Soil Survey of Ohio's Second-largest County Ready

After two decades of research, testing and editing, the results from the Ross County Soil Survey were released to the public.

The request for a soil survey was made by Ross commissioners in 1984. Twenty years later, the survey is complete.

According to Jon Gerken, NRCS State soil scientist, there were delays in publishing the findings due to a lack of funding.

In addition, research to obtain official results takes years.

Doug Pauley, district conservationist with NRCS, said thousands of tests were administered to garner the results of the survey, which are compiled onto a CD-ROM disk available for public viewing at the Ross Soil and Water Conservation District.

According to Gerken, the survey is a document detailing soil classification, soil characteristics and potential land uses of soil found around the survey area, which encompasses 443,448 acres -- the second largest in the State.

The results are illustrated through charts, text, data, maps and aerial photographs.

Gerken said a Ross County survey hasn't been published since 1967. Mapping for the region was completed in 1959.

Story by Brooke Bunch and image by Robert Moorhead, Chillicothe Gazette.