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The Coastal Plainer
Spring 2002
Volume 7, Number 2
3381 Skyway Drive, P.O. Box 311, Auburn, AL 36830
Phone: 334 887-4549 Fax: 334 887-4551
Homepage: //www.mo15.nrcs.usda.gov/
- Welcome to Charles Love
- Compilation—To Ink or Sink
- Workforce Recruitment Program
- SCANing Alabama
- MO–15 Web Site: The URL
has Changed
- The
United States Consortium of Soil Science Associations
- Editor's Note
Charles L. Love was selected to serve as the State Soil Scientist for Alabama
and as MLRA Team Leader for the Southeast Coastal Plain and Caribbean Soil
Survey Region (MO–15), effective April 21, 2002. He is responsible for the
direction and management of the soil survey quality assurance efforts for the
MO–15 region and for technical leadership of the Alabama soil survey program.
Charles began his career with NRCS (formerly SCS) in 1977 as a soil
conservationist trainee in Tennessee. As a soil scientist, he served in six
locations in central and western Illinois (1979–1987). In 1987, he served as the
soil survey project leader in Bowling Green, Missouri. He also served in one of
the first positions as MLRA soil survey project leader in the State of Illinois
(Springfield, Illinois; 1991–1996).
In 1994, Charles completed the Midwest Leadership Development Program (a
one-year training commitment).
In 1996, Charles's career advanced to a position as soil data quality specialist
on the Region 11 MLRA team at Indianapolis, Indiana. He provided technical
leadership for MLRAs 94A, 94B, 96, 97, and 98—serving 85 counties in the lower
peninsula of Michigan and the northern portion of Indiana. He was responsible
for providing technical quality assurance for correlation, manuscript
preparation, SSURGO certification, and training.
He has also served in a variety of other capacities, including as an instructor
of the course "correlation and management of MLRA soil surveys" (1999–2002) and
as a member of various workgroups and steering committees within MO–11.
Prior to joining NRCS, Charles served as a forester technician aid with the
Forest Service in the States of Washington, Oregon, and Wyoming (1974–1976).
Charles is certified as a professional soil classifier by ARCPACS and is a
member of the Illinois Soil Classifiers Association (ISCA), the Indiana Soil
Classifiers Association, the National Soil and Water Conservation Society (SWCS),
and other organizations related to natural resources.
Charles is a native of Jackson, Tennessee. He earned a Bachelor of Science in
Agronomy from Tennessee State University at Nashville in 1979.
He and his wife, Alice, have one daughter, Princess Mildred Love. Charles,
Alice, and Princess are looking forward to being a part of the conservation
family of NRCS in Alabama and the southeast region.
Charles is a strong believer in the MLRA concept and approaches. He considers
them an excellent vehicle to carry out the next generation of activities in the
soil survey program. His hopes for maintaining the MLRA–15 soil survey mission
and Alabama's technical soil service vision
include:
- Continue the effort of establishing and staffing MLRA project offices
throughout the MO–15 region.
- Continue progressive correlation activities to meet national standards.
- Maintain progressive digitization and map finishing to meet National
SSURGO certification efforts.
- Utilize new publication technologies, such as CDs and SoilView.
- Work very closely with the MO–15 Board of Directors and Cooperators to
strategically carry out soil survey and technical soil services to meet the
soil survey program needs.
- Assist in maintaining an accurate soil database to help facilitate the
2002 Farm Bill.
- Provide training about soils to NRCS personnel to meet future efforts at
natural resources management.
- Utilize new technologies, such as GIS, GPS, and ArcView, in the
modernization and maintenance of MLRA based soil surveys.
- Continue to identify special studies to help strengthen our soil
interpretations.
- Share brainstorming and soil survey techniques to meet the needs of
internal and external customers.
- Market soil science and promote teamwork.
Charles feels it is a great privilege to serve as State Soil Scientist/MLRA
Leader under the leadership of Mr. Robert N. Jones, State Conservationist, and
the Region 15 Board of Directors. He is looking forward to being a part of the
soil survey team in Region 15.
By Rick Zellmer, GIS Specialist
The Missouri Digitizing Unit (DU) and Ken Lubich have weighed-in on the choice
of pen or pencil for map compilation. Pencil has been the preferred tool for
compilation by many State Offices and vendors. Alabama is not an exception. I
was very confident that the overlays we had done in pencil in Alabama and
submitted to the DU were of excellent quality. However, in talking with Caryl
Radatz, SSURGO/DMF Manager at the DU, I found out that we were part of the
problem. Some of the overlays that we had sent to the DU required extensive
cleanup after being scanned.
Compilation requires artistic abilities, good technique, and the proper tools.
Whether a pen or pencil is used, the lines must be of uniform width and hue. If
pencil is used, there is a greater chance for variation in the width and hue of
the lines and for developing smudges. During scanning, the variations in pencil
lines can create gaps that need to be closed during the cleaning process. With
some of the overlays from Alabama, smudges also created problems that required
spot digitizing by the DU. Not all pencils are created equally, and not all are
suited for use on mylar. Although the penciled overlays looked good while we
were reviewing them, by the time they were shipped to the DU and then to a
vendor for scanning, the line quality had degraded and some smudging had
developed.
Using pens for compilation eliminates some of the problems caused by using
pencil. The time needed to clean up overlays can be 2.5 hours per quadrangle if
pencil is used, while ink overlays have been done in 10 minutes per quadrangle.
The compilation tools recommended by the DU and Ken Lubich include a .18
millimeter Rapidograph pen and Rapidograph ink; a Sakura Microperm, 01; a .5 ml
CF5-P1 pencil from US Direct; or the Draft/Matic DM05 pencil. The Rapidograph
pen and ink provide excellent quality and write on the frosted mylar supplied by
NCGC or on clear mylar. If clear mylar is used, the preferred product is JPF-4MO
Crystal Clear Inkjet Film, 4 mil. The Sakura pen gives a heavier line than the
Rapidograph pen but is easy to use. The Sakura pen can be obtained from various
Web sites. The CF5-P1 and DM05 are for the die-hard pencil people. If you are
going to put the soil symbols on the polygon overlay, check with the DU! States
will be billed for the cost of unnecessary cleanup resulting from poor
compilation or wrong tools.
By Sebastian Thomas, Disabilities Program Manager
One of the goals that I have set out to achieve as your Disabilities Program
Manager is the recruitment of college students with disabilities through our
Workforce Recruitment Program (WRP). This program was set up to help college
students with disabilities find career jobs. It would say a lot about the State
of Alabama if we were more involved in recruiting qualified students with
disabilities to come to work for NRCS. USDA has hired three students from the
WRP list, and one works for NRCS.
The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) prohibits discrimination in all its
programs and activities on the basis of race, color, national origin, sex,
religion, age, disability, political beliefs, sexual orientation, or marital or
family status. (Not all prohibited bases apply to all programs.) Persons with
disabilities who require alternative means for communication of program
information (Braille, large print, audiotape, etc.) should contact USDA's TARGET
Center at (202) 720-2600 (voice and TDD).
To file a complaint of discrimination, write USDA, Director, Office of Civil
Rights, Room 326-W, Whitten Building, 1400 Independence Avenue, SW, Washington,
D.C. 20250-9410 or call (202) 720-5964 (voice and TDD). USDA is an equal
opportunity provider and employer.
By Douglas F. Clendenon, Soil Scientist
The Alabama A&M University's (AAMU) weather station project is a joint venture
with the USDA-NRCS Soil Climate and Analysis Network (SCAN), NASA, et al. AAMU
currently has two of its seven weather and soil temperature/moisture stations
cranking out near real-time data. The data can be viewed on the Web at: http://www.wcc.nrcs.usda.gov/scan/Alabama/alabama.html.
Eventually, we will also have soil descriptions and characterization data posted
on the web for each site.
The Hytop site is near the community of Hytop (of course) and is in an area of
Hartsells soil at an elevation of about 1,750 feet. The WATRS site is at the
Winfred A. Thomas Research Farm of AAMU. It is in an area of Dickson soil at an
elevation of about 750 feet.
When you visit the Web site, take a look at the weather and soil data. It shows
a bunch of coded headings. The codes are described under the sensor label
descriptions, but here is a quick rundown using the Hytop site as an example:
Time is always in Central standard or daylight savings. It adjusts
automatically.
Hytop # 1. This data set is the above-ground stuff. All of it is
weather-related.
- PCCTB: Cumulative precipitation in inches. This will reset October 1.
- ATHC: Hourly air temperature, current, Celsius
- ATHX: Hourly air temperature, maximum, Celsius
- ATHN: Hourly air temperature, minimum, Celsius
- ATHC: Hourly air temperature, average, Celsius
- SRHA: Solar radiation. This tells how much sun the site is getting. It
varies with time of day and with passing clouds, eclipses, etc.
- WSPHA: Windspeed, hourly average, mph
- WDHA: Wind direction, azimuth off of north
- RH1C1: Relative humidity, current
- BPHGC: Barometric pressure, current
Hytop # 2 and Hytop # 3. These data sets contain soil moisture and
temperature readings.
- c1 readings: All c1 readings are at the soil surface.
- c1smv: Soil moisture, volume, percentage
- c1tmp: Soil temperature, Celsius
- c1sal: Soil salinity
- c1rdc: Soil real dielectric constant. Use this to determine if the soil is
frozen. Normally this value is a lower number. When freezing occurs, it goes
up to 80 or 90. Partly frozen soil is at 40 or 50.
- c2 readings: Same as c1 readings, except at 4 inches deep
- c3 readings: Same as c1 readings, except at 8 inches deep
- c4 readings: Same as c1 readings, except at 20 inches deep
- c4 readings: Same as c1 readings, except at 1 meter (39 inches) deep. Note
this site had bedrock at 39 inches.
Hytop # 4 This data set is the 24-hour average values. It is posted once each
day. AT is air temp, etc. ENHUM is the humidity inside the equipment cabinet.
This value is reported so we know if our desiccant is still working. LBAT is the
strength of backup lithium battery.
If you study the data a little, you will be able to observe the soil recharge
with moisture at different depths and follow runoff when it occurs.
We will eventually (when the soil dries up a little) have all seven sites up and
running. We will also have 16 more soil temperature/moisture stations (without
the weather apparatus) in Jackson, Madison, Limestone, Morgan, and Marshall
Counties, Alabama. Some of the equipment has already been installed, and we
plans to upgrade the stations to include weather apparatus in the future.
By Julie A. Best, Public Affairs Specialist for MO–15
The files for the MO–15 Web site are now housed on the WebFarm at Fort
Collins. The new URL is: http://www.mo15.nrcs.usda.gov.
A new "Soils Education" page has been added. As I attend meetings, I often hear
district conservationists comment that they need educational materials about
soils to use with field day events and such. I attempted to pull together
several sites that offer educational materials that would help them with these
kinds of events. I selected a few, specific items and linked directly to those.
There is, however, a world of information available on the page if you follow
the links. As always, I used what I know. I'm sure there are other items that
could be added. If you know of a good site that offers educational material
about soils, send the URL along to me.
The MO–15 Web site at
http://www.mo15.nrcs.usda.gov/.
By Jim Culver, Past President of the Nebraska Society of Professional Soil
Scientists
During the August 2000 meeting of the Nebraska Society of Professional Soil
Scientists, we had a discussion regarding the fact that there are about 44
organizations similar to ours around the country. We realized that there was no
common link for the organizations and there was no method for effectively
sharing information and communications with the private sector. We reached a
general consensus that the individual State societies and associations have
excellent potential for working together in several areas.
During the 2000 annual meeting of the Soil Science Society of America, I visited
with soil scientists from the Natural Resource Conservation Service, other
Federal agencies, the National Association of Consulting Soil Scientists, and
the Association of Women Soil Scientists and with leaders from the University
National Cooperative Soil Survey. We discussed the opportunity for all of the
State soil societies and associations to work together and to have an impact on
common issues. Overall, the response was positive for a generalized process that
would allow the organizations to share opportunities to promote our profession.
On January 3, 2001, a letter was sent to all State soil societies and
associations, the Association of Consulting Soil Scientists, and the Association
of Women Soil Scientists. The letter indicated that I would be willing to spend
some time exploring options for our individual organizations to work together on
common issues. The response to this invitation was very positive. Our first
national teleconference was April 25, 2001.
Excellent progress has been made this past year in getting started. Most of the
progress has been made through national teleconferences, questionnaires, and
special work groups. The progress includes 1) stating goals and objectives, 2)
updating directories, 3) gathering e-mail addresses for a contact at each
organization, and 4) beginning development of a Web site. The Web site for the
United States Consortium of Soil Science Associations is at soilsassociation.org.
It includes a list of all of the State soil societies and associations, each
organization's official contact, the URL for those organizations who have a Web
site, and the goals and objectives of the consortium. We are in the process of
posting the minutes of all teleconferences. Other sections on the consortium's
site include "Who We Are," "What's New," "Membership and Addresses," and
"Congressional Contacts."
During the past year, the consortium has held 5 teleconferences. The minutes for
these conferences have been sent by e-mail to all 44 organizations. Plans for
this year include continued work on the Web site, the development of a
newsletter, and the production and distribution of an informational brochure
that describes the consortium.
Our goals are to promote communications between the State societies and
associations and to promote the visibility of these organizations. Common issues
that the organizations share include soil interpretations and the acquisition
and application of soil survey data. Highlighted is emphasis on outreach to the
general public and elected decision makers. The outreach hopes to promote the
wise use of science-based soil survey information for the protection and
management of the Nation's soil resources.
The consortium's current objectives to assist in collectively working toward the
goals are:
- Enhance communications and networking among the societies and
associations;
- Outreach to the general public and decision makers;
- Technical issues: Policy, applications, operations, and science;
- Listing of available training and workshops;
- Information on potential available contacts for obtaining soil consulting
services; and
- Professional recognition.
Issues of this newsletter are available on the Internet on the MO–15 homepage
(http://www.mo15.nrcs.usda.gov/). Click on "MO–15 Items" and then on "The
Coastal Plainer, Quarterly Newsletter."
You are invited to submit stories for future issues to Aaron Achen, editor,
MO–15, Auburn, Alabama. Voice—(402) 437-4157; FAX—(402) 437-5336; e-mail—Aaron.Achen@nssc.nrcs.usda.gov.
"Productive land must assume an ever more prominent position in the thinking of
the people and their leaders."
–Hugh Hammond Bennett
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