Soil Data Explorer - OBSERVATION

Official Series Description

Lab Data Summary

Aggregate lab data for the OBSERVATION soil series. This aggregation is based on all pedons with a current taxon name of OBSERVATION, and applied along 1-cm thick depth slices. Solid lines are the slice-wise median, bounded on either side by the interval defined by the slice-wise 5th and 95th percentiles. The median is the value that splits the data in half. Five percent of the data are less than the 5th percentile, and five percent of the data are greater than the 95th percentile. Values along the right hand side y-axis describe the proportion of pedon data that contribute to aggregate values at this depth. For example, a value of "90%" at 25cm means that 90% of the pedons correlated to OBSERVATION were used in the calculation. Source: KSSL snapshot (updated 2020-03-13). Methods used to assemble the KSSL snapshot used by SoilWeb / SDE

There are insufficient data to create the lab data summary figure.

Water Balance

Monthly water balance estimated using a leaky-bucket style model for the OBSERVATION soil series. Monthly precipitation (PPT) and potential evapotranspiration (PET) have been estimated from the 50th percentile of gridded values (PRISM 1981-2010) overlapping with the extent of SSURGO map units containing each series as a major component. Monthly PET values were estimated using the method of Thornthwaite (1948). These (and other) climatic parameters are calculated with each SSURGO refresh and provided by the fetchOSD function of the soilDB package. Representative water storage values (“AWC” in the figures) were derived from SSURGO by taking the 50th percentile of profile-total water storage (sum[awc_r * horizon thickness]) for each soil series. Note that this representation of “water storage” is based on the average ability of most plants to extract soil water between 15 bar (“permanent wilting point”) and 1/3 bar (“field capacity”) matric potential. Soil moisture state can be roughly interpreted as “dry” when storage is depleted, “moist” when storage is between 0mm and AWC, and “wet” when there is a surplus. Clearly there are a lot of assumptions baked into this kind of monthly water balance. This is still a work in progress.

Sibling Summary

Siblings are those soil series that occur together in map units, in this case with the OBSERVATION series. Sketches are arranged according to their subgroup-level taxonomic structure. Source: SSURGO snapshot (updated 2024-10-24), parsed OSD records (updated 2024-10-23) and snapshot of SC database (updated 2024-10-23).

Select annual climate data summaries for the OBSERVATION series and siblings. Series are sorted according to hierarchical clustering of median values. Source: SSURGO map unit geometry and 1981-2010, 800m PRISM data (updated 2024-10-23).

Geomorphic description summaries for the OBSERVATION series and siblings. Series are sorted according to hierarchical clustering of proportions and relative hydrologic position within an idealized landform (e.g. top to bottom). Most soil series (SSURGO components) are associated with a hillslope position and one or more landform-specific positions: hills, mountain slopes, terraces, and/or flats. Proportions can be interpreted as an aggregate representation of geomorphic membership. The values printed to the left (number of component records) and right (Shannon entropy) of stacked bars can be used to judge the reliability of trends. Small Shannon entropy values suggest relatively consistent geomorphic association, while larger values suggest lack thereof. Source: SSURGO component records (updated 2024-10-23).

Competing Series

Soil series competing with OBSERVATION share the same family level classification in Soil Taxonomy. Source: parsed OSD records (updated 2024-10-23) and snapshot of the SC database (updated 2024-10-23).

Select annual climate data summaries for the OBSERVATION series and competing. Series are sorted according to hierarchical clustering of median values. Source: SSURGO map unit geometry and 1981-2010, 800m PRISM data (updated 2024-10-23).

Geomorphic description summaries for the OBSERVATION series and competing. Series are sorted according to hierarchical clustering of proportions and relative hydrologic position within an idealized landform (e.g. top to bottom). Proportions can be interpreted as an aggregate representation of geomorphic membership. Most soil series (SSURGO components) are associated with a hillslope position and one or more landform-specific positions: hills, mountain slopes, terraces, and/or flats. The values printed to the left (number of component records) and right (Shannon entropy) of stacked bars can be used to judge the reliability of trends. Shannon entropy values close to 0 represent soil series with relatively consistent geomorphic association, while values close to 1 suggest lack thereof. Source: SSURGO component records (updated 2024-10-23).

There are insufficient data to create the 3D flats position figure.

Soil series sharing subgroup-level classification with OBSERVATION, arranged according to family differentiae. Hovering over a series name will print full classification and a small sketch from the OSD. Source: snapshot of SC database (updated 2024-10-23).

Block Diagrams

No block diagrams are available.

Map Units

Map units containing OBSERVATION as a major component. Limited to 250 records.

Map Unit Name	Symbol	Map Unit Area (ac)	Map Unit Key	National Map Unit Symbol	Soil Survey Area	Publication Date	Map Scale
Observation-Searles-Madeline association, 9 to 30 percent slopes	300	16011	487619	jcdn	ca608	2000	1:24000
Observation-Searles-Madeline association, 30 to 50 percent slopes	301	7572	487621	jcdq	ca608	2000	1:24000
Pequop-Observation association, 30 to 50 percent slopes	315	1086	487648	jcfl	ca608	2000	1:24000
Pequop-Observation association, 15 to 30 percent slopes	314	966	487646	jcfj	ca608	2000	1:24000
Observation-Searles-Madeline association	493	44	1387151	1hkft	ca685	2006	1:24000
Observation-Searles-Madeline association, 9 to 30 percent slopes	300su	151	1898849	21qx6	ca703	1983	1:24000
Merlin-Observation complex, 2 to 20 percent slopes	199m	14796	3426118	2mqp	or618		1:24000
Ateron-Observation-Tweener complex, 2 to 15 percent slopes	N810	11424	3426175	2mts	or618		1:24000
Polkbutte-Merlin-Observation complex, 15 to 50 percent north slopes	730	10721	3432190	2mkt	or618		1:24000
Observation-Bonnieview complex, 2 to 40 percent south slopes	571	10570	3426099	2mkw	or618		1:24000
Observation-Ateron-Polkbutte complex, 0 to 35 percent slopes	283	10462	3432191	tgbr	or618		1:24000
Observation-Bonnieview-Erakatak complex, 10 to 45 percent south slopes	279	9753	3432192	tgbt	or618		1:24000
Observation-Merlin-Erakatak complex, 2 to 20 percent slopes	Q570	9450	3434660	2mlw	or618		1:24000
Observation-Bonnieview-Ateron complex, 0 to 50 percent slopes	B451	9346	3434661	2mrk	or618		1:24000
Observation-Cadlebutte complex, 0 to 15 percent slopes	277	5740	3434812	sqfh	or618		1:24000
Bonnieview-Observation-Anatone complex, 12 to 30 percent south slopes	265	5230	3434817	132ry	or618		1:24000
Polkbutte-Merlin-Observation complex, 5 to 40 percent slopes	Q730	4737	3432094	2mlv	or618		1:24000
Observation-Wickiser-Bonnieview complex, 0 to 50 percent north slopes	254	1694	3437524	21vh3	or618		1:24000
Powellbutte-Observation complex, 0 to 15 percent slopes	BL144	1200	3435021	1t1ll	or618		1:24000
Observation-Lambring-Rock outcrop association, 20 to 50 percent slopes	244m	300	3434707	2mrg	or618		1:24000
Observation-Teguro complex, 2 to 20 percent slopes	243m	233	3434734	2mrh	or618		1:24000
Magill-Observation association, 5 to 40 percent slopes	368m	124	3434705	2msy	or618		1:24000
Observation-Rock outcrop complex, 5 to 20 percent slopes	241m	29	3434676	2mrj	or618		1:24000
Observation-Erakatak-Merlin complex, 2 to 20 percent slopes	242	17	3426397	nk6y	or618		1:24000
Magill-Observation association, 5 to 40 percent slopes	4409BO	524	3385290	2msy	or626	2018	1:24000
Merlin-Observation complex, 2 to 20 percent slopes	4403AO	285	3385428	2mqp	or626	2018	1:24000
Observation-Sylvaille complex, 2 to 15 percent slopes	4309AO	202	3385476	2m7gm	or626	2018	1:24000
Observation-Erakatak-Merlin complex, 2 to 20 percent slopes	4340NO	108	3385424	nk6y	or626	2018	1:24000
Observation-Sylvaille complex, 2 to 15 percent slopes	273C	8042	3426221	2m7gm	or627		1:24000
Observation-Erakatak-Merlin complex, 2 to 20 percent slopes	242	2011	3426393	nk6y	or627		1:24000
Daxty-Observation complex, 5 to 30 percent slopes	278D	1546	3429467	2m7gx	or627		1:24000
Observation-Fopiano-Badland complex, 15 to 50 percent slopes	275E	536	3432026	2m7gv	or627		1:24000
Polkbutte-Merlin-Observation complex, 5 to 40 percent slopes	Q730	374	3432101	2mlv	or627		1:24000
Merlin-Observation complex, 2 to 20 percent slopes	199	49628	490577	jgh2	or628	1997	1:24000
Observation-Lambring-Rock outcrop association, 20 to 50 percent slopes	244	17040	490641	jgk4	or628	1997	1:24000
Westbutte-Observation association, 5 to 40 percent slopes	368	12542	490801	jgq9	or628	1997	1:24000
Observation-Rock outcrop complex, 5 to 20 percent slopes	241	8648	490638	jgk1	or628	1997	1:24000
Observation-Royst-Merlin complex, 2 to 30 percent slopes	242	8024	490639	jgk2	or628	1997	1:24000
Ateron-Observation association, 5 to 30 percent slopes	20	7895	490581	jgh6	or628	1997	1:24000
Ticino-Observation complex, 2 to 20 percent slopes	329	6509	490754	jgns	or628	1997	1:24000
Merlin-Observation complex, 20 to 40 percent north slopes	200	6310	490582	jgh7	or628	1997	1:24000
Observation stony loam, 2 to 20 percent slopes	240	3608	490636	jgjz	or628	1997	1:24000
Vitale-Observation complex, 2 to 20 percent slopes	345	3481	490774	jgpf	or628	1997	1:24000
Observation-Teguro complex, 2 to 20 percent slopes	243	3392	490640	jgk3	or628	1997	1:24000
Anatone-Teguro-Observation complex, 2 to 20 percent slopes	9	2225	490968	jgwp	or628	1997	1:24000
Observation-Booth complex, 0 to 15 percent slopes	184C	6494	489011	jdvk	or636	1991	1:24000
Merlin-Observation complex, 2 to 15 percent slopes	9033	4905	2722290	2sf3s	or645		1:24000
Bingville-Ateron-Observation, clay pan, complex, 5 to 40 percent south slopes	085E	8452	3421704	2r5c3	or677		1:24000
Observation-Finsel-Ateron complex, 10 to 30 percent north slopes	476C	6127	3421737	261m7	or677		1:24000
Observation-Ateron-Rock outcrop complex, 10 to 30 percent south slopes	474D	2182	3421843	25xtt	or677		1:24000
Observation-Bonnieview complex, 2 to 40 percent south slopes	571	761	3424436	2mkw	or677		1:24000
Merlin-Observation complex, 2 to 20 percent slopes	199m	499	3424523	2mqp	or677		1:24000
Ateron-Observation-Tweener complex, 2 to 15 percent slopes	N810	52	3424833	2mts	or677		1:24000

Map of Series Extent

Approximate geographic distribution of the OBSERVATION soil series. To learn more about how this distribution was mapped, or to compare this soil series extent to others, use the Series Extent Explorer (SEE) application. Source: generalization of SSURGO geometry (updated 2024-10-30).