Maryland Soil Survey Data For Agricultural Planning

Maryland soil survey data from the USDA's SSURGO program provides detailed soil property and classification information. The dataset is maintained by the USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service and was accessed via the Web Soil Survey platform in 2018. It supports farm, conservation, and engineering planning at local and regional scales.

Use Cases

• Classify soil types and map their distribution across Maryland counties using soil series names and taxonomic classifications.
• Assess soil quality for crop suitability by analyzing soil texture, pH, organic matter content, and drainage class fields.
• Plan conservation practices by evaluating soil erosion factors and hydrologic group data to identify vulnerable areas.
• Support engineering applications like septic system design by utilizing soil depth, permeability, and shrink-swell potential data.

Strengths

• Data originates from the authoritative USDA SSURGO program, the national soils database.
• Provides detailed, field-level soil property information validated by soil scientists.
• Available in multiple standard formats including CSV, JSON, XML, and RDF for interoperability.

Limitations

• The specific data snapshot was last accessed in 2018, which may not reflect current soil conditions.
• The exact number of records, features, and spatial resolution is not specified in the provided metadata.
• Onsite investigation is recommended for certain applications, indicating potential limitations for direct use.

Provenance

Source

USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) Web Soil Survey.

Collection Method

Compiled through the National Cooperative Soil Survey program.

Time Range

Snapshot accessed October 1, 2018.

Freshness

The metadata indicates a last update in April 2026, but the underlying data snapshot was accessed in 2018.

Geography

State of Maryland, United States.