NB_430_23_11 - NB 430-23-11 SOI – Comment Period for Soil Landscapes of the United States 100m Continuous Soil Property Maps
NB 430-23-11 SOI – Comment Period for Soil Landscapes of the United States 100m Continuous Soil Property Maps
National
Bulletin:
430-23-11
Date:
May 16, 2023
Subject:
SOI – Comment Period for Soil Landscapes of the United States 100m Continuous Soil Property Maps
Action Required By:July 1, 2023
Purpose. This national bulletin solicits reviews and comments on Soil Landscapes of United States 100m (SOLUS100) continuous soil property maps.
Expiration Date. August 31, 2023
Background. Soil Landscapes of the United States (SOLUS) maps are a new map product from the National Cooperative Soil Survey (NCSS) and the NRCS Soil and Plant Science Division (SPSD). SOLUS maps use continuous property mapping, which predicts physical or chemical soil properties in horizontal and vertical dimensions. The soil properties are represented across a continuous range of values. Raster datasets of select soil properties can be predicted at specified depths or depth intervals.
The Digital Soil Mapping (DSM) Team Properties Sub-Team generated SOLUS maps with a spatial resolution of 100m (i.e., SOLUS100) using a digital soil mapping framework that combines soil survey data from Kellogg Soil Survey Laboratory (KSSL), National Soils Information System (NASIS), and gridded National Soil Survey Geographic Database (gNATSGO) with environmental covariate data and machine learning. The SOLUS100 maps predict continuous soil properties at multiple depths with uncertainty estimates for the contiguous United States.
Explanation. The DSM Team is facilitating a comment period of SOLUS maps to request feedback from local experts across the country. The feedback will be used to improve future iterations of the map product.
The DSM Team will host a webinar to present modeling methods and introduce the review process on June 5, 2023, at 1 p.m. central time. To receive the link to join the webinar, email Suzann Kienast-Brown at suzann.kienast@usda.gov by June 2, 2023. If you are unable to join the live webinar, a link to the recorded SOLUS100 webinar will be provided on the SOLUS100 review guide after June 5, 2023.
Please read the SOLUS100 review guide to find a list of SOLUS100 review apps created for each property. The list includes a link to a feedback form where comments can be submitted. The deadline to submit comments is July 1, 2023.
Contact. Direct questions about this national bulletin to Debbie Surabian, National Leader for Standards, at Debbie.Surabian@usda.gov. Direct questions about the SOLUS100 review to Suzann Kienast-Brown, Soil Scientist (GIS Specialist), at suzann.kienast@usda.gov.
/s/
LUIS TUPAS
Deputy Chief for Soil Science and Resource Assessment