MLRA REGION 10 NEWSLETTER--DECEMBER 1, 1999 NASIS MANUSCRIPT DEVELOPMENT By Lynn DesLauriers, Soil Data Quality Specialist NASIS reports to generate various parts of the manuscript have been under development for the last four to five months. By December 15, 1999 the following will be available in NASIS and on the Region 10 web site for your use in developing a soil survey manuscript: - NASIS map unit generator and general map unit generator reports - NASIS reports to generate manuscript tables (including the stored "legacy" interpretation tables) - NASIS reports to generate NASIS style (fuzzy) interpretation tables - Prewritten material for NASIS manuscripts (on the Region 10 web site) - NASIS manuscript procedure manual with instructions for completing a manuscript (on the Region 10 web site: http://www.mn.nrcs.usda.gov/mo10/mo10.html-- then click on "Soil Survey Reference Documents and Books") All of the reports except for the NASIS style interpretations are available under "Local" in the report generator. The NASIS style interpretations are available under "National" in the report generator and are those that end "w/fuzzy rating". These are interpretations that have been developed by Bob Nielsen in Lincoln, NE. Rick Fielder in the Little Rock MLRA office has also developed interpretations. Both of these interpretations follow closely the criteria for the "legacy" interpretations we used in SSSD. Currently Rick Fielder's interpretations are not available on the Region 10 NASIS site, but can be run using nasisclient. We cannot easily copy Rick's interpretations to our machine since all of the properties, evaluations, and rules related to these interpretations would have to be found and copied to the Region 10 computer. When the NASIS central server comes into existence this problem should be solved. ######################################################################### NASIS DOWNTIME--A REMINDER Please remember that all NASIS systems in the country will be out of service from December 1-3 while the teams in Lincoln and Ft. Collins upgrade everyone to NASIS 4.1 and syncronize all systems to work together. Information on NASIS 4.1 can be found on the Region 10 web site: (http://www.mn.nrcs.usda.gov/mo10/mo10.html) then click on "National Soil Information System (NASIS)". ######################################################################### UNIX WORD 5 Y2K PROBLEM Unix Word 5 is not Y2K compliant. This affects MS Word on the ATT Globalyst and NCR 3333 Unixware and Everex 386 unix 3.2 computers. After the date changes to 1/1/2000, then Unix Word 5 crashes when a file is saved. You can use Word 5, edit a file, print the file, but can not save a file. Unix Word 5 on the 3B2 has the same problem, except that you can press the ESC during one point during the SAVE process and the date stamp will not be put on the file and it does not crash. This affects everyone that uses Unix Word on a ATT 605 dumb terminal, Wyse 99 or 160 dumb terminal, unix console, HP X-Terminal, Windows PC with a pc52, kermit, telnet session and/or a Hummingbird Xterm to a unix computer. The Public Information Module in FOCS uses Unix Word 5. You may not be able to use it after 1/1/2000. There is a possiblity that a "work around" solution may be found for Unix Word 5. However, we might not be able to find a workable solution. For instance, the date on the unix computer can be set to an earlier year so that Word 5 can continue to be used. However, this will cause problems such as email messages having the wrong dates and appearing in odd places in your email lists. The vendor, Santa Cruz Operation (SCO), will not fix the problem. Rumor is that SCO no longer has the source code. The National IT Center does not see this as a problem, since they think that we all have new PC's and are using Windows Word 97. Most of the new PCs for NRCS will be shipped by December 1. However in most states there will not be enough time to have all computers installed 1/1/2000. There may need to be some sharing of Windows computers for word processing until all of the new computers are installed and the old computers moved. Every office should have at least one new Windows computer. There is not a problem with using Windows Word 97 and accessing the unix Word 5 files on the unix computer after 1/1/2000. This means that all of the Unix Word 5 files can be left on the unix server in Unix Word 5 format. The files can be moved to the Windows Word 97 computer when they are needed. The process to access Unixware Word 5 files from a networked PC is as follows: 1) double-click Word 97 icon on the Windows PC 2) click on file, open 3) change the "look in" location to the unix network drive where your unix word files are located. The network drive name will usually include /home/xxx, where xxx is your unix login id. If the unix drive is not networked to your PC, contact your IRM staff. 4) change to the unix word directory or other location on the unix computer and select the Unix Word 5 file. 5) Windows Word 97 will convert the file to a Windows file. Sometimes a file is not converted and you get weird characters all over that will need to be deleted. 6) You may want to save the file in Word 97 format on the Windows PC instead of on the unix computer by clicking on File, Save As, Save in, H: word. Also change the Save as Type to Word Document. Some people that are getting a new computer have limited experience using a Windows PC and Windows Word 97. They may need Windows training in the next 2 months in order to use the new computer. The CCE (Common Computing Environment) Project provided a set of tutorial CDs for each office and each group of 5 people in an office. The set of 3 CD's has the following modules: PC Fundamentals, NT 4 Workstation, Word 97, Excel 97, PowerPoint 97, Access 97, Outlook 97, and Netscape Naviagtor. These are excellent tutorials. If you are using Unix Word 5 and have limited Windows experience, then you should go through the first 3 tutorial CD's listed above before the end of the year. From: Tom.Radermacher@mn.usda.gov ######################################################################### PEDON AND Y2K Many of you are still using PEDON 3.6 or PEDON 3.6.1 on a computer on which the UNIX operating system is not Y2K compliant. Unless you are running UNIX 2.1, Solaris version 2.5, or HP UNIX 10.X (most project offices are not), then your version of UNIX is not certified as being Y2K compliant. However, there are no known Y2K problems with non Y2K compliant versions of UNIX. As for PEDON, that software also has not been certified as Y2K compliant. Extensive in-house testing of PEDON on a non compliant UNIX system has revealed no problems related to dates after 1/1/2000. In other words, all tested functions of PEDON operated normally in the next millenium. If you are still uneasy about what may happen to your PEDON data after 1/1/2000, then two things are suggested before January 1. One--be sure your UNIX computer has a backup tape that is readable; in other words, don't just assume that the files on your computer have been placed on that backup tape--see if that tape can be used to restore a file or two. Two--in PEDON, use its Export utlity (under Transfer on the main menu bar) to export all your pedon data and then have that data imported onto another system for safekeeping; if you wish to import them into MO 10's PEDON system, then send them to me. Also (similar to the backup tape), just because you have exported your pedons, don't assume they are safe until you have received confirmation of a successful import. Contributed by: John Handler ######################################################################### HUMMINGBIRD AND Y2K COMPLIANCE One other piece of software that soil scientists use is an X-emulator called Exceed in Hummingbird. If you haven't checked your version yet for Y2K compliance, here is a repeat of an article that appeared in the May 1999 newsletter: The website at "http://www.hummingbird.com/products/y2k_nc.html" shows which versions of Exceed are compliant and which versions need patches installed to be y2k compliant. From: Tammy Cheever NASIS Hotline hotline@nssc.nrcs.usda.gov 402-437-5378 or 5379 * * * * * To find out which version of Hummingbird Exceed you are running, 1. Right mouse click the small "Exceed" icon on your Windows taskbar. 2. Scroll to "Help", then "About Exceed"; left mouse click. (The above worked for my version.) John Handler ######################################################################### SOIL SURVEY CENTENNIAL CELEBRATED AT MINNESOTA STATE FAIR NRCS informed thousands of people about the importance of soils during the Minnesota State Fair. Between 8,000 to 10,000 people visited the NRCS booth to view the National Soil Centennial exhibit; a large soil monolith of the state soil, "Lester Loam"; and county soil surveys. Visitors also "pressed their luck" at answering questions about Minnesota's soils and geology on an interactive display, developed by Soil Scientists Ken Matzdorf and Al Giencke. Visitors received a prize for answering questions correctly. Prizes included a ruler with information about Minnesota's soils, posters, bookmarks, and a miniature soil profile of the state soil. The interactive exhibit generated much interest with youths and adults alike, resulting in many requests for more soils information. The 12-day fair, held in St. Paul, attracted 1.6 million people. Nearly 50 NRCS employees and Earth Team volunteers assisted the State Office with this event. By: Sylvia Rainford, Public Affiars Specialist ######################################################################### WHY A MILE A DAY GOES A LONG WAY Walking as little as a mile a day may lengthen your life according to a study published in the New England Journal of Medicine. Over a 12 year period, researchers found that men who walked one to two miles per day had a 50 percent lower mortality rate than those who walked less. And the mortality rate was even lower in men who walked more than two miles a day. While the Journal's article focused on males for their study, I'm sure women can also benefit. Walking a mile a day is not a problem for soil scientists during the summer season, but during the winter season, do you get your mile a day behind your desk or light table? So keep walking--enjoy the outdoors AND live longer! Contributed by: Laurie Otte, Safety & Health Officer PS - Did you know that the human foot has more than 250,000 sweat glands? ######################################################################### SOIL SURVEY TEAM SAVES INJURED CYCLIST Soil survey project leader Alan Wasner, Chief of Resources of the State Parks Suzanne Goode, and archeologist Dr. Chester King saved the day, and a life, while on the job in the rugged Santa Monica Mountains [west of Los Angeles]. The three came upon a bicyclist who had fractured a hip and suffered injuries to her arms and face. She had been incapacitated long enough for blood to have dried on her face. Thirty minutes after the team placed a distress call, a medical evacuation helicopter and several park rangers arrived on the scene. "Their response was nothing short of amazing," said Wasner. The victim was discovered to have sustained neurological damage, and is now out of the hospital. From: NRCS This Week ######################################################################### "NASISNEWS" MESSAGE SERVER A message server has been established for the distribution of NASIS news and information to any users who wish to subscribe. This message server is intended for the distribution of information by the Soils Hotline to users. It is not intended for correspondence between users. If users have information they think beneficial to other users or wish to reply to the information being distributed, they should mail their responses/comments to the Soils Hotline at hotline@nssc.nrcs.usda.gov. The Soils Hotline will then distribute it to the list if necessary so subscribers aren't swamped with email messages. To subscribe to the "nasisnews" message server: Send an e-mail to: listproc@lists.nrcs.usda.gov The "Subject" line can be blank, but in the body of the message, type: subscribe nasisnews {your name} EXAMPLE: subscribe nasisnews John Doe To unsubscribe from the "nasisnews" message server: Send an e-mail to: listproc@lists.nrcs.usda.gov The "Subject" line can be blank, but in the body of the message, type either: unsubscribe nasisnews or: signoff nasisnews Soils Hotline National Soil Survey Center Lincoln, NE EMAIL: hotline@nssc.nrcs.usda.gov PHONE: (402) 437-5378 or 5379 ######################################################################### QUOTE OF THE WEEK(?) Can a timeframe really be put on this one? "Be it deep or shallow, red or black, sand or clay, the soil is the link between the rock core of the earth and the living things on its surface. It is the foothold for the plants we grow. Therein lies the main reason for our interest in soils." -- Roy W. Simonson, USDA Yearbook of Agriculture, 1957 ######################################################################### CRATERS OF THE MOON SOIL SURVEY Two years ago, the National Park Service asked NRCS Idaho to perform an out-of-this-world task: complete a soil survey of Craters of the Moon National Monument. Last Aprl, Soil Specialist Neil Peterson and Geographic Information Systems Specialist Dave Hoover, both of the NRCS State Office in Boise, delivered a compact disc containing a digital version of the soil survey to the Craters of the Moon National Monument resource staff. Compiling the data for the survey was NRCS soil scientist Rulon Winward. Rulon traveled by bicycle to get into some areas. Sometimes he had to walk up to 8 miles one way over sharp and rugged lava clinkers. "It was like walking on glass," Rulon said. "And it was as hot as an oven out there." His work also produced a pair of technological "firsts" for Idaho: the State's first soil survey written to compact disc and the first time a soil survey had been completed in Idaho through use of the new National Soil Information System. Ten new soil series were identified in the survey. [Check it out using nasisclient--your access to the national NASIS data base. Some intersting names for those new series!] ######################################################################### OUTREACH EFFORTS - CENTER OF EXCELLENCE Over one year of operation, the Center of Excellence in map compilation has been the work site for 12 Fond du Lac Tribal and Community College students. Half of these students are Native Americans. They have all learned technical lettering and developed some aerial photo interpretation skills. Through team meetings, led by Tom Neuenfeldt - Soil Scientist/Team Leader, the students have also come to appreciate how and why soil maps are made. Students begin working at the center with little or no experience with soils and quickly learn to ask questions like: What is soil? What's a soil scientist? What are Longitude and Latitude? What is soil texture? What's that little three line thing with the dot? What's a lagoon? What do you mean - join? If a feature, say a wetter soil in a better drained soil, is already documented as a normal inclusion in the map unit, why do soil scientists use a wet spot symbol in the map unit? If both 1807 and 1804 are called ponded and mapped next to each other, how does the soil scientist know where the line goes? The mission of the Center is service to students, treating them as internal customers. Not only do Center personnel hire and train the students as cartographic aids, assign work, perform quality control checks, they also answer questions like those above from inquiring minds. Outreach at Fond du Lac Tribal and Community College includes service to external customers such as College administration, staff and faculty, family/ friends of student Cartographic Aids, and visitors to the Center. About 160 individuals have signed the guest book at the Center. These visitors have represented groups such as: USDA, Legislative branches of government both State & Federal, Tribal Officials, Academia, local High Schools. Much of this outreach is not orchestrated, but comes about naturally in conversations with these groups of individuals. Center personnel also attend college activities/meetings like ground breaking ceremonies for new dorms, facilities planning meetings, seasonal festivals, and informal gatherings with the college President. More formal outreach activities include NRCS Soil Scientist Tom Neuenfeldt lecturing for college Environmental Science and Geoscience classes, taking part in career fairs, and helping to interview students for the Student Career Experience Program. Dave Wise, NRCS Liaison and Tom Neuenfeldt have recruited two Fond du Lac Tribal and Community College students to begin studies to become soil scientists. These students will complete basic science course work at Fond du Lac Tribal and Community College, work at the Center then, transfer to the University of Minnesota to complete their bachelor's degrees. These two students will receive financial help through the USDA-NRCS Soil Science Scholarship Program. Outreach at the Center of Excellence involves both formal and informal activities. Tom Neuenfeldt says all soil scientists have the same kind of formal and informal opportunities. Outreach happens for all of us day-in and day-out simply by doing our jobs and participating in various social settings. The next time someone asks you what you do, be bold. Step up and declare yourself a soil scientist. Reach Out! For more information, contact Tom Neuenfeldt (218) 879-0862 ######################################################################### FIELD DATA RECORDERS I had a couple of requests to send out the information that I received concerning field data recorders. I received information from three states who have purchased equipment. They are as follows: 1. The MLRA update office in Carbondale, Illinois is using a Palm Pilot recorder manufactured by 3COM. It costs between $400-$500. Sam Indorante, the Project Leader, has developed a program using "Pendragon Forms" to enter mini profile descriptions and transects. The Palm Pilot can be placed in a cradle, which enables it to transfer data to and from the office PC. Sam has written a set of instructions for using the Palm Pilot in soil surveys. He can be reached at the Carbondale NRCS office at Sam.Indorante@il.nrcs.usda.gov. The web site for the Palm Pilot manufacturer is http://www.3COM.com. The downside to the Palm Pilot is that it is not capable of running the PEDON program. 2. Iowa has purchased four MC5-MAPPERs from CMT. They plan to test them this summer. The MC5 has a PC interface for transfering data, and also plugs into a GPS system. I spoke with Dale Ceolla at the Des Moines state office, and he has some ideas of their capability. An MC5-MAPPER cost about $1,900 at the government rate. The web site is http://www.cmtinc.com. 3. Montana has purchased a Hammerhead from Walkabout Computers. They are basically lap tops ruggedized for field use. They can run Windows 95 and MS office 97. With this software they are capable of running the PDP program for windows written by Tom Reinsch at the NSSL. Montana is testing this program in the Flathead County Area soil survey project office. The downside to the Hammerhead is that it cost about $7,500. Also, the PDP program for windows from Tom Reinsch is not an official release. Wade Bott, SDQS in Bozeman, can give you more information if you are interested. What I am looking for is a field data recorder that can be used to enter profile descriptions into the PEDON program in the field. These descptions could then be downloaded directly into the office PC. Ellis Benham at the NSSL is an excellent source for information on the hardware needed. Basically that is a field data recorder that is capable of running Windows 95 and MS Office 97. We also need an official release of PEDON for Windows. Ellis recommends not getting the color screen display for outdoor use. It does not compete with sunlight very well. A monochrome display will work best, and is cheaper. Another recommendation I received is to get a demonstration from the company before you purchase any equipment. That may save you from buying hardware that may not be suited to operating the PEDON program. If anyone has more up-to-date information on field data recorders that will operate PEDON let me know. From: Richard Tummons ######################################################################### SOIL TAXONOMY NOTES For those of you needing a summary of recent changes to Soil Taxonomy, MLRA Region 15 has provided a summary in their newsletter: Most of you, by now, have received the latest edition of the "Keys to Soil Taxonomy." If you've had a chance to browse through it, you will have noticed quite a number of changes and improvements. The most obvious changes are the larger format and colorful cover. For those of you who haven't taken time to review the new "Keys," I'm presenting an overview of some of the significant recent revisions. Not all of the revisions I've listed are new to this edition, but they are worthy of mention because we're still working on the classification changes these revisions have brought about. -- Starting from the top Gelisols - a new order for soils with permafrost. This addition doesn't do much to us here in the Deep South. Alfisols - the suborder Boralfs is gone; Cryalfs is in. This shouldn't affect our workload much in MO-15. Histosols - the great groups in the suborders Folists and Saprists were extensively revised. These revisions will affect the classification of a number of Histosols in the MO-15 region. Folists - Borofolists, Medifolists, and Tropofolists are out; Cryofolists, Torrofolists, Udifolists, and Ustifolists are in. Saprists - Borosaprists, Medisaprists, and Troposaprists are out; Haplosaprists are in. Cryosaprists, Sulfosaprists, and Sulfisaprists were retained from the old taxa. Inceptisols - major surgery occurred here. These revisions will affect the classification of many soils in the MO-15 region. Three of the four suborders, Ochrepts, Plaggepts, Umbrepts, in the old taxa are out, five new suborders, Anthrepts, Cryepts, Udepts, Ustepts, and Xerepts, are in. Aquepts were retained from the old taxa. -- Other significant revisions, several of these appeared in the 7th edition. The Bor suborders and great groups and the trop great groups and subgroups are eliminated in the new edition. Frigid and iso soil temperature regimes are delegated at the family level. The term normal years is introduced. It replaces the terms, most years and 6 out of 10 years, which were used previously in "Soil Taxonomy." Normal years is defined as plus or minus one standard deviation of the long-term (30 years or more) mean annual precipitation. The folistic epipedon is added. See the "Keys" for the definition. The cambic horizon is revised. See the "Keys" for the definition. The most significant change that will affect the classification of soils in the MO-15 region is that for soils with aquic conditions, a regular decrease in organic carbon is no longer required for a cambic horizon. This may affect the classification of some of the poorly drained Fluvaquents used in our region. The terms densic materials and densic contact are added in the 7th edition. Densic materials are relatively unaltered earthy materials, such as till, volcanic mudflows, and some mine spoils that have a rupture resistance class of noncemented. See the "Keys" for a complete definition. The term paralithic materials is added in the 7th edition. These are relatively unaltered materials that have a rupture resistance class of extremely weakly cemented to moderately cemented. Commonly, these materials are partially weathered bedrock or weakly consolidated bedrock, such as sandstone, siltstone, and shale. The term lamella was defined in the 7th edition. Lamellic subgroups were introduced and the Psammentic subgroups were split between those with lamellae (Lamellic subgroups) and those with sandy argillic horizons (Psammentic subgroups). -- Revisions resulting from the ICCOMFAM recommendations in the 7th edition Family classification - all of the components of the Family, with the exception of the contrasting particle-size classes, have been arranged in the form of a key. Mineralogy classes - many changes were made to the mineralogy classes. The most obvious change was a correction that changed montmorillonitic to smectitic. Also, the definition was clarified to require only more smectite than any other single kind of clay mineral. Cation Exchange Activity Classes were added. Ratios of fine-earth CEC at pH 7 to percent clay are used to define classes of CEC activity. -- New suffixes j - accumulation of jarosite jj - evidence of cryoturbation ff - dry permafrost W - Water (added to the list of master horizons) -- World Wide Web sites Keys to Soil Taxonomy, seventh edition, 1996 - http://www.statlab.iastate.edu:80/soils/keytax Keys to Soil Taxonomy, eighth edition, 1998 - http://www.statlab.iastate.edu:80/soils/keytax/ KeystoSoilTaxonomy1998.pdf Soil Taxonomy, revised chapters - http://www.statlab.iastate.edu/soils/soiltax The material I've presented is derived from information received from Dr. Bob Ahrens, National Leader for Soil Taxonomy, NSSC, Lincoln, Nebraska. I listed some of the most significant changes you'll find in this edition of the "Keys" and a number from the7th edition (1996). I did not try to address all of the many revisions and additions at the subgroup level. Some of these may be significant in your area. By George Martin, Soil Data Quality Specialist, Auburn, AL ######################################################################### CONCEPTS IN DATA MAPUNIT DESIGN We should do our best in describing what is actually inside the lines that we put on maps. NSSH guidelines on naming map units based on composition of similar, dissimilar, limiting, non-limiting, contrasting, very contrasting provide some guidance. We need to describe, as best we can, what is in the field. And we do that, in large part, by the way we define the data mapunit. The DMU needs to be designed to be as accurate as possible over as large an area as possible. It would be great if the same DMU could be used over entire MLRAs. "I was neutral on this at first, but after seeing data and knowing the people doing the mapping (trustworthy people making good decisions), I personally see no problem with telling it like it is." (Marc Crouch ) From: JOHN C. DOLL, Soil Data Quality Specialist mailto:john.doll@in.nrcs.usda.gov ######################################################################### Last month, the following x3780 files were sent to offices having SSSD: x3780.404frig on Nov 01 ( 7 updated OSDs) @ @ Sent to offices using soils in the frigid soil temperature regime. * Sent to offices using soils in the mesic soil temperature regime. # Sent to all offices. The above x3780s contained the following updated Official Series Descriptions, which can also be obtained at: http://www.statlab.iastate.edu/cgi-bin/osd/osdname.cgi frigid denomie...lara...neconish...noseum...peshtigo...tourtillot...wayka mesic ######################################################################### ACTIVITY SCHEDULE (through January 15--subject to change) MLRA DATE ACTIVITY LOCATION MO 10 STAFF ---- --------- ---------------------------- ----------------- ----------- 90 Dec 07 Menominee Manuscript Review Eau Claire Jahnke Walker 93 Dec 01-02 NW 10 Meeting Park Falls Jahnke McCloskey 93 Dec 13-14 NASIS "one-on-one" training Duluth Giencke 93 Dec 13-15 NASIS DMU Workshop Ontonagon Jahnke 102A Dec 06-07 Steering Committee Meeting Brookings Giencke 102A Dec 08-09 Map Compilation Training Marshall Walker Giencke 103 Jan 10-14 Steering Committee Meeting St. Peter Giencke all Dec 07-09 NASIS Introductory Training St. Paul Handler all Dec 14-15 Project Leaders Meeting Champaign McCloskey all Dec 14-16 NASIS Introductory Training St. Paul DesLauriers all Jan 03-07 NASIS Introductory Training St. Paul Handler all Jan 10-14 NASIS Introductory Training St. Paul DesLauriers ######################################################################### CONTRIBUTIONS, IDEAS, SUGGESTIONS, AND QUESTIONS ARE WELCOME This newsletter is intended to be a forum to distribute information of a general nature that will benefit soil scientists in soil survey project offices. It is hoped that it will foster communications and sharing of knowledge among those soil scientists in MLRA Region 10. * * * * * Articles from other newsletters are often included to distribute ideas and comments from other areas of the country; these ideas and comments are not necessarily identical to those used in MLRA Region 10. * * * * * The format of this newsletter is intentionally simple so that it can be received, read, and printed by the project office having the least sophisticated computer and printer setup. * * * * * Thanks to those individuals who participated this month. It is your efforts that have made this newsletter a success. * * * * * Please submit your articles at least five days before the end of the month for inclusion in the following month's newsletter. Otherwise it will appear the following month. Occasionally, due to other workload demands, it may be an additional month before the article appears. Generally, articles are inserted in the order they are received. Articles in an electronic format can be submitted to: jfh@mn.nrcs.usda.gov. It is best if electronic articles are prepared in a "text only" format. Articles in a paper format can be sent or faxed to: John Handler MLRA Region 10 Office USDA - NRCS 375 Jackson Street - Suite 600 St. Paul, Minnesota 55101-1854 FAX: 1-651-602-7914 * * * * * Previous month's copies of this newsletter are available at: http://www.mn.nrcs.usda.gov/mo10/mo10.html #########################################################################