capability, as used in the USA, is an expression of the effect of physical land
characteristics and climate on the suitability of soils for crops that require regular tillage, for
grazing, for woodland, and for wildlife habitat.
Land capability classification shows, in a general way, the suitability of soils for most kinds of
field crops. Crops that require special management are excluded. The soils are grouped
according to their limitations for field crops, the risk of damage if they are used for crops, and
the way they respond to management. The criteria used in grouping the soils do not include
major and generally expensive landforming that would change slope, depth, or other
characteristics of the soils, nor do they include possible but unlikely major reclamation projects.
Capability classification is not a substitute for interpretations designed to show suitability and
limitations of groups of soils for rangeland, forestland, or engineering purposes.
In the capability system, soils are generally grouped at three levels: capability class, subclass,
and unit.
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Capability Classes
Capability classes, the broadest groups, are designated by the numbers 1 through 8. Capability
classes are determined for both irrigated and nonirrigated land. The numbers indicate
progressively greater limitations and narrower choices for practical use. The classes are defined
as follows:
o Class 1 soils have slight limitations that restrict their use.
o Class 2 soils have moderate limitations that restrict the choice of plants or require
moderate conservation practices.
o Class 3 soils have severe limitations that restrict the choice of plants or require
special conservation practices, or both.
o Class 4 soils have very severe limitations that restrict the choice of plants or
require very careful management, or both.
o Class 5 soils are subject to little or no erosion but have other limitations,
impractical to remove, that restrict their use mainly to pasture, rangeland,
forestland, or wildlife habitat.
o Class 6 soils have severe limitations that make them generally unsuitable for
cultivation and that restrict their use mainly to pasture, rangeland, forestland, or
wildlife habitat.
o Class 7 soils have very severe limitations that make them unsuitable for
cultivation and that restrict their use mainly to pasture, rangeland, forestland, or
wildlife habitat.
o Class 8 soils and miscellaneous areas have limitations that preclude commercial
plant production and that restrict their use to recreational purposes, wildlife
habitat, watershed, or esthetic purposes.
Capability Subclasses
Capability subclasses are soil groups within one class. They are designated by adding a small
letter, e, w, s, or c, to the class numeral, for example, 2e. In class 1 there are no subclasses
because the soils of this class have few limitations. Class 5 contains only the subclasses indicated
by w, s, or c because the soils in class 5 are subject to little or no erosion. These soils have other
limitations that restrict their use to pasture, rangeland, forestland, wildlife habitat, or recreation.
The significance of each subclass letter is described as follows:
Subclass letter e shows that the main problem is the hazard of erosion unless close-
growing plant cover is maintained. The susceptibility to erosion and past erosion damage
are the major soil-related factors affecting the soils that are assigned this subclass letter.
Subclass letter w shows that water in or on the soil interferes with plant growth or
cultivation. In some soils the wetness can be partly corrected by artificial drainage.
Ponding, a high water table, and/or flooding affect the soils that are assigned this subclass
letter.
Subclass letter s shows that the soil has limitations within the root zone, such as
shallowness of the root zone, a high content of stones, a low available water capacity, low
fertility, and excessive salinity or sodicity. Overcoming these limitations is difficult.
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Subclass letter c shows that the chief hazard or limitation is climate that is very cold or
very dry. This subclass letter is used only in some parts of the United States.
Capability Units
Capability units are soil groups within a subclass. The soils in a capability unit are enough alike
to be suited to the same crops and pasture plants, to require similar management, and to have
similar productivity. Capability units are generally designated by adding an Arabic numeral to
the subclass symbol, for example, 2e-4 and 3e-6. The use of this category of the land capability
classification is a state option. This category of the system is not stored in the soil survey
database. For information about capability units, please contact the local NRCS State Soil
Scientist. For locations of the offices of the State Soil Scientists, click on the State Contacts link
in the upper portion of this window.
Reference:
"National Soil Survey Handbook," Part 622 (00-Exhibit 1), USDA, NRCS
Soil Erosion And Crop Production
Soil erosion has long been considered detrimental to soil productivity. It is the basis for soil loss
tolerance values. Considerable loss in productivity is likely to occur on most soils if they are
eroded for several centuries at present soil loss tolerance levels. The cost of annual erosion-
caused losses in productivity on cropland and pastureland in the United States approaches $27
billion. There is an additional cost of $17 billion for off-site environmental damage. Worldwide
costs for erosion-caused losses and off-site environmental damage are estimated at $400 billion
per year.
Soil erosion can significantly reduce crop yields, especially in years when weather conditions are
unfavorable. As soil erosion continues, the soil is further degraded. Poor soil quality is reflected
in decreases in the content of organic matter, aggregate stability, phosphorus levels, and the
potential for providing plant-available water. The net result is a decrease in soil productivity.
Soil erosion occurs through either water or wind action. Erosion by water includes sheet, rill,
ephemeral gully, classical gully, and streambank erosion. Each succeeding type is associated
with the progressive concentration of runoff water into channels as it moves downslope.
Sheet erosion, sometimes referred to as "interrill erosion," is the detachment of soil particles by
the impact of raindrops and the removal of thin layers of soil from the land surface by the action
of rainfall and runoff.
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Severe sheet and rill erosion on highly erodible soils in northwest Iowa
after heavy rains. The spring rains fell on the surface when the soils were
not protected against erosion. (NRCS Photo Gallery NRCSIA99126)
Rill erosion is the formation of small, generally parallel channels caused by runoff water. It
usually does not recur in the same place.
Rill erosion on highly erodible soils in Cass County, Iowa, after heavy
rains. The field was not protected against erosion. (NRCS Photo Gallery
NRCSIA99128)
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Ephemeral gully erosion is the formation of shallow, concentrated flow channels in areas where
rills converge. The channels are filled with soil by tillage and form again through subsequent
runoff in the same general location.
A central Iowa field where ephemeral gully erosion has washed young corn plants from the ground and has
removed topsoil and plant nutrients. (NRCS Photo
Gallery NRCSIA99140)
Classical gully erosion is the formation of permanent, well defined, incised, concentrated flow
channels in areas where rills converge. The gullies cannot be crossed by ordinary farm
equipment.
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Gully erosion caused by uncontrolled runoff in an area in Kansas. (NRCS Photo Gallery NRCSKS02008)
Streambank erosion is the removal of soil from streambanks by the direct action of streamflow.
It typically occurs during periods of high streamflow.
The greatest deterrent to soil erosion by water is a vegetative cover, living or dead, on the
surface. Supplemental erosion-control practices include contour farming, contour stripcropping,
and terraces or diversions.
Wind erosion is generally the most common form of soil erosion on the Great Plains. Other
major regions that are subject to damaging wind erosion are the Columbia River plains; some
parts of the Southwest and the Colorado Basin; areas of muck and sandy soils in the Great Lakes
region; and areas of sand on the Gulf, Pacific, and Atlantic seaboards. Wherever the soil surface
is loose and dry, vegetation is sparse or does not occur, and the wind is sufficiently strong, wind
erosion will occur unless erosion-control measures are applied.
Wind is an erosive agent. It detaches and transports soil particles, sorts the finer from the coarser
particles, and deposits the particles unevenly. Loss of the fertile topsoil in eroded areas reduces
the rooting depth and, in many places, reduces crop yields. Abrasion by airborne soil particles
damages plants and manmade structures. Drifting soil also causes extensive damage. Sand and
dust in the air can harm animals, humans, and equipment.
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A "black roller" moving across the plains, carrying soil blown from unprotected farmland
during the Dust Bowl. (NRCS Photo Gallery NRCSDC01019)
Wind erosion in an area of unprotected fields in north-central Iowa. (NRCS Photo Gallery
NRCSIA99158)
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Wind erosion in an unprotected cultivated field near Manhattan, Kansas. (NRCS Photo
Gallery NRCSKS02050)
PASTURELAND AND HAYLAND
Pastureland, often called improved pasture, or tame pasture, is defined as grazing land
permanently producing introduced or domesticated native forage species receiving varying
degrees of periodic cultural treatment to enhance forage quality and yields. It is primarily
harvested by grazing animals. Permanent pastureland in this context means the present operator
has no desire to change the land use or rotate crops in the field.
Pastureland may be machine harvested when and where the need arises, site conditions permit,
and the forage type is of sufficient stature, quantity, and quality to permit efficient machine
harvest preserving. If part of the annual growth is machine harvested, but regrowth is available
and used for grazing during the majority of the growing season, the primary land use is pasture.
If the machine harvesting schedule results in little or no appreciable regrowth for grazing, the
primary land use is then cropland or hayland.
Forage
Forage can be defined as the edible parts of plants, other than separated grain, that can provide
standing feed for grazing animals or be harvested for feeding. Crops that are sometimes
classified as grain crops are also forages, such as corn and sorghum grown for silage. Small
grains may also be stored in a silo or baled. Examples include alfalfa and bermudagrass.
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Forage Suitability Groups
Forage suitability groups (FSG‘s) are composed of one or more individual soil map units having
similar potentials and limitations for forage production. Soils within a forage production
suitability group are sufficiently uniform to:
Support the same adapted forage plants under the same management,
Require similar conservation treatment and management to produce the forages
selected in the quality and quantity desired, and
Have comparable potential productivity
Reference: "Range and Pasture Handbook," USDA-NRCS
Pastureland Condition
Pastureland condition is the status of the plant community and the soil in a pasture in relation to
its highest possible condition under ―ideal‖ management. The land user selects and establishes
the desired plant community unless a preexisting one is acceptable or can be developed from the
existing site. The desired plant community should be selected on the basis of the adaptability to
the existing soils and climate at the site. Livestock production goals and livestock forage
preferences should also be considered.
Where ―ideal‖ pastureland management is applied, grazing pressure and agronomic inputs are
managed in a manner that keeps the desired plant community reasonably stable at the species
proportions desired for the livestock type and class. Over time, permanent pastures tend to
naturalize. Other unintended plants invade and become part of the plant community. Some of
these are acceptable forage species; others are not. Shifts in plant species composition, if allowed
to proceed without intervention, usually result in a plant community that does not meet the goals
of the land user. This plant community often produces lower quality forage than the established
pasture plant community, sometimes yields less forage, and may not respond as well to
agronomic inputs.
Reference: "Pastureland Soil Quality Information Sheet 1," Soil Quality Institute, USDA-NRCS,
2003
RANGELAND
What is rangeland?
Rangeland is a kind of land on which the historic climax vegetation was predominantly grasses,
grass-like plants, forbs, or shrubs. Rangeland includes land re-vegetated naturally or artificially
to provide a plant cover that is managed like native vegetation. Rangelands include natural
grasslands, savannas, most deserts, tundra, alpine plant communities, coastal and freshwater
marshes, and wet meadows.
Rangelands provide numerous products and have many values and uses. Rangelands are a
primary source of forage for domestic livestock and for wildlife. Rangelands provide water for
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urban, rural, domestic, industrial, and agricultural use. They provide wildlife habitat, areas for
natural recycling, purification of the air, and carbon sequestration. Rangelands have aesthetic
value, provide open space, and act as buffers for urban areas. They are a vital link in the
enhancement of rural social stability and economic vigor.
Reference: "Range and Pasture Handbook," Section 600.0202(a) page 2-2
What is range management?
Range management is the art and science founded on ecological principles and dealing with the
use of rangelands and range resources for a variety of purposes. These purposes include use as
watersheds, wildlife habitat, grazing by livestock, recreation, and aesthetics.
What is an ecological site?
An ecological site is a distinctive kind of land with specific physical characteristics that differs
from other kinds of land in its ability to produce a distinctive kind and amount of vegetation.
Landscapes are divided into ecological sites for the purposes of inventory, evaluation, and
management.
An ecological site is the product of all the environmental factors responsible for its development,
and it has a set of key characteristics that are included in the ecological site description.
Ecological sites have characteristic soils and hydrology that have developed over time
throughout the soil development process. The factors of soil development are parent material,
climate, living organisms, topography or landscape position, and time. These factors lead to soil
development or degradation through the processes of loss, addition, translocation, and
transformation.
Most ecological sites evolved with a characteristic kind of herbivory (kinds and numbers of
herbivores, seasons of use, and intensity of use). Herbivory directly influences the vegetation and
soil, both of which influence the hydrology.
Ecological sites evolve with a characteristic fire regime. Fire frequency and intensity contribute
to the characteristic plant community of the sites.
Reference: "Range and Pasture Handbook," Section 600.0300 (a) page 3.1-1
What is an ecological site description?
An ecological site description is prepared for each ecological site. These descriptions contain
information regarding the physiographic features, climate, soils, water features, and plant
communities associated with each ecological site. Plant community dynamics, annual production
estimates, growth curves, associated wildlife communities, and interpretations for use and
management of the site are also included in each site description.
Ecological site descriptions provide the foundation information to assist land managers in
making timely, well informed resource management decisions.
Example: "National Range and Pasture Handbook," Exhibit 3.1-3 page 3.1 ex-3
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What is a historic climax plant community?
The historic climax plant community for a site in North America is the plant community that
existed at the time of European immigration and settlement. It is the plant community that was
best adapted to natural disturbances, such as drought, fire, grazing of native fauna, and insects.
The historic climax plant community was in dynamic equilibrium with its environment.
The historic climax plant community of an ecological site is not a precise assemblage of species
for which the proportions are the same from place to place or from year to year. In all plant
communities, variability is apparent in productivity and occurrence of individual species.
Boundaries of the plant communities can be recognized by characteristic patterns of species
composition, association, and community structure.
Reference: "National Range and Pasture Handbook," Section 600.0301 pages 3.1-2
What is a similarity index?
Similarity index is the comparison of the present plant community on an ecological site to any
other plant communities that may exist on the site.
The purpose for determining similarity index is to provide a benchmark for future comparisons
evaluating the extent and direction of changes that have occurred in the plant community because
of a specific treatment or management.
Reference: "National Range and Pasture Handbook," Section 600.0402(b) page 4-17
How is similarity index calculated?
To determine the present plant community's similarity index to a specific plant community, the
specific plant community must be adequately described in the ecological site description. The
specific plant community must be described by species and the expected range of production by
weight by species or by groups of species as well as the expected normal total annual production.
This range of production becomes the allowable production to be counted when determining
similarity index.
The existing plant community must be inventoried by recording the actual weight, in pounds, of
each species present. The annual production by species of the existing plant community is then
compared to the production of individual species in the desired plant community. All allowable
production is then totaled. It is important to remember that if the similarity index is calculated
when plants are still growing, then the plant productions should be reconstructed to reflect the
total production for the year.
The relative similarity index to the desired plant community is calculated by dividing this total
weight of allowable production by the total annual production in the desired plant community.
This evaluation expresses the percentage of the desired plant community present on the site. For
example, if the current inventory reflects only 65% of the allowable plants compared to the
desired plant community, then the current plant community has a 65% similarity index to the
desired plant community.
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Reference: "National Range and Pasture Handbook," Section 600.0402(b)(2) page 4-17
What is trend?
Trend is a rating of the direction of plant community changes that may be occurring on a site.
The plant community and the associated components of the ecosystem may be either moving
toward or away from the historic climax plant community or some other desired plant
community. At times, it can be difficult to determine the direction of change. Usually trend is
determined by two evaluations over time.
Trend provides information necessary for the operational level of management to ensure that the
direction of change meets the objectives of the manager. The present plant community is a result
of a sustained trend over a period of time.
Trend is an important and required part of a rangeland resource inventory. It is significant when
planning the use, management, and treatment needed to affect desired change in the rangeland
resource.
Reference: "National Range and Pasture Handbook," Section 600.0402(a) page 4-14
How is range trend determined?
The plant community and the associated components of the ecosystem may be either moving
toward or away from the historic climax plant community or some other desired plant
community (rangeland trend or planned trend). The kind of trend (rangeland trend or planned
trend) being evaluated must be determined.
Rangeland trend is defined as the direction of change in an existing plant community relative to
the historic climax plant community. It is described as:
Toward: Moving towards the historic climax plant community.
Not apparent: No change detectable.
Away from: Moving away from the historic climax plant community.
Planned trend is defined as the change in plant composition within an ecological site from one
plant community type to the desired plant community. It is described as:
Positive: Moving towards the desired plant community.
Not apparent: No change detectable.
Negative: Moving away from the desired plant community.
Most ecological sites evolved with a characteristic kind of herbivory (kinds and numbers of
herbivores, seasons of use, and intensity of use). Herbivory directly influences the vegetation and
soil, both of which influence the hydrology.
Trend is determined by evaluating changes in plant composition, abundance of seedlings and
young plants, plant residue, plant vigor, and condition of the soil surface.
Reference: "National Range and Pasture Handbook," Section 600.0402(a) page 4-14
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What is rangeland health?
The rangeland health assessment is an attempt to look at how the ecological processes on an
ecological site are functioning. Ecological processes include the water cycle (the capture,
storage, and redistribution of precipitation), energy flow (conversion of sunlight to plant and
animal matter), and nutrient cycle (the cycle of nutrients, such as nitrogen and phosphorus,
through the physical and biotic components of the environment).
Qualitative assessments of rangeland health provide land managers with information that can be
used to identify areas that are potentially at risk of degradation and provide early warnings of
resource problems on upland rangelands.
This procedure has been developed for use by experienced, knowledgeable land managers. It is
not intended that this assessment procedure be used by individuals who do not have experience
or knowledge of the rangeland ecological sites they are evaluating. This approach requires a
good understanding of ecological processes, vegetation, and soils for each of the ecological sites
to which it is applied.
Reference: "National Range and Pasture Handbook," Section 600.0402(c) pages 4-23
How is rangeland health evaluated?
Ecological processes functioning within a normal range of variation support specific plant and
animal communities. Direct measures of site integrity and status of ecological processes are
difficult or expensive to measure because of the complexity of the processes and their
interrelationships. Therefore, biological and physical attributes are often used as indicators of the
functional status of ecological processes and site integrity.
Three closely interrelated attributes are evaluated:
Soil/site stability: The capacity of the site to limit redistribution and loss of soil resources
(including nutrients and organic matter) by wind and water.
Hydrologic function: The capacity of the site to capture, store, and safely release water
from rainfall, run-on, and snowmelt (where relevant) to resist a reduction in this
capacity and to recover this capacity following degradation.
Integrity of the biotic community: Capacity of a site to support characteristic functional
and structural communities in the context of normal variability, to resist loss of this
function and structure because of a disturbance, and to recover following such
disturbance.
Reference: "National Range and Pasture Handbook," Section 600.0402(c)(2) pages 4-24
URBAN USES
Soils used for urban purposes are in areas of developed and developing land. These uses are
described in this section.
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Soils information helps people make many different decisions
A wide range of decisions can be based, directly or indirectly, on soils information. Examples
include decisions about where to put a garden, park, or road. People in urban areas who use soils
information include:
Homeowners with small sites
County planners, local planning boards, builders, or developers with large sites
Students exploring careers in soils or educators planning outdoor classrooms
Scientists or researchers
Renters or property managers interested in ongoing maintenance or expanded use of
existing soils
Urban areas include developed and developing land
The management of soils on developed and developing land is complex. Information is needed
from many agencies to be applied across a variety of land uses. Contact information for other
agencies on flood maps (FEMA), environmental education (EPA), and other issues is listed
under the heading "References and resources" at the end of this introduction. Most of the
information presented for other land uses in Web Soil Survey also can be adapted and used to
learn more about urban areas of developed and developing land. Therefore, it may be helpful for
you to understand a few basic definitions showing the relationship of developed and developing
land to other land uses, such as cropland, forestland, and rangeland. Horticulture and recreation
are special focus areas that can occur in areas of any land use.
The following definitions, with the exception of that for developing land, are from the National
Resources Inventory program (NRI-97) of the U.S. Department of Agriculture, Natural
Resources Conservation Service.
Developed land
A combination of land cover/use categories including urban and built-up areas and rural
transportation land.
Rural transportation land
A land cover/use category consisting of all highways, roads, railroads, and associated rights-of-
way outside urban and built-up areas; including private roads to farmsteads or ranch
headquarters, logging roads, and other private roads, except field lanes.
Urban and built-up areas
A land cover/use category consisting of residential, industrial, commercial, and institutional land;
construction sites; public administrative sites; railroad yards; cemeteries; airports; golf courses;
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sanitary landfills; sewage treatment plants; water control structures and spillways; other land
used for such purposes; small parks within urban and built-up areas; and highways, railroads, and
other transportation facilities if they are surrounded by urban areas.
Developing land
As defined for Web Soil Survey, developing land is a broad category that includes transitional
areas of cropland, forestland, or rangeland that may be developed in the near future.
A brief guide to soils in urban areas
Urban soils form in different types of human-deposited material, including a) loamy fill over
natural sand, b) dredged spoil, c) coal ash, and d) construction debris. Nonsoil areas are given
such names as Rock outcrop, Urban land, Dumps, Water, and Rubble land. Urban land is defined
as areas with a specific percentage of impervious cover, such as pavement, driveways, and
buildings. Collectively, nonsoil areas are classified as miscellaneous areas.
Some general information about map unit components and the kinds of map units (for example,
"complex") in a soil survey is provided under the heading "Components and kinds of map units".
Understanding the suitability and limitations ratings
Generally, there are no data recorded for map units or components called "urban
land".
If the urban land occurs as part of a complex, it is possible to view the soil
information for the other components in the complex by using the advanced options
for aggregation methods.
When urban land makes up the largest percentage of the map unit, using the
"dominant condition" aggregation method may obscure the information for nearby
developing land and undisturbed soils. Adjusting the aggregation method to "least
limiting" and leaving the component percent box unchecked (thereby opening up all
components for ratings) can help to overcome this problem.
Udorthents are an example of a more general classification category of soils. The data
available for these soils commonly are limited or are displayed in the form of wide
ranges. Ratings for specific uses generally are not available. Disturbed land is
commonly mapped as Udorthents.
Developing land generally was mapped as the undisturbed soil map unit or
component. Because data or ratings for the map units of urban land and more general
classifications typically are not available, it may be useful to look at the other soils in
an urban land complex or at the soils in adjacent map units for clues to soil suitability
or soil properties.
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As soil surveys are updated, more developed land may be captured as map units and
the soil properties in some larger areas may be consistent enough to be rated for
suitability.
Urban land map units
Urban land consists of paved areas or areas of highly disturbed land. This land may
still have some of the characteristics of the soil components that existed in the area
before it was disturbed. The soil survey generally describes the top 5 feet of the soil.
In some rapidly developing areas, the soil has been disturbed since the soil survey
mapping was completed. Differences between the earlier mapping and the current
conditions may be noticeable at the surface or when sequences of layers repeat below
the surface. Typically, these areas are mapped as urban land or as a complex of urban
land with an undisturbed soil.
Soil properties in urban areas can vary considerably over distances too small to be
captured on soil survey maps. Therefore, onsite investigations are needed before
specific practices are designed.
The following photos illustrate the variety of urban soils.
Lack of distinct horizons in a filled area
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Loamy fill over natural sand (note the abrupt color change)
Fill
material
over
wet soil
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The map units delineated on the detailed soil maps in a soil survey represent the soils or
miscellaneous areas in the survey area.
Components and kinds of map units
A map unit delineation on a soil map represents an area dominated by one or more major kinds
of soil or miscellaneous areas. A map unit is identified and named according to the taxonomic
classification of the dominant soils. Within a taxonomic class there are precisely defined limits
for the properties of the soils. On the landscape, however, the soils are natural phenomena, and
they have the characteristic variability of all natural phenomena. Thus, the range of some
observed properties may extend beyond the limits defined for a taxonomic class. Areas of soils
of a single taxonomic class rarely, if ever, can be mapped without including areas of other
taxonomic classes. Consequently, every map unit is made up of the soils or miscellaneous areas
for which it is named and some minor components that belong to taxonomic classes other than
those of the major soils.
Minor components
Most minor soils have properties similar to those of the dominant soil or soils in the map unit,
and thus they do not affect use and management. These are called noncontrasting, or similar,
components. Other minor components, however, have properties and behavioral characteristics
divergent enough to affect use or to require different management. These are called contrasting,
or dissimilar, components. They generally are in small areas and could not be mapped separately
because of the scale used. Some small areas of strongly contrasting soils or miscellaneous areas
are identified by a special symbol on the maps.
The presence of minor components in a map unit in no way diminishes the usefulness or
accuracy of the data. The objective of mapping is not to delineate pure taxonomic classes but
rather to separate the landscape into landforms or landform segments that have similar use and
management requirements. The delineation of such segments on the map provides sufficient
information for the development of resource plans. If intensive use of small areas is planned,
however, onsite investigation is needed to define and locate the soils and miscellaneous areas.
Kinds of map units
Soils that have profiles that are almost alike make up a "soil series". Except for differences in
texture of the surface layer, all the soils of a series have major horizons that are similar in
composition, thickness, and arrangement.
Soils of one series can differ in texture of the surface layer, slope, stoniness, salinity, degree of
erosion, and other characteristics that affect their use. On the basis of such differences, a soil
series is divided into "soil phases." Most of the areas shown on detailed soil maps are phases of
soil series. The name of a soil phase commonly indicates a feature that affects use or
management. For example, Alpha silt loam, 0 to 2 percent slopes, is a phase of the Alpha series.
Some map units are made up of two or more major soils or miscellaneous areas. These map units
are complexes, associations, or undifferentiated groups.
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A "complex" consists of two or more soils or miscellaneous areas in such an intricate pattern or
in such small areas that they cannot be shown separately on the maps. The pattern and proportion
of the soils or miscellaneous areas are somewhat similar in all areas. Alpha-Beta complex, 0 to 6
percent slopes, is an example.
An "association" is made up of two or more geographically associated soils or miscellaneous
areas that are shown as one unit on the maps. Because of present or anticipated uses of the map
units in the survey area, it was not considered practical or necessary to map the soils or
miscellaneous areas separately. The pattern and relative proportion of the soils or miscellaneous
areas are somewhat similar. Alpha-Beta association, 0 to 2 percent slopes, is an example.
An "undifferentiated group" is made up of two or more soils or miscellaneous areas that could be
mapped individually but are mapped as one unit because similar interpretations can be made for
use and management. The pattern and proportion of the soils or miscellaneous areas in a mapped
area are not uniform. An area can be made up of only one of the major soils or miscellaneous
areas, or it can be made up of all of them. Alpha and Beta soils, 0 to 2 percent slopes, is an
example.
Some surveys include "miscellaneous areas." Such areas have little or no soil material and
support little or no vegetation. Rock outcrop is an example.
Additional information about map units is available elsewhere in Web Soil Survey (see the "Soil
Reports" tab). Some reports display properties of the soils, and others list limitations,
capabilities, and potentials for many uses. Many of the terms used in describing map units and
components of map units are defined in the narrative descriptions that accompany these reports.
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UNIT 5
NDSU PRODUCTION FORMULA AND INUNDATED LAND7
County Average Agricultural Value
Each year the Department of Agribusiness and Applied Economics at North Dakota State
University (NDSU) has the responsibility to compute the average agricultural value per acre of
cropland, non-cropland and inundated agricultural land for each county. In addition, NDSU
computes an average value per acre of all agricultural lands on a county wide and statewide
basis. These values are provided to the State Tax Commissioner by December 1 of each year.
The model for this process is contained in North Dakota Century Code § 57-02-27.2.
The model uses the county‘s annual crop production and annual regional market prices by crop
reporting districts for the major crops and summerfallow. The major crops include: spring wheat
(fallow, continuous and irrigated), durum (fallow, continuous and irrigated), barley (fallow,
continuous and irrigated), oats, rye, sunflower (oil and non-oil), flaxseed, corn grain (dryland and
irrigated), corn silage (dryland and irrigated), alfalfa hay, other hay, soybeans, winter wheat, dry
edible beans, sugarbeets, potatoes (dryland and irrigated), and canola. Crop land data includes
acres planted and harvested.
Non-cropland production data includes range land and pastureland acreage estimates and gross
income potential of the land based upon animal unit carrying capacity. Most of the data in the
model is obtained from the National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS), the Natural
Resources and Conservation Service (NRCS), and the Farm Service Agency (FSA).
The annual gross return for cropland in each county is determined by using 20 percent of the
county‘s annual gross income produced by sugar beets and potatoes, plus 30 percent of the
county‘s annual gross income from the other crops, plus a share of government payments.
Annual gross return from irrigated cropland is 50 percent of the dryland rate to recognize
additional expense associated with irrigation. The average annual gross return is determined for
each county by considering the annual gross returns for the most recent ten years for which data
is available preceding the current year, eliminating the returns from the highest and lowest years,
and averaging the remaining eight years. The average annual gross return is adjusted by a cost of
production index, which accounts for the increasing proportion of the total cost of production
represented by variable costs. The data source for this index is Items Used For Production
from the Prices Paid Index published by the National Agricultural Statistics Service. The
adjusted average annual gross return per acre is capitalized into an agricultural value per acre for
each county by dividing the adjusted average annual gross return by an appropriate capitalization
rate.
The capitalization rate is calculated by taking the twelve most recent years‘ gross federal land
bank (AgriBank, FCB) mortgage rate of interest for North Dakota, eliminating the highest and
lowest years, and averaging the remaining ten years.
7 Unit 7 contains language from the Office of North Dakota State Tax Commissioner’s Property Tax Guideline Valuation Concepts-Agricultural Property.
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A non-cropland value is determined for each county in the same manner as cropland value,
except that the annual gross return is 25 percent of the gross annual income potential from
livestock. The agricultural value of inundated land is 10 percent of the average agricultural value
of non-cropland for each county. ―Inundated agricultural land‖ means:
1. Property classified as agricultural property containing a minimum of ten
contiguous acres if the value of the inundated land exceeds ten percent of the
average agricultural value of non-cropland for the county;
2. which is inundated to an extent making it unsuitable for growing crops or grazing
farm animals for two consecutive growing seasons or more;
3. and which produced revenue from any source in the most recent prior year which
is less than the county average revenue per acre for non-cropland calculated by
the agricultural economics department of the North Dakota state university.
Application for classification as inundated agricultural land must be made in writing to the
township assessor or county director of tax equalization by March 31 of each year, and must be
approved by the board of county commissioners before all or part of a parcel of land may be
classified as inundated agricultural land. Determinations concerning classification as inundated
agricultural land may be appealed through the informal equalization process and formal
abatement process. An average value per acre for all agricultural land for each county is
determined from the cropland, non-cropland and inundated agricultural land values by weighting
the average of the three categories by the acreage in each category.
Average Agricultural Value for Each County
Each year before January 1, the Tax Commissioner provides to each of the county directors of
tax equalization the county average agricultural values as computed by NDSU.
Average Agricultural Value for Each Assessment District
The county director of tax equalization determines an estimate of the average agricultural value
per acre for each township or assessment district. The total agricultural value of all the
assessment districts, divided by the total number of taxable agricultural acres, should be equal to
the average agricultural value per acre for the county as provided by the tax commissioner. The
county director of tax equalization provides these values to the local assessors before February 1
each year. The county director of tax equalization shall use soil type and soil classification data
from detailed and general soil surveys to estimate the average agricultural value for each
assessment district relative to the county average agricultural value.
Before February 1 of each year, the county director of tax equalization shall provide to all
assessors of agricultural property in the county a schedule of modifiers, approved by the state
supervisor of assessments that must be used to adjust agricultural property assessments within
the county.
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Assessor Estimates Value of Each Parcel of Agricultural Land
The local assessor estimates the relative agricultural value for each quarter section or smaller
parcel of agricultural land in the assessment district. The total agricultural value of the district
divided by the total number of taxable agricultural acres should be equal to the average value of
agricultural land as estimated by the county director of tax equalization for that district.
Detailed soil surveys provide an accurate method of estimating the relative agricultural value for
each parcel. First, the assessor shall use soil type and soil classification from the detailed or
general soil surveys. Second, the assessor shall use the schedule of modifiers approved by the
state supervisor of assessments to adjust for conditions not documented in the soil surveys.
Third, the assessor shall consider actual use of the property for cropland or non-cropland
purposes by the owner of the parcel.
Assessor’s or Township Board’s Estimate of Average Value
If local assessor or township board of equalization develops an average value of agricultural land
for the assessment district that is substantially different from the estimate provided by the county
director of tax equalization, written evidence supporting a change in valuation must be presented
to the county director of tax equalization. If the county director of tax equalization disagrees with
the values as submitted by the township board of equalization, the matter is resolved by the
county board of equalization.
Implementation of Soil Type and Soil Classification Data Required
For any county that has not fully implemented use of soil type and soil classification data from
detailed or general soil surveys by February 1 of any taxable year after 2011, the Tax
Commissioner shall direct the State Treasurer to withhold 5 percent of that county‘s allocation
each quarter from the state aid distribution fund under N.D.C.C. § 57-39.2-26.1 beginning with
the first quarter of 2013, and continuing until the Tax Commissioner certifies to the State
Treasurer that the county has fully implemented use of soil type or soil classification data. The
amount withheld from the allocation must be withheld entirely from the portion of the allocation
which may be retained by the county and may not reduce allocations to any political subdivisions
within the county. The amount withheld from the allocation must be deposited into the
agricultural land valuation fund. All monies deposited in the agricultural land valuation fund
must be allocated to the county from which the withholding was made upon certification from
the Tax Commissioner of the implementation of subsection 7 of section 57-02-27.2 by that
county.
Land Used for Extraction of Oil, Natural Gas, or Subsurface Minerals
Land that was assessed as agricultural property at the time the land was put to use for extraction
of oil, natural gas, or subsurface minerals as defined in N.D.C.C. § 38-12-01 must continue to be
assessed as agricultural property if the remainder of the surface owner‘s parcel of property on
which the subsurface mineral activity is occurring continues to qualify for assessment as
agricultural property under subsection 1 of N.D.C.C. § 57-02-01.
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UNIT 6
METHOD OF VALUATION & ASSIGNING VALUE TO SOIL TYPES BASED ON
PRODUCTIVITY8
Each county must complete several generalized steps to change their valuation method in light of
legislative changes.
1) Determine the Extent of Soils for Each Agricultural Parcel
First, each county must determine the acreage of each soil type or soil map unit within
each property tax parcel classified as agricultural.
Acreage of soil types can be determined using paper soil maps, transparent overlays of
parcel boundaries, and acre tabulation grids or planimeters to determine acres. These
methods may be labor intensive and time consuming.
A preferred method is creating a digital parcel layer in a Geographic Information System
(GIS-a computerized mapping software system) environment and then overlaying the
parcel layer with the digital soil survey available from the USDA-Natural Resources
Conservation Service (NRCS). Using digital data and a GIS is the recommended method
for counties just beginning the process of utilizing the soil survey in land assessment.
The GIS approach has several benefits:
a) The most current soil maps from NRCS are readily available in a
digital format;
b) A digital county parcel map may be used for other endeavors within
the county and may offset the initial cost of development; and
c) Digital data may be updated regularly to reflect ownership splits and
merges and relinked with soil maps for accurate soil acre
determination.
Counties that have already determined their soils acres manually are not required to
create a digital parcel map for their county however it is recommended that each county
use the most up to date soils information available from NRCS as well as keep parcel
information maintained as accurately as possible.
2) Assigning Value to Soil Types
After determining the extent of each soil type for every agricultural parcel of land,
counties must assign a value to each soil type based on productivity. Soil productivity
8 Unit 6 contains language from the Office of North Dakota State Tax Commissioner’s Guide to Assessing Agricultural Land in North Dakota-2008 Edition pages 10-15.
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can be determined by using a Productivity Index (PI) or a measure of range production,
either Pounds of Forage or Animal Unit Months (AUM). Soils Committees may assist
the county tax director in determining soil productivity. Assigning value to soil types is
discussed later in this handbook.
3) Apply Approved Modifiers
Counties must determine if appropriate local modifiers are needed in the assessment
process. If modifiers are used, counties must decide on a maximum rate each modifier
will affect the value of land as determined from soil productivity.
4) Consider Land Use
Land use must be considered when determining the true and full value of land.
Assigning Value to Soil Types Based on Productivity
The fundamental basis for agricultural property valuation in North Dakota is productivity.
Productivity Indices (PI) can be used to estimate the long-term production capacity of a soil used
for agricultural crops under a defined level of management. PI ratings are a relative ranking of
soils in an area based on soil and landscape properties. Soils with favorable properties (e.g., high
water holding capacity, run-on landscape positions, etc.) receive higher rankings than soils with
unfavorable properties. The ranking ranges from 0 to 100, with the best soils in an area having a
PI of 100. Some counties may determine a maximum PI of less than 100 (such as 98 or 95) to
begin their ranking system and adjust the range to meet the needs of that county over time.
Initial PIs can be obtained from the NRCS Web Soil Survey. If a Soils Committee is established,
these values are reviewed by the committee. NRCS PIs are based on the long-term production of
spring wheat at a high level of management. Under certain conditions (for example, deep-rooted
crops grown on high water table sands), these values may not be applicable to specific counties
and a composite PI, representing several commonly grown crops, may be determined locally (see
example 10 under ―Multiple Crop Productivity Index Averaging‖).
PIs derived from NRCS data bases represent the typical condition of the soil. For example, if the
soil under consideration is commonly drained for agricultural production, the PI is listed for a
drained phase. Because both drained and un-drained conditions may exist in a county, local
modifiers are used to adjust values for un-drained soils. This situation may also apply to soils
affected by salinity, sodicity (claypan), stones, channels, etc.
Counties should review their soil lists with NRCS representatives to determine which soils in
their jurisdiction are susceptible to Wet Phase modification. Wet Phase modification may be
applied to soils susceptible to a more or less permanent state of ponding, flooding, or surface
saturation. Use of Wet Phase modification on these soils might be appropriate if the current PI
does not adequately account for reduced productivity due to the wetness. Counties using Wet
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Phase modification may need to establish a new listing for those soils (for example Borup loam
under wet conditions may be given a separate listing as ‗Borup loam very wet‘). A new PI for the
wet type will also need to be determined. Examples of soils susceptible to saturation include
Arveson, Rosewood, and Borup series.
Once a PI has been reviewed and accepted for each soil type (soil map unit), the PIs are sorted
for each soil type from highest to lowest. Soils may be grouped into Productivity Classes, based
on groups of soils with similar PIs. Use of Productivity Classes reduces the amount of
computations needed and helps to clear up any confusion related to lengthy soil lists.
Please note many older county soil survey reports contain outdated yield information. Current PI
information is available at websoilsurvey.nrcs.usda.gov/app/.
Soils with the highest PI receive the highest value per acre and values decrease with lower PI as
shown on the following sample condensed list (Valuation Schedule):
In the above example, the maximum value per acre is reduced to correspond to the soil‘s PI. In
this case, the average value for the highest rated soil was determined using a formula provided
by North Dakota State University (NDSU). The value of soils with lower PIs was determined by
multiplying the highest PI soil price by the soil PI (divided by 100). For example, to determine
the value per acre of Soil Type 7, multiply $343.00 by .94 to calculate a value of $322.00/acre.
Note also, soil type 111 (Pits, gravel) does not have bushels/acre yield given, yet a productivity
index was set at 10. In this case, the PI is not used to determine value. The county determined a
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minimum value of $75.00 per acre for the land. This county assumes all land has a value and a
potential to earn income.
The next series of examples show the progression of data for one North Dakota county (County
‗B‘) beginning with the NDSU County Average Value Calculations, followed by the Valuation
Schedule for the same county, and a Rural Landowner Data Sheet derived from that information.
Example 7: County ‘B’ NDSU County Average Value Calculations
Working from the data distributed by NDSU in the previous example, County B developed their
Valuation Schedule. County B‘s schedule sorts the soils by PI and allows for the value
calculations per soil, similar to the Valuation Schedule model demonstrating soil ranking in
Example 6. County B has established a ‗breakpoint‘ in their soils list, separating cropland from
non-cropland soils. For further discussion on ―breakpoint establishment,‖ see page 22.
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Example 8: County ‘B’ Valuation Schedule – With breakpoint between Cropland and Non-cropland Soils (See Breakpoint Establishment under Considering Land Use)
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The next example shows a Rural Landowner Data Sheet, with a full assessment of the owner‘s
land based on soils, derived from the data in the previous two examples from County B:
Example 9: County ‘B’ Rural Land Owner Datasheet (No Modifiers Applied)
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UNIT 7
MODIFIERS9
N.D.C.C. Section 57-02-27.2 provides that local assessors must apply the consideration of
modifiers to the assessment determination, but those modifiers must first be approved by the
state supervisor of assessments. Specifically, N.D.C.C. Section 57-02-27.2 (8)(b) provides:
The schedule of modifiers that must be used to adjust agricultural property assessments
within the county as approved by the state supervisor of assessments.
With regard to approval by the state supervisor of assessments, N.D.C.C. Section 57-02-27.2(9)
further provides:
Before February first of each year, the county director of tax equalization in each county
shall provide to all assessors of agricultural property within the county a schedule of modifiers
that must be used to adjust agricultural property assessments within the county and directions
regarding how those modifiers must be applied by assessors. Before the schedule of modifiers is
provided to assessors within the county, the county director of tax equalization shall obtain the
approval of the state supervisor of assessments for use of the schedule within the county.
Modifiers are used to show and document a reduction in soil values caused by a limitation on the
functional utility of a soil type. Modifiers reduce the upper limit of a soil type‘s Productivity
Index.
Modifiers must be approved by the county board of commissioners and the state supervisor of
assessment prior to use. Counties must send their schedule of modifiers, definition of modifiers,
and descriptions of how they are used to:
State Supervisor of Assessments
North Dakota Office of State Tax Commissioner
600 East Boulevard Ave
Bismarck, ND 58505-0899
It is important to use modifiers consistently and equitably throughout the county. Modifiers may
be determined based on field notes, field visits, aerial photographs, and applicable township and
Soils Committee observations.
When determining which modifiers will be applied throughout the county, it is also important to
remember that the productivity index of the soils already accounts for many factors that may
affect productivity. In many cases, factors such as salinity, sodicity, presence of rocks, sand, and
9 Unit 7 contains language from the Office of North Dakota State Tax Commissioner’s Guide to Assessing Agricultural Land in North Dakota-2008 Edition pages 17-19.
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gravel, erosion rates, and drainage problems are reflected in the soil PI. In some cases, this
eliminates the need to inventory each agricultural parcel for these factors during the assessment
process. However, there may be cases where local modifiers are needed to supplement the soil
survey. For example:
NRCS Productivity Indices usually reflect the dominant drainage condition in the
county. Modifiers may be needed to reflect localized conditions.
Salinity is a temporal property that can change with climate and management.
NRCS soil survey maps only delineate areas of moderate or severe salinity that
are more or less permanent. Modifiers may be needed to reflect changes in saline
levels.
NRCS usually mapped ―channeled‖ phases along small meandering streams. The
soils in these areas are commonly of high quality but accessibility or conformity
may be poor. A local modifier may be needed for these areas.
NRCS soil maps were usually developed at a scale of 1:20,000 or 3.2 inches to a
mile. Map units may have small inclusions of contrasting soils that may affect
productivity. In some cases, modifiers may be needed to manage these areas.
However, it is important to establish size limitations to maintain consistency in
the use of such modifiers.
Most parcels of land may contain several small areas containing modifications. Counties may
consider setting a minimum number of continuous acres affected by each modifier per parcel
during the valuation process.
POTENTIAL MODIFIERS
The following is a list of potential modifiers typical to the estate of North Dakota that may be
considered when valuing agricultural property:
Inaccessibility: (obstacles; obstructions) Agricultural land with access restricted by
rivers, canals, ravines, roads, towers, buttes, rock piles, etc.
Irregular Fields: Small areas of land that may have good quality soil yet are difficult to
cultivate due to irregular shape.
Nonconformity: Small areas of productive soils surrounded by less productive soils,
making cultivation less economical. The land is not fulfilling its highest and best use due
to the distribution or intermingling of soil characteristics.
Poor Drainage: Low-lying areas on the landscape susceptible to flooding, ponding, or
drowning out crops during heavy rains, resulting in lower productivity.
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Rocks: Used as a modifier where production, operating expenses, and crop selection are
affected due to the presence of substantial rock outcropping or surface stones. This
modifier is not meant for the presence of incidental rocks that may be accounted for in
the soil productivity index.
Saline Deposits (salinity): This modifier includes areas where soluble salts precipitate
on the soil surface or in the soil‘s rooting zone, resulting in reduced vegetative production
or the elimination of crops and grasses on agricultural lands. In some cases, laboratory
analysis is needed to confirm salinity.
Stream Overflow: Low-lying areas of land which are susceptible to overland flooding
from a nearby stream or river after a crop has been planted. This modifier is not to be
used in areas that are prone to flooding during the typical spring runoff before the crop is
planted.
Wind Erosion: Areas of sandy soils or clay soils that are prone to wind erosion,
resulting in a loss of topsoil, which can affect the productivity of the soils.
When deciding which modifiers will be considered throughout the county, it is important to
establish criteria for using the modifier and determine a set percentage or valuation procedure by
which each modifier will reduce the valuation of the land. This will ensure county-wide
consistency and equity in the assessment process.
The following example illustrates how County B has assigned fixed percentages or valuation
rules to its modifiers:
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The following is an example of a County B landowner data sheet in which modifiers were
applied:
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UNIT 8
ACTUAL USE IN AGRICULTURAL LAND ASSESSMENT10
After a county has determined the agricultural value based on soil types and applied the
approved modifiers, the final consideration a local assessor shall apply is the actual use of the
land in comparison to the property‘s potential. For agricultural land assessment purposes,
common land uses are cropland and non-cropland.
For this discussion, the following definitions apply:
Cropland: Land used for the production of adapted crops for harvest. Crops included
alfalfa hay, sudan grass, conservation reserve program, etc.
Non-cropland: Includes permanent pastureland and rangeland:
Permanent Pastureland: Land managed primarily for the production of
introduced forage plants for livestock grazing. Pastureland cover may consist of a
single species in a pure stand, a grass mixture, or a grass-legume mixture.
Management usually consists of cultural treatments: fertilization, weed control,
reseeding or renovation, and controlled grazing such as fencing. Land composed
of introduced or domesticated native forage species used primarily for the
production of domestic livestock, which receives periodic renovation and/or
cultural treatments, such as tillage, fertilization, mowing, and weed control.
(Cropland grazed in between crops is NOT permanent pastureland. These areas
are to be viewed as cropland and valued accordingly.)
Rangeland: Land on which the ecological climax or potential plant cover is
composed principally of native grasses, grass-like plants, forbs, or shrubs suitable
for grazing and browsing, and introduced forage species managed like rangeland.
Rangeland is considered land that has never been broken and can be used for
grazing.
Considering actual use of the land requires an inventory of land use or management practices
currently employed within each taxable parcel. There may be instances where a landowner is
cultivating crops on low-productivity soils better for non-cropland activities. On the other hand,
a landowner may not be cultivating a soil with a high PI, choosing instead to use the land for
non-cropland activities.
10 Unit 8 contains language from the Office of State Tax Commissioner’s Guide to Assessing Agricultural Land in North Dakota-2008 Edition pages 20-23.
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It is important to remember that land use for a few parcels in each county may change from year
to year. For example, a producer may choose to clear woodlands and cultivate the field, or a
producer might convert rangeland into cropland. Counties must review the land use of each
parcel periodically and update data records to reflect any changes.
Land use information may be obtained from aerial photographs with land cover delineated from
sources such as Farm Services Agency or AgriData web sites (depending upon availability). To
obtain actual land use information, landowners may also be required to report annual activities
directly to the county, or local assessors may have to travel to various parcels of land to evaluate
the annual management practices. The county may adopt an application program by which the
property owners request a physical inspection of the land to change the classification from
cropland to non-cropland or vice versa.
Finally, a lack of use does not necessarily change the actual use classification. An example of
this is Conservation Reserve Program (CRP) acres. The land at one time must have supported a
mechanically harvested crop to qualify for CRP. If the soils present are tillable in character, no
adjustment for actual use will be made, the land remains assessed as cropland11
.
Cropland and Non-cropland Breakpoint Establishment
Another option when instituting a distinction between land use values is to establish a dividing
line between cropland soils and non-cropland soils. IF crop PIs are used as a proxy for
estimating range production, it may be necessary to reclassify soils into either cropland or non-
cropland based on the assumption of highest and best use.
After the soils are arranged from high to low based on PI or estimates of range production, a
―breakpoint‖ between cropland soils and non-cropland soil may be determined. The breakpoint
is the point on the soil list where the highest and best use changes from cropland to rangeland or
permanent pasture (―Highest and best use is that use which will generate the highest net return to
the property over a reasonable period of time.‖-Property Assessment Valuation, International
Association of Assessing Officers, 1996. In other words, the highest and best use of an
agricultural property is its potential as cultivated cropland versus rangeland or permanent
pasture.).
The county tax director determines the breakpoint by considering county average values,
production factors, and soil properties. The primary example of this type of valuation is given in
Example 8 of this manual.
11 Another example of when a government program may have an effect on the valuation is in a Wetlands Reserve Program (WRP) agreement. These agreements contain specific language as to land owners rights, description of the property, and the time frame that the agreement is in effect. For an example of a WRP agreement please see Appendix 1 at the back of this manual. Language contained in Part III of the agreement specifically outlines prohibition of certain activity, leading to a determination of non-cropland.
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Example 13 illustrates this type of breakpoint valuation. The county in this example took
another step in separating yield data into bushels per acre for the cropland soils (C) and pounds
of forage per acre (LBS/AC) for the non-cropland (NC) soils:
As indicated above, non-cropland is designed specifically for the purpose of sustaining livestock.
They are also referred to as grassland, rangeland, and pastureland. Soils ―production‖ on these
lands refers to the amount of livestock the soil and landscape can sustain, rather than the crops it
may grow.
Because the PI rating system is based on crop production, counties with a higher interest in
grazing land productivity may opt to further expand upon the soils capability as it relates to
livestock production. The correct measure of grazing land soil productivity is based on a
determination of the land‘s carrying capacity, stocking rate, or Animal Unit Months (AUM).
Currently, no standard for determining these measures of range productivity is readily available.
Each rangeland sites‘ past history must be evaluated to determine future production potential.
For this reason, NRCS range specialists must visit the land when determining carrying capacity
or designing a range management program. Range specialists estimate AUMs when developing
a range management program, but the data is for a specific piece of land and as such, is not
readily available on a regional basis.
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However, as a part of NRCS‘ soil survey, every map unit component is assigned an ecological
site. Each ecological site has several transition phases and vegetative species are identified for
each phase. Total production is often determined, but because of differences in plant
palatability, does not correlate exactly with carrying capacity (e.g., a wetland site produces much
vegetation but little is used by the grazing animal). Having the county Soils Committee assign a
productivity value to each ecological site may be a viable option for counties choosing to expand
upon their non-crop valuation method. If this method is pursued, a composite range productivity
estimate of a soil map unit would have to be determined from the individual ecological sites of
the components. Because the large amount of work involved in developing estimates of range
production, the Production Index (PI) as determined by NRCS or local soils Committee may still
be the most readily available method of ranking the productivity for rangeland.
Assigning Cropland and Non-cropland Values to Each Soil Type or Class
Counties must establish a procedure to separate cropland values from non-cropland values. One
option would be to establish cropland and non-cropland values for each soil type that falls within
the county‘s jurisdiction.
An example of this type of valuation methodology is below:
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Assigning Other Use Categories: Nonproductive Lands
When considering land use in the assessment process, another category of use that may be
encountered is nonproductive land. Nonproductive lands are those areas not managed for
cultivating crops or sustaining livestock and are often given values comparable with the lowest
ranking soil or lowest ranking non-cropland value.
It is important a county defines nonproductive land to meet local conditions and applies the
concept consistently and equitably (e.g. land falling into this category may not have high
agricultural value but may still command high market value).
Descriptions of nonproductive lands are provided:
Farmsteads/Farm Plants/ Ranch Headquarters: A category that includes dwellings,
outbuildings, barns, pens, corrals, and feedlots next to buildings, farmstead or feedlot
windbreaks, and family gardens associated with operating farms and ranches. These
lands are still assessed based on the soil type.
Inundated Lands: Agricultural land that has become flooded due to rising water levels.
These lands are subject to classification under N.D.C.C. Section 57-02-27.2 (6).
Application for consideration as inundated land must be made annually.
Manmade Features: This category includes abandoned railroads, man-made drains,
waterways, dikes, abandoned towns and farmsteads, communication towers, power lines,
billboards, guy lines, wind towers, etc. Please note that the land leased for commercial
purposes, such as communication towers, power lines, billboards, guy lines, and wind
towers, is not assessed as agricultural land.
Marshland (wetland): A land cover/use described as a non-forested area of land partly or
intermittently covered with water and usually characterized by the presence of such
marsh grasses and plants. (Some wetlands may already be classified under N.D.C.C.
Section 57-02-10 or the Emergency Watersheds program 16 U.S.C. Section 2203 and 7
U.S.C. Section 428a, or identified in the soil survey.)
Mines, quarries, and pits: Uses of land for extraction or ores, minerals, and rock
materials. Where the mine, quarry, or pit is active, this land is considered ―Commercial
Property‖ and assessed accordingly. When the mine, quarry, or pit is inactive and
reclaimed, the land reverts to agricultural property. Some of these areas are identified in
the soil survey.
Planted Shelterbelts (Planted windbreaks): Trees planted for the purpose of reducing
wind erosion on agricultural lands. Some shelterbelts may already fall under the Forest
Stewardship tax in chapter 57-57 of the North Dakota Century Code.
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Roads: Include roads, trails, and right-of-ways (Road Permanent Easement, N.D.C.C.
Section 57-02-10 may apply). Some four land roads are identified in the soil survey.
Rural Residences: Residences on agricultural lands, which are not eligible for the farm
residence exemption.
Woodlands (Natural growth trees): Include natural growth trees and brush in and around
fields. Some woodlands may already fall under the Forest Stewardship Tax, N.D.C.C.
chapter 57-57.
Water: A category consisting of permanent water, such as a perennial stream, lake, or
pond. Typically categorized as inundated land and valued at 10% of the lowest valued
soil. Some of these areas have been identified in the soil survey.
The following example illustrates how one North Dakota county assigned a separate, set value to
their non-productive lands:
Agricultural Improvements
Individual landowners may choose to invest and implement the use of various management tools
to increase the production of their fields. Practices such as irrigation and surface or subsurface
drainage to remove excess wetness or salinity are typical throughout the state. These
improvements are considered part of an agricultural operation or management decision and
would not increase the valuation of the land established on soil productivity.
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UNIT 9
FINAL CONSIDERATIONS
It is important to keep landowners informed of the changes in the assessment methods used in a
county. Some landowners‘ property values and taxes may be raised due to the high quality of
their soil, while some may see a decrease in value and taxes due to the lower value of their soils
or application of modifiers, or both. Providing landowners with an understanding of how their
property is assessed may help eliminate many questions and concerns.
To assist in state compliance audits, it is important to maintain records of all Soils Committee
minutes, county board decisions regarding land use consideration, soils lists showing ranking
from PIs, Valuation Schedules, schedules of modifiers, and any documents outlining how the
county considers land use. Counties should maintain these documents indefinitely, as well as
any landowner datasheets.
For counties that use a Geographic Information System (GIS) mapping program to determine
acres of soil type per parcel, it is very important to maintain a parcel map layer separate and
distinct from the soil map layer for updating property splits and boundary changes. AN
additional copy of the county parcel layer should be stored in a remote location to protect against
fire or other disaster. Copies of the parcel file annually linked with the soils layer for acreage
determinations should also be maintained separately by year.
County Tax Directors are advised that the average county agricultural land values as provided by
NDSU through the state productivity formula are established by land use, not soil type. When
county tax directors annually submit the county acres to NDSU, the acres submitted should
closely reflect the taxable acres represented by the land use (i.e., cropland, non-cropland, and
inundated). These acreage counts may be acquired from the county Farm Service Agency, or a
summarization of local assessment inspections. The acres are NOT simply to be determined by
the soil type categorization as cropland/non-cropland as produced by their computerized tax
system.
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APPENDIX 1
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