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Land Capability Class, by State, 1997
Description
This pie map contains a pie chart for each state
and the nation. The pie slices reflect acres in
various land capability classes as a percent of
the total area of non-Federal land. The size of
the pies is proportional to the amount of non-
Federal land in the state, scaled between Rhode
Island and
Texas. The 32,502,700 acres in land capability
class V (2% of the U.S. total) are not
incorporated into the pies. The total national
acreage is also provided. Land capability class
definitions area as follows: Class I contains
soils having few limitations for cultivation;
Class II contains soils having some
limitations for cultivation; Class III contains
soils having severe limitations for cultivation;
Class IV contains soils having very severe
limitations for cultivation; Class V contains
soils unsuited to cultivation, although pastures
can be improved and benefits from proper
management can be
expected; Class VI contains soils unsuited to
cultivation, although some may be used provided
unusually intensive management is applied; Class
VII contains soils unsuited to cultivation and
having one or more limitations which cannot be
corrected; Class VIII contains soils and
landforms
restricted to use as recreation, wildlife, water
supply or asthetic purposes.
Cautions for this Product:
Data are not collected on Federal land. Land
capability class V is not incorporated into the
pies. Categories I and II have been combined,
category I contains 2% of the total non-Federal
land area. Categories VII and VII have also been
combined, category VIII contain 2% of the non-
Federal land area. The national pie is not
proportional to the state pies.
Sources
Source:
National Resources Inventory, 1997
Distributor:
USDA-NRCS-RIAD
Reliability:
NRI sample data are generally reliable at the
95% confidence interval for state and certain
broad substate area analyses. Generally,
analyses that aggregate data points by smaller
geographic areas and/or more specific criteria
result in fewer data points for each aggregation
and therefore less reliable estimates. NRI maps
reflect national patterns rather than site-
specific information.
Layers
Aggregate Layer:
State
Other Layers Displayed:
Definitions
Land Capability Classes and Subclasses:
Capability class is the broadest category in the
land capability classification system. Class
codes 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, and 8 are used to
represent both irrigated and nonirrigated land
capability classes.
Class 1 soils have slight limitations that
restrict their use.
Class 2 soils have moderate limitations that
reduce the choice of plants or require moderate
conservation practices.
Class 3 soils have severe limitations that
reduce the choice of plants or require special
conservation practices, or both.
Class 4 soils have very severe limitations that
restrict the choice of plants or require very
careful management, or both.
Class 5 soils have little or no hazard of
erosion but have other limitations, impractical
to remove, that limit their use mainly to
pasture, range, forestland, or wildlife food and
cover.
Class 6 soils have severe limitations that make
them generally unsuited to cultivation and that
limit their use mainly to pasture, range,
forestland, or wildlife food and cover.
Class 7 soils have very severe limitations that
make them unsuited to cultivation and that
restrict their use mainly to grazing,
forestland, or wildlife.
Class 8 soils and miscellaneous areas have
limitations that preclude their use for
commercial plant production and limit their use
to recreation, wildlife, or water supply or for
esthetic purposes.
Capability subclass is the second category in
the land capability classification system. Class
codes e, w, s, and c are used for land
capability subclasses.
Subclass e is made up of soils for which the
susceptibility to erosion is the dominant
problem or hazard affecting their use. Erosion
susceptibility and past erosion damage are the
major soil factors that affect soils in this
subclass.
Subclass w is made up of soils for which excess
water is the dominant hazard or limitation
affecting their use. Poor soil drainage,
wetness, a high water table, and overflow are
the factors that affect soils in this subclass.
Subclass s is made up of soils that have soil
limitations within the rooting zone, such as
shallowness of the rooting zone, stones, low
moisture-holding capacity, low fertility that is
difficult to correct, and salinity or sodium
content.
Subclass c is made up of soils for which the
climate (the temperature or lack of moisture) is
the major hazard or limitation affecting their
use.
The subclass represents the dominant limitation
that determines the capability class. Within a
capability class, where the kinds of limitations
are essentially equal, the subclasses have the
following priority: e, w, s, and c. Subclasses
are not assigned to soils or miscellaneous areas
in capability classes 1 and 8.
Product Information
Product ID:
6175
Production Date:
5/22/01
Product Type:
Map
For additional information
contact the Resources Inventory and Assessment Division.
Please include the Product ID you are inquiring about.
nri@wdc.usda.gov
or 1400 Independence Avenue SW - P.O. Box 2890 -
Washington D.C. 20013. If you use our analysis products,
please be aware of our disclaimer.
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