PREPARING SOIL INVESTIGATION WORKPLANS

1. PREPARING SOIL INVESTIGATION WORKPLANS Ellis Benham Research Soil Scientist NRCS-Soil Survey Research

2. Rationale • A workplan is required for most projects that require SSL or Research Staff resources. • Developing an effective workplan maximizes the probability that the desired information will be obtained, and optimizes the allocation of analytical and personnel resources.

3. OBJECTIVES Upon completion of this module, you will be able to: • State when an Investigation Workplan is not required • Identify the tasks assigned to various units for workplan development • Identify the information required on an effective workplan • Fill out the worksheets and forms for an Investigation Workplan • Develop workplans that will result in projects that provide answers to your questions

4. REFERENCE NATIONAL SOIL SURVEY HANDBOOK

5. What is the purpose of a workplan?

6. Communication!

7. National Soil Survey Center (NSSC) Responsibilities • Regional and national research projects for soil surveys • Investigations and laboratory assistance • Manuals on laboratory procedures • Training for field investigations • Soil survey characterization database

8. MLRA Regional Office Responsibilities • Information quality assurance • Identifying data voids • Coordinating work plans with cooperators • Requesting NSSC assistance • Ensuring complete and accurate pedon descriptions for soil characterization samples • Updating the classification of pedons

9. State Office Responsibilities • Approval of soil survey field investigations • Identifying data voids • Coordinating work plans with cooperators • Requesting NSSC assistance

10. MLRA Soil Survey OfficeResponsibilities • Initiate soil investigation/ characterization projects • Locate pedons representative of soils and landforms • Complete and accurate pedon descriptions and classification of soils on sampling projects within the project area • Georeference location of all pedons and samples collected • Attribute data in NASIS

13. TYPES OF LABORATORY PROJECTS • REFERENCE • CHARACTERIZATION • RESEARCH • OTHER

15. A. Reference • Limited scope with few questions related to properties • Single horizon to entire pedon sampled • Few, selected laboratory analyses • eg. Base saturation data at 180 cm on 12 pedons representing 4 map units Workplan Not Required

16. Choose the Reference Project Type Only After Careful Consideration • Typically, the information can not be used in any other context • Too few analyses to determine data relationships • The analyses cost the same as those for other types of projects • “Grab samples”

17. B. Characterization These projects define the properties of soils within an MLRA • Extensive soils with definitive properties • Entire pedon sampled • Request a standard suite of laboratory analyses, plus selected additional analyses • eg. 10 benchmark pedons representing important mapping units of series Workplan Required

18. Workplan Elements • Identification • Reason for Investigations Project • Intended Use of Project Information • Assistance Requested • Persons or Agencies Responsible • Other Pertinent Information

19. C. Research • Purpose: define soil-data relationships, genetic processes, soil-landscape relationships, interpretive applications, taxonomic criteria • Sampling of single or multiple, related pedons • Sampling scheme related to data needs (horizons, increments, selected depths, or none) Workplan Required

20. Workplan Elements • Statement of Problem • Justification • Background • Information Needed • Actions and Assignments • Summary of Plan of Action • Illustrations • References

21. D. Other • Landform and geomorphic study • Ground penetrating radar / Electromagnetic Induction • Special Measurements (e.g., dynamic soil properties) • Mining the SSL database • Literature searches Workplan Required

22. Timing for Assistance • Before each fiscal year (early July), NSSC requests State Conservationists to submit their needs for assistance for the following year. • Responses to those requests allow the National Soil Survey Center to allocate resources and plan travel. • Project work plans • coordinated with cooperators prior to submission. • submitted at least one month prior to sampling.

23. For Planning Purposes: The NSSC needs “Requests for Assistance” in advance. (e.g., A request should be submitted August of this year for samples arriving to SSL in Summer of the following year.

24. Categories of Assistance Requests • Laboratory analyses • Field Assistance • Technical assistance; e.g., formal or informal training • NASIS training; e.g. Basic, Intermediate, Pedon Interpretations, Report Writing Training • Other; e.g., attendance of NSSC staff at state or regional meetings, special training, etc.

25. Each MO is assigned a Liaison from the NSSC as a contact. Service Region Liaisons MO Liaison Telephone Email 1, 4, 6, 17 Rebecca Burt (402) 437-5133 rebecca.burt@lin.usda.gov 7, 10 Douglas A. Wysocki (402) 437-4155 doug.wysocki@lin.usda.gov 12, 13, 18 Michael A. Wilson (402) 437-4134 mike.wilson@lin.usda.gov 14, 15, 16 Ellis Benham (402) 437-5132 ellis.benham@lin.usda.gov Moustafa Elrashidi (402) 437-5319 moustafa.elrashidi@lin.usda.gov 2, 3 Thomas G. Reinsch (402) 437-4179 thomas.reinsch@lin.usda.gov 5, 11 Philip J. Schoeneberger (402) 437-4154 philip.schoeneberger@lin.usda.gov 8, 9 Cindy Stiles (402) 437-4007 cynthia.stiles@lin.usda.gov Deborah S. Harms (402) 437-5324 deb.harms@lin.usda.gov

27. Project Outline Worksheet -- Field/Laboratory – FY 2010 • Title should suggest project type • Contact can provide more information

28. Project Outline Worksheet -- Field/Laboratory – FY 2010 • What do you want to learn? • What products do you want? • What do you want to be able to do?

29. Project Outline Worksheet -- Field/Laboratory – FY 2010 • Tangible items • Reports • Data sets • Maps

30. Project Outline Worksheet -- Field/Laboratory – FY 2010 • Establish context • Multi-year projects • Previous studies

31. Project Outline Worksheet -- Field/Laboratory – FY 2010 • List series if established • “New” series, otherwise • Any benchmark soils? • State(s), county or counties

32. Project Outline Worksheet -- Field/Laboratory – FY 2010 • Properties limiting sampling activity • Wetness • Texture • Accessibility • Unusual materials • Highly disturbed

33. Project Outline Worksheet -- Field/Laboratory – FY 2010 • Activities • Equipment • Workflow

34. Project Outline Worksheet -- Field/Laboratory – FY 2010 • Background information

35. Project Outline Worksheet -- Field/Laboratory – FY 2010 • Who (both NRCS and cooperators) • What will they do?

36. Project Outline Worksheet -- Field/Laboratory – FY 2010 • Time is needed for scheduling • List person if continuity or specialization is a factor • “Person” requests are used in workload planning

37. Project Outline Worksheet -- Field/Laboratory – FY 2010 • Sampling equipment • GPR • Amoozemeters • Infiltrometers • Temperature loggers

38. Time Frame

39. When Submitting Samples to the SSL: Include written documentation: • List of pedons • Pedon descriptions (sampled site name in NASIS) • Georeferenced Location • Statement of Problems, objectives, required analyses • Indication of time constraints for completion

40. Cost 8 pedons Total No. of Analyses = 1697 Estimated Materials Cost = $2326.53 Estimated Analysis Cost = $22,198.00 Total Cost for Lab Analysis = $24,524.53 Estimated Analysis Time = 521.1 hr (65 days)

41. CONCLUSIONS