# How to read soil productivity ratings.



## Strych9

Does anyone know how the soil productivity scale works, or have a link for reading soil productivity?

Thanks!


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## the r.o.c.

take a sample to the county extension agent, he will test it for free.  other than that i dont know.


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## Napi

It's been a while, but I think it's 1-8 with one being the best. Call the local tax assessors office and they can tell you. They use it to classify land that's in the CUVA program. I got a book for my area for free from the soil conservation office several years ago. It has maps with the soil type and info.


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## Strych9

Thanks Napi!  Thats what I was looking for.


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## crackerdave

In Georgia: Add _lime!_


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## westcobbdog

most of our soils are clay types good for road and dam building.


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## Knotwild

If you go to the NRCS soils website, I think they have an online mapping system to identify the soils you have. I can't remember how in depth they go in soils descriptions, but if you have the name of the soil you can run an internet search and get more than enough info on the soils. 

The NRCS used to have soils books, which can usually be found in the public library, but the maps are so old, it can be tough to locate your property. They are in the process of converting everything to a digital format, so some web info is not yet available. 

Finally, sometimes county GIS systems have soils map layers, but they are often more generalized. 

The soils maps can be erroneous as the NRCS would go out and take samples, then correlate the soils they found with the color signatures found on black and white aerial photos. This works great in areas with topographical relief, but is often inaccurate near the coastal areas that are flat.


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## crackerdave

The Ga.Forestry Commission uses the website Knotwild is referring to.It's a tool to help determine how and where firebreaks should be plowed,among other things.You might find it here:www.gatrees.org


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## Timberdoodle

Necrothread, yes, I know, but has anyone used the USDA Web Soil Survey (WSS) online?

http://websoilsurvey.nrcs.usda.gov/app/

We are looking at land, and think this might be a good tool to tell us what use the land is suited towards.

Any help is appreciated.


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## j_seph

the r.o.c. said:


> take a sample to the county extension agent, he will test it for free.  other than that i dont know.


Where have you found one that will do a soil test for free sir?
Thanks


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## j_seph

Timberdoodle said:


> Necrothread, yes, I know, but has anyone used the USDA Web Soil Survey (WSS) online?
> 
> http://websoilsurvey.nrcs.usda.gov/app/
> 
> We are looking at land, and think this might be a good tool to tell us what use the land is suited towards.
> 
> Any help is appreciated.


Use it in my job, it is a broad sample and to get best results you need to do a POI area that is fairly small


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## Timberdoodle

Will try to limit the AOI to the actual plat we are interested.  The online program is not the easiest to use.

Thanks for your reply.


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