Year of the Soil Celebration
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History of Wisconsin Soil Survey PREFACE This document on the History of the Wisconsin Soil The year 2006 marked the completion of the Survey is not all-inclusive. Those developing this initial field mapping for the National report made sincere efforts to capture the significant Cooperative Soil Survey in Wisconsin. This events in the state soil survey program. We publication was undertaken to recognize the apologize for any omissions, oversights, and agencies and individuals who have invested inconsistencies of the information presented in this time, funding, and manpower in completing the document. initial field mapping of the state over the last 100 years or so. Wisconsin has had a rich and Individuals who wish to provide additional productive soil survey program. It was not until information or make corrections to any part of this the latter part of the 1800’s that interest in report may send them to the NRCS State Office at agricultural land use from the public and the 8030 Excelsior Drive, Suite 200, Madison, WI. United States Department of Agriculture 53717-2906. (USDA) convinced the United States Congress to make an inventory of the nation’s soils and This publication has utilized selected information their production potential. This interest led to from other reports, such as NRCS State files, the creation of the soil survey program in 1899 individual soil survey reports, and others. under the USDA Division of Soils, directed by Milton Whitney. Thereafter, soil survey became The content and format are designed to highlight the a cooperative effort between the U.S. accomplishments of the soil scientists working in Department of Agriculture and state agencies. the state and not necessarily a chronological report The Wisconsin Geologic and Natural History of the state soil survey program. This report will Survey, the Soils Department at the University of serve to document some parts of the cooperative soil Wisconsin, and the U.S. Bureau of Soils did survey program. much of the early survey work. This publication contains two history articles, which contain a A number of photographs showing various phases of more complete picture of the early history of soil the Wisconsin Soil Survey Program are included at surveys in Wisconsin. the end of several sections. The developers of this report chose not to give credit to those who took ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS each photograph. The photographs were a collection of original color photographs, and black This document was prepared under the direction and white photos from old Soil Conservation of Soil Scientists Art Voigtlander, Roger Dahl, Service files and personal photographs of NRCS soil and Donna Ferren Guy, with the assistance of scientists. Renae Anderson, NRCS public affairs specialist in Wisconsin. A special thanks and recognition is extended to all those who contributed to the extensive work and quality soil survey products produced by the soil scientists and other disciplines in the completion of the “once-over” and to those who contributed to the completion of this publication. United States Department of Agriculture 2007 Natural Resources Conservation Service Wisconsin The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) prohibits discrimination in all its programs and activities on the basis of race, color, national origin, gender, religion, age, disability, political beliefs, sexual orientation, and 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 326W, Whitten Building, 14th and Independence Avenue, SW, Washington, DC 20250-9410 or call (202) 720-5964 (voice or TDD). USDA is an equal opportunity provider and employer. 1 Table of Contents Who We Are ..............................................................................................................................3 Honor Roll of Soil Scientists in Wisconsin ............................................................................3 Soil Scientists and Publication Dates of Wisconsin Soil Survey Areas Since 1959 ............10 Development and Management of the Wisconsin Cooperative Soil Survey......................21 National Cooperative Soil Survey in Wisconsin - A Brief History......................................21 History of the Soil Survey in Wisconsin from 1800 to 1980...............................................26 Leadership of the Wisconsin Soil Survey During the Past 50 Years....................................28 Accelerated State Funding – Northwest 10 Project ..............................................................32 Of Special Interest...................................................................................................................41 A Soil Scientist’s Career - Delbert Thomas..........................................................................41 My Career as a Soil Scientist - John Langton.......................................................................47 Joseph Steingraeber, SCS Soil Scientist ...............................................................................51 Soil Scientists’ Stories and Tidbits .......................................................................................53 Poetry of Soil ...........................................................................................................................62 Wisconsin Society of Professional Soil Scientists .................................................................74 Officers of the Wisconsin Society of Professional Soil Scientists (WSPSS) .......................80 Wisconsin State Soil – Antigo Silt Loam ..............................................................................84 Antigo Monolith Makes Its Way to Smithsonian .................................................................95 Soil Survey Legend Used for Conservation Planning........................................................100 Soil and Land Judging Contests - Wisconsin .....................................................................103 Making the Soil Survey ........................................................................................................112 Aerial Photography Used In Soil Survey Field Mapping ...................................................114 General Soil Maps of the State - Brief History...................................................................117 Soil Survey Field Equipment..............................................................................................123 Soil Survey Laboratory Analysis and Investigations..........................................................128 Manuscripts for Soil Survey Publications...........................................................................130 Map Finishing and Digitizing .............................................................................................132 History of the Line Transfer Office ................................................................................132 History of SSURGO Digitizing In Wisconsin................................................................133 New Concepts – Soil Survey of the Future .........................................................................140 Maintaining Soil Surveys by Major Land Resource Areas ...............................................140 Wisconsin Soil Survey Area Final Correlation Dates.........................................................142 History of Soil Information Systems ..................................................................................143 National Soil Information System (NASIS) .......................................................................144 Cooperative Soil Survey Publication Program ..................................................................147 Wisconsin Soil Surveys Published 1900-2006 - Overview................................................147 List of Soil Surveys Published 1900-2006..........................................................................153 List of Soil Surveys Published 1900-1958..........................................................................155 Early Reconnoissance (sic) Soil Surveys............................................................................160 List of Soil Surveys Published 1950-2006..........................................................................161 Wisconsin 10th State to have Entire Soil Survey On-line ..................................................173 2006 Year of the Soil Celebration........................................................................................176 2 Who We Are Honor Roll of Soil Scientists in Wisconsin Making Soil Surveys for Publication – (1900 - 2006) This is a compilation of the names of soil scientists who have mapped soil in Wisconsin. The names were obtained from the soil survey publications, and therefore there may be some who were missed. For any one who has been inadvertently omitted we apologize and will gladly update the listing. Send name, years, and counties mapped to State Soil Scientist at the Wisconsin NRCS State Office, www.wi.nrcs.usda.gov Pre 1959 Period *Ableiter, Kenneth J. WGNHS Bayfield 1929 Chapman, Homer WGNHS Sauk 1925, Green Lake 1928, Green Lake 1929, Monroe 1929, Monroe Albert, A. R. WGNHS Vilas 1915, Recon of 1931 North part of North Central WI 1916 Chucka,