Ientification Information
Citation:
Originator: U.S. Department of Agriculture, Soil Conservation
Service
Publication Date: 1994
Title: State Soil Geographic (STATSGO) data base for Montana
Publication Information
Publication Place: Fort Worth, Texas
Publisher: U.S. Department of Agriculture, Soil
Conservation Service
Description
Abstract: This data set is a digital general soil association
map developed by the National Cooperative Soil Survey. It
consists of a broad based inventory of soils and nonsoil areas
that occur in a repeatable pattern on the landscape and that
can be cartographically shown at the scale mapped. The soil
maps for STATSGO are compiled by generalizing more detailed
soil survey maps. Where more detailed soil survey maps are
not available, data on geology, topography, vegetation, and
climate are assembled, together with Land Remote Sensing
Satellite (LANDSAT) images. Soils of like areas are studied,
and the probable classification and extent of the soils are
determined.
Map unit composition for a STATSGO map is determined by
transecting or sampling areas on the more detailed maps and
expanding the data statistically to characterize the whole map
unit.
This data set consists of georeferenced digital map data and
computerized attribute data. The map data are collected in 1-
by 2-degree topographic quadrangle units and merged and
distributed as statewide coverages. The soil map units are
linked to attributes in the Map Unit Interpretations Record
relational data base which gives the proportionate extent of
the component soils and their properties.
Purpose: STATSGO depicts information about soil features on
or near the surface of the Earth. These data are collected as
part of the National Cooperative Soil Survey.
Time Period of Content
Single Date/Time
Calendar Date: 1994
Currentness Reference: publication date
Status
Progress: Complete
Maintenance and Update Frequency: As needed
Spatial Domain
Bounding Coordinates
West Bounding Coordinate: -118.0
East Bounding Coordinate: -104.0
North Bounding Coordinate: 49.0
South Bounding Coordinate: 44.0
Keywords
Theme
Theme Keyword Thesaurus: None
Theme Keyword: Soils
Theme Keyword: General Soils Map
Theme Keyword: State Soil Geographic
Theme Keyword: STATSGO
Place
Place Keyword Thesaurus: Counties and County Equivalents of the
United States and the District of Columbia (FIPS Pub 6-3)
Place Keyword: Montana (30)
Access Constraints: None
Use Constraints: The U.S. Department of Agriculture, Soil
Conservation Service should be acknowledged as the data
source in products derived from these data.
STATSGO was designed primarily for regional, multicounty,
river basin, State, and multistate resource planning,
management, and monitoring. STATSGO data are not detailed
enough to make interpretations at a county level. This soil
survey product is not designed for use as a primary
regulatory tool in permitting or citing decisions, but may be
used as a reference source. The use of these data is not
restricted and may be interpreted by organizations, agencies,
units of government, or others; however, they are responsible
for its appropriate application. Federal, State, or local
regulatory bodies are not to reassign to the Soil
Conservation Service any authority for the decisions that
they make. The Soil Conservation Service will not perform
any evaluations of these maps for purposes related solely to
state or local regulatory programs.
When STATSGO data are overlayed with other data layers, such
as land use data, caution must be used in generating
statistics on the co-occurence of the land use data with the
soil data. The composition of the STATSGO map unit can be
characterized independently for the land use and for the soil
component, but there are no data on their joint occurrence at
a more detailed level. Analysis of the overlayed data should
be on a map polygon basis.
Additional political, watershed, or other boundaries may be
intersected with the soil data. Although the composition of
each political and watershed unit may be described in terms
of the STATSGO map units, information is not available to
assign the components to the boundary units with full
accuracy. As with the land use categories, the analysis
should be restricted to the classified components.
The approximate minimum area delineated is 625 hectares
(1,544 acres), which is represented on a 1:250,000-scale map
by an area approximately 1 cm by 1 cm (0.4 inch by 0.4 inch).
Linear delineations are not less than 0.5 cm (0.2 inch) in
width. The number of delineations per 1:250,000 quadrangle
typically is 100 to 200, but may range up to 400.
Delineations depict the dominant soils making up the
landscape. Other dissimilar soils, too small to be
delineated, are present within a delineation.
Digital enlargements of these maps to scales greater than at
which they were originally mapped can cause misinterpretation
of the data. If enlarged, maps do not show the small areas
of contrasting soils that could have been shown at a larger
scale. The depicted soil boundaries, interpretations, and
analysis derived from them do not eliminate the need for
onsite sampling, testing, and detailed study of specific
sites for intensive uses. Thus, these data and their
interpretations are intended for planning purposes only.
Attribute data for some data elements may be incomplete or
missing. Where data are unavailable, a mask should be used
to exclude the area from analysis.
Digital data files are periodically updated. Files are
dated, and users are responsible for obtaining the latest
version of the data.
Point of Contact
Contact Organization Primary
Contact Organization: U.S. Department of Agriculture, Soil
Conservation Service
Contact Position: State Soil Scientist
Contact Address
Address Type: mailing address
Address: 10 East Babcock, Federal Building
City: Bozeman
State or Province: Montana
Postal Code: 59715-4704
Contact Voice Telephone: 406 587 6818
Contact Facsimile Telephone: 406 587 6761
Contact TDD/TTY: 202 720 7808
Data Quality Information
Attribute Accuracy
Attribute Accuracy Report: Attribute accuracy is tested by
manual comparison of the source with hard copy plots and/or
symbolized display of the map data on an interactive computer
graphic system. Selected attributes that cannot be visually
verified on plots or on screen are interactively queried and
verified on screen. In addition, the attributes are tested
against a master set of valid attributes. All attribute data
conform to the attribute codes in the signed classification
and correlation document and amendments and are current as of
the date of digitizing.
Logical Consistency Report: Certain node/geometry and
topology (GT)-polygon/chain relationships are collected or
generated to satisfy topological requirements. (The
GT-polygon corresponds to the soil delineation). Some of
these requirements include: chains must begin and end at
nodes, chains must connect to each other at nodes, chains do
not extend through nodes, left and right GT-polygons are
defined for each chain element and are consistent throughout,
and the chains representing the limits of the file (neatline)
are free of gaps. The tests of logical consistency are
performed using vendor software. The neatline is generated by
connecting the explicitly entered four corners of the digital
file. All data outside the enclosed region are ignored and
all data crossing these geographically straight lines are
clipped at the neatline. Data within a specified tolerance of
the neatline are snapped to the neatline. Neatline
straightening aligns the digitized edges of the digital data
with the generated neatline (i.e., with the longitude/latitude
lines in geographic coordinates). All internal polygons are
tested for closure with vendor software and are checked on
hard copy plots. All data are checked for common soil lines
(i.e., adjacent polygons with the same label). Quadrangles
are edge matched within the state, merged into a statewide
data sets, and then edge matched to adjacent state data sets.
Edge locations do not deviate from centerline to centerline by
more than 0.01 inches.
Completeness Report: A map unit is a collection of areas
defined and named the same in terms of their soil and/or
nonsoil areas. Each map unit differs in some respect from
all others in a survey area and is uniquely identified. Each
individual area is a delineation. Each map unit consists of
one to 21 components.
In those few areas where detailed maps did not exist,
reconnaissance soil surveys were combined with data on
geology, topography, vegetation, climate, and remote sensing
images to delineate map units and estimate the percentages of
components. The STATSGO map unit components are soil series
phases, and their percent composition represents the estimated
areal proportion of each within STATSGO map unit. The
composition for a map unit is generalized to represent the
statewide extent of that map unit and not the extent of any
single map unit delineation. These specifications provide a
nationally consistent representation of STATSGO attribute
data.
The actual composition and interpretive purity of the map unit
delineations were based on statistical analysis of transect
data. The composition was largely determined by measuring
transects on detailed soil survey maps. The number of
transects used was proportional to the relative size, number,
and complexity of the delineations. The combined data on the
length of the map units crossed by the transects were used to
determine the percentages of the different soil and nonsoil
areas in each map unit.
Specific limits were established on the classification of
soils and the design and name of map units. These limits are
outlined in U.S. Department of Agriculture. 1975. Soil
Taxonomy: A basic system of soil classification for making and
interpreting soil surveys. Soil Conserv. Serv., U.S. Dep.
Agric. Handb. 436.; U.S. Department of Agriculture. 1992. Keys
to Soil Taxonomy. SMSS Technical Monograph No. 19. Soil Surv.
Staff, Soil Conserv. Serv.; U.S. Department of Agriculture.
1993. National Soil Survey Handbook, title 430-VI. Soil Surv.
Staff, Soil Conserv. Serv.; and U.S. Department of
Agriculture. 1993. Soil Survey Manual. Soil Surv. Staff, U.S.
Dep. Agric. Handbook 18.
Adherence to National Cooperative Soil Survey standards
and procedures is based on peer review, quality control, and
quality assurance. Quality control is outlined in documents
that reside with the Soil Conservation Service state soil
scientist.
Positional Accuracy
Horizontal Positional Accuracy
Horizontal Positional Accuracy Report: The accuracy of
these digital data is based upon their compilation to base
maps that meet National Map Accuracy Standards. The
difference in positional accuracy between the map unit
boundaries in the field and their digitized map locations
is unknown. The locational acuracy of soil delineations on
the ground varies with the transition between map units.
For example, in areas where changes in soils, climate,
topography, and geology occur subtly across a portion of a
state, the transition between soil map unit boundaries will
be gradual. Where these features change abruptly, such as
from an area of foothills to a lake plain, the transition
will be very narrow. Soil delineation boundaries were
digitized within 0.01 inches of their locations on the
digitizing source. The digital map elements are edge
matched between data sets. The data along each state
boundary are matched against the data for the adjacent
state. Edge locations generally do not deviate from
centerline to centerline by more than 0.01 inch.
Lineage
Source Information
Source Citation
Originator: U.S Department of Agriculture, Soil
Conservation Service
Title: multiple soil survey publications
Geospatial Data Presentation Form: map
Publication Information
Publication Place: Washington, D.C.
Publisher: U.S. Government Printing Office
Type of Source Media: paper
Source Currentness Reference: publication date
Source Citation Abbreviation: SCS1
Source Contribution: base information for development of
map unit delineations and transect data for naming
map units
Source Citation
Originator: U.S Department of Agriculture, Soil
Conservation Service
Title: multiple reconnaissance, county, and State
general soil maps
Geospatial Data Presentation Form: map
Publication Information
Publication Place: Washington, D.C.
Publisher: U.S. Government Printing Office
Type of Source Media: paper
Source Currentness Reference: publication date
Source Citation Abbreviation: SCS2
Source Contribution: reference information for
development of map unit delineations and transect
data for naming map units where detailed surveys did
not exist
Source Citation
Originator: U.S. Geological Survey
Title: multiple maps
Geospatial Data Presentation Form: map
Publication Information
Publication Place: Reston, Virginia
Publisher: U.S. Geological Survey
Source Scale Denominator: 250000
Type of Source Material: stable-base material
Source Currentness Reference: publication date
Source Citation Abbreviation: USGS1
Source Contribution: base materials for compilation of
map unit delineation linework
Source Citation
Originator: U.S Department of Agriculture, Soil
Conservation Service
Title: multiple compiled mylar overlays of map unit
delineations, unpublished
Geospatial Data Presentation Form: annotated overlay
Type of Source Media: stable-base material
Source Currentness Reference: unknown
Source Citation Abbreviation: SCS3
Source Contribution: digitizing source
Process Step
Process Description: Map unit composition was determined by
transecting or sampling areas on the more detailed soil
maps and expanding the data statistically to characterize
the whole map unit.
Source Used Citation Abbreviation: SCS1
Process Date: 1994
Process Step
Process Description: Soil map unit lines and symbols were
drafted in red pencil on a mylar overlay that was punch
registered to fit the mylar USGS 1:250,000-scale
topographic quadrangle. A detailed and complete edit was
performed on all overlays before digitizing. The soil
delineation overlays were raster scanned at a scanning
resolution of at least 0.01 inches and converted to a
vector format or were manually digitized on a digitizing
tablet with a resolution of at least 0.001 inches. Four
control points corresponding to the four corners of the
quadrangles were used for registration during data
collection. The control points were either explicitly
entered or developed by the software. The data sets were
edge matched and merged into statewide coverages. A
detailed and complete edit was performed on all digital
data.
Source Used Citation Abbreviation: USGS1, SCS3
Process Date: 1994
Spatial Data Organization Information
Direct Spatial Reference Method: Vector
Spatial Reference Information
Horizontal Coordinate System Definition
Planar
Grid Coordinate System Name: Albers Conical Equal Area
Standard Parallel: 29.50
Standard Parallel: 45.50
Longitude of Central Meridian: -96.0
Latitude of Projection Origin: 23.0
False Easting: 0.0
False Northing: 0.0
Planar Coordinate Information
Planar Coordinate Encoding Method: coordinate pair
Coordinate Representation
Abscissa Resolution: 6.35
Ordinate Resolution: 6.35
Planar Distance Units: meters
Geodetic Model
Horizontal Datum Name: North American Datum of 1927
Ellipsoid Name: Clarke 1866
Semi-major Axis: 6378206.4
Denominator of Flattening Ratio: 294.9786982
Entity and Attribute Information
Overview Description
Entity and Attribute Overview: Map Unit Delineations are
closed polygons that are generally geographic mixtures of
groups of soils or soils and nonsoil areas.
The map unit ID uniquely identifies each closed delineation,
map unit. Each map unit ID is linked to a map unit name. The
map unit ID is also the key for linking information in the Map
Unit Interpretations Record tables.
Map Unit Delineations are described by the Map Unit
Interpretations Record data base. This attribute data base
gives the proportionate extent of the component soils and the
properties for each soil. The data base contains both
estimated and measured data on the physical and chemical
soil properties and soil interpretations for engineering,
water management, recreation, agronomic, woodland, range and
wildlife uses of the soil. The Soil Map Unit Interpretations
Record data base consist of the following relational tables:
codes (data base codes) - stores information on all codes
used in the data base
comp (map unit component) - stores information which will
apply to a specific component of a soil map unit
compyld (component crop yield) - stores crop yield
information for soil map unit components
forest (forest understory) - stores information for plant
cover as forest understory for soil map unit components
interp (interpretation) - stores soil interpretation
ratings (both limitation ratings and suitability
ratings) to soil map unit components
layer (soil layer) - stores characteristics which apply to
soil layers for soil map unit components
mapunit (map unit) - stores information which applies to
all components of a soil map unit
plantcom (plant composition) - stores plant symbols and
percent of plant composition associated with components
of soil map units
plantnm (plant name) - stores the common and scientific
names for plants used in the data base
rsprod (range site production) - stores range site
production information for soil map unit components
taxclass (taxonomic classification) - stores the taxonomic
classification for soils in the data base
windbrk (windbreak) - stores information on recommended
windbreak plants for soil map unit components
wlhabit (wildlife habitat) - stores wildlife habitat
information for soil map unit components
woodland (woodland) - store information on common indicator
trees for soil map unit components
woodmgt (woodland management) - stores woodland management
information for soil map unit components
yldunits (yield units) - stores crop names and the units
used to measure yield
Entity and Attribute Detail Citation
U.S. Department of Agriculture. 1975. Soil Taxonomy: A basic
system of soil classification for making and interpreting
soil surveys. Soil Conserv. Serv., U.S. Dep. Agric. Handb. 436.
U.S. Department of Agriculture. 1992. Keys to Soil Taxonomy.
SMSS Technical Monograph No. 19. Soil Surv. Staff, Soil
Conserv. Serv.
U.S. Department of Agriculture. 1993. National Soil Survey
Handbook, title 430-VI. Soil Surv. Staff, Soil Conserv. Serv.
U.S. Department of Agriculture. 1993. Soil Survey Manual.
Soil Surv. Staff, U.S. Dep. Agric. Handbook 18.
U.S. Department of Agriculture. 1993. National Soil Survey
Handbook, title 430-VI. Soil Surv. Staff, Soil Conserv. Serv.
U.S. Department of Agriculture. 1994. State Soil Geographic
(STATSGO) Data Base: Data use information. Soil Conserv. Serv.
U.S. Department of Agriculture. State Soil Survey Database
Data Dictionary. Soil Conserv. Serv.
Distribution Information
Distributor
Contact Organization Primary
Contact Organization: U.S. Department of Agriculture, Soil
Conservation Service, National Cartography and GIS
Center
Contact Address
Address Type: mailing address
Address: P.O. Box 6567
City: Fort Worth
State or Province: Texas
Postal Zone: 76115
Contact Voice Telephone: 817 334 5559
Contact Facsimile Telephone: 817 334 5469
Resource Description: Montana STATSGO
Distribution Liability: Although these data have been processed
successfully on a computer system at the U.S Department of
Agriculture, no warranty expressed or implied is made by the
Agency regarding the utility of the data on any other
system, nor shall the act of distribution constitute any such
warranty. The U.S. Department of Agriculture will warrant the
delivery of this product in computer-readable format, and will
offer appropriate adjustment of credit when the product
is determined unreadable by correctly adjusted computer input
peripherals, or when the physical medium is delivered in
damaged condition. Request for adjustment of credit must be
made within 90 days from the date of this shipment from the
ordering site.
The U.S. Department of Agriculture, nor any of its agencies
are liable for misuse of the data. It is also not liable for
damage, transmission of viruses, or computer contamination
through the distribution of these data sets. The U.S.
Department of Agriculture prohibits discrimination in its
programs on the basis of race, color, national origin, sex,
religion, age, disability, political beliefs, and marital or
familial status. (Not all prohibited bases apply to all
programs.)
Standard Order Process
Non-digital Form: Not available
Digital Form
Digital Transfer Information
Format Name: DLG
Format Date: 19920508
Format Specification: Optional
Format Content Information: spatial and keys
Transfer Size: 14.3
Digital Form
Digital Transfer Information
Format Name: ASCII
Format Content Information: keys and attributes
Transfer Size: 10.7
Digital Form
Digital Transfer Information
Format Name: ARCE
Format Content Information: spatial, keys, and attributes
Format Specification: Single precision
Transfer Size:
Digital Transfer Option
Offline Option
Offline Media: 8mm cartridge tape
Recording Capacity
Recording Density: 2.3
Recording Density Units: gigabytes
Recording Format: tar
Digital Transfer Option
Offline Option
Offline Media: 1/4-inch cartridge tape
Recording Capacity
Recording Density: 150
Recording Density Units: megabytes
Recording Format: tar
Fees: The charge for one data set is $500.00. A data set is
one state in a state-wide format and includes both spatial
and attribute data.
Ordering Instructions: Call or write to organizations listed
under Distributor. Spatial line data are in DLG-3 optional
or ARC Export formats. Digital line graph files contain
major and minor code pairs in area and line records. A
conversion legend is provided for each digital line graph
file. Map unit IDs are available in a companion ASCII
attribute file. The Map Unit Interpretations Record
attribute soil data are available in variable length, tab
delimited, ASCII or ARC Export files.
Turnaround: 10 working days
Metadata Reference Information
Metadata Date: 19940311
Metadata Review Date: 19940329
Metadata Future Review Date: 19950329
Metadata Contact
Contact Organization Primary Contact Organization: U.S.
Department of Agriculture, Soil Conservation Service
Contact Position: State Soil Scientist
Contact Address
Address Type: mailing address
Address: 10 East Babcock, Federal Building
City: Bozeman
State or Province: Montana
Postal Code: 59715-4704
Contact Voice Telephone: 406 587 6818
Contact Facsimile Telephone: 406 587 6761
Metadata Standard Name: Content Standards for Digital Geospatial
Metadata
Metadata Standard Version: 19940608