Soil Restoration and Reclamation
Time-frame: 1998 to present
County location: Billings, Burleigh, Cass, Golden Valley, Grand Forks, McLean, McIntosh, McKenzie, Mercer, Sargent, Trail, and Ward Counties in North Dakota
Field techniques: Soil delineation at a scale of 1:4,800 (Order 1) using standard methods and guidelines outlined by the Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) Soil Survey Staff. Linear traverse and grid methods were used for soil observation and sampling
Project types: Landfills, strip mines, oil well pads
Project sizes: Three (3) to 640 acres
Equipment/tools/instruments: Tiling spade, bucket auger, soil probe, field soil penetrometer, registered rectified aerial photography, hand-held computer loaded with GIS software and outfitted with a GPS receiver; laptop computer with GIS software
Laboratory data: Particle size analysis; organic matter content; saturated paste pH, EC, major cations and anions, and SAR; total metals; and TCLP metals
Databases accessed: NRCS County Soil Surveys; ND Geological Survey and Water Commission County Geology and Groundwater Resources Report; TerraServer aerial photography; ND Dept. of Transportation GIS database
Data analyses and interpretation: The quantity and quality of suitable plant growth material as defined by the ND Public Service Commission Mine Reclamation Staff was determined. GIS was used to analyze and display the spatial distribution of soil properties.

Wetland Survey/Delineation
Time- frame: 1999 to present
County location: Barnes, Benson, Cavalier, Griggs, Grand Forks, Nelson, Richland, Steele, and Walsh Counties in North Dakota; Hand and Hyde Counties in South Dakota
Field techniques: The presence of hydric soils and plants were determined simultaneously using the 1987 US Army Corps of Engineers Wetland Delineation manual as a methodology guide. GPS was usually used to locate pertinent points and wetland/stream boundaries.  In some cases, the wetland boundary was located and staked for subsequent determination of elevation by a land surveyor
Project types: Land development, wetland impact/restoration, highway right-of-way, pipeline, and wind turbine
Project sizes: Three (3) to 5,400 acres
Equipment/tools/instruments: Tiling spade, bucket auger, soil probe, registered rectified aerial photography, hand-held computer loaded with GIS software and outfitted with a GPS receiver; laptop computer with GIS software
Databases accessed: NRCS County Soil Surveys; TerraServer aerial photography; ND Dept. of Transportation GIS database
Data analyses and interpretation: GIS was used to analyze and display the spatial distribution of wetlands and streams and vulnerability to construction activity
Professional team: Soil scientist, plant specialist, GPS technician

Irrigation Compatibility
Time-frame: 1999 to present
County location: Emmons, McKenzie, Mercer, and Oliver Counties in North Dakota
Field techniques: Soil observation and sampling for texture on a grid pattern using standard methods and guidelines outlined by the Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) Soil Survey Staff.
Project types: Irrigation potential reconnaissance, Irrigation compatibility after disturbance
Project sizes: Three (80) to 95,000 acres
Equipment/tools/instruments: Tiling spade, bucket auger, Daubenmire quadrat, registered rectified aerial photography, laptop computer loaded with GIS software and outfitted with a GPS receiver
Laboratory data: Particle size analysis; and organic matter content
Databases accessed: NRCS County Soil Surveys; North Dakota State University (NDSU) Soils Dept. County General Soils Map; ND Dept. of Transportation GIS database
Data analyses and interpretation: Soil characteristics that influence water and soluble salt movement through soils were analyzed. A reconnaissance review of the large areas entailed determining these characteristics using soil survey information. The North Dakota Irrigation Guide was then used to rate each soil mapping unit for irrigation potential. GIS was used to compile and display an irrigation compatibility map for the project areas. The smaller field investigation compared textural and organic matter data to soil characteristics delineated in the NRCS county soil survey prior to disturbance. GIS was used to analyze and display the spatial distribution of particle size and organic matter content

Salinity and Sodicity Research
Time-frame: 1975 to 1989
County location: Divide and Foster Counties in North Dakota
Field techniques: Soil delineation at a scale of 1:4,800 (Order 1) using standard methods and guidelines outlined by the Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) Soil Survey Staff. Grid and linear transects were used for soil observation and sampling. Plant community analysis using transect and quadrat methods
Project types: Saline seep hill slope study; sodic soil hill slope study
Project sizes: five (5) acres
Equipment/tools/instruments: Hydraulic soil probe, rod and transit, refraction seismograph, resistivity probe, water level recorder, rain gauge, meteorograph, neutron moisture meter
Laboratory data: Particle size analysis; well water, 1:1 extract, and saturated paste extract pH, EC, major cations and anions, and SAR. Plant weight analysis
Databases accessed: NRCS County Soil Surveys; ND Geological Survey and Water Commission County Geology and Groundwater Resources Report
Data analyses and interpretation: Standard and geostatistical analyses were applied to chemical and physical data collected at research sites to determine the relationship between soil properties and water-salt movement.
Professional team: Soil scientist and plant specialist

Septic System Suitability
Time-frame: 1998 to present
County location: Cass, Mercer, and Morton Counties in North Dakota
Field techniques: Soil investigation using standard methods and guidelines outlined by the Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) Soil Survey Staff. A linear traverse was used for soil observation and sampling.
Project types: Single and mutiple home developments
Project sizes: Three (2) to 80 acres
Equipment/tools/instruments: Tiling spade, bucket auger, soil probe, registered rectified aerial photography, hand-held computer loaded with GIS software and outfitted with a GPS receiver; laptop computer with GIS software
Laboratory data: Particle size analysis
Databases accessed: NRCS County Soil Surveys; TerraServer aerial photography; ND Dept. of Transportation GIS database
Data analyses and interpretation: Soil texture and internal drainage were evaluated for water percolation. GIS was used to analyze and display the spatial distribution of soil properties.

Soil and Water Vulnerability Analysis
Time-frame: 1993 to present
County location: Statewide in North Dakota
Field techniques: Soil observations were compared in real time with GIS data layers displayed on a laptop computer outfitted with a GPS receiver and carried to the field
Project types: County maps for groundwater vulnerability to pesticides http://www.ageng.ndsu.nodak.edu/pest/; Water resource vulnerability to pesticides for Integrated Pest Management; Water resource vulnerability to nutrients related to animal production facilities; Water resources vulnerability to nutrients related to conservation management
Project sizes: County wide
Equipment/tools/instruments: Tiling spade, bucket auger, desktop and laptop computer loaded with GIS software and outfitted with a GPS receiver
Databases accessed: NRCS County Soil Survey Geographic database (SSURGO); ND Water Commission County Groundwater Studies Report and online groundwater and irrigation data; ND Dept. of Transportation GIS database; USDA Agricultural Statistics Service annual Land use GIS layer for North Dakota
Data analyses and interpretation: Soils, geological, geographic, and cultural properties that affect water and solute movement to water resources were created and combined using spatial analysis techniques in a GIS program. GIS was used to display maps showing different levels of water resource vulnerability. Factors contributing to the overall vulnerability were also displayed to provide focus to management strategies for water resource protection.

Soil Survey (Order 2)
Time-frame: 1978 to 1986
County location: Delaware and Sioux Counties in Iowa; Kidder and Foster Counties in North Dakota
Field techniques: Soil delineation at a scale of 1:15,000 to 1:24,000 using standard methods and guidelines outlined by the Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) Soil Survey Staff. Linear traverse were used for soil observation and sampling.
Project types: NRCS County Soil Surveys
Project sizes: Several hundred thousand acres
Equipment/tools/instruments: Tiling spade, bucket auger, soil probe, soil hydraulic probe, registered rectified aerial photography, map inking supplies
Laboratory data: Provided by NRCS Technical Service Center
Databases accessed: NRCS County Soil Surveys; ND Geological Survey and Water Commission County Geology and Groundwater Resources Report
Data analyses and interpretation: Soils were classified and organized into mapping units that were delineated on aerial photography based on daily field observations. Soil interpretations for various types of land use were determined for each soil mapping unit and compiled into the soil survey report along with the mapped delineations.