ERTS-1 MSS imagery: Its use in delineating soil associations and as a base map for publishing soils information

ERTS 1 imagery is a useful tool in the identification and refinement of soil association areas and an excellent base map upon which soil association information can be published. Prints of bands 5 and 7 were found to be most useful to help delineate major soil and vegetation areas. After delineating major soil areas, over 4800 land sale prices covering a period of 1967-72 were located in the soil areas and averaged. The soil association then were described as soil association value areas and published on a 1:1,000,000 scale ERTS mosaic of South Dakota constructed using negative prints of band 7. The map is intended for use by state and county revenue officers, by individual buyers and sellers of land and lending institutions, and as a reference map by those planning road routes and cable lines and pipelines

Remote sensing of physiographic soil units of Bennett County, South Dakota

A study was conducted in Bennett County, South Dakota, to establish a rangeland test site for evaluating the usefulness of ERTS data for mapping soil resources in rangeland areas. Photographic imagery obtained in October, 1970, was analyzed to determine which type of imagery is best for mapping drainage and land use patterns. Imagery of scales ranging from 1:1,000,000 to 1.20,000 was used to delineate soil-vegetative physiographic units. The photo characteristics used to define physiographic units were texture, drainage pattern, tone pattern, land use pattern and tone. These units will be used as test data for evaluating ERTS data. The physiographic units were categorized into a land classification system. The various categories which were delineated at the different scales of imagery were designed to be useful for different levels of land use planning. The land systems are adequate only for planning of large areas for general uses. The lowest category separated was the facet. The facets have a definite soil composition and represent different soil landscapes. These units are thought to be useful for providing natural resource information needed for local planning

Soil Survey and Land Valuation for Tax Purposes

The responsibility of assessing farm real estate for taxation purposes falls to the tax assessor. Even though most assessors have a sincere desire to achieve an equitable relationship between individual farms, justifiable criticism has been directed against the present taxation procedure for many years. Too often determination of the assessed value of rural property has been based upon average values for an area and upon the management of land rather than on such basic factors as types of soils, location and accessibility. Some farmers have decided against making improvements to the farmstead, such as a needed paint job or repair of buildings because well-kept buildings invite further taxes. However, it is difficult for a good farmer not to keep his fields in good condition and appearance. Good management often can make poor land appear better than good land under poor management. It is in cases of this sort that the assessor may tax the better management

South Dakota Soils : A Generalized Soils Map of the West River Area of South Dakota

This publication provides a description of soil forming factors: climate, vegetation, parent material, relief, and time, as well as a map of soil types west of the Missouri River in South Dakota

South Dakota Soils : A Generalized Soils Map of the East River Area of South Dakota

This publication provides a description of soil forming factors: climate, vegetation, parent material, relief, and time, as well as a map of soil types east of the Missouri River in South Dakota

LANDSAT-1 data, its use in a soil survey program

The following applications of LANDSAT imagery were investigated: assistance in recognizing soil survey boundaries, low intensity soil surveys, and preparation of a base map for publishing thematic soils maps. The following characteristics of LANDSAT imagery were tested as they apply to the recognition of soil boundaries in South Dakota and western Minnesota: synoptic views due to the large areas covered, near-orthography and lack of distortion, flexibility of selecting the proper season, data recording in four parts of the spectrum, and the use of computer compatible tapes. A low intensity soil survey of Pennington County, South Dakota was completed in 1974. Low intensity inexpensive soil surveys can provide the data needed to evaluate agricultural land for the remaining counties until detailed soil surveys are completed. In using LANDSAT imagery as a base map for publishing thematic soil maps, the first step was to prepare a mosaic with 20 LANDSAT scenes from several late spring passes in 1973

Effective use of ERTS multisensor data in the Northern Great Plains

The author has identified the following significant results. ERTS imagery was used as a tool in the identification and refinement of soil association areas; to classify land use patterns between crop and fallow fields; to identify corn, soybeans, and oats; and to identify broad generalized range ecosystems. Various data handling techniques were developed and applied to accomplish these tasks. A map outlining soil associations and relative land values was completed on a base mosaic of ERTS imagery and is included as an appendix to the report

Soils of Clay County South Dakota

The Clay County soil survey is an inventory of the soil resources found in that area. It is designed to help answer questions such as: What soil types do I have on my farm? Do different soil types need different management practices? If so, what are the suggested practices? Are certain crops better adapted to different soil types? Do soil types have different yield potentials? Published soil surveys are made up of two parts: a map and a report. The Clay County soil map, bound in the middle of the report, shows the location and extent of the various soils in the county. Descriptions of each of the soils shown on the map and the suggested management practices for each are given in the report. Tables are included which list estimated yields of principal crops for each soil, the general agricultural rating for each soil, specific management recommendations, and suitability for irrigation

Soils of South Dakota

Soil maps fill an important function in the agricultural program of South Dakota. They are the means of taking stock of the State\u27s most important natural resource- the soil. Besides furnishing this inventory, these maps assist the people of the state in applying the research of laboratories and green houses. Fertilizer responses, crop adaptabilities, and management techniques are by no means the same on all soils. This is because soils have different levels of natural fertility, different water storage capacities, etc. Consequently, it is necessary to inventory the soil resources and to use this as a basis for satisfactory soil management and fertility practices. The map in this folder is based on data obtained from the following sources: unpublished Reconnaissance Soil Map of South Dakota (1935) by J. G. Hutton, South Dakota Agricultural Experiment Station, and W. I. Watkins, U.S.D.A.; information supplied by the U.S.D.A. Soil Conservation Service Soil Surveyors; and maps and reports of the writers and the Bureau of Plant Industry, Soils and Agricultural Engineering, U.S.D.A

Use of remote sensing techniques for inventorying and planning utilization of land resources in South Dakota

The basic procedures for interpreting remote sensing imagery to rapidly develop general soils and land use inventories were developed and utilized in Pennington County, South Dakota. These procedures and remote sensing data products were illustrated and explained to many user groups, some of whom are interested in obtaining similar data. The general soils data were integrated with land soils data supplied by the county director of equalization to prepare a land value map. A computer print-out of this map indicating a land value for each quarter section is being used in tax reappraisal of Pennington County. The land use data provided the land use planners with the present use of land in Pennington County. Additional uses of remote sensing applications are also discussed including tornado damage assessment, hail damage evaluation, and presentation of soil and land value information on base maps assembled from ERTS-1 imagery