12/2004 FIELD OFFICE TECHNICAL GUIDE Section II – Soil Resources

Certification of Soil and Site Information Safford Field Office

A. The “official soil survey data” for the following soil survey area(s) consists of 3 parts: Refer to item B for nonproject areas without published data.

AZ662 Safford Area, AZ AZ663 Gila-Duncan Area, AZ, Parts of Graham and Greenlee Counties AZ664 San Simon Area, AZ, Parts of Cochise, Graham, and Greenlee Counties

a) Tabular data from the Soil Data Mart Soil Data Mart b) Spatial data from the Soil Data Mart Soil Data Mart c) Mapping unit and soil descriptions contained in the designated “Official Copy” of the published soil survey on file in the Field Office.

B. Current “Descriptive Legend” for each nonproject area is on file and referenced in the FOTG. All “request” mapping prior to March 2000 is located, organized, and referenced in the Descriptive Legend.

Request mapping after March 2000 includes the following minimum content:

1) Sufficient soil data entered in NASIS to meet each mapping request objective and to populate the Arizona Mapping Unit Generator (MUG) template. 2) MUG generated map unit and taxonomic unit descriptions with reference to the aerial photo used for soil mapping. 3) Conventional and Special Symbols Legend or Feature and Symbol Legend 4) NASIS generated tables and interpretations. 5) Documentation to support field mapping and interpretations is on file in the field office and located by geographic coordinates. 6) NASIS generated Identification Legend and Classification Legend.

C. NASIS generated HEL and Hydric soil lists for each survey area have been prepared, are current, have been adjusted for any 1992 FSA exemptions, and are on file in the FOTG. Includes both “frozen” and “update” lists. Update lists are maintained for the purpose of updating state and national lists. Update HEL lists include soils identified after distribution of the 1990 frozen soil lists. Wind and water equation factor values remain frozen. Updated Hydric lists include soils identified after the most recent Federal Register notice of changes.

D. NASIS generated Prime Farmland lists for all mapping in each survey area have been prepared, are current and on file in the FOTG.

E. Request forms for Soil Scientist assistance are complete and on file in the FOTG.

F. References on file in the FOTG:

1) Field Indicators of Hydric Soils 2) C and R factor maps 3) State distribution bulletins for HEL, Hydric, etc. 4) 1992 HEL exemption 5) Internet address for the soil survey progress map, SSURGO status map, etc. 6) Official Copy(s) of the published soil survey(s)