What is the USDA Web Soil Survey and how does it help with a home site?

Web Soil Survey is the USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service's online soil map for most of the country. You draw an Area of Interest around your property, then open the Soil Data Explorer to see maps and tables of soil properties and suitability ratings. Under Building Site Development it rates soils for dwellings with and without basements, shallow excavations and local roads and streets, and it reports engineering properties and shrink-swell potential. These ratings flag likely trouble such as poor drainage, low strength or soil movement before you buy or build. NRCS notes the tool may not include every state or local interpretation, so use it for screening and confirm critical items with a site test.

Sources

• Web Soil Survey: Soil Data Explorer Tab guideUSDA Natural Resources Conservation Service
• Web Soil Survey Interpretations by CategoryUSDA Natural Resources Conservation Service