Part 606 - WORKING AGREEMENTS
CONTENTS
PART
TITLE
PAGE
606.00
Definition .............................................................................................................................. 606-1
606.01
Policy and Responsibilities................................................................................................... 606-1
(a) Memorandum of Understanding for Project Soil Survey Areas (work plans) .................. 606-1
(b) State-Wide Memorandum of Understanding ..................................................................... 606-2
(c) MLRA Region-wide Memorandum of Understanding ...................................................... 606-2
606.02
Review, Approval, and Distribution of the Memorandum of Understanding ...................... 606-3
606.03
Amending an Existing Memorandum of Understanding ...................................................... 606-3
606.04
The Outline for a Memorandum of Understanding of a Project Soil Survey area ............... 606-4
606.05
Description of a Contribution Agreement ............................................................................ 606-6
606.06
Description of a Trust Fund Agreement ............................................................................... 606-6
Exhibit 606-1
Memorandum of Understanding for a Project Soil Survey Area .............................. 606-7
Exhibit 606-2
MLRA Region-wide Memorandum of Understanding ............................................ 606-12
606.00 Definition.
Working agreements are a basis of understanding for cooperative work with other agencies and
organizations. These agreements include memoranda of understanding, contribution agreements, and trust
fund agreements. The Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) or any public agency may initiate
working agreements relating to soil survey activities. If another Federal agency initiates a working
agreement, the name of the document and the format may be different from those used by the NRCS.
Cooperators operate within their own sphere of authority; their guidelines are in subpart 104I-73.101 of the
NRCS Property Management Regulations. A memorandum of understanding is not a contract, nor are the
plans and specifications agreed upon and contained therein legally binding for the agencies that sign it. It
may provide for other working agreements such as contribution agreements or trust fund agreements for
transfer of funds, services, space, or equipment.
606.01 Policy and Responsibilities.
Memoranda of understanding record the intent of the NRCS and one or more cooperators to join together
in making a soil survey of a specific area or in performing related soil survey work. The NCSS uses three
main types of memoranda of understanding. They are (1) the memorandum of understanding for a project
soil survey of an individual area, (2) the state-wide memorandum of understanding, and (3) the MLRA
region-wide memorandum of understanding.
(430-VI-NSSH, 2003)
i
606-2 Part 606 - Working Agreements
Part 104I-73 of the NRCS Property Management Regulations gives specific instructions and authority
concerning memorandum of understanding.
When NRCS is to receive outside funds, services, or office space, the state conservationist ensures the
preparation of a contribution agreement or trust fund agreement in addition to a memorandum of
understanding.
(a) Memorandum of Understanding for Project Soil Survey Areas (work plans). A project soil
survey is a progressive survey that is governed by project management, which ensures that all field work,
including the final manuscript draft, for the survey is completed in 5 years or less from the date of the initial
field review. Exhibit 606-1 is an example of this kind of memorandum of understanding.
The Memorandum of Understanding records the purpose of the survey, describes the area, lists cooperators
and their responsibilities, and records the specifications for making, documenting, interpreting, and
publishing a soil survey for a specific area.
An individual memorandum of understanding signed by local cooperators is required for initial mapping of
each soil survey project area (typically county or parish). An individual memorandum of understanding
signed by local cooperators also is required for updating soil survey project areas to the extent that a new soil
survey (e.g. new maps, text and data) will be delivered to local cooperators. This requirement does not apply
to ongoing soil survey maintenance activities. The Director of the Soil Survey Division may, on a case-bycase basis, allow exceptions to these requirements.
All soil survey projects are to be managed in the context of a major land resource area. This approach
maintains a consistent scale and level of detail among all of the surveys within the major land resource area
and enables exact joins among the surveys. All project and update soil surveys are conceptual subsets of the
major land resource area. The goal is a geographically coordinated soils legend and database irrespective of
political boundaries. This assures consistent information for soil-related applications in conservation
programs.
Prepare a memorandum of understanding soon after deciding to begin a new or update project soil survey.
The memorandum of understanding should be in place prior to beginning work in the field. Part 607 contains
more information about survey preparation.
Use the major purposes of the survey and evaluations of the existing soil survey and the surrounding
surveys within the major land resource area when deciding to begin a new or update soil survey.
An evaluation of the existing soil survey is required to be attached to memorandum of
understanding for update projects. The state conservationist prepares a memorandum of understanding to
update a survey only after documenting extensive deficiencies and the need for a new publication. The state
conservationist arranges for this evaluation. Part 610 of this handbook discusses updating and maintaining
soil surveys.
Determine the primary purposes to be addressed and incorporate specifications to ensure deficiencies in the
current survey are addressed.
The state conservationist for the state with the dominant portion of the project soil survey area is
responsible for preparing the memorandum of understanding. The administrator for a lead agency may
prepare a memorandum of understanding for soil survey projects that are administered by Federal agencies if
the NRCS provides quality control or otherwise participates
State conservationists of NRCS are responsible for maintaining the adequacy of published soil surveys for
State and private lands. They coordinate Service activities with others that have responsibility for the
adequacy of soil survey information on federally administered lands.
(430-VI-NSSH, 2003)
Part 606 - Working Agreements 606-3
(b) State-Wide Memorandum of Understanding. Individual states have a memorandum of
understanding with cooperating agencies that pertain to soil surveys in general in the state. These state-wide
memoranda of understanding recognize the joint and individual responsibilities of cooperators for the
development and utilization of soil surveys in the state. A state-wide memorandum of understanding usually
includes:
--a title block,
--definitions of terms used,
--the general purpose of the memorandum,
--items of mutual agreement,
--items of individual agency agreement, and
--signature blocks and dates.
(c) MLRA Region-wide Memorandum of Understanding. Each of the NRCS Major Land Resource
Area (MLRA) Soil Survey Region Offices (MOs) must have a region-wide memorandum of understanding
that covers all the land within the MLRA region. The memorandum of understanding includes information
about the region, the purpose for doing the work, responsibilities of cooperators, and other information that
would require signatures of all cooperators. The Director of the Soil Survey Division may, on a case-by-case
basis, allow exceptions to these requirements.
The MLRA Office leader prepares the MLRA region-wide memorandum of understanding for approval by
the state conservationists, state agricultural experiment station leaders, and other cooperating agencies as
needed. The MLRA region-wide memorandum of understanding is an umbrella document necessary to help
ensure that soil mapping and interpretation are conducted according to common technical standards within
physiographic regions.
Exhibit 606-2 is an example of an MLRA region-wide memorandum of understanding.
606.02 Review, Approval, and Distribution of Memorandum of Understanding.
(a) Review. An interdisciplinary team, including administrative support staff reviews the draft of the
memorandum of understanding. The state conservationist sends a copy of the draft for review and comment
to:
 each cooperating signer,
 other affected state conservationists,
 MLRA office,
 affected state soil scientists,
 to others, as appropriate, such as principal user groups.
Reviewers return the draft copy of the memorandum of understanding to the originating state for resolution
of the review comments.
 The state conservationist then sends a copy of the revised MOU to the Director, National Soil Survey
Center, with a letter requesting approval of the Director, Soil Survey Division.
(b) Approval. The state conservationist and the appropriate officials of cooperating agencies sign the
approved memorandum of understanding.
(c) Distribution. The state conservationist distributes the original signed memorandum of understanding
to the state office administrative services file and copies to:
 the MLRA office survey area file,
 each cooperator,
 the Director, National Soil Survey Center,
 the Director, Soil Survey Division,
 the Regional Conservationist,
 the National Cartography and Geospatial Center,
(430-VI-NSSH, 2003)
606-4 Part 606 - Working Agreements
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area conservationist (for project memorandum of understanding),
district conservationist (for project memorandum of understanding),
soil survey project office, and
other involved states.
606.03 Amending an Existing Memorandum of Understanding.
Prepare an amendment to the memorandum of understanding if a significant change is made in the work or
work area. If the boundaries or other specifications change, issue an amendment to a current memorandum.
Rewrite only the section(s) for which a significant change is being made. Examples of significant changes
for project soil surveys are:
-- the area to be mapped is changed,
-- the purpose for doing the survey is changed in full or in part,
-- specific plans for publishing the survey are changed, or
-- specifications for map scale or format or for text format are changed.
Amendments follow the same review and distribution procedures as outlined for the original memorandum
of understanding.
An amendment is not needed if additional cooperators want to sign the original memorandum of
understanding after it has been completed. The additional signature page(s) should be forwarded to all the
cooperators identified in the document in addition to a new cover page and a statement of the new
cooperator’s responsibilities. The former signers do not need to sign the document again.
606.04 The Outline for a Memorandum of Understanding for a Project Soil Survey
Area.
Use the following outline in preparing a soil survey area memorandum of understanding. All items in the
outline may not be applicable to all soil survey areas. Provide an explanation if the memorandum of
understanding addresses only part of the area. Provide for the parts not addressed.
(a) Identity. Identify the memorandum of understanding at the top of the first page as follows:
U.S. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE
NATIONAL COOPERATIVE SOIL SURVEY
Memorandum of Understanding Between
The Natural Resources Conservation Service
and
(Name Cooperating Agency)
Relative to
The Making of a Soil Survey of
Alpha County, Beta State
AS012
Follow the procedures for naming and assigning identification code in part 608.03 of this handbook. The
same name is used in the state soil survey plan of operations, on the cover and half-title page of the published
soil survey, in the soil survey schedule, and in other parts of NASIS. Coordinate the name and unique
identification code with the National Soil Survey Center (Hotline staff).
(430-VI-NSSH, 2003)
Part 606 - Working Agreements 606-5
(b) Authority. State the authority for doing the work. It is usually Public Law 74-46, 49 Stat. 163 (16
U.S.C. 590 a-f) and Public Law 89-560. 80 Stat. 706 (42 U.S.C. 3271-3274).
(c) Purpose. State the purpose of the soil survey. Identify the principal potential users. Give specific
purposes and uses of the survey, such as for intensive land development, irrigated cropland, commercial
timber production, assessment of agricultural land, community development, or multipurpose public
recreation. Cite the region-wide memorandum of understanding, if one exists, and ensure that objectives of
the project soil survey area meet the objectives outlined in the region-wide memorandum.
(1) Determine the purpose, needs, and objectives of a soil survey in consultation with local users and
cooperators. They should be specific enough to allow the establishment of quality control and quality
assurance standards. Use the NRCS General Manual, Issue 1, Part 400, Public Participation.
(2) If the purposes of the survey are significantly different for various parts of the survey area, explain
the differences. Use a small-scale map if needed.
(d) Description. Give a brief description of the work area, describing location, size, and physical
composition.
(1) Location. Describe the general location within the state(s). For survey areas that do not coincide
with county boundaries, attach a map having a scale large enough to accurately show the soil survey area
boundaries relative to associated county boundaries.
(2) Size. Give the acreage for the soil survey area. If a soil survey area is a county, or has similar civil
boundaries, use total area as shown in the latest National Resources Inventory county base data. Show the
following:
-- land area acres (the total area minus water areas that are equal to or greater than 40 acres and streams
that are more than 1/8 mile wide),
-- water area acres (areas of water that are equal to or greater than 40 acres in extent and streams that are
more than 1/8 mile wide), and total area acres (land area plus water area).
(3) Physical composition. List major physiographic components and major land resource areas of the
soil survey area.
(4) Total the acreage in the soil survey area. If the soil survey area includes parts of or all of two or
more counties, give the acreage for part of or all of each county, as well as the total for the survey area. The
total area acreage of a soil survey area is the same acreage listed in the soil survey schedule. Total acreage for
all surveys within the state equals the total acreage for the state in the National Resources Inventory. The soil
survey schedule and map unit acreage also match the acreage shown in the National Resources Inventory.
(5) If more than one intensity of field operations is planned for the same soil survey area and the extent
is significant, show the approximate acreage of each field operation.
(6) List the acreage of Federal lands, if significant, that each agency administers. Such agencies are
Forest Service, National Park Service, Bureau of Land Management, and Department of Defense, and such
lands as Indian Tribal Lands.
(e) Agencies. Identify the agencies and their responsibility for the work. Describe the specific kind and
amount of work to be done by each cooperating agency that signs the memorandum of understanding. Include
field work, laboratory analyses, and special studies. Reference state-wide or MLRA region-wide memoranda
of understanding, if applicable. Give plans for entering into cooperative or trust agreements. List the names
of agencies that have direct professional participation and with whom the NRCS has a memorandum of
understanding. Show the names of these agencies on the front cover of the publication. Write the names as
they would appear on the publication. Also list names of other agencies, units of government, or private
groups contributing funds or making recognizable inputs to the survey. Indicate the names to be identified by
a credit line inside the publication.
(f) Specifications. List the specifications necessary for conducting the work. For example:
-- Specify the minimum standard or documentation to be used for quality control of soil survey processes
and material included in the publication, including checking map accuracy, plans for joining adjacent
surveys, documenting taxonomic units and map units, testing interpretations, and reviewing manuscripts.
If different levels of intensity of field investigations are to be used in various parts of the survey area,
explain their use relative to field operations, map unit design, and interpretations. Include a small-scale
map that clearly displays the areas to be mapped at different intensities.
(430-VI-NSSH, 2003)
606-6 Part 606 - Working Agreements
--Indicate whether or not small areas of contrasting soils or miscellaneous areas will be shown on the maps
using point and/or line features. This will generally involve mapping such areas at a higher level of
detail than the majority of the survey area. Such areas will be identified with map unit symbols and are
included in the legend for the survey area.
-- Give general guidance on how the field work will be conducted. Specify the average size management
area for the intended use and the maximum size of contrasting mapping inclusions that affect
management decisions.
-- Give base imagery data, including the supplying agency, kind, and format, such as full quad or quarter
quad orthophoto, and scale to be used in making the soil survey. Choose a scale that presents the map
data legibly. The map scale must legibly accommodate the chosen minimum size delineation. This
scale is 1:12,000 or 1:24,000, unless you receive a special exception. The scale should be no larger than
necessary to properly present the detail required for achieving the objectives of the survey. The
mapping should be done on the same imagery and at the same scale and in the same format as for
publication.
-- Identify supplemental imagery available to assist in field operations and the supplying agency. Provide
guidance to the field party for its use.
-- Specify latitude and longitude with stated datum for locating information collected.
-- Identify major soil interpretations for inclusion in the published survey and the agencies or disciplines
responsible for collecting support information, such as soil properties and soil qualities, and soil
performance data, such as forestry, crop, or range production. Specify methods to be used to ensure
technical accuracy of interpretations, such as reviews by the Agricultural Experiment Station and the
MLRA office.
-- Identify the agency responsible for map compilation, digitizing, and map finishing. Soil scientists
should do the map compilation. Give plans for map finishing, such as in-state contracting by a
cooperating agency, and plans for maintaining a geographic database.
(g) Key Dates. List the key dates selected to organize, manage, and complete the work, and analyze the
workload as necessary. For example:
-- State the month and year the survey starts or scheduled to start. Give reliable dates and keep the soil
survey schedule current.
-- State the month and year the survey is scheduled for completion. Give reliable dates and keep the soil
survey schedule current.
(h) Plans for Publication. List briefly the plans for publication. For example:
-- Name the agency responsible for preparing the manuscript. Give specific responsibilities of each
agency if the overall responsibility is shared.
-- Give the publication map scale and format of the soil survey map. Normally this scale is the same as
that of the fieldwork, such as 1:12,000 or 1:24,000.
-- Indicate whether or not a general soil map is to be published. General soil maps are a subset of the State
Soil Geographic (STATSGO) database.
-- Give plans for the preparation of advance or interim information that identifies who will prepare,
review, and publish. Indicate plans for distribution (refer to part 651 of this handbook).
-- Describe the format for the manuscript if it differs from standard procedures.
-- Give the plan for distributing the published soil survey if it differs from the procedures given in part
644.10 of this handbook and in the state supplements.
(i) Nondiscrimination provisions. All memoranda of understanding require a statement of compliance
with the nondiscrimination provisions. The following statement fulfills the requirement:
The program or activities conducted under this memorandum of understanding will be in compliance with
the nondiscrimination provisions contained in the Titles VI and VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, as
amended and other nondiscrimination statutes. Namely these are Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of
1973, Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972, and the Age Discrimination Act of 1975. They will
also be in accordance with regulations of the Secretary of Agriculture (7 CFR-15, Subparts A & B).
These regulations provide that no person in the United States shall on the grounds of race, color, national
origin, age, sex, religion, marital status, or handicap be excluded from participation in, be denied the
(430-VI-NSSH, 2003)
Part 606 - Working Agreements 606-7
benefits of, or be otherwise subjected to discrimination under any program or activity receiving Federal
financial assistance from the Department of Agriculture or any agency thereof.
(Refer to NRCS Property Management Regulations Part 104I-73.)
606.05 Description of a Contribution Agreement.
Initiate a contribution agreement if funds, services, or office space from outside sources are to be received
by the NRCS during or after the soil survey work. Refer to subpart 104I-73.103 of the NRCS Property
Management Regulations and to 104I-73.300 for a sample of a soil survey contribution agreement. Send a
signed copy to the parties of the agreement and to the Director, Soil Survey Division. If the NRCS enters a
contribution agreement with another Federal agency and NRCS receives reimbursement for doing soil
surveys for that agency, ensure that all costs are covered, including overhead. A current project
memorandum of understanding must be in effect for a soil survey area prior to the development of a
contribution agreement.
606.06 Description of a Trust Fund Agreement.
Initiate a trust fund agreement if funds from outside sources are to be received by the NRCS in advance of
the soil survey work (refer to subpart 104I-73.200 of the NRCS Property Management Regulations). Send a
copy of the signed agreement to the parties of the agreement and to the Director, Soil Survey Division.
(430-VI-NSSH, 2003)
606-8 Part 606 - Working Agreements
Exhibit 606-1 Memorandum of Understanding for a Project Soil Survey Area.
UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE
NATIONAL COOPERATIVE SOIL SURVEY
MEMORANDUM OF UNDERSTANDING
between
THE NATURAL RESOURCES CONSERVATION SERVICE
and
ALPHA AGRICULTURAL EXPERIMENT STATION
ALPHA COOPERATIVE EXTENSION SERVICE
ALPHA STATE SOIL CONSERVATION COMMITTEE
BETA COUNTY SOIL CONSERVATION DISTRICT
relative to
THE MAKING OF A SOIL SURVEY FOR
BETA COUNTY, ALPHA STATE
AS017
Authority: Public Law 74-46, 49 Stat. 163 (16 U.S.C. 590 a-f) and Public Law 89-560, 80 Stat. 706 (42
U.S.C. 3271-3274).
Purpose for Doing the Work.
The purpose of this survey is to provide soil data necessary to judiciously and efficiently appraise and
manage land for agriculture and for rural and community development and to understand, protect, and
enhance the environment. The soil survey will be used specifically for the management of cropland, pasture,
wildlife habitat, rangeland, and irrigation development; for the identification of important farmlands, hydric
soils, and highly erodible land; for the equalization of farmland assessments; and to estimate engineering
properties of the soils.
The soil data will be used by the county commissioners, the county director of tax equalization, the
Experiment Station, the Extension Service, the State Highway Department, the Risk Management Agency,
private landowners, managers of forestland and fish and wildlife habitat, farmers, and ranchers. Private land
in the county is managed primarily for dryland agriculture and rangeland.
Previous Publications
In 1963 a general soil map of Beta County was published by the Agricultural Experiment Station, Alpha
State University (1). In 1968 Bulletin No. 499, Soil Survey Report County General Soil Maps, Alpha State,
were published (2). The survey described in this memorandum will display the soils in more detail and
provide information and interpretations not included in the 1963 General Soil Map of Beta County and the
1968 Bulletin No. 499.
(430-VI-NSSH, 2003)
Part 606 - Working Agreements 606-9
Description of the Work Area
Beta County is located in south-central Alpha State. The county has a total area of 649,600 acres, of
which 640,640 acres is land and 8,960 acres is water areas equal to or more than 40 acres in size. The land
acres include water areas that are less than 40 acres in size. The county is bounded by Alpha County on the
east, by Sigma County on the north, by Gamma county on the west, and by Epsilon County on the south. The
land ownership in the county is 99 percent private and 1 percent Federal. The Federal land is held in small
tracts, mostly as wildlife habitat or highway right-of-ways.
The land use in 1967 was as follows: cropland, 59 percent; rangeland and pastureland, 38 percent; and
forest and other land, 3 percent (3). The land use has changed slightly since 1967. Some rangeland was
converted to cropland in the mid 1970's. The principal crops grown in 1995 were wheat, sunflowers, oats,
corn, barley, hay, and flax. About 15 to 20 percent of the cropland is in summer fallow each year (4).
About 20 percent of the survey area is in the Alpha Level Plains Major Land Resource Area, 10 percent
is in the Rolling Glaciated Plains and Moraines, and the remaining 70 percent is in the Dark Morainic Hills
of the Great Alpha and Gamma Region.
The dominant landforms in the county are till plains, moraines, outwash plains, and flood plains. Small
isolated lake plains are scattered throughout the till plains and moraines.
Cooperating Agencies and Responsibilities
The Natural Resources Conservation Service, the Alpha Agricultural Experiment Station, the Alpha
State Soil Conservation Committee, the Alpha Cooperative Extension Service, the Alpha State Highway
Department, and the Beta County Soil Conservation District will cooperate in the conduct of this soil survey
in accordance with their respective memorandums of understanding or contribution agreements and with
dependence upon annual appropriations. The governing documents that identify the cooperating agencies
and their areas of responsibility are: (1) the Memorandum of Understanding between the Alpha Agricultural
Experiment Station, the Alpha State Soil Conservation Committee, the Alpha Cooperative Extension Service,
and the Natural Resources Conservation Service, United States Department of Agriculture, relative to making
and using soil surveys, and (2) the Alpha Memorandum of Understanding between the Alpha State Highway
Department and the Natural Resources Conservation Service for the analysis of soils for engineering
properties.
The Natural Resources Conservation Service will provide a project staff to complete the field mapping
by about October 1998. The Natural Resources Conservation Service will provide base maps for fieldwork
and publication, equipment, supplies, transportation, and office space for the survey party. The Natural
Resources Conservation Service will also provide the quality control necessary to meet the National and
Alpha Cooperative Soil Survey standards as enumerated in the National Soil Survey Handbook and the Alpha
state supplements. The Natural Resources Conservation Service has the responsibility for map compilation,
which will be done by soil scientists. The Natural Resources Conservation Service project office will report
all progress promptly and keep progress records and maps current.
The Alpha Agricultural Experiment Station will cooperate in the conduct of the soil survey by providing
laboratory assistance, thrashing grain samples and calculating yields and productivity indexes, participating
in field reviews, and providing technical assistance in the review and preparation of special sections of the
soil survey manuscript.
The Alpha State Soil Conservation Committee will cooperate in the soil survey by providing staff for
map finishing and digitizing for publication and by providing funds for contract mapping as agreed upon each
year. The Alpha State Soil Conservation Committee will digitize the survey according to the National
Cooperative Soil Survey standards. The Committee will provide tapes to the Beta County Conservation field
office in support of the Soil Survey Geographic (SSURGO) database to be used in conservation planning and
other activities. The digitized soil survey will not be copyrighted. The NRCS reserves the right to archive
and distribute data generated under the terms of this memorandum of understanding for their use.
The Alpha Cooperative Extension Service will provide leadership in the distribution and explanation of
the published soil survey.
(430-VI-NSSH, 2003)
606-10 Part 606 - Working Agreements
The Alpha State Highway Department will provide an analysis of engineering properties of 30 selected
soil pedons.
The Beta County Soil Conservation District will provide liaison and publicity to private landowners,
especially those in difficult access areas, and provide leadership for a "First Acre Mapped" and a "Last Acre
Mapped" ceremony. A contribution agreement is anticipated between the Beta County Soil Conservation
District and the Natural Resources Conservation Service for use of funds provided by the Beta County Board
of Commissioners.
Specifications
This survey will be conducted as a subset to the Alpha Level Plains, the Rolling Glaciated Plains and
Moraines, and the Dark Morainic Hills Major Land Resource Areas of the Great Alpha and Gamma Region.
The MLRA Region-wide Memorandum of Understanding for Great Alpha and Gamma Region defines
common technical standards for soil mapping and interpretation. Map unit design will match adjacent survey
areas within the MLRA as described in the MLRA project plans.
Map units will be consociations and complexes of phases of soil series. The maximum size of
contrasting map units in arable map units will be 5 acre areas. If needed by local users, contrasting map units
of less than 5 acre areas may be mapped as point or line segments approved by the MLRA office. The
maximum size of contrasting map units in nonarable map units will be 10 acre areas. The soils in each
delineation will be identified by direct field examination. Systematic traverses will be made in arable map
units at an interval close enough to detect 5 acre areas that require significantly different management, and in
nonarable map units close enough to detect 10 acre areas.
All mapping will be characterized by transecting randomly selected delineations of all map units and by
recording other field notes. One transect is required for each 1,000 mapped acres of a unit with a minimum
of 10 transects for all map units and a maximum of about 15 transects for those map units in excess of 15,000
acres. Each transect will have a minimum of 10 observations. The summarized data from these transects and
the field notes will be used to name the soils in each map unit and to statistically define and describe the
composition of the map units.
Each map unit in the legend will have a minimum documentation of three complete pedon descriptions
for each soil series used in the name. The maximum number of pedon descriptions required for any one
series is 10, provided that at least one pedon description comes from each map unit in which that series is
used in the name. Descriptions taken from within the MLRA can be used to meet these requirements. These
descriptions, transect data, and field notes will be used to establish the range in characteristics of the soil
series.
Field notes will be taken on soil qualities, soil properties, and soil performance to support soil
interpretations. The important interpretations are for cropland, pastureland, windbreaks, rangeland, wildlife
habitat, riparian area management, irrigation, rural and community development, recreation, engineering
properties, and such groups as hydric soils, highly erodible lands, sodic soils, saline soils, sodic-saline soils,
and other soils requiring special management.
A yield study of spring wheat will be conducted from 1993 through 1998 by gathering samples on the
five soil series in the Alpha soil toposequence. The Natural Resources Conservation Service will select the
site and gather the wheat samples, and the Alpha Agricultural Experiment Station will thrash the samples and
calculate yields and productivity indexes.
Laboratory analysis will be used to assist in determining the range of important physical and chemical
characteristics of selected soils, and focus particularly on the properties of the Alpha and Beta benchmark
soils.
The black and white field sheets will be prepared from high altitude aerial photography at a scale of
1:24,000 with color infrared stereo coverage. The publication base will be 1:24,000 orthophotography, full
quad format.
Aerial photography taken at a scale of 1:7,920, or 8 inches per mile, in the years 1938, 1949, 1957, and
1968 is available in the office of the district conservationist and will be used as needed to help establish soil
boundaries and otherwise supplement the field sheet photo base.
The Survey will be joined exactly with each adjacent soil survey using shared data mapunits and
common boundary lines within the MLRA.
(430-VI-NSSH, 2003)
Part 606 - Working Agreements 606-11
Approximate Time Schedule
The soil survey will commence about May 2002 with the assignment of an initial project staff, who will
begin activities with the collection and review of reference material, the assembly of equipment, and the
conduct of preliminary fieldwork. A pre-initial field review will be held in October 2002. Additional staff
will be assigned in about February 2003 to the area as needed and as indicated in the work load analysis.
Field mapping in contiguous blocks will begin in about May 2003, and the initial field review will be held in
September 2003. The final field review will be held about September 2006, and field mapping will be
completed about October 2007. Soil sampling for characterization and engineering properties will be done in
2005 and 2006.
The dates for completion of key events in the survey will be maintained in the soil survey schedule.
Publication
The Natural Resources Conservation Service project office is responsible for preparation of the soil
survey manuscript. The manuscript will be in a two-part format, and procedures will conform to the
specifications itemized in the National Soil Survey Handbook and the included Guide for Authors of Soil
Survey Manuscripts. The general soil map will be published at a scale of 1:250,000 and will be used to
update the State Soil Geographic (STATSGO) database. The manuscript will be stored and revised on
computers at the soil survey project office and periodically transmitted to the MLRA office for review. The
Natural Resources Conservation Service state engineer, state biologist, state forester, state agronomist, and
district conservationist will be guest authors for the engineering, wildlife habitat and recreation, forestland,
and crops and pasture sections respectively. They will also help in technical review of the manuscript. The
preliminary and final interpretation tables will be generated from NASIS database files. The soil survey party
leader and staff will review them and changes will be suggested to the MLRA office as needed. The
published soil survey will be distributed and explained to the public as detailed in the Alpha state plan.
Advance Information
Advance information will be provided to users upon request or in accordance with contributing
agreements. All advance information will conform to the specifications itemized in the National Soil Survey
Handbook.
Old Mapping
In previous years 92,315 acres in the county were mapped mostly for conservation planning on
individual farms. This old mapping will be used to the extent possible. Every effort will be made to
maintain the existing soil boundaries of this old mapping; however, where the boundaries are inappropriate
they will be changed. These 92,315 acres will be reported as Updated Soil Survey Progress Code 185.
Approval
The signing of this memorandum cancels all previous soil survey work plans or memoranda of
understanding for Beta County, Alpha State.
Reference
(1) General Soil Map, Beta County, 1963 published by the Agricultural Experiment Station, Alpha State
University, Anytown, Any State.
(2) Soil Survey Report, Bulletin 499, by D.D. Alpha, G.A. Beta, M.D. Gamma, and H.W. Sigma,
Department of Soils, Agricultural Experiment Station, Alpha State University, July 1968.
(3) Alpha Conservation Needs, Natural Resources Conservation Service, Anytown, Any State, July
1970.
(430-VI-NSSH, 2003)
606-12 Part 606 - Working Agreements
(4) Alpha State Agricultural Statistics 1986, USDA Economics and Statistics Service and Alpha State
University, Agricultural Experiment Station.
Activities conducted under this Memorandum of Understanding will be in compliance with the
nondiscrimination provisions as contained in the Titles VI and VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, as
amended, the Civil Rights Restoration Act of 1987 (Public Law 100-259) and other nondiscrimination
statutes, namely Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, Title IX of the Education
Amendments of 1972, the Age Discrimination Act of 1975, and in accordance with regulations of the
Secretary of Agriculture (7CFR-15, Subparts A and B) which provide that no person in the United
States shall on the grounds of race, color, national origin, age, sex, religion, marital status, or
handicap be excluded from participation in, be denied the benefits of, or be otherwise subjected to
discrimination under any program or activity receiving Federal financial assistance from the
Department of Agriculture or any agency thereof.
__________________________
A.J. Jones
State Conservationist
Natural Resources Conservation Service
Date____________________
_____________________________
C.J. Smith
Director
Alpha Agricultural Experiment Station
Date____________________
__________________________
B.F. Brown
Executive Secretary
Alpha State Soil
Conservation Committee
Date_____________________
_____________________________
S.G. Green
Director
Alpha Cooperative Extension Service
__________________________
W.F. White
Chairperson
Beta County Soil
Conservation District
Date_____________________
_____________________________
D.Q. Williams
Superintendent
Alpha State Highway Department
Date_________________________
Date_________________________
(430-VI-NSSH, 2003)
Part 606 - Working Agreements 606-13
Exhibit 606-2 MLRA Region-wide Memorandum of Understanding.
UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE
NATIONAL COOPERATIVE SOIL SURVEY
MEMORANDUM OF UNDERSTANDING
between the
NATURAL RESOURCES CONSERVATION SERVICE
and the
FOREST SERVICE
and the
U. S. DEPARTMENT OF INTERIOR
BUREAU OF INDIAN AFFAIRS
and the
BUREAU OF LAND MANAGEMENT
and the
NATIONAL PARK SERVICE
in IDAHO, MONTANA, OREGON, WASHINGTON, AND WYOMING
and the
COLLEGE OF AGRICULTURE
UNIVERSITY OF IDAHO
and the
IDAHO SOIL CONSERVATION COMMISSION
and the
MONTANA AGRICULTURAL EXPERIMENT STATION
MONTANA STATE UNIVERSITY
and the
OREGON AGRICULTURAL EXPERIMENT STATION
OREGON STATE UNIVERSITY
and the
WASHINGTON AGRICULTURAL RESEARCH CENTER
WASHINGTON STATE UNIVERSITY
and the
WYOMING AGRICULTURAL EXPERIMENT STATION
UNIVERSITY OF WYOMING
RELATIVE TO THE MAKING AND MODERNIZATION OF ALL SOIL SURVEYS
WITHIN MAJOR LAND RESOURCE AREA SOIL SURVEY REGION 4 - NORTHERN
ROCKY MOUNTAIN REGION
AUTHORITY: Public Law 74-46, 49 Stat. 163 (16 U.S.C. 590 a-f) and Public Law 89-560, 80 Stat. 706 (42 U.S.C.
3271-3274).
(430-VI-NSSH, 2003)
606-14 Part 606 - Working Agreements
PURPOSE: The Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) and the National Cooperative Soil
Survey (NCSS) partnership have a common objective of providing service to soil survey program participants
in an effective and efficient manner.
The purpose of this memorandum of understanding (MOU) is to encourage cooperation and to outline how
the NCSS partnership will work together within MLRA Soil Survey Region 4 to bring soil surveys to a
common maintenance level. Effective cooperation among participants will improve their respective abilities
to provide service to the soil survey program as well as significantly advance the individual partnership
mission.
This memorandum of understanding serves as a blanket memorandum of understanding for Major Land
Resource Area Soil Survey Region 4. It provides the guidance needed for the Northern Rocky Mountain
Region 4 MLRA Office to be able to conduct business, such as the completion of an initial soil inventory and
continued modernization efforts of the 82 soil surveys within the business area. Work will be done in
accordance with National Cooperative Soil Survey (NCSS) standards at a scale of 1:24,000 or 1:12,000. The
intent of this memorandum of understanding is to ensure that the soil survey work in the area provides
scientifically sound, up-to-date, coordinated soil survey information. The mission of the cooperative soil
survey is to assist humankind in understanding and wisely using soil resources to achieve and sustain a
desirable quality of life. This mission is achieved by maintaining a strong scientific basis for defining and
describing soil landscape relationships important to the use and management of soils; by providing scientific
expertise to identify, classify, characterize, modernize, correlate, and interpret soils; by making field
investigations, remote sensing and laboratory information and its interpretation readily available through
texts, maps, digital products, and other databases; and by assisting people in the use of soil survey
information.
There is a need to complete the initial soil inventory. There is also a need for modernization projects that
build on existing soil surveys and develop a coordinated database that addresses local, regional, and national
concerns. These projects will enable decision makers to make more informed environmental assessments and
resource management decisions. They will also provide more comprehensive soil and site data for (1)
managing public and private land, (2) protecting water quality and conserving water quantity, (3) improving
and maintaining cropland, rangeland, and forestland, (4) developing wildlife habitat, (5) preparing watershed
and urban plans, and (6) providing community and rural development soil interpretations and potentials.
This memorandum of understanding will help to ensure that soil mapping and interpretation are conducted
according to common standards within the Northern Rocky Mountain Region. Consequently it serves as the
guidance document for developing individual soil survey project memoranda of understanding (work plans)
within the Region. Project memorandum of understanding (work plans) contain the technical standards,
specifications, publication plans, staffing plans, and schedules for completing a specific project soil survey,
as well as any specific responsibilities of cooperators as related to that project. Any trust fund agreements or
reimbursements between agencies or local units of governments for projects would also be covered by
separate contribution or trust fund agreements.
This memorandum of understanding supersedes all previous MLRA region-wide memoranda of
understanding within this region upon the signature of the last person signing the document.
DESCRIPTION OF THE WORK AREA: The Northern Rocky Mountain Major Land Resource Area
Soil Survey Region 4 consists of seven MLRA's. These areas cover parts of Idaho, Montana, Oregon,
Washington, and Wyoming. The area consists of approximately 86,274,451 acres. Approximately sixty
percent of these acres are federal land.
(430-VI-NSSH, 2003)
Part 606 - Working Agreements 606-15
MLRA's in Soil Survey Region 4 are: Northern Intermountain Desertic Basins (32), Semiarid Rocky
Mountains (33), Northern Rocky Mountains (43A), Central Rocky Mountains (43B), Blue Mountains-Seven
Devils (43C), Northern Rocky Mountain Valleys (44), and Northern Rocky Mountain Foothills (46). The
region varies from rugged mountains to broad valleys to semidesert plateaus and basins. Grazing is the
leading land use throughout the region but logging is important in some of the forested mountain areas.
Irrigation is practiced in some of the valleys and dryland farming in others. Grain and forage for livestock
are the main crops. Beans, peas, sugar beets, and seed crops are also grown in places where soils, climate,
and markets are favorable.
LAND AREA
ACREAGE TOTALS*
U.S. Forest
Service
Idaho
20,002,367
Montana
16,035,500
Oregon
2,019,014
Washington
692,018
Wyoming
7,247,093
Total
45,995,992
Native
Other NonBureau of
National
Other
Census
American
Federal
Land
Park
Federal
Water
Land
Land
Management Service
Land
18,970
4,388,808
185,845
31,078
60,397 109,044
2,044,000 15,513,600
1,388,200 1,171,000
78,400 445,600
0
156,347
0
0
0
2,943
136,193
1,507,323
31,848
0
69,809
21,999
1,741,198
3,720,793
4,633,694 2,109,828 466,275 245,267
3,940,361 25,286,871
6,239,587 3,311,906 674,881 824,853
Total All
Categories
24,796,509
36,676,300
2,178,304
2,459,190
20,164,148
86,274,451
* Acreage adjusted to coincide with MLRA Soil Survey Region 4 boundary. Acreage values are close approximations.
RESPONSIBILITIES: Technical responsibilities are identified in this section. Administrative
responsibilities for acquisition of monies, personnel, equipment, office space, and other in-kind services are
also indicated. However, they are contingent upon separate cooperative agreements and trust fund
agreements developed by states or units of government.
Lead agencies responsible for project soil surveys will prepare memoranda of understanding (work plans);
develop sampling plans and conduct soil investigations; provide the controlled base imagery and supporting
cartographic materials for field mapping and publication; prepare the soil survey manuscript(s); and complete
the map compilation, digitizing, and map finishing for those surveys.
A. The USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) will:
1. Characterize the soils by laboratory analyses where appropriate.
2. Where NRCS is the lead agency, conduct quality assurance reviews, prepare trip reports, quality
assurance reports, correlation documents, and provide field technical assistance for soil surveys in the
region.
3. Cooperate with other agencies in providing public relations regarding progress of surveys, uses of soil
survey information, and distribution of soil survey data.
4. Provide technical leadership for soil survey attribute (NASIS) and spatial (SSURGO) data development
and provide access to that information for the development of agency products.
5. Coordinate all soil survey activities across the soil survey region and between other regions for exact
joins.
B. The USDA Forest Service (FS) will:
1. Participate in quality assurance reviews, field studies, and soil correlation for project soil surveys
containing FS lands.
2. Cooperate in the conduct of the National Cooperative Soil Survey by allowing access to intermingled
lands and by conducting soil surveys on the lands under the jurisdiction of the Forest Service.
(430-VI-NSSH, 2003)
606-16 Part 606 - Working Agreements
3. Share available soil moisture and temperature, forestland and rangeland data.
4. Cooperate in ensuring exact joins between soil survey areas.
5. Provide guidance and assistance in other phases of the soil survey program.
C. The USDI Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA) will:
1. Participate in quality assurance reviews, field studies, and soil correlation for project soil surveys
containing Native American lands.
2. Cooperate in the dissemination of information regarding soil survey progress and the value, use, and
availability of soil survey information.
3. Provide guidance and assistance in other phases of the soil survey program.
D. The USDI Bureau of Land Management (BLM) will:
1. Participate in quality assurance reviews, field studies, and soil correlation for project soil surveys
containing BLM lands.
2. Share available soil moisture and temperature, forestland, and rangeland data.
3. Cooperate in the conduct of the National Cooperative Soil Survey by allowing access to intermingled
lands and by conducting soil surveys on the lands under the jurisdiction of BLM.
4. Provide guidance and assistance in other phases of the soil survey program.
5. Cooperate in ensuring exact joins between soil survey areas.
E. The USDI National Park Service (NPS) will:
1. Participate in quality assurance reviews, field studies, and soil correlation for project soil surveys
containing NPS lands.
2. Cooperate in the conduct of the National Cooperative Soil Survey by allowing access to intermingled
lands.
3. Share available soil moisture and temperature, forestland, and rangeland data.
4. Cooperate in ensuring exact joins between soil survey areas.
5. Provide guidance and assistance in other phases of the soil survey program.
6. Reimburse NRCS for the full cost of conducting soil surveys on the lands under the jurisdiction of NPS.
F. The Idaho Soil Conservation Commission will:
1. Contribute necessary personnel and equipment to help complete fieldwork of project soil surveys as
agreed upon.
2. Participate in quality assurance reviews, field studies, and soil correlation.
3. Cooperate in information and education programs regarding the value, use, and availability of soil survey
information.
4. Provide guidance and assistance in other phases of the soil survey program.
G. The College of Agriculture, University of Idaho; the Washington Agricultural Research Center,
Washington State University; and the Agricultural Experiment Stations in Montana, Oregon, and
Wyoming will:
1. Perform research in genesis, morphology, and classification of soils.
2. Participate in quality assurance reviews, field studies, and soil correlation.
3. Cooperate in information and education programs regarding the value, use, and availability of soil survey
information.
4. Provide guidance and assistance in other phases of the soil survey program, including the development of
appropriate soil survey products.
(430-VI-NSSH, 2003)
Part 606 - Working Agreements 606-17
SPECIFICATIONS: The products expected are coordinated, joined, digitized soil surveys at 1:24,000 or
1:12,000 scales with accompanying attribute soil data in the National Soil Information System (NASIS).
Digitizing specifications will be in accordance to the National Soil Survey Handbook Part 647 Map
Digitizing Standards for SSURGO and Digital Map Finishing. Digitized data will not be copyrighted. NRCS
reserves the right to archive and distribute data generated under the terms of this Memorandum of
Understanding.
Sufficient field documentation will be collected to characterize and describe the map unit concepts as to
name, composition, setting, and interpretation. Sufficient field checking of map units in the survey area will
be made to ensure that delineations meet the map unit criteria - i.e., the map unit delineations are as described
and their components will interpret as stated in the map unit descriptions and tables. The taxonomic classes
selected to name map unit components will be represented and supported by a typical pedon. All surveys
within this region will be coordinated and a comprehensive digital coverage developed through exact joins.
INFORMATION NECESSARY TO ORGANIZE AND PLAN THE WORK: Specific dates for
planning and managing the soil survey area projects will be maintained in the Soil Survey Scheduler.
Individual project soil survey memorandums of understanding (work plans) are contingent on funding and
staffing. Some special studies may be initiated. Modernization of soil surveys is currently in progress for
soil survey areas by MLRA throughout the region.
CONTRIBUTION AGREEMENTS: Individual contribution agreements and or Memorandum of
Understanding may be developed by states with a county, group of counties, or other partnership as needed to
identify special needs or clarify reimbursable, cost share, or other working agreements.
The program or activities conducted under this Memorandum of Understanding will be in compliance with
the non-discrimination provisions contained in the Titles VI and VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, as
amended; the Civil Rights Act Restoration Act of 1987 (Public Law 100-259); and other non-discrimination
statutes, namely, Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, Title IX of the Education Amendments of
1972, and the Age Discrimination Act of 1975. They will also be in accordance with regulations of the
Secretary of Agriculture (7 CFR-15, Subparts A & B), which provide that no person in the United States shall
on the grounds of race, color, national origin, age, sex, religion, marital status, or handicap be excluded from
participation in, be denied the benefits of, or be otherwise subjected to discrimination under any program or
activity receiving Federal financial assistance from the Department of Agriculture or any agency thereof.
(430-VI-NSSH, 2003)
606-18 Part 606 - Working Agreements
APPROVAL
IDAHO
Signed______________________________________
State Conservationist
USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service
Boise, ID
__________________________
Date
Signed______________________________________
Director
USDI Bureau of Land Management
Boise, ID
__________________________
Date
Signed____________________________________
Regional Forester
Region 4
USDA Forest Service
Ogden, UT
__________________________
Date
Signed______________________________________
Administrator
Idaho Soil Conservation Commission
Boise, ID
__________________________
Date
Signed______________________________________
Dean
College of Agriculture
University of Idaho
Moscow, ID
__________________________
Date
(430-VI-NSSH, 2003)
Part 606 - Working Agreements 606-19
MONTANA
Signed______________________________________
State Conservationist
USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service
Bozeman, MT
__________________________
Date
Signed______________________________________
Director
USDI Bureau of Land Management
Billings, MT
__________________________
Date
Signed______________________________________
Regional Forester
Region 1
USDA Forest Service
Missoula, MT
__________________________
Date
Signed______________________________________
Area Director
USDI Bureau of Indian Affairs
Billings, MT
__________________________
Date
Signed______________________________________
Superintendent
Glacier National Park
USDI National Park Service
West Glacier, MT
__________________________
Date
Signed______________________________________
Director
Montana Agricultural Experiment Station
Montana State University
Bozeman, MT
__________________________
Date
(430-VI-NSSH, 2003)
606-20 Part 606 - Working Agreements
OREGON
Signed______________________________________
State Conservationist
USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service
Portland, OR
__________________________
Date
Signed______________________________________
Regional Forester
Region 6
USDA Forest Service
Portland, OR
__________________________
Date
Signed______________________________________
Area Director
USDI Bureau of Indian Affairs
Portland, OR
__________________________
Date
Signed______________________________________
Director
Oregon Agricultural Experiment Station
Oregon State University
Corvallis, OR
__________________________
Date
WASHINGTON
Signed______________________________________
State Conservationist
USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service
Spokane, WA
__________________________
Date
Signed______________________________________
Director
Washington Agricultural Research Center
Washington State University
Pullman, WA
__________________________
Date
(430-VI-NSSH, 2003)
Part 606 - Working Agreements 606-21
WYOMING
Signed______________________________________
State Conservationist
USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service
Casper, WY
__________________________
Date
Signed______________________________________
Director
USDI Bureau of Land Management
Casper, WY
__________________________
Date
Signed______________________________________
Regional Forester
Region 2
USDA Forest Service
Lakewood, CO
__________________________
Date
Signed______________________________________
Superintendent
Yellowstone National Park
USDI National Park Service
Mammoth Hot Springs, WY
__________________________
Date
Signed______________________________________
Director
Wyoming Agricultural Experiment Station
University of Wyoming
Laramie, WY
__________________________
Date
(430-VI-NSSH, 2003)