How the Survey Was Made

Initially, mapping was done on 1:24,000 aerial photographs. By stereoscopic examination, mapping units were delineated. (The basis of these delineations were differences in topography, geology, and vegetation.) Later those delineations were transferred over to the 1:24,000 scale maps which are included in the report.

Concurrently, field documentation was collected to identify map unit components and to verify the accuracy of the delineations made. As a result, 134 terrestrial ecosystems were recognized and mapped. These ecosystems include various combinations of soils, miscellaneous areas, and vegetation communities.

Due to the complexity of the survey area, soils were only classified to the family level of Soil Taxonomy. This level of survey resulted in 128 mapping units over 95 percent of the survey area. The remaining 6 mapping units were Level IV. Level IV mapping units are classified to the subgroup level of Soil Taxonomy. Consequently, soils classified at this level are highly variable and thus limited in the interpretations made.