KODIAK AREA SOIL SURVEY UNDERWAY

Data Will Help in Land Use Planning

May 23, 2007, Palmer AK -- This week a team of soil scientists from the U.S. Department of Agriculture Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) arrived on Afognak Island with their shovels, tapes, and notebooks to begin digging and refilling holes in order to understand the properties of the area’s soils. 

NRCS expects this to be the first of several years of summer fieldwork leading up to the completion of a 3.2 million-acre soil survey of the Kodiak and Afognak region.

Each five-foot deep hole helps the soil scientists understand the unique properties of the soil including what it’s made from, its texture, color, moisture, and chemical properties.  A six-person crew will map several thousand acres of soil per day with each soil scientist digging approximately 10 to 15 holes per day. 

The scientists also make careful assessments of the vegetation, landform, and hydrology associated with each soil type. Each type is mapped and cataloged with interpretations that explain each soil’s potential uses and limitations.

Half a century has passed since soil scientists first surveyed Kodiak’s northeast corner.  The primary goal in the late 1950s was to determine the potential for agriculture – primarily cattle grazing.

Today the population of the Kodiak region has grown and land use needs have changed.  Kodiak, Afognak, and other surrounding islands are now in need of a comprehensive survey that will provide information necessary for residential and commercial development, the conservation of important fisheries and wildlife habitat, and sound management of timber and other resources.

An updated soil survey will help residents, community planners, and land managers make better land-use decisions that might include identifying best places for roads, buildings, airstrips, septic systems, and landfills, as well as enhancing range, forestry, and wildlife management.

The NRCS soil scientists are expecting to spend most of the summer mapping Afognak Island, and the latter part of the season working mainly around the Kodiak Island road system.

Initial cooperators for the soil survey include Afognak Native Corporation; Kodiak Island Borough; Kodiak Soil and Water Conservation District; Koniag, Inc.; Natives of Kodiak, Inc.; Old Harbor Native Corporation; and Uyak, Inc.  Additional cooperators are expected to join in the project as the survey progresses across the islands.

The Natural Resources Conservation Service puts nearly 70 years of experience to work in assisting people to conserve, maintain, and improve natural resources and environment. NRCS works in partnership with local conservation districts  and serves almost every county in the nation, and the Caribbean and Pacific Basin. Participation in  all NRCS programs is voluntary.

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